Luísa Sobral. A voice, guitar, paper and pen. From this an entire musical u… Read Full Bio ↴Luísa Sobral. A voice, guitar, paper and pen. From this an entire musical universe is created in each composition. 24 years of open choices. Instinctive and expectant. «The Cherry on my Cake» is the fruit of all those possibilities. Songs full of images. Videos that are imagined for the rhythm of each song. It’s her first full-length album under in her own name, outcome of a musical journey that started at the early age of 12.

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.

Quarto De Lua
Luísa Sobral Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Quando for grande vou ter
Os sapatos que fazem voar
E a lua não vai cá estar
Porque a voar, a roubei sem querer

E quando a lua perder
Todo o brilho no meu jardim
Ponho três quartos no céu

E no meu quarto um quarto só para mim

Quando se sentir sozinho
Levo-o a ver a praia olhar o mar devagarinho
Onde a lua está deitada
E assim refletindo no mar
Uma luz que encandeia verá a lua cheia

Um dia, quando eu for velhinha
E tudo o que amar, já for meu
Pego no quarto de lua
E com uma grua, vamos para o céu

Pego no quarto de lua
E com uma grua, vamos para o céu

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Luísa Sobral's song "Quarto De Lua" evoke a sense of imagination, longing, and a playful connection with the moon. The song tells a story of a person's dreams and aspirations, taking the listener on a journey of fantasy and wonderment.

In the first stanza, the singer expresses her desire to have shoes that make her fly when she grows up. She playfully suggests that when she achieves this ability, the moon will no longer be present because she accidentally stole it while flying. These lines symbolize a childlike innocence and a yearning for freedom and exploration.

Moving on to the next stanza, the singer imagines a scenario where the moon loses its shine in her garden. To bring back the sparkle, she promises to place three quarters (three-quarters of the moon) in the sky and keep one quarter only for herself in her room. This imagery highlights the singer's relationship with the moon, as she wants to preserve its beauty and keep a piece of it close to her.

The following lines describe a moment of loneliness and the singer's response to it. She takes the lonely moon to the beach to gaze at the sea slowly, allowing it to reflect on the water's surface. As a result, the moon's light becomes a dazzling sight, and the singer refers to it as the full moon. This section signifies the singer's ability to find solace and companionship even in solitude through her connection with nature.

The final stanza introduces the concept of aging and the passage of time. When the singer becomes old, she envisions that everything she loves will already be hers. In this context, she imagines using a crane to take her "quarter moon room" to the sky. This represents her desire to carry her cherished memories and dreams with her into the afterlife, or simply to reach new heights of fulfillment and contentment.

Overall, "Quarto De Lua" paints a whimsical and imaginative picture of a person's relationship with the moon, their dreams, and their connection to the natural world. The lyrics invite listeners to explore their own fantasies, longings, and the transformative power of the imagination.

Line by Line Meaning

Quando for grande vou ter
When I grow up, I will have

Os sapatos que fazem voar
The shoes that make me fly

E a lua não vai cá estar
And the moon won't be here

Porque a voar, a roubei sem querer
Because while flying, I accidentally stole it

E quando a lua perder
And when the moon loses

Todo o brilho no meu jardim
All its brightness in my garden

Ponho três quartos no céu
I put three quarters in the sky

E no meu quarto um quarto só para mim
And in my room, a quarter just for me

Quando se sentir sozinho
When feeling lonely

Levo-o a ver a praia olhar o mar devagarinho
I take them to see the beach, to look at the sea slowly

Onde a lua está deitada
Where the moon is lying