All my life, I have heard the Portuguese grownups sing ONE song every time they enter a Portuguese house.
i.e. There is always someone cooking, and the food always smells like home. This could be considered hyperbole, but visiting often takes place on weekends or festival/holidays, which would explain the "always on" oven/stove. But the houses that would host, the WOMEN who would host, also were usually the ones with a lot of/the most children. And they WERE always cooking.
(And it took me YEARS of putting on my best "American" kid straight-face, of pretending that everyone else's houses smelled good. Grilled cheese just lingers in the air differently than Carninhas & Buttitinhas!)
I have heard the lyrics translated as:
"It smells good, the smell of Lisbon"
or
"It smells good, it smells like Lisbon"
Either way, it is a little rough in translation.
Note, this phrase works as a call & response too. Whenever you hear someone say "Cheira bem! [It smells good]!", you can answer "Cheira a Lisboa!" and you can share a wink & a connection, without having to learn any pesky grammar or conjugations!
It is good to learn & sing this ENTIRE phrase, even if you don't know the song. I've sung it based on my Tio's version & it sounds nothing like the song! Don't worry, nobody will care about your singing!
Here is Amalia singing it:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=exhrWRY8iGk
Here are the legit lyrics in Portuguese & further below in English:
Taken from http://lyricstranslate.com/en/Cheira-Bem-Cheira-Lisboa-it-smells-good-it-smells-Lisbon.html#ixzz3cLBM3Wus
ENGLISH (mostly)
Taken from http://lyricstranslate.com/en/Cheira-Bem-Cheira-Lisboa-it-smells-good-it-smells-Lisbon.html#ixzz3cLBd3nGB
i.e. There is always someone cooking, and the food always smells like home. This could be considered hyperbole, but visiting often takes place on weekends or festival/holidays, which would explain the "always on" oven/stove. But the houses that would host, the WOMEN who would host, also were usually the ones with a lot of/the most children. And they WERE always cooking.
(And it took me YEARS of putting on my best "American" kid straight-face, of pretending that everyone else's houses smelled good. Grilled cheese just lingers in the air differently than Carninhas & Buttitinhas!)
I have heard the lyrics translated as:
"It smells good, the smell of Lisbon"
or
"It smells good, it smells like Lisbon"
Either way, it is a little rough in translation.
Note, this phrase works as a call & response too. Whenever you hear someone say "Cheira bem! [It smells good]!", you can answer "Cheira a Lisboa!" and you can share a wink & a connection, without having to learn any pesky grammar or conjugations!
It is good to learn & sing this ENTIRE phrase, even if you don't know the song. I've sung it based on my Tio's version & it sounds nothing like the song! Don't worry, nobody will care about your singing!
Here is Amalia singing it:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=exhrWRY8iGk
Here are the legit lyrics in Portuguese & further below in English:
Cheira Bem, Cheira A Lisboa
Lisboa já tem Sol
mas cheira a Lua
Quando nasce a madrugada sorrateira
E o primeiro eléctrico da rua
Faz coro com as chinelas da Ribeira
makes a chorus with the sound of the slippers in Ribeira
mas cheira a Lua
Quando nasce a madrugada sorrateira
E o primeiro eléctrico da rua
Faz coro com as chinelas da Ribeira
makes a chorus with the sound of the slippers in Ribeira
Se chove cheira a terra prometida
Procissões têm o cheiro a rosmaninho
Nas tascas das vielas mais escondidas
Cheira a iscas com elas e a vinho
Procissões têm o cheiro a rosmaninho
Nas tascas das vielas mais escondidas
Cheira a iscas com elas e a vinho
(Refrão)
A carnation flower in the attic...
smells good, smells like Lisbon.
A rose, blooming in the park ...
smells good, smells like Lisbon
A frigatebird that takes fly from a boat fore ...
or a woman that persistently passes by,
they all smell good because they are from Lisbon
Lisbon has the perfume of flowers and sea
A carnation flower in the attic...
smells good, smells like Lisbon.
A rose, blooming in the park ...
smells good, smells like Lisbon
A frigatebird that takes fly from a boat fore ...
or a woman that persistently passes by,
they all smell good because they are from Lisbon
Lisbon has the perfume of flowers and sea
Cheira bem, cheira a Lisboa (2x)
A fragata que se ergue na proa
Cheiram bem porque são de Lisboa
Cheiram bem porque são de Lisboa
Lisboa cheira aos cafés do Rossio
E o fado cheira sempre a solidão
Cheira a castanha assada se está frio
Cheira a fruta madura quando é Verão
E o fado cheira sempre a solidão
Cheira a castanha assada se está frio
Cheira a fruta madura quando é Verão
Teus lábios têm o cheiro de um sorriso
Manjerico tem o cheiro de cantigas
E os rapazes perdem o juízo
Quando lhes dá o cheiro a raparigas
Manjerico tem o cheiro de cantigas
E os rapazes perdem o juízo
Quando lhes dá o cheiro a raparigas
Cheira bem, cheira a Lisboa (2x)
A fragata que se ergue na proa
Cheiram bem porque são de Lisboa
Cheiram bem porque são de Lisboa
ENGLISH (mostly)
it smells good, it smells like Lisbon
Versions: #1#2
It's a sunny day in Lisbon,...
but it has the perfume of the moon ...
when the early morning comes quietly.
The first tram in the street...
makes a chorus with the sound of the slippers in Ribeira
but it has the perfume of the moon ...
when the early morning comes quietly.
The first tram in the street...
makes a chorus with the sound of the slippers in Ribeira
when it rains, Lisbon has the perfume of promised land.
The processions have the smell of rosemary.
In the taverns of the most hidden alleys,...
there's a perfume of appetizers and wine all together
The processions have the smell of rosemary.
In the taverns of the most hidden alleys,...
there's a perfume of appetizers and wine all together
Um craveiro numa água-furtada
Cheira bem, cheira a Lisboa
Uma rosa a florir na tapada
Cheira bem, cheira a Lisboa
A fragata que se ergue na proa
A varina que teima em passar
Cheiram bem porque são de Lisboa
Lisboa tem cheiro de flores e de mar
Cheira bem, cheira a Lisboa
Uma rosa a florir na tapada
Cheira bem, cheira a Lisboa
A fragata que se ergue na proa
A varina que teima em passar
Cheiram bem porque são de Lisboa
Lisboa tem cheiro de flores e de mar
it smells good, it smells like Lisbon
A varina que teima em passar
Lisboa tem cheiro de flores e de mar
Lisboa tem cheiro de flores e de mar
Lisbon has the perfum of the cafés from Rossio
And fado always has the perfume of loneliness
When it's cold, Lisbon has the perfume of roasted chestnuts
when it's summer, it smells like the perfume of ripe fruits
And fado always has the perfume of loneliness
When it's cold, Lisbon has the perfume of roasted chestnuts
when it's summer, it smells like the perfume of ripe fruits
Your lips have the smell of a smile
Manjerico has the smell of sweet tunes
And the boys all lose their mind...
when one gives them the smell of girls
Manjerico has the smell of sweet tunes
And the boys all lose their mind...
when one gives them the smell of girls
A varina que teima em passar
Lisboa tem cheiro de flores e de mar
Lisboa tem cheiro de flores e de mar
Taken from http://lyricstranslate.com/en/Cheira-Bem-Cheira-Lisboa-it-smells-good-it-smells-Lisbon.html#ixzz3cLBd3nGB
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