<… Read Full Bio ↴Karrin Allyson is a Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist on Concord Records.
Allyson projects an instantly recognizable tonal personality, illuminating hidden layers of emotion within songs that are drawn from a vast well of styles and genres—from the blues, contemporary pop, and the Great American Songbook, to the bossa nova, chanson, and the more specialized jazz and bebop repertoire.
What really separates Allyson from her peers is her ability to communicate oceanic emotions with minimal artifice. “The idea of craft permeates her music,” wrote Richard Cook, author of the Penguin Guide to Jazz Records in a 2004 performance review that admirably encapsulates Allyson’s qualities.
“One of the most appealing things about her singing is its lack of mannerism. There are no dopey melismas, nothing of that afflicted gospel soul feel that a lot of younger singers depend on. She doesn’t try anything foolishly acrobatic. Yet in her way, she’s an ambitious and adventurous performer. She sometimes puts in a scat chorus which is done almost diffidently, without showoff contours. She’ll take over a familiar lyric and make it sound fresh by use of quiet touches—sitting back on certain beats, turning away from a big line and highlighting a different one.”
O Pato
Karrin Allyson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Quando um marreco sorridente pediu
Pra entrar também no samba, no samba, no samba
O ganso gostou da dupla e fez também quém, quém
Olhou pro cisne e disse assim "vem, vem"
Que o quarteto ficará bem, muito bom, muito bem
Na beira da lagoa foram ensaiar
Para começar o tico-tico no fubá
Jogo de cena com o ganso era mato
Mas eu gostei do final quando caíram n'água
E ensaiando o vocal
Quém, quém, quém, quém
Quém, quém, quém, quém
The song "O Pato" by Karrin Allyson tells the story of a happy duck (patro) singing, when a smiling drake asks to join the "samba, samba, samba" with a goose turning it into a quartet. The group rehearses on the banks of a lagoon, getting ready to perform the tico-tico no fubá. The lyrics playfully describe the duck's disruptive and bold singing style and behavior, while the goose plays along with the act. In the end, the quartet falls into the water, but happily continue to rehearse.
The song can be interpreted on several levels. Firstly, it can be seen as a lighthearted story of animal characters coming together to make music, exploring themes of friendship, playfulness and the joy of life. On a deeper level, the song can be seen as a social commentary, where the duck may represent the working class, fighting against the status quo, while the goose may represent the ruling class, enjoying the disruption. The quartet falling into the water could represent the working-class rebellion ultimately failing, but still finding some comfort in creating something beautiful.
Line by Line Meaning
O pato vinha cantando alegremente, quém, quém
The duck came singing joyfully, quém, quém
Quando um marreco sorridente pediu
When a smiling teal asked
Pra entrar também no samba, no samba, no samba
To also enter the samba, the samba, the samba
O ganso gostou da dupla e fez também quém, quém
The goose liked the duo and also quacked, quém, quém
Olhou pro cisne e disse assim "vem, vem"
He looked at the swan and said, "come, come"
Que o quarteto ficará bem, muito bom, muito bem
That the quartet will be good, very good, very well
Na beira da lagoa foram ensaiar
They went to rehearse by the lake
Para começar o tico-tico no fubá
To start the tico-tico on the cornmeal
A voz do pato era mesmo um desacato
The duck's voice was a real outrage
Jogo de cena com o ganso era mato
Playing games with the goose was easy
Mas eu gostei do final quando caíram n'água
But I liked the ending when they fell in the water
E ensaiando o vocal
Quém, quém, quém, quém
Quém, quém, quém, quém
And rehearsing their voices
Quack, quack, quack, quack
Quack, quack, quack, quack
Contributed by Madison S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Goda Šiaudinytė
O pato
the duck was dancing by the water,
quack, quack, quack
the rhythm made him think he oughta
quack, quack
he was dancing to the samba,
the samba, the samba
Oh goose ooh
The goose was gaining passing by,
honk, honk, honk
he stopped and gave the dance a try,
honk, honk
he was dancing to the samba
the new thing, the new swing
Then a lovely swan swam by
in all her majesty
then she loosened up,
hoochy coochy coo did that swan,
she joined the duck
and goose and did the samba too.
you should have seen
the kind of samba she could do,
they did the samba so long
they all fell right in the water
while they were swinging away
quack, quack, quack,
quack, quack,
quack
quack, quack, quack
quack, quack, quack
quack
O pato
the duck was happy to begin it,
quack, quack, quack
and he was really getting in it
quack, quack
and he was dancing to the samba,
the samba, the samba
Oh goose ooh
The goose came fast as he could move,
honk, honk, honk
he joined the duck and struck groove
honk, honk
the bossa nova had him dancing
the new thing, the new swing
Then a lovely swan swam by
in all her majesty
then she loosened up,
hoochy coochy coo,
did that swan
she joined the duck and goose
and did the samba too,
you should have seen
the kind of samba she could do,
they did the samba so long
they all fell right in the water
while they were singing away
quack, quack, quack,
quack, quack, quack
quack, quack, quack
quack, quack, quack
quack
O pato
O Pato
the duck was dancing by the water,
quack, quack, quack
the rhythm made him think he oughta
quack, quack
he was dancing to the samba,
the samba
Ooh goose ooh
the goose was gaining swimming by,
honk, honk, honk
he stopped and gave the dance a try,
honk, honk
he was dancing to the samba
the new thing, the new swing
And then a lovely swan swam by
in all her majesty
and then she loosened up,
hoochy coochy coo,
did the swan
she joined the duck and goose
and did the samba too,
you should have seen
the kind of samba she could do,
they did the samba so long
they all fell right in the water,
while they were singing away,
quack, quack, quack,
quack, quack, quack
quack, quack, quack
quack, quack, quack
quack
Scat
They were dancing to the Samba, the Samba, the Samba
They were dancing to the Samba, the Samba, the Samba
They were dancing to the Samba, the Samba, the Samba
They were dancing to the Samba
Boo dee---Lyrics submitted by Germanie.
Terezinha Santos Machado
Os brasileiros Agradecem esta LINDA MÚSICA, PARABÉNS, HEROÍNA, BÊNÇÃOS. Os que querem fazermos de BESTALHADOS, vamos SORRIR destes MALDITOS sem LUZ.
O PATO possui mais INTELIGÊNCIA, APRECIA as MARAVILHAS do DEUS CRIADOR. BÊNÇÃOS. ♨️🕊🙏💥🌎💚💛🗽
Greg Vrieling
My favorite tune ever. Thank you Karrin !
Barbara Hrovatin
oh, so crisp and happy! A brilliant version. Just love it.
Trish Mairet
Absolutely Fabulous Karrin!! Thank you for giving us such joy!!
Goda Šiaudinytė
O pato
the duck was dancing by the water,
quack, quack, quack
the rhythm made him think he oughta
quack, quack
he was dancing to the samba,
the samba, the samba
Oh goose ooh
The goose was gaining passing by,
honk, honk, honk
he stopped and gave the dance a try,
honk, honk
he was dancing to the samba
the new thing, the new swing
Then a lovely swan swam by
in all her majesty
then she loosened up,
hoochy coochy coo did that swan,
she joined the duck
and goose and did the samba too.
you should have seen
the kind of samba she could do,
they did the samba so long
they all fell right in the water
while they were swinging away
quack, quack, quack,
quack, quack,
quack
quack, quack, quack
quack, quack, quack
quack
O pato
the duck was happy to begin it,
quack, quack, quack
and he was really getting in it
quack, quack
and he was dancing to the samba,
the samba, the samba
Oh goose ooh
The goose came fast as he could move,
honk, honk, honk
he joined the duck and struck groove
honk, honk
the bossa nova had him dancing
the new thing, the new swing
Then a lovely swan swam by
in all her majesty
then she loosened up,
hoochy coochy coo,
did that swan
she joined the duck and goose
and did the samba too,
you should have seen
the kind of samba she could do,
they did the samba so long
they all fell right in the water
while they were singing away
quack, quack, quack,
quack, quack, quack
quack, quack, quack
quack, quack, quack
quack
O pato
O Pato
the duck was dancing by the water,
quack, quack, quack
the rhythm made him think he oughta
quack, quack
he was dancing to the samba,
the samba
Ooh goose ooh
the goose was gaining swimming by,
honk, honk, honk
he stopped and gave the dance a try,
honk, honk
he was dancing to the samba
the new thing, the new swing
And then a lovely swan swam by
in all her majesty
and then she loosened up,
hoochy coochy coo,
did the swan
she joined the duck and goose
and did the samba too,
you should have seen
the kind of samba she could do,
they did the samba so long
they all fell right in the water,
while they were singing away,
quack, quack, quack,
quack, quack, quack
quack, quack, quack
quack, quack, quack
quack
Scat
They were dancing to the Samba, the Samba, the Samba
They were dancing to the Samba, the Samba, the Samba
They were dancing to the Samba, the Samba, the Samba
They were dancing to the Samba
Boo dee---Lyrics submitted by Germanie.
Gail Williams
Love this! I was delighted to hear it on Cap Public Radio's 24-hour jazz station a few minutes ago!
Aaron Last Name
I heard it on a jazz station about 10 years ago and it took me a month to go back through their records and find out what song it was. SO WORTH IT!
Edison E.
Adorable version! 👏👏👏
Chris Bowen
She has the gift. Really!
Chamomile Cam
I love this its so graceful