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10 The Linguist Vol/65 No/2
ciol.org.uk/thelinguist
A
nyone who's heard the iconic jazz tune
'The Girl from Ipanema' – or, more
precisely, the bossa nova classic – can
instantly drift away on its smooth melody to a
sun-soaked beach in Rio de Janeiro. You can
practically feel the tropical sun while this
daydreaming guy falls for a girl he just saw
passing by. Light and effortless to listen to,
Norman Gimbel's English adaptation of the
original Portuguese Garota de Ipanema
transcends time and place.
Performed by Astrud Gilberto and Stan
Getz, the English-language version became a
global hit when it was released in 1964. It has
since been covered by artists from very
different backgrounds, including Frank Sinatra,
Cher, Madonna and Amy Winehouse, and is
often cited by major publications as one of
the most recorded popular songs of all time.
Yet to achieve that level of success, Gimbel
had to take creative liberties. His version was
not a faithful translation of the 1962 song by
Antônio Carlos Jobim and Vinícius de Moraes.
Instead, it was a transcreation shaped by his
instinct for what would resonate with American
audiences. The transformation of 'Garota de
Ipanema' into 'The Girl from Ipanema' is
perhaps one of the most fascinating case
studies in the limits of translation, as well as
the boldness of transcreation.
What if I told you that in the original
Portuguese, the girl from Ipanema was never
"tall and tan and young and lovely", nor
does everyone sigh "A-a-a-h" as she walks
by? In fact, the song was not conceived as a
light summer romance; on the contrary, its
emotional layers run much deeper than the
English hit suggests.
T H E S O U L O F B O S S A N O VA
Composed by Jobim with lyrics by Moraes,
the original is far more poetic and complex.
The men, who were both married at the time,
would sit at a bar when Helô Pinheiro, the
song's muse, passed by. However, neither of
them intended "to be seen" by her, nor to
"give their hearts gladly", as the English
version implies. What the Portuguese lyrics
capture is a nostalgic longing for youth, which
is effortless, beautiful and unaware of its own
impact. As she walks by, she evokes a kind of
beauty that is both fleeting and unreachable.
There is a profound sadness between the
lines; it is the perspective of someone who
admires but can never attain.
VOICE OF IPANEMA
Astrud Gilberto performing in 1966 (above)
What versions of ' The Girl from Ipanema' reveal about the
conflicting needs of song translation. By Vivian Federicci
LYRICAL CONTORTIONS
KROON,
RON
/
ANEFO
CC0
