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.
Não Me Deixes à Porta da Escola
Luísa Sobral Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Vão ficar a olhar
E eu que sou uma rapariga discreta
Gosto de entrar sem ninguém notar
Podes ficar do outro lado da rua
Onde ninguém te vê
E assim pensam que vim de autocarro
Mas tu também não me chames
Os nomes la de casa esses são só para nós
Na escola sou a Maria mimi é só para os avós
E assim chegando ao fim
Peço o mais importante
Volta a fazer tudo igual
Quando eu já for grande
Mas até lá não me chames os nomes la de casa
Esses são só para nós na escola sou a Maria
Mimi é só para os avós
The song "Não Me Deixes à Porta da Escola" by Luísa Sobral is a reflection on the desire for independence and the need to maintain different personas in different environments. The lyrics express the singer's preference for entering school unnoticed and not being the center of attention. They want to blend in and not draw any unnecessary attention to themselves. The line "Não me deixes à porta da escola" ("Don't leave me at the school gate") implies a request to someone who drops them off at school to not draw prolonged attention by lingering there, as people will stare. The singer values their privacy and prefers to enter school without anyone noticing their arrival.
The second paragraph highlights the singer's suggestion to the person dropping them off. They advise them to stay on the other side of the street where they won't be easily seen. By doing so, others will assume that the singer arrived by bus or perhaps even walked to school. This demonstrates the singer's desire to avoid any unnecessary curiosity or gossip that may result from being seen with someone at the school gate. They want to maintain an air of independence and lead their own life without constant attention from others.
The third paragraph reveals that the person dropping off the singer has a closer relationship with them, possibly a family member. The lyrics mention "os nomes la de casa" ("the names from home"), suggesting that the person is used to calling the singer by a certain name or using specific terms of endearment. However, the singer requests that these names stay within the confines of their home, for their personal and private use only. In the school environment, the singer prefers to be known as "Maria," allowing for a more common and inconspicuous identity. Additionally, the nickname "Mimi" is reserved exclusively for their grandparents, further highlighting the separation between different spheres of their life.
In the final paragraph, the singer looks ahead to the future and expresses the desire for things to remain the same as they grow older. They ask the person dropping them off to continue the same routine and not draw attention to themselves when they are no longer children. This implies that the singer appreciates the current arrangement and wishes for it to continue throughout their journey into adulthood. They value the anonymity and freedom to navigate their own life as they desire, and they seek reassurance that this will be respected even as they mature.
Overall, "Não Me Deixes à Porta da Escola" conveys the universal themes of wanting independence, maintaining privacy, and forming different identities in various aspects of life. The lyrics emphasize the need to have separate personas for different environments while cherishing the stability and consistency of certain relationships and routines.
Line by Line Meaning
Não me deixes à porta da escola
Don't drop me off at the school entrance
Vão ficar a olhar
People will stare
E eu que sou uma rapariga discreta
And I, who am a shy girl
Gosto de entrar sem ninguém notar
Prefer to enter unnoticed
Podes ficar do outro lado da rua
You can stay on the other side of the street
Onde ninguém te vê
Where no one can see you
E assim pensam que vim de autocarro
So they think I came by bus
Ou até quem sabe a pé
Or maybe even on foot
Mas tu também não me chames
But don't call me either
Os nomes lá de casa esses são só para nós
The names we use at home are just between us
Na escola sou a Maria,
At school, I'm Maria
Mimi é só para os avós
Mimi is only for my grandparents
E assim chegando ao fim
And as we reach the end
Peço o mais importante
I ask for the most important thing
Volta a fazer tudo igual
Do everything the same again
Quando eu já for grande
When I grow up
Mas até lá não me chames os nomes lá de casa
But until then, don't call me by the names we use at home
Esses são só para nós na escola sou a Maria
Those are only for us, at school I'm Maria
Mimi é só para os avós
Mimi is only for my grandparents
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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