The Girl From Ipanema
Tom Jobim Lyrics


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(by Antonio Carlos Jobim & Vinícius De Moraes,
English lyrics by Norman Gimbel)

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

Oh, but I watch her so sadly
How can I tell her I love her?
Yes, I would give my heart gladly
But each day when she walks to the sea
She looks straight ahead not at me

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




She just doesn't see
No she doesn't see

Overall Meaning

Jobim's classic "The Girl From Ipanema" is a song about unrequited love. The lyrics paint a picture of a beautiful woman walking along the beach in Ipanema, Brazil. She is described as tall, tan, young and lovely, and her movements are compared to the samba, a popular dance in Brazil. When she walks by, everyone looks at her and admires her beauty. However, the singer of the song is watching her sadly, knowing that she doesn't feel the same way towards him. He longs to tell her that he loves her, but he knows that it wouldn't do any good. Every day he watches her pass him by as she walks towards the sea, lost in her thoughts and unaware of his feelings. The song ends with the singer smiling at her as she passes by, but she doesn't acknowledge him.


Line by Line Meaning

Tall and tan and young and lovely
Beautiful girl from Ipanema is tall, tanned, young and lovely.


The girl from Ipanema goes walking
The girl from Ipanema walks down the street.


And when she passes
And when she walks by.


Each one she passes goes "a-a-ah!"
Everyone who sees her responds with a sigh or exclamation of admiration.


When she walks she's like a samba that Swings so cool and sways so gentle
The way she walks reminds people of the smooth, flowing movements of the samba dance.


That when she passes,
So much so that when she goes by,


Each one she passes goes "a-a-ah!"
Everyone who sees her responds with a sigh or exclamation of admiration.


Oh, but I watch her so sadly
But the artist watches her with a heavy heart.


How can I tell her I love her?
The artist is unsure of how to express their feelings to her.


Yes, I would give my heart gladly
The artist would gladly give their heart to her.


But each day when she walks to the sea
However, every day when she walks to the beach,


She looks straight ahead not at me
She doesn't look at the artist.


And when she passes I smile
When she goes by, the singer still smiles.


But she doesn't see
But she doesn't notice.


She just doesn't see
She just doesn't pay attention.




Contributed by Emily R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@georgia5810

Olha que coisa mais linda
Mais cheia de graça
É ela menina
Que vem e 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, 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, sorrindo
Se enche de graça
E fica mais lindo
Por causa do amor



All comments from YouTube:

@RedLabs

His voice is just so chill

@rzimer

It's João Gilberto

@Mateobfjfnn

@@rzimer nop the real singer is Antonio Carlos Jobim

@ai7501

​@@MateobfjfnnTom Jobim is the composer, but the one who sings on this audio is João Gilberto

@j.1294

@@Mateobfjfnn You're wrong. It's João Gilberto

@user-yz8vr6cx2s

Que melodía,más armoniosa.

@neerajsingh8782

One of the lconic songs of all Times, this music is relatable and organic

@inkswift

one of the songs of all time

@FahlmanCascade

Jobim owns the chord progression to that bridge, for all time.

@cassiopeiathew7406

I just discovered Antonio Carlos Jobim from a YouTube recommendation for Stoneheart, I’m really glad I got it because he’s truly so talented.

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