The band's founding members were Pedro Ayres Magalhães (Classical guitar), Rodrigo Leão (keyboard synthesizer), Francisco Ribeiro (cello) and Teresa Salgueiro (vocals). Magalhães and Leão formed the band in 1985, Ribeiro joined in 1986. They'd been searching for a female singer, and found Teresa Salgueiro in one of Lisbon's night clubs. Teresa liked their music and agreed to join, so in 1987 Madredeus recorded their first album, Os dias da Madredeus.
The first album was recorded in their rehearsal space, a disused abbey in Lisbon (Convento da Madredeus. The recording was especially strenuous due to deafening interruptions every 5 minutes from Lisbon's tram service, which ran directly above. In honour of this unavoidable presence in their every performance, they named themselves after the line's nearby terminus, Madre de Deus (Mother of God), shortened to the vernacular Madredeus.
In 1993, Pedro Ayres Magalhães left the band temporarily and was replaced in live concerts by José Peixoto (Classical guitar). Magalhães rejoined the group later, making it a sextet with two guitarists.
They released several albums and became very popular in Portugal, but remained relatively unknown outside the country. This changed in 1994 when Wim Wenders, impressed by their music, asked Madredeus to perform in his movie Lisbon Story - the soundtrack gave the band international fame. Thanks to that, Madredeus spread their wings to the world and conquered fans from all over Europe, South America, Africa and Asia.
In 1994 Rodrigo Leão left the band to start a solo career, being replaced by Carlos Maria Trindade (keyboard synthesizer).
In 1997 Francisco Ribeiro and Gabriel Gomes left the band as Madredeus' style started abandoning its fado roots with the release of O Paraíso. At this time Fernando Júdice (Acoustic bass guitar) was invited to join them, to form the current lineup, again a quintet. Madredeus has sold over 3 million albums worldwide.
In 2007 Teresa Salgueiro announced she would be leaving the band in order to pursue her personal solo projects.
In 2008, with a new formation and under the name of Madredeus & a Banda Cósmica, they released Metafonia.
In April 2012 Madredeus announced its new album Essencia. This album is a travel through Madredeus music for 25 years since it was formed. Madredeus announced too its new formation, composed of Beatriz Nunes (singer), Pedro Ayres de Magalhães (guitar), Carlos Maria Trinidade (synthesizer), Jorge Varrecoso (violin), Antonio Figueirido (violin) and Luis Clode (cello). With this new formation Pedro Ayres said in an interview: "The melody is much more supported, without losing harmonic and rhythmic sense and keeps walking Madredeus".
Discography
* Os Dias da MadreDeus (1987)
* Existir (1990)
* Lisboa (1992, live in Lisbon)
* O Espírito da Paz (1994)
* Ainda (1995, soundtrack from Lisbon Story)
* O Paraíso (1997)
* O Porto (1998, live at Porto)
* Antologia (2000, a compilation of 'best of' material)
* Movimento (2001)
* Palavras Cantadas (2001)
* Euforia (2002)
* Electrónico (2002)
* Um Amor Infinito (2004)
* Faluas do Tejo (2005)
* Obrigado (2006)
* Metafonia (2008)
* Essencia (2012)
* Capricho Sentimental (2015)
http://www.madredeus.com
A Cantiga Do Campo
Madredeus Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ò minha doce trigueira
Quem me dera ser o trigo
Que andando pisas na eira
Quando entre as mais raparigas
Vais cantando entre as searas
Eu choro ao ouvir-te as cantigas
Por isso nada me medra
Ando curvado e sombrio
Quem me dera ser a pedra
Em que tu lavas no rio
E falam com tristes vozes
Do teu amor singular
Aquela casa onde coses
Com varanda para o mar
(E) por isso nada me medra
Ando curvado e sombrio
Quem me dera ser a pedra
Em que tu lavas no rio
The lyrics to Madredeus's song "A Cantiga Do Campo" depict a lovelorn speaker pining after a woman who seems to have little interest in him. The singer addresses the woman, referring to her as "my sweet brunette" and expressing a desire to be the wheat that she treads upon in the field. While the woman sings and frolics with other girls in the fields, the singer weeps at the sound of her voice, wishing that he was the stone in the river that she uses to wash her clothes. The singer's unrequited love is palpable and his self-pity is evident in the refrain, "So nothing flourishes for me / I walk stooped and somber / I wish I were the stone / On which you wash in the river."
The song is a mournful and introspective reflection on lost love and unfulfilled desire. The singer is consumed by his longing and his sense of inferiority in comparison to the woman he loves. The imagery in the song is rich with natural symbolism, as the singer compares himself to various elements of the natural world. The fields, river, and wheat all symbolize growth and abundance, but for the singer, they are empty, lifeless symbols of his own unrequited love.
Line by Line Meaning
Porque andas tu mal comigo
Why do you treat me badly?
Ò minha doce trigueira
My sweet and dark-skinned beloved
Quem me dera ser o trigo
I wish I were the wheat
Que andando pisas na eira
That you tread upon in the threshing floor
Quando entre as mais raparigas
When among the other girls
Vais cantando entre as searas
You sing amid the fields
Eu choro ao ouvir-te as cantigas
I cry hearing your songs
Que cantas nas manhãs claras
That you sing on clear mornings
Por isso nada me medra
Therefore, nothing grows for me
Ando curvado e sombrio
I walk hunched and gloomy
Quem me dera ser a pedra
I wish I were the stone
Em que tu lavas no rio
That you wash in the river
E falam com tristes vozes
And they speak with sad voices
Do teu amor singular
Of your unique love
Aquela casa onde coses
That house where you sew
Com varanda para o mar
With a balcony overlooking the sea
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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