The Girl From Ipanema
Stan Getz João Gilberto Lyrics


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Tall and tan and young and lovely
The girl from Ipanema goes walking
And when she passes, each one she passes goes - ah

When she walks, she's like a samba
That swings so cool and sways so gentle
That when she passes, each one she passes goes - ah
(Ooh) But he watch her so sadly
How can he tell her he loves her
Yes I would give my heart gladly
But each day, that she walks to the sea
She looks straight ahead, not at he

Tall, (and) tan, (and) young, (and) lovely
The girl from Ipanema goes walking
And when she passes, he smile - but she doesn't see




(Doesn't see)
(She just doesn't see, she never sees him)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "The Girl From Ipanema" describe the beauty and charm of a young woman walking on the beach in Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro. The song is written in a simple, yet poetic way, describing the girl as tall, tan, young, and lovely. The way she moves is compared to the rhythm and fluidity of the samba, a popular Brazilian dance. The girl seems unaware of the attention she draws from those around her, and as she walks to the sea, she does not look at the man who watches her with longing.


The lyrics also express the frustration of a man who is in love with the girl but cannot find the courage to speak to her. He watches her sadly and wishes he could tell her how he feels, but he knows it is unlikely that she could ever notice him among the many admirers she has.


Overall, the song is a tribute to the beauty and allure of Rio de Janeiro, as well as a poignant reflection on the bittersweet experiences of love and longing. The melody is light and bouncy, and the lyrics capture the essence of Brazilian culture with their playful imagery and romantic themes.


Line by Line Meaning

Tall and tan and young and lovely
The girl from Ipanema is a beautiful young woman with a golden tan and an attractive height.


The girl from Ipanema goes walking
She takes leisurely walks down the streets of Ipanema every day.


And when she passes, each one she passes goes - ah
As she walks by, everyone admires her beauty and stops to take notice.


When she walks, she's like a samba
Her movements are akin to that of a samba; smooth, rhythmic, and with a certain grace that is enchanting.


That swings so cool and sways so gentle
Her movements are not abrupt or harsh, but soft and gentle, as if she's dancing to a soothing melody.


That when she passes, each one she passes goes - ah
Her grace and beauty leave a lasting impression on everyone that catches a glimpse of her.


But he watch her so sadly
The singer is saddened by his unrequited love for the girl.


How can he tell her he loves her
The artist is struggling with how to confess his love to her.


Yes I would give my heart gladly
The artist is willing to do anything to win her heart and love.


But each day, that she walks to the sea
The girl takes a walk to the sea every day.


She looks straight ahead, not at he
She doesn't seem to notice or acknowledge the singer's presence or affection.


The girl from Ipanema goes walking
She continues to take her daily walks, oblivious to the artist's love for her.


And when she passes, he smile - but she doesn't see
The singer can't help but smile when he sees her, despite her not noticing him at all.


(Doesn't see)
The girl is blind to the singer's presence and love for her.


(She just doesn't see, she never sees him)
The girl remains oblivious to the singer's existence and his feelings towards her.




Lyrics © GRACEFUL SAMBA MUSIC
Written by: BOLA SETE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@jonathancastro8487

Olha que coisa mais linda mais cheia de graça
É ela menina que vem que passa
Num doce balanço caminho do mar
Moça do corpo dourado do sol de Ipanema
O seu balançado é mais que um poema
É a coisa mais linda que eu já vi passar
Ah, porque estou tão sozinho
Ah, porque tudo é tão triste
Ah, a beleza que existe
A beleza que não é só minha
Que também passa sozinha
Ah, se ela soubesse
Que quando ela passa
O mundo sorrindo se enche de graça
E fica mais lindo por causa do amor
Tall and tan and young and lovely
The girl from Ipanema goes walking
And when she passes Each one she passes goes, ah
When she walks, she's like a samba
That swings so cool and sways so gently
That when she passes Each one she passes goes, ah
Oh, but he watches so sadly
How can he tell her he loves her
Yes, he would give his heart gladly
But each day, when she walks to the sea
She looks straight ahead, not at him
Tall, and tan, and young, and lovely
The girl from Ipanema goes walking
And when she passes He smiles, but she doesn't see
Oh, but he sees her so sadly
How can he tell her he loves her
Yes, he would give his heart gladly
But each day, when she walks to the sea
She looks straight ahead, not at him
Tall, and tan, and young, and lovely
The girl from Ipanema goes walking
And when she passes he smiles, but she doesn't see
She just doesn't see, no she just doesn't see
But she doesn't see, she doesn't see, no she just doesn't see



@cintiaalfaromireles5915

Olha que coisa mais linda
Mais cheia de graça
É ela a menina que vem e que passa
Num doce balanço a caminho do mar
Moça do corpo dourado do sol de Ipanema
O seu balançado é mais que um poema
É a coisa mais linda que eu já vi passar

Ah, por que estou tão sózinho?
Ah, por que tudo é tão triste?
Ah, a beleza que existe
A beleza que não é só minha
Que também passa sozinha

Ah, se ela soubesse
Que quando ela passa
O mundo sorrindo se enche de graça
E fica mais lindo por causa do amor

Tall and tan and young and lovely
The girl from Ipanema goes walking
And when she passes
Each one she passes goes "ah!"

When she walks she's like a samba that
Swings so cool and sways so gently
That when she passes
Each one she passes goes "ah!"



@johndorian7564

Oh but he watch her so sadly
How can he tell her he loves her Yes he would give his heart gladly But each day when she walks to the sea
She looks straight ahead not at he

Tall and tan and young and lovely The girl from Ipanema goes walking
And when she passes he smiles But she doesn't see

Oh but he sees her so sadly
How can he tell her he loves her Yes he would give his heart gladly But each day when she walks to the sea
She looks straight ahead, not at he Tall and tan and young and lovely The girl from Ipanema goes walking
And when she passes he smiles But she doesn't see, she just doesn't see
No she does not see, but she does not see
She does not see, no she does not see



@l3oeyeof

Translation of the Portuguese verses:
Look at this most wonderful thing,
Full of elegance,
It's her, the girl that comes and goes,
In a sweet swing, on her way to the sea.
Lady of the golden body from the sun of Ipanema,
Her swing is more than a poem,
It is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen pass by.
Oh, why am I so lonely?
Oh, why is everything so sad?
Oh, the beauty that there is,
A beauty that isn't mine,
That also passes through all alone.
Oh, if she only knew
That when she passes by
The world smiling becomes full of grace
And more beautiful because of love...



@jasicamelie9022

Olha que coisa mais linda
Mais cheia de graça
É ela a menina que vem e que passa
Num doce balanço a caminho do mar

Ah, por que estou tão sozinho
Ah, por que tudo é tão triste
Ah, a beleza que existe
A beleza que não é só minha
Que também passa sozinha

Ah, se ela soubesse
Que quando ela passa
O mundo inteirinho se enche de graça
E fica mais lindo por causa do amor
Por causa do amor
Por causa do amor

Ipanema

Arigato Gonzaga

Tem uma exposição do Vinicíus
De fotografias e coisas
Me pediram pra escrever uma coisinha
Pra o meu querido e inesquecível amigo e parceiro
Então eu escrevi uma coisinha assim

Meu Vinícius de Morais, não consigo te esquecer
Quanto mais o tempo passa, mais me lembro de você
Cadê o meu poetinha, cadê minha letra, cadê
Eu morro neste piano de saudade de você

Aqui uma coisa do Vinícius
O Vinícius serviu em Paris duas
Dois períodos diferentes
Negócio do Itamarati
E ele escreveu essa valsinha
Tem um sabor assim meio parisiense, né
Meio francês, olha aqui



All comments from YouTube:

@ixlnxs

One of the ten most famous melodies of the twentieth century. When one hears it, each one who hears it goes "Ah!"

@spacemunkkey4534

This song really stands the test of time

@curiosos2334

Fun fact: Girl from Ipanema is the second most played song in the world

@pluto6731

Yup 🇧🇷❤🇫🇷

@pluto6731

@Jacob Andersson Yes i am, have a nice trip to Rio :)

@martabergamo2194

Which is the first?

@constratus1892

@Marta Bergamo Amazing Grace

@YuvrajSingh-tu9tf

@Marta Bergamo i think so he means second most popular in jazz in 60s, the first was yesterday by the beatles

1 More Replies...

@Jophish126

For those who haven't had the pleasure, this is one of the most successful bossa nova albums of all time. Getz and Gilberto do something really special here. One of the best guitarists with one of the best, smoothest sax players in my memory. Picked this up in a thrift shop on vinyl for $2 on a whim in high school. Had no idea the depth of bossa nova or MPB at the time.

@SlightlyAzoic

I bet it was the best two bucks you ever spent.

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