GRÂNDOLA, VILA MORENA

Grândola, Vila Morena

"Grândola, Vila Morena" is a Portuguese song by Zeca Afonso, that tells of the fraternity among the people of Grândola, a town in the Alentejo. Salazar's Estado Novo regime considered the song to be associated with Communism, and as a result it was banned from being played or broadcast. On April 25, 1974, at 12:20AM the song was broadcast on Portuguese radio as a signal to start the revolution that overthrew the regime; it thus became commonly associated with the Carnation Revolution and the beginning of democratic rule in Portugal.

The first time Grândola was sung was in a Zeca Afonso´s concert in Galiza´s capital Santiago de Compostela, on may 10th 1972.

Lyrics:

Grândola, vila morena
Terra da fraternidade
O povo é quem mais ordena
Dentro de ti, ó cidade

Dentro de ti, ó cidade
O povo é quem mais ordena
Terra da fraternidade
Grândola, vila morena

Em cada esquina um amigo
Em cada rosto igualdade
Grândola, vila morena
Terra da fraternidade

Terra da fraternidade
Grândola, vila morena
Em cada rosto igualdade
O povo é quem mais ordena

À sombra duma azinheira
Que já não sabia a idade
Jurei ter por companheira
Grândola a tua vontade

Grândola a tua vontade
Jurei ter por companheira
À sombra duma azinheira
Que já não sabia a idade


Translation:

Grândola, swarthy town*
Land of brotherhood
'Tis the people who command the most
Inside of you, o city

Inside of you, o city
'Tis the people who command the most
Land of brotherhood
Grândola, swarthy town

On every corner, a friend
In every face, equality
Grândola, swarthy town
Land of brotherhood

Land of brotherhood
Grândola, swarthy town
In every face, equality
'Tis the people who command the most

In the shadow of an holm oak
That none now know its age
I swore to have as my companion
Grândola, your will

Grândola, your will
I swore to have as my companion
In the shadow of an holm oak
That none now know its age

* Sometimes translated as "tanned village" or "brown village".

The highly disciplined verse form is notable. Each quatrain is followed by a quatrain that repeats the identical lines in reverse order.

THIS IS THE WHOLE, AND INFORMING, WIKIPEDIA ENTRY

Zeca Afonso - Grândola Vila Morena (letras) (foi muito bem, gente, muito bem)

VOCÊS DEVERIAM MESMO DE MUDAR 'HERÓIS DO MAR' E SUBSTITUIR AQUILO POR ISTO
PELO MENOS NÃO ESQUECERIAM ESSE ESFORÇO, RAIOS. . .
NÃO FOI BRINCADEIRA NENHUMA, ISSO, MESMO MUITO SIMPLES, COMO PARECEU