Antigamente [English translation]

My old “Fado Corrido”

if you were one of the most local types (of fado)

why do you seems to be forgotten

in the throat of the fado singers?

An old friend explained to me

how Fado was handled

It’s funny, the way

the old Fado was sung

A laurel branch at the door

indicated a tavern

At night it was a lantern

with its almost dead light

Because Fado includes all -

The tavern was always a shelter

for criminals to beggars

from misfortune and misery

There were also serious people

an old friend explained to me

On the barrels of wine

thrown down haphazardly

there was always a guitar

to serve as "lure"

The wine jug

of rough glazed clay

was always glued

to the cups by the counter (filling them up)

And it was in this situation

that Fado was performed

If a player appeared

sometimes even a "foolish one"

they asked the tavern keeper for the guitar

to show what they were worth

Soon there was a singer

setting a tone of certain danger

provoking his adversaries

competing with each other to sing improvised verses

Sometimes it even came to blows

It was funny, the old Fado

After a short time had passed

the tavern was full

to hear to the singing

the sound of the “fado corrido”

Everyone was made sorrowful

when someone sang (sad) fado

The playing was slow

the style was sung from the throat

And today few people sing it

the way it was sung

I listened carefully

to a singer of the past

and his beautiful song

tied me to Fado forever

However much you say

Fado is a local song

Not everyone who wants to, can be a Fado singer

only those who were born fadistas

• Artist:Gisela João