Version performed by Portuguese students
Modern cover by Cecilia Krull and Pablo Alborán
Original version by Zeca Afonso
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 | Grândola, swarthy town* Land of fraternity It is the people who lead Inside of you, oh city Inside of you, oh city It is the people who lead Land of fraternity Grândola, swarthy town On each corner, a friend In each face, equality Grândola, swarthy town Land of fraternity Land of fraternity Grândola, swarthy town In each face, equality It is the people who lead In the shadow of a holm oak Which no longer knew its age I swore as my companion, Grândola, your will Grândola, your will I swore as my companion In the shadow of a holm oak Which no longer knew its age |
* "Grândola Vila Morena" refers to "Grândola", the mentioned village's name, and a characterization of the town, "Vila Morena", meaning something like "swarthy town", "tanned town", "brown town" or "sunbaked town".
History
While Salazar’s Estado Novo regime banned a number of José Afonso's songs from being played or broadcast, as they were considered to be associated with Communism, Grandola, Vila Morena was not one of these. At a concert in Lisbon on the 24 March 1974 José Afonso played this song, the audience joined in enthusiastically, uniting the crowd as one. For this reason, on 25 April 1974, at 12:20AM the song was broadcast on the Portuguese radio station Rádio Renascença as a signal to start the revolution that overthrew the authoritarian government of Marcello Caetano; it thus became commonly associated with the Carnation Revolution and the beginning of democratic rule in Portugal. It was the second signal to start the coup, the first being E Depois do Adeus ("And after the farewell"), the Portuguese entry in the Eurovision Song Contest of 1974, performed in Portuguese by Paulo de Carvalho.
Biana Coelho Nº7 10ºB