María la portuguesa [English translation]

In the nights of carnations and moonlight,

from Ayamonte to Vila Real, 1. 2.

aimlessly, along the river,

among sighs, a song comes and goes,

that it's sung by María to her love for an Andalucian man,

María is the gaiety and is the agony that has the South. 3.

She met this man

on a night of heat and green wine,

and between palms and fandangos,

he charmed her,

and turned crazy her heart.

And on the shores of Isla,

together, they got lost;

where the waves break

he kissed her mouth and she succumbed.

[Chorus]

Oh, María the Portuguese,

from Ayamonte to Faro 4.

in taverns is heard this fado

where she drinks bitter wine.

Why does she sing so sadly?

Why are her eyes shut?

Because of an unfortunate love,

that's why she sings, that's why she mouns.

Fado! Because she misses his eyes

Fado! Because she misses his mouth

Fado! Because he left down the river

Fado! Because he left in the shadows.

They say that the 'I love you' of a sailor

was the reason of her grief;

that, one night, in the contraband boats,

for the smuggling of the prawn he left. 5.

In the shadows of the river, a shot was heard

And from that suffering

the wailing of this song was born.