Nonsensical: Deolinda and "Sem Noção"

To Portugal we go with today's random song called Sem Noção. The song is performed by Deolinda, a Portuguese band formed in 2006 when the brothers Pedro da Silva Martins and Luis José Martins asked their cousin Ana Bacalhau to sing on a few songs they had written. Realizing that her voice fit perfectly with their songs, they began Deolinda and rounded out the band with her husband José Pedro Leitã. Their first album, Canção Ao Lado (2008), reached number 3 on the Portuguese charts, and their followup album, Dois Selos e um Carimbo (2010), hit number 1. During this period, the band performed a song called Parva que Sous at their concerts which was a social criticism of Portugal and the lack of opportunities for young people. Most of Europe was going through a financial crisis, and youth unemployment was enormous, especially in poorer EU countries. The song became an anthem among economically affected youth in Portugal and went viral on social media, with bootleg copies of concert performances shared in great numbers. The band's style is inspired by fado, but they have made numerous departures from the form. While traditional fado utilizes Portuguese guitar, the band does not. Deolinda's songs are often contain social criticism, and can be lively, upbeat, ironic and humorous which does not fit the usual melancholy style of fado either. Fado performers often dress in black when performing, but Deolinda does not follow this tradition either. Their music has thus been described as "neofado." Sem Noção (the title translates as "nonsense"), is from their 2010 release Dois Selos e um Carimbo.

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deolinda; http://www.deolinda.pt/

Without You, Only Half: Mariza and "Sem Ti"

Our song for today is entitled Sem Ti and is performed by Portuguese fado artist Mariza. Mariza was born in Mozambique before it gained independence from Portugal, and she is of mixed Portuguese and African heritage. When she was three her family moved to Lisbon and while young she began learning to sing in many styles, including jazz, gospel and soul. She adopted fado at the insistence of her father, who felt it would give her more acceptance in the Portuguese community. After the fado's most famous interpreter, Amália Rodrigues, died in 1999 Mariza was asked to perform a tribute in her memory, which led her to record a fado album. Fado was starting to regain popularity, and her album sold an astounding number of copies. She has since focused on fado, has released seven albums and has sold over a million records worldwide. Sem Ti appears on her 2016 album Mundo. The song laments that "Without you I'm half/Without you I'm not me."

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

It Is, It Is, It Is: Lula Pena and "Rose"

Today's random song is performed by Lula Pena, a fado (she prefers the spelling "phado") and world music singer, composer and poet from Lisbon, Portugal. Lula Pena's style is is influenced by musical styles from Mexico, Greece and Italy, as well as genres such as blues, chanson and flamenco. She has released three albums, including a new one this year. You can find this song, Rose, on her new release, called Archivo Pittoresco (2017).

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Sadness in Land and People: Mariza and "Ó Gente da Minha Terra (Piano Version)"

Today's song, entitled Ó Gente da Minha Terra, is by Portuguese fado artist Mariza. Mariza was born in Mozambique before it gained independence from Portugal, and she is of mixed Portuguese and African heritage. When she was three her family moved to Lisbon and while young she began learning to sing in many styles, including jazz, gospel and soul. She adopted fado at the insistence of her father, who felt it would give her more acceptance in the Portuguese community. After the fado's most famous interpreter, Amália Rodrigues, died in 1999 Mariza was asked to perform a tribute in her memory, which led her to record a fado album. Fado was starting to regain popularity, and her album sold an astounding number of copies. She has since focused on fado, has released seven albums and has sold over a million records worldwide. Ó Gente da Minha Terra appears on her debut album Fado em Mim (2002). The album has two versions of the song - this version is the last track on the album and is labeled the piano version.

Praying for Forgiveness: Mariza and "Que Deus Me Perdoe"

Today's song, entitled Que Deus Me Perdoe, is by Portuguese fado artist Mariza. Mariza was born in Mozambique before it gained independence from Portugal, and she is of mixed Portuguese and African heritage. When she was three her family moved to Lisbon and while young she began learning to sing in many styles, including jazz, gospel and soul. She adopted fado at the insistence of her father, who felt it would give her more acceptance in the Portuguese community. After the fado's most famous interpreter, Amália Rodrigues, died in 1999 Mariza was asked to perform a tribute in her memory, which led her to record a fado album. Fado was starting to regain popularity, and her album sold an astounding number of copies. She has since focused on fado, has released seven albums and has sold over a million records worldwide. Que Deus Me Perdoe appears on her debut album Fado em Mim (2002).

One More Reason: Deolinda and "Não Tenho Mais Razões"

Portuguese band Deolinda brings us today's random tune, called Não Tenho Mais Razões. Deolinda was formed in 2006 when the brothers Pedro da Silva Martins and Luis José Martins asked their cousin Ana Bacalhau to sing on a few songs they had written. Realizing that Bacalhau's voice fit perfectly with their songs, they created Deolinda and rounded out the band with her husband José Pedro Leitã. The band's style is inspired by fado, but they have made numerous departures from the form. While fado utilizes Portuguese guitar, Deolinda does not. Deolinda's songs often contain social criticism, and can be lively, upbeat, ironic and humorous which does not fit the usual melancholy style of fado either. Fado performers often dress in black when performing, but Deolinda does not. In their flouting of convention they are helping define a post-fado or neo-fado style. Não Tenho Mais Razões is from their 2010 release Dois Selos e Um Carimbo.

Telling Stories: Souad Massi and "Raoui"

Today random tune is by Souad Massi. An Algerian singer, songwriter and guitarist of Berber descent, she currently lives in Paris where she relocated after receiving anonymous death threats in her home country. Those threats were apparently related to her participation in the Algerian rock band Atakor in the 1990s. Her musical influences always included Western style, and during her youth she immersed herself in American country and roots music. These styles influenced her later solo work, and her music has been compared favorably to American folk music. She sings in classical and Algerian Arabic, French, Berber and occasionally English and she while she incorporates elements such as rock, country and Portuguese fado into her music, she also has used some interesting instrumentation like the oud and African musical stylings. This song, Raoui, can be found on her 2002 album of the same name, and on the compilation CD Putumayo Presents: Women of Africa. The song's title means "storyteller."

Between Gates: Deolinda and "Entre Alvalade e as Portas de Benfica"

Our random tune of the day is from a Portuguese band. Deolinda was formed in 2006 when the brothers Pedro da Silva Martins and Luis José Martins asked their cousin Ana Bacalhau to sing on a few songs they had written. Realizing that Bacalhau's voice fit perfectly with their songs, they created Deolinda and rounded out the band with her husband José Pedro Leitã. The band's style is inspired by fado, but they have made numerous departures from the form. While fado utilizes Portuguese guitar, Deolinda does not. Deolinda's songs often contain social criticism, and can be lively, upbeat, ironic and humorous which does not fit the usual melancholy style of fado either. Fado performers often dress in black when performing, but Deolinda does not. Perhaps they are defining a post-fado or neo-fado style? This song, Entre Alvalade e as Portas de Benfica, is from their 2010 release Dois Selos e Um Carimbo.

Love of Lisbon: Mariza and "Maria Lisboa"

Today's song, entitled Maria Lisboa, is by Mariza, a Portuguese fado singer born in Mozambique before it gained independence from Portugal. She is of mixed Portuguese and African heritage. When she was three her family moved to Lisbon and while young she began learning to sing in many styles, including jazz, gospel and soul. She adopted fado at the insistence of her father, who felt it would give her more acceptance in the Portuguese community. After the fado's most famous interpreter, Amália Rodrigues (Maria Lisboa was made famous by her), died in 1999 Mariza was asked to perform a tribute in her memory, which led her to record a fado album. Fado was starting to regain popularity, and her album sold an astounding number of copies. She has since focused on fado, has released seven albums and has sold over a million records worldwide. Maria Lisboa appeared on her debut album Fado em Mim (2002) and this version is from a live concert in Lisbon.

Between the Spreadsheets: Deolinda and "Fado Notário"

Today's song brings us to Portugal with the song "Fado Notário." Deolinda formed in 2006 when the brothers Pedro da Silva Martins and Luis José Martins asked their cousin Ana Bacalhau to sing on a few songs they had written. Realizing that her voice fit perfectly with their songs, they began Deolinda and rounded out the band with her husband José Pedro Leitã. The band is best known for performing a song called Parva que Sous at their early concerts which was a social criticism of Portugal and the lack of opportunities for young people. The song became an anthem among economically affected youth in Portugal and went viral on social media, with bootleg copies of concert performances shared in great numbers. The band's style is inspired by the genre of fado, but they have made numerous departures from the form. While traditional fado utilizes Portuguese guitar, the band does not. Deolinda's songs are often contain social criticism, and can be lively, upbeat, ironic and humorous which does not fit the usual melancholy style of fado. Fado performers often dress in black when performing, but Deolinda does not follow this tradition either. Their music has thus been described as "neofado." "Fado Notário" is from their 2010 release Dois Selos e um Carimbo, and is reflective and sad song about a woman's affair with a notary "between files and cabinets."

Utter Nonsense: Deolinda and "Sem Noção"

Today's song brings us to Portugal with the song Sem Noção. Deolinda formed in 2006 when the brothers Pedro da Silva Martins and Luis José Martins asked their cousin Ana Bacalhau to sing on a few songs they had written. Realizing that her voice fit perfectly with their songs, they began Deolinda and rounded out the band with her husband José Pedro Leitã. Their first album, Canção Ao Lado (2008), reached number 3 on the Portuguese charts, and their followup album, Dois Selos e um Carimbo (2010), hit number 1. During this period, the band performed a song called Parva que Sous at their concerts which was a social criticism of Portugal and the lack of opportunities for young people. Most of Europe was going through a financial crisis, and youth unemployment was enormous, especially in poorer EU countries. The song became an anthem among economically affected youth in Portugal and went viral on social media, with bootleg copies of concert performances shared in great numbers. Deolinda released their third album, Mundo Pequenino, in 2013.

The band's style is inspired by fado, but they have made numerous departures from the form. While traditional fado utilizes Portuguese guitar, the band does not. Deolinda's songs are often contain social criticism, and can be lively, upbeat, ironic and humorous which does not fit the usual melancholy style of fado either. Fado performers often dress in black when performing, but Deolinda does not follow this tradition either. Their music has thus been described as "neofado." Sem Noção (the title translates as "nonsense"), is from their 2010 release Dois Selos e um Carimbo.

Waterworld: Mariza and "Terra d'Agua"

The singer of today's song is Mariza, a Portuguese fado singer born in Mozambique before it gained independence from Portugal. She is of mixed Portuguese and African heritage. When she was three her family moved to Lisbon and while young she began learning to sing in many styles, including jazz, gospel and soul. She adopted the fado style at the insistence of her father, who felt it would give her more acceptance in the Portuguese community. After the fado's most famous interpreter, Amália Rodrigues, died in 1999 Mariza was asked to perform a tribute in her memory, which led her to record a fado album. Fado was starting to regain popularity, and her album sold an astounding number of copies. She has since focused on fado, has released seven albums and has sold over a million records worldwide. This song, Terra d'Agua, appears on her debut album Fado em Mim (2002).

Beautiful Losing: Deolinda and "Um Contra o Outro"

Portuguese band Deolinda brings us our random tune for today. Deolinda formed in 2006 when the brothers Pedro da Silva Martins and Luis José Martins asked their cousin Ana Bacalhau to sing on a few songs they had written. Realizing that her voice fit perfectly with their songs, they began Deolinda and rounded out the band with her husband José Pedro Leitã. Their first album, Canção Ao Lado (2008), reached number 3 on the Portuguese charts, and their followup album, Dois Selos e Um Carimbo (2010), hit number 1. During this period, the band performed a song called Parva que Sous at their concerts which was a social criticism of Portugal and the lack of opportunities for young people. Most of Europe was going through a financial crisis, and youth unemployment was enormous, especially in poorer EU countries. The song became an anthem among economically affected youth in Portugal and went viral on social media, with bootleg copies of concert performances shared in great numbers. Deolinda released their third album, Mundo Pequenino, in 2013.

The band's style is inspired by fado, but they have made numerous departures from the form. While traditional fado utilizes Portuguese guitar, the band does not. Deolinda's songs are often contain social criticism, and can be lively, upbeat, ironic and humorous which does not fit the usual melancholy style of fado either. Fado performers often dress in black when performing, but Deolinda does not follow this tradition either. Their music has thus been described as "neofado. This song, Um Contra O Outro, is from their 2010 release Dois Selos e Um Carimbo. The video is the official video for the song, which is a lover exhorting her partner to learn how to lose in order to win her.

Turning Back the Tide: Deolinda and "Se Uma Onda Invertesse A Marcha"

Portugal is our destination today in our random tune, Se Uma Onda Invertesse A Marcha by Deolinda. Deolinda formed in 2006 when the brothers Pedro da Silva Martins and Luis José Martins asked their cousin Ana Bacalhau to sing on a few songs they had written. Realizing that her voice fit perfectly with their songs, they began Deolinda and rounded out the band with her husband José Pedro Leitã. Their first album, Canção Ao Lado (2008), reached number 3 on the Portuguese charts, and their followup album, Dois Selos e Um Carimbo (2010), hit number 1. During this period, the band performed a song called Parva que Sous at their concerts which was a social criticism of Portugal and the lack of opportunities for young people. Most of Europe was going through a financial crisis, and youth unemployment was enormous, especially in poorer EU countries. The song became an anthem among economically affected youth in Portugal and went viral on social media, with bootleg copies of concert performances shared in great numbers. Deolinda released their third album, Mundo Pequenino, in 2013.

The band's style is inspired by fado, but they have made numerous departures from the form. While fado utilizes Portuguese guitar, the band does not. Deolinda's songs are often contain social criticism, and can be lively, upbeat, ironic and humorous which does not fit the usual melancholy style of fado either. Fado performers often dress in black when performing, but Deolinda does not. Perhaps they are defining a post-fado or neo-fado style? Se Uma Onda Invertesse A Marcha is from their 2010 release Dois Selos e Um Carimbo.

At the Gates: Deolinda and "Entre Alvalade e as Portas de Benfica"

All I know about this song is that it's title refers to being at the Alvalade and Benfica gates. At least that is what Google Translate tells me. But when I run the lyrics through Google Translate, they don't make much sense to me.

This random tune of the day is from a Portuguese band. Deolinda formed in 2006 when the brothers Pedro da Silva Martins and Luis José Martins asked their cousin Ana Bacalhau to sing on a few songs they had written. Realizing that her voice fit perfectly with their songs, they formed Deolinda and rounded out the band with her husband José Pedro Leitã. Their first album, Canção Ao Lado (2008), reached number 3 on the Portuguese charts, and their followup album, Dois Selos e Um Carimbo (2010), hit number 1. During this period, the band performed a song called Parva que Sous at their concerts which was a social criticism of Portugal and the lack of opportunities for young people. Most of Europe was going through a financial crisis, and youth unemployment was enormous, especially in poorer EU countries. The song became an anthem among economically hurt youth in Portugal and went viral on social media, with bootleg copies of concert performances shared in great numbers. Deolinda released their third album, Mundo Pequenino, in 2013.

The band's style is inspired by fado, but they have made numerous departures from the form. While fado utilizes Portuguese guitar, the band does not. Deolinda's songs are often contain social criticism, and can be lively, upbeat, ironic and humorous which does not fit the usual melancholy style of fado either. Fado performers often dress in black when performing, but Deolinda does not. Perhaps they are defining a post-fado or neo-fado style? This song, Entre Alvalade e as Portas de Benfica is from their 2010 release Dois Selos e Um Carimbo.

Dancing Fool: Liana and "Estrela da Tarde"

Way back in 1995, my bride was embarrassed. It was our wedding night in Milwaukee, it was our wedding dance, and we didn't know how to dance. We faked it. Shuffle shuffle shuffle, kind of like two junior high school kids draped on one another like leaning trees. Megan declared at that time that we would learn to how to dance.

Fast forward a few months. We have moved to Texas, and Megan came home from work and told me that she'd enrolled us in ballroom dancing lessons. No discussion. We went to the classes, where a nice couple told us that they would teach us foxtrot, box step, waltz, two-step, swing, and even a little tango. I learned that I didn't have two left feet, could do the steps, and even look reasonably good doing them. Megan had to learn not to lead me, but to let me lead.

The hardest one was the tango. We only had time to learn a few moves, and I've since forgotten them. Those I didn't feel like I was very good at doing. I've spoken to my co-worker Adam, who has taken tango lessons and attended tango dances on a weekly basis. He assured me that it takes a LONG time to learn tango, and that at the dances, it is difficult to get practice because the good tango dancers don't want to dance with the beginners, and therefore the beginners are stuck trying to teach each other, like the blind leading the blind. I can still tear up the floor on a swing dance, though I'd like to learn some more moves, and I enjoy waltzing also. In fact, I try to tell all of my younger, single guy friends that if they want to have more dates than they know what to do with, they should learn how to dance, but they don't believe me. That's fine...I don't mind being the rooster in the henhouse that all the hens admire!

Today's song, Estrela da Tarde (Evening Star) is an interesting hybrid between a fado and a tango. You may remember the fado from past posts as being a melancholy song about longing for the sea or about those who are poor. Fado has a particular structure and therefore resembles tango in that way, which also has a particular structure. Both tango and fado can be associated with the underclass, in the case of the longing of fado for the simplicity of the poor life and in tango, the rise of the music and dance from the poorest sections of society, into organized crime, and finally into its association with sexual sophistication.

The person who sings Estrela da Tarde goes by the name of Liana, a young and rising singer in Portugal who started singing fado professionally at age 9 and has won 11 first prizes in fado competitions. In 2004 she released her first professional album, Fado.pt and followed it up in 2005 with her second, Sombra, in 2005. In 2007, she teamed up with Reem Kelani in a concert titled From Palestine to Portugal where she sang in Portuguese and Arabic. Not only a singer, she is also an award winning stage actress. She sponsors a child in Mozambique, is an animal rights activist and vegetarian and volunteers with the elderly in Lisbon. She currently has released five albums. Estrela da Tarde blends the very similar elements of fado and tango with electronica into a song of longing:

My love, my love

my evening star

The moon is rising and my body is waiting for you

My love

I am not certain

if you are my joy or my sorrow

Estrela da Tarde can be found on Liana's 2004 release Fado.pt, and is included on Putumayo Presents: Tango Around the World (2007). This video is from her appearance on a Portuguese television show.

Seaside Towns: Mariza and "Maria Lisboa"

A week ago, I came back from California with the sea smell still in my nostrils. My hometown is on the coast, and I love the ocean and the blue vista stretching west to infinity, and ironically I am now living a mile high in a desert where one looks out and sees nothing to the west but the brown of a desert mesa and an ancient volcano just peaking its head above the horizon. The last thing to leave my imagination when I die, I imagine, will be the sound of the waves breaking ceaselessly against the shore, and when I listen carefully enough I can even hear it in the middle of the quiet desert.

My hometown, because it was a fishing town, was a place where Portuguese settled. The first European to see the area was a Portuguese explorer, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, and my classes in school were peppered with Portuguese names. My adoptive father was of Portuguese and German descent, and the people often were referred to (and by each other) as "Portagees." A Portuguese Hall still exists in my hometown, and a Portuguese Holy Ghost Festa occurs every year - my high school band was often called upon to march in the parade.

Today's song, Maria Lisboa, is a metaphorical allusion to another seaside town (city actually) - Lisbon. It is a fado (a melancholy song often about the sea or the life of the poor) and it is easy for me to understand the Portuguese fascination with the ocean and love for the ocean. Lisbon is presented as a poor woman whose past was great, whose present is shabby and poor, and who is always in a relationship with the ocean that sustains her. These are the lyrics translated (on the net by a Portuguese speaker):

(She) is a seller of fish, and wears old shoes.
(She) moves like a cat
In the basket, (she carries) the caravel (a small ship for exploration)

In her heart, (she carries) the frigate (a warship)

Instead of ravens (the symbol of Lisbon) on the shawl
Sea-gulls came to lay down.
When the wind takes her to the ball
(She) dances at the ball with the sea.
(Her) dress is made of shells
(She) has seaweed on her hair
And in her veins, the bark
Of the engine of a fishing boat.
(She) sells dreams and the smell of the sea
(She) announces storms with a cry.
her first name: Maria
Her surname: Lisboa

The singer of Maria Lisboa is Mariza, a Portuguese fado singer born in Mozambique before it gained independence from Portugal. She is of mixed Portuguese and African heritage. When she was three her family moved to Lisbon and while young she began learning to sing in many styles, including jazz, gospel and soul. She adopted fado at the insistence of her father, who felt it would give her more acceptance in the Portuguese community. After the fado's most famous interpreter, Amália Rodrigues (Maria Lisboa was made famous by her), died in 1999 Mariza was asked to perform a tribute in her memory, which led her to record a fado album. Fado was starting to regain popularity, and her album sold an astounding number of copies. She has since focused on fado, has released seven albums and has sold over a million records worldwide. Maria Lisboa appeared on her debut album Fado em Mim (2002) and this version is from a live concert in Lisbon.

A Sense of Longing: Deolinda and "Uma Ilha"

Sometimes there is nothing better than to immerse oneself in melancholy.  The great Turkish writer Orhan Pamuk, in his book Istanbul, has long descriptions of cultural melancholy as people in the modern Turkish state who are old enough to remember the splendor of the Ottoman Empire look back on glories of the past amid the uncertainties of the present and future.  Individual melancholy hits us from time to time as well, usually as we personally revisit the past and compare it with our own presents and and uncertainties, or even perhaps when we get the "grass is always greener" syndrome and think of what might have been or what could have been had we only did this or that previously.  I am as susceptible to this as any other.  I like wallowing in melancholy once in a while.  I even put together a melancholy song list that I can access to feed that particular feeling.

The Portuguese word that best describes this feeling is saudade, which is not directly translatable but connotes longing.  In Portuguese music, the fado has developed over centuries to capture this longing.  Fados are often slow, serious songs.  They are often about the sea or about the life of the poor, and are usually accompanied by Portuguese guitar.  They are an unique contribution to world culture, so much so that the UN has inscribed fado on its Intangible Cultural Heritage list to bring awareness to its significance and to protect it.  Famous Portuguese performers of fado include Amália Rodrigues, Carlos do Carmo, and Ana Moura among many others.

Deolinda is a band that formed in 2006 when the brothers Pedro da Silva Martins and Luis José Martins asked their cousin Ana Bacalhau to sing on a few songs they had written.  Realizing that her voice fit perfectly with their songs, they formed Deolinda and rounded out the band with her husband José Pedro Leitã.  Their first album, Canção Ao Lado (2008), reached number 3 on the Portuguese charts, and their followup album, Dois selos e um carimbo (2010), hit number 1.  During this period, the band performed a song called Parva que Sous at their concerts, which was a social criticism of Portugal and the lack of opportunities for young people.  Most of Europe was going through a financial crisis, and youth unemployment was enormous, especially in poorer EU countries.  The song became an anthem among economically hurt youth in Portugal and went viral on social media, with bootleg copies of concert performances shared in great numbers.  Deolinda released their third album, Mundo Pequenino, in 2013.

The band's style is inspired by fado, but they have made numerous departures from the form.  While fado utilizes Portuguese guitar, the band does not.  Deolinda's songs are often contain social criticism, and can be lively, upbeat, ironic and humorous which does not fit the usual melancholy style of fado either.  Fado performers often dress in black when performing, but Deolinda does not.  Perhaps they are defining a post-fado or neo-fado style?  However this song, Uma Ilha (An Island) from their 2010 release Dois Selos e um Carimbo, does fit the traditional fado style with references to the sea and hidden secrets from a lover, and a slow, almost mournful pace highlighting Ana Bacalhou's beautiful voice.