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1975 - Portugal

Performed by: Duarte Mendes
Music by: José Luís Tinoco
Lyrics by: José Luís Tinoco
Conductor: Pedro Vaz Osório
Language: Portuguese
Placing: 16th (16 points)
Other versions: English, French
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Madrugada

Dawn
Dos que morreram sem saber porquê From those who died without knowing why
Dos que teimaram em silêncio e frio From those who persevered in silence and in cold
Da força nascida no medo From the strength born in fear
E a raiva à solta manhã cedo And rage liberated in the early morning
Fazem-se as margens do meu rio The banks of my river are made
  
Das cicatrizes do meu chão antigo From the scars of my old ground
E da memória do meu sangue em fogo And from the memory of my blood burning in fire
Da escuridão a abrir em cor From the darkness opening in colour
Do braço dado e a arma flor Arm in arm and a flower in each gun
Fazem-se as margens do meu povo The edges of my people are made
  
Canta-se a gente que a si mesma se descobre I'm singing about the people that have just discovered themselves
E acorda vozes, arraiais And raise their voices, celebrate
Canta-se a terra que a si mesma se devolve I'm singing the praises of the land that is reborn
Que o canto assim nunca é demais There can't be enough songs like this
  
Em cada veia o sangue espera a vez In each vein the blood is waiting its turn
Em cada fala se persegue o dia In each conversation we hunt the day
E assim se aprendem as marés This is how we learn about the tides
Assim se cresce e ganha pé This is how we grow and become men
Rompe a canção que não havia A new song is born
  
Acordem luzes nos umbrais que a tarde cega Awaken lights on the evening-blind door posts
Acordem vozes e arraiais Raise your voices and celebrate
Cantem despertos na manhã Sing wide awake in the morning
Que a noite entrega That the night delivered us
Que o canto assim nunca é demais There can't be enough songs like this
  
Cantem marés por essas praias de sargaços Sing about the tides in those sargasso beaches
Acordem vozes, arraiais Raise your voices, celebrate
Corram descalços rente ao cais Run, barefooted, by the wharf
Abram abraços Open your arms and hug
Que o canto assim nunca é demais There can't be enough songs like this
O canto assim nunca é demais There can't be enough songs like this

Translation by Francisco Corado.

This song is about the Carnation Revolution. Carnation is the symbol of this revolution, since soldiers put these flowers in their guns, in what came to symbolise the absence of violence for changing the regime in Portugal - a regime that had been one of the longest dictatorships of the 20th century.