Initially playing in colleges, Toquinho's professional career took off in the 1960s at shows promoted by radio personality Walter Silva at the famous Paramount theater in São Paulo. He composed his first recorded song with Chico Buarque entitled "Lua Cheia" (Full Moon). His first big hit was composed in 1970 with Jorge Benjor, "Que Maravilha" (What a Wonder). That same year he was invited by Vinícius de Moraes, co-writer of the worldwide hit song "Garota de Ipanema" (The Girl from Ipanema), to participate in a series of shows in Buenos Aires, forming a solid partnership that would continue for 11 years and produce 120 songs, 25 records and over a thousand shows.
After the death of Vinícius de Moraes in 1980, he went on to pursue a solo career, often performing with other talented musicians like Paulinho da Viola, Danilo Caymmi, Paulinho Nogueira and Chico Buarque. He continues to record and play.
Comme Facette M'mmeta
Toquinho Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
quanno mammeta t'ha fatta
vuo' sape' comme facette
vuo' sape' comme facette
pe' mpasta' sti carne belle
pe' mpasta' sti carne belle
tutto chello che mettette
tutto chello che mettette
dint'a martula mmiscate
latte e rose, rose e latte
te facette 'ncoppa 'o fatto
nun c'e' bisogno 'a zingara
p'addivina' cunce'
comme tha fatto mammeta
'o saccio meglio e te.
e pe' fa' sta vocca bella
e pe' fa' sta vocca bella
nun servette 'a stessa ddosa
nun servette 'a stessa ddosa
vuo' sape' che 'nce mettette
vuo' sape' che 'nce mettette
mo' te dico tutto cosa
mo' te dico tutto cosa
nu panaro chino chino
tutt'e fravule 'e ciardino
mele, zucchero e cannella
te 'mpastaie sta vocca bella
nun c'e' bisogno 'a zingara
p'addivina' cunce'
comme tha fatto mammeta
'o saccio meglio e te.
The song "Comme Facette M'mmeta" by Toquinho is a tribute to the singer's mother, and the lyrics reflect the love and admiration he has for her. The song is essentially a conversation between the singer and an imagined listener, where the singer is sharing the recipe of how his mother made him, both literally and figuratively.
In the first stanza, the singer asks the listener if they want to know how his mother made him so beautiful and desirable, using a metaphor of kneading and molding meat. He says that everything his mother put in him, including a hundred roses and a cap, mixed in a mortar, and milk and roses, rose and milk, all contributed to making him what he is. In the second stanza, the singer emphasizes the importance of having a beautiful mouth or voice, but he also stresses the uniqueness of the recipe – that one should not try to copy it blindly but rather, try to find out what exactly went into it.
Line by Line Meaning
Quanno mammeta t'ha fatta
When mama made you
vuo' sape' comme facette
you wanna know how she did it
pe' mpasta' sti carne belle
to mold these beautiful features
tutto chello che mettette
everything she put in
ciento rose n'cappucciate
hundred capuchin roses
dint'a martula mmiscate
mixed in a mortar
latte e rose, rose e latte
milk and roses, roses and milk
te facette 'ncoppa 'o fatto
she made you from scratch
nun c'e' bisogno 'a zingara
there's no need for a fortune teller
p'addivina' cunce'
to guess the secrets
comme tha fatto mammeta
how mama made you
'o saccio meglio e te.
I know better than you
e pe' fa' sta vocca bella
and to make that beautiful mouth
nun servette 'a stessa ddosa
she didn't use the same dough
vuo' sape' che 'nce mettette
you wanna know what she used
mo' te dico tutto cosa
now I'll tell you everything
nu panaro chino chino
a basket, small and compact
tutt'e fravule 'e ciardino
all the wildflowers from the garden
mele, zucchero e cannella
apples, sugar, and cinnamon
te 'mpastaie sta vocca bella
she molded that beautiful mouth
nun c'e' bisogno 'a zingara
there's no need for a fortune teller
p'addivina' cunce'
to guess the secrets
comme tha fatto mammeta
how mama made you
'o saccio meglio e te.
I know better than you
Contributed by Zachary L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.