Lyrics and translation Luísa Sobral - O Engraxador

O Engraxador

Ele sabe de cor
Todas as caras
Todas as pernas que caminham apressadas

Nada mudou,
Talvez a moda
Talvez a fivela do sapato seja agora
Uma fita de velcro cor-de-rosa

Ele sabe de cor
Estranhos segredos
Das velhas que vivem a falar pelos cotovelos

Nada mudou,
Talvez a moda
Talvez o sapato de pelica seja agora
Uma bota de verniz e pele de cobra

E sentado na cadeira gasta
De gente e de restos de graxa
Imagina-se num teatro inglês
A recitar Shakespeare em Português
Com a camisa e gravata de cerimonia

E depois da actuação
O olhar de comoção
Põe um ponto no grande retrato

Um aplauso ensurdecedor
Faz com que o engraxador
Enfeite de lágrimas a gravata de cetim

E sentado na cadeira gasta,
De gente e de restos de graxa
Imagina-se num teatro inglês
A recitar Shakespeare em Português
Com a camisa e gravata de cerimonia

Acorda então em sobressalto
Porque a graxa do sapato
Do cliente amargurado chegara ao fim

The Shoeshiner

She knows them all by heart,
All the faces
All the legs that walk by in a hurry

Nothing has changed,
Except maybe the fashion
Maybe the buckle on the shoe is now
A pink Velcro strap

She knows them all by heart,
Secret thoughts
Of the old women who live by talking non-stop

Nothing has changed,
Except maybe the fashion
Maybe the sealskin shoe is now
A patent leather and snakeskin boot

And sitting in the worn-out chair
Of people and leftover polish
She imagines herself in an English theatre
Reciting Shakespeare in Portuguese
With her shirt and tie for the ceremony

And after the performance
The look of emotion
Puts a dot on the large portrait

A deafening applause
Makes the shoeshiner
Adorn her sateen tie with tears

And sitting in the worn-out chair,
Of people and leftover polish
She imagines herself in an English theatre
Reciting Shakespeare in Portuguese
With her shirt and tie for the ceremony

She then wakes up with a start
Because the shoe polish
For the bitter customer had run out