Antônio Carlos Brasileiro de Almeida Jobim (January 25, 1927 – December 8, … Read Full Bio ↴Antônio Carlos Brasileiro de Almeida Jobim (January 25, 1927 – December 8, 1994), also known as Tom Jobim (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈtõ ʒoˈbĩ]), was a Brazilian songwriter, composer, arranger, singer, and pianist/guitarist. He was a primary force behind the creation of the bossa nova style, and his songs have been performed by many singers and instrumentalists within Brazil and internationally.
Widely known as the composer of "Garota de Ipanema" (The Girl from Ipanema), one of the most recorded songs of all time, Jobim has left a large number of songs that are today included in the standard Jazz and Pop repertoires.

Garota De Ipanema
Jobim Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Olha que coisa mais linda
Mais cheia de graça
É ela menina
Que vem e que passa
No doce balanço, a caminho do mar

Moça do corpo dourado
Do sol de Ipanema

O seu balançado é mais que um poema
É a coisa mais linda que eu já vi passar

Ah, porque estou tão sozinho
Ah, porque tudo é tão triste
Ah, a beleza que existe
A beleza que não é só minha
Que também passa sozinha

Ah, se ela soubesse
Que quando ela passa
O mundo inteirinho se enche de graça

E fica mais lindo
Por causa do amor

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Garota De Ipanema" by Antonio Carlos Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes are a beautiful tribute to a young woman who walks along the beaches of Ipanema. The song opens with Jobim commenting on how beautiful and graceful she looks as she walks past him. He is mesmerized by her and watches as she moves gently to the rhythm of the waves on her way to the sea.

The second verse describes her stunning body that glistens in the bright sun of Ipanema. Her movements are more than just poetry in motion, they are like nothing Jobim has ever seen before. He is captivated by her and cannot take his eyes off her as she walks by.

The final two verses are a reflection on Jobim's loneliness and sadness. He wishes the young woman could understand the impact she has on his life and how her presence makes the world a more beautiful place. He feels that her beauty is not only for him to enjoy, but for everyone around her. The love that he feels for her is palpable, and he is overwhelmed by the emotions that she evokes in him.

Line by Line Meaning

Olha que coisa mais linda
Look at this beautiful thing

Mais cheia de graça
So full of grace

É ela menina
It's her, the girl

Que vem e que passa
Who comes and goes

No doce balanço, a caminho do mar
In the sweet sway, on the way to the sea

Moça do corpo dourado
Girl with the golden body

Do sol de Ipanema
From the Ipanema sun

O seu balançado é mais que um poema
Her sway is more than a poem

É a coisa mais linda que eu já vi passar
It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen pass by

Ah, porque estou tão sozinho
Oh, why am I so alone

Ah, porque tudo é tão triste
Oh, why is everything so sad