Honolulu Mailman - Chega de Saudade (Live at California Jazz Conservatory)

Recorded at California Jazz Conservatory, Berkeley. August 2023.
Piano: Ross
Drum: Jack
Bass: Paul
About the Song
"Chega de Saudade"(1958) is often regarded as the song that kickstarted the bossa nova movement in Brazil. Composed by Antônio Carlos Jobim with lyrics by Vinícius de Moraes, the song was first recorded by Elizete Cardoso in 1958 and later made famous by João Gilberto in the same year. Its gentle rhythms, harmonically rich chords, and the intimate manner of singing set the blueprint for the bossa nova style.
"Saudade" is a unique Portuguese word with no direct translation in English, encapsulating a deep feeling of longing, nostalgia, or melancholy for something or someone that might never return. The term often evokes a bittersweet yearning for what has been lost or might never be experienced again.
The lyrics of "Chega de Saudade" roughly translate to "No More Blues" or "Enough Longing." The song speaks of a desire to move past the melancholy and heartache, with the singer expressing a yearning to return to happier days and reignite a lost love. It captures the delicate balance between the pain of "saudade" and the hope for joy.
The chorus underscores the theme of renewal and moving forward, saying that one can't go on living just for the sake of feeling sad and that crying doesn't bring anyone back. The song, therefore, encourages letting go of the past and looking forward to a brighter future, all while acknowledging the profound depth of "saudade."
Lyrics in Portuguese
Não pode ser, diz-lhe numa prece
Que ela regresse, porque eu não posso
Mais sofrer. Chega de saudade a realidade
É que sem ela não há paz, não há beleza
É só tristeza e a melancolia
Que não sai de mim, não sai de mim, não sai
Mas se ela voltar, se ela voltar,
Que coisa linda, que coisa louca
Pois há menos peixinhos a nadar no mar
Do que os beijinhos que eu darei
Na sua boca
Dentro dos meus braços
Os abraços hão de ser, milhões de abraços
Apertado assim, colado assim, calado assim
Abraços e beijinhos e carinhos sem ter fim
Que é pra acabar com este negócio de você
Viver sem mim. Não quero mais este negócio