The empathy with the musical instruments started with the guitar. It was with the guitar that she realised were the chords of her parent’s music come from. From The Beatles and from many others. And it was on an early age that she gave herself to the unique melodies that the jazz immortalized. The capacity of a melody to stand by itself, without the instruments. She embraced such artists as Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzerald, Chet Baker, and many others and with them in her heart she set off to the Berklee College of Music, in Boston, USA, to study music. In her 4 year stay in Boston she was nominated for the «Best Jazz Song» at the Malibu Music Awards (2008); «Best Jazz Artist» at the Hollywood Music Awards ; «International Songwriting Competition» (2007) and «The John Lennon Songwriting Competition» (2008).
More than being nominated or completing her studies, Luísa was also discovering herself every year that went by. Her musical identity would further develop in New York, where she moved after finish her degree in Boston (2009). In her bags a lot of what would eventually give shape to songs that where already wandering inside her head. Hers and her mother’s who confessed to her she had dreamed that her first album would be called «The Cherry on My Cake». Maternal magic that made a dream come true.
The learning of the jazz standards, the practice done by playing a Brazilian music in bars and the stamina of her creativity all filtered into songs that would either gain live in paper or in chords. One after another. Well thought melodies with images inside. «I Would Love To», «Don`t Let Me Down», «Why Should I», among other songs that came together in an EP («My Funny Clementine»). The emphasis on the starting theme was obvious: «Not There Yet». A triple time rhythm, like a jazz waltz, colorful, an imposing chorus and violins in heaven. The record composition wasn’t to become limited to the English language. Between trips to and from Portugal, Luisa performed at the Super Bock Super Rock festival in Stock 2009. At this gig she mentions how much she would like to have a song in Portuguese. Upon her return to the States Luisa sketches a poem and melody for “O Engraxador” (the shoe shine man). That is followed by “Xico and Dolores”. For the upcoming record the will for a Portuguese cover song was still very much present. Nobody would be better to fill this part than Rui Veloso, artist that Luisa’s father listens to insistently. Luisa registers Carlos Te’s lyric and tries a different version of “Saiu para a Rua”.
«The Cherry on my Cake» is the result of all of this: of the person who dreams to live in Paris - totally inspired by French cinema. Result of the hectic New York vibe, of the familiar affection for Lisbon. From Regina Spektor to Elis Regina. From Billie Holiday to Bjork. From the 50’s to ingenuousness. From sound to image. From voice and talent: “I have a good life” she concludes.
Mesma Rua Mesmo Lado
Luísa Sobral Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mesma rua, mesmo lado mesmo jeito de criança
Mesmo olhar envergonhado
Havia até quem dizia que eram uma só pessoa
Pois só se separavam à noite quando chegavam
À rua onde moravam
Mas o tempo foi passando
E aquela uma só pessoa
Já era quase só lembrança
Ele esperava por ela
Mas ela tinha outros planos
Tinha encontrado o amor
Amor que ele conhecia há tantos, tantos anos
Foi da janela do quarto
Que a viu sair para o casamento
Chorou como se estivesse
No altar naquele momento
E foi dizendo bem baixinho
Que prometia ser fiel e ali naquele momento
Sentiu o toque dela e no dedo o anel
Ah ah ah ah ah ah
Ah ah ah ah ah
Ah ah ah ah ah ah
Preferiu viver sozinho
Para se ela quisesse voltar
Mesmo quando bem velhinho
Não se cansou de esperar
Sabia que ela estava longe
Mas não deixou de acreditar
Que um dia ela viveria
Na mesma aldeia, mesma rua, mesmo lado
Mesmo lar
The lyrics of "Mesma Rua Mesmo Lado" by Luísa Sobral tell the story of two people from the same village, who grew up together on the same street. They were so inseparable that some even believed they were one person. However, as time went by, they started to grow apart. The innocence and childlike nature they once shared faded away, and they drifted into different paths. While he continued to wait for her, she had found love elsewhere.
The singer watched from his bedroom window as she left for her wedding. In that moment, he couldn't help but cry, feeling as if he was standing at the altar with her. He whispered softly, promising to remain faithful, and felt her touch as she placed the wedding ring on his finger.
Despite his heartbreak, he chose to live alone, holding on to the hope that she would one day return to their village and their shared street. He remained unwavering in his belief, even as he grew old, that they would eventually reunite and share the same home once again.
Overall, the song speaks about the passage of time, the loss of innocence, and the enduring power of love and hope. It portrays the bittersweet emotions of longing, heartbreak, and steadfastness in the face of uncertainty.
Line by Line Meaning
Eram os dois da mesma aldeia
They were both from the same village
Mesma rua, mesmo lado mesmo jeito de criança
Same street, same side, same childlike manner
Mesmo olhar envergonhado
Same shy look
Havia até quem dizia que eram uma só pessoa
Some even said they were one single person
Pois só se separavam à noite quando chegavam À rua onde moravam
Because they only separated at night when they arrived at the street where they lived
Mas o tempo foi passando Com ele o jeito de criança
But time passed, along with their childlike manner
E aquela uma só pessoa Já era quase só lembrança
And that one single person was almost just a memory
Ele esperava por ela Mas ela tinha outros planos
He waited for her, but she had other plans
Tinha encontrado o amor Amor que ele conhecia há tantos, tantos anos
She had found love, a love that he had known for so, so many years
Foi da janela do quarto Que a viu sair para o casamento
From the bedroom window, he saw her leaving for the wedding
Chorou como se estivesse No altar naquele momento
He cried as if he were at the altar in that moment
E foi dizendo bem baixinho Que prometia ser fiel e ali naquele momento
And he whispered quietly that he promised to be faithful in that very moment
Sentiu o toque dela e no dedo o anel
He felt her touch and the ring on his finger
Preferiu viver sozinho
He chose to live alone
Para se ela quisesse voltar
Just in case she wanted to come back
Mesmo quando bem velhinho
Even when very old
Não se cansou de esperar
He never tired of waiting
Sabia que ela estava longe
He knew she was far away
Mas não deixou de acreditar
But he never stopped believing
Que um dia ela viveria Na mesma aldeia, mesma rua, mesmo lado Mesmo lar
That one day she would live in the same village, same street, same side, same home
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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