Rodrigo Leão is a Portuguese musician and composer. He was born in Lisbon i… Read Full Bio ↴Rodrigo Leão is a Portuguese musician and composer. He was born in Lisbon in 1964. He became known for his musical compositions and participation in portuguese bands such as Madredeus and Sétima Legião.

He co-founded the band Sétima Legião in 1982 and Madredeus in 1985. As his solo records started to receive increasing attention, he suspends his colaborations with these two groups in 1993 and 1994.

His solo work explores a combination of modern-classic compositions with more traditional song format and instrumentation. Several artists have participated in both his records and tours, such as Lula Pena or Adriana Calcanhotto in Alma Mater and Beth Gibbons and Ryuichi Sakamoto (Ryuichi Sakamoto) in Cinema.

His album, Cinema, was very successful in the portuguese market, reaching #1 in sales and its promotion concerts in Portugal and Spain were frequently sold-out. In this album, the ecletic roots of his music and the influence of cinema can be appreciated.

www.rodrigoleao.pt

Carpe Diem
Rodrigo Leão Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Nullum infortunium venit sollum
O me infelicem me perditum
Tempus fugit carpe diem
Vita brevis carpe diem

Omnia vincit amor vincit amor
Omnia vincit fortuna vincit fortuna

Nullum amore venit sollum
O me infelicem me perditum
Furor aeternum carpe diem
Meae deliciae carpe diem

Omnia vincit amor vincit amor
Omnia vincit fortuna vincit fortuna

Omnia vincit amor vincit amor
Omnia vincit amor vincit amor

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Rodrigo Leăo's song Carpe Diem are poetic and contemplative, reflecting upon the fleeting nature of life and the inevitability of love and fortune. The Latin phrase "Nullum infortunium venit sollum" means "no misfortune comes alone," suggesting that adversity is a part of life. The singer laments his own unhappiness and lost state, declaring "O me infelicem me perditum." In the face of life's brevity, the phrase "tempus fugit" reminds us to seize the day and make the most of our time. The song's title, 'Carpe Diem,' reinforces this message.

The second verse of the song emphasizes the power of love and fortune, stating in its first line that "nullum amore venit sollum," or no love comes alone. The singer is once again consumed by his own unhappiness and lost state, declaring "O me infelicem me perditum." However, while love and fortune can be unpredictable and even cruel, ultimately they have the power to conquer all. The repetition of "omnia vincit amor" and "omnia vincit fortuna" reinforces this message, reminding the listener that love and fortune are ultimately victorious.

Overall, Carpe Diem is a contemplative reflection on the nature of life and the inevitability of both adversity and triumph. While the song may have a sense of melancholy, its lyrics ultimately offer a message of hope and encouragement to seize the day and embrace the power of love and fortune.

Line by Line Meaning

Nullum infortunium venit sollum
No misfortune comes alone

O me infelicem me perditum
Oh, I am unhappy; I am lost

Tempus fugit carpe diem
Time flees, seize the day

Vita brevis carpe diem
Life is short, seize the day

Omnia vincit amor vincit amor
Love conquers all, love conquers all

Omnia vincit fortuna vincit fortuna
Fortune conquers all, fortune conquers all

Nullum amore venit sollum
No love comes alone

O me infelicem me perditum
Oh, I am unhappy; I am lost

Furor aeternum carpe diem
Eternal madness, seize the day

Meae deliciae carpe diem
My delight, seize the day

Omnia vincit amor vincit amor
Love conquers all, love conquers all