José Manuel Cerqueira Afonso dos Santos, known as José Afonso, Zeca Afonso … Read Full Bio ↴José Manuel Cerqueira Afonso dos Santos, known as José Afonso, Zeca Afonso or just Zeca (2 August 1929 – 23 February 1987), was born in Aveiro, Portugal. Zeca is among the most influential folk and political musicians in Portuguese history. He became an icon among Portuguese left-wing activists due to the role of his music in the resistance against the dictatorial regime of Oliveira Salazar, resistance that triumphed in 1974 with the pro-democratic leftist military coup of the Carnation Revolution. His song Grândola, Vila Morena is closely associated with the revolution, since it was chosen to be the password transmitted by radio for the beginning of the movement that toppled the dictatorship. In the ensuing revolutionary process, Zeca was a very active musician and continued composing political and folk songs, often criticizing the post-revolutionary changes. Years after his death, Zeca Afonso is still widely listened to, not only in Portugal, but also abroad.

Utopía
José Afonso Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Cidade
Sem muros nem ameias
Gente igual por dentro
gente igual por fora
Onde a folha da palma
afaga a cantaria
Cidade do homem
Não do lobo mas irmão

Capital da alegria
Braço que dormes
nos braços do rio
Toma o fruto da terra
E teu a ti o deves
lança o teu
desafio
Homem que olhas nos olhos
que não negas
o sorriso a palavra forte e justa
Homem para quem
o nada disto custa
Será que existe
lá para os lados do oriente
Este rio este rumo esta gaivota

Que outro fumo deverei seguir
na minha rota?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of José Afonso's song Utopia depict a city without walls or fortifications, where people are equal in their inner and outer selves. The palm leaves stroke the stone as the city belongs to humanity and not to the wolves, where joy prevails and the river holds the city as a dear friend. The people take the fruits of the land and consider it their responsibility to take care of it. The city challenges people to live a just and strong life, where they look into each other's eyes without denying the honesty of their smiles or their firm, resounding words. The song then enters the domain of the singer's uncertainty about his or her path in life. He or she wonders if there is another place, particularly in the east, that offers a similar river or direction or seagull that he or she perceives in his or her journey. The song ends on this note, with the singer searching for his or her own utopia.

Line by Line Meaning

Cidade
The ideal city

Sem muros nem ameias
Without walls or fences

Gente igual por dentro
People equal on the inside

gente igual por fora
People equal on the outside

Onde a folha da palma
Where the palm leaf

afaga a cantaria
Caresses the stones

Cidade do homem
City of man

Não do lobo mas irmão
Not of the wolf but brother

Capital da alegria
Capital of joy

Braço que dormes
Arm that sleeps

nos braços do rio
In the arms of the river

Toma o fruto da terra
Take the fruit of the earth

E teu a ti o deves
Yours you owe to yourself

lança o teu
Launch your

desafio
Challenge

Homem que olhas nos olhos
Man who looks in the eyes

que não negas
Who does not deny

o sorriso a palavra forte e justa
The smile the strong and just word

Homem para quem
Man for whom

o nada disto custa
None of this costs anything

Será que existe
Does it really exist

lá para os lados do oriente
Somewhere in the East

Este rio este rumo esta gaivota
This river this direction this seagull

Que outro fumo deverei seguir
Which other smoke should I follow

na minha rota?
On my route?

Contributed by Leah D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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Comments from YouTube:

Sanzio Hanzō

6y↑7

Cidade
Sem muros nem ameias
Gente igual por dentro
Gente igual por fora
Onde a folha da palma
afaga a cantaria
Cidade do homem
Não do lobo, mas irmão
Capital da alegria

Braço que dormes
nos braços do rio
Toma o fruto da terra
É teu a ti o deves
lança o teu desafio

Homem que olhas nos olhos
que não negas
o sorriso, a palavra forte e justa
Homem para quem
o nada disto custa
Será que existe
lá para os lados do oriente
Este rio, este rumo, esta gaivota
Que outro fumo deverei seguir
na minha rota?