Image above:  Tiago Fins, Fernando Soares and Júlio Madaleno; Musicians from Duque da Rua

If countries have signature sounds, Portugal’s is the fado. A sound of longing, fado is an important part of the Portuguese identity, and a great way to understand more about its culture. Join us, Tori and Paul, as we dig into what fado means, tell you about fado songs that we love and take you behind-the-scenes at Duque da Rua, our favorite fado bar in Lisbon.

What is Fado?

Fado is a type of Portuguese music that is an important part of the Portuguese identity. Translated as “fate” or “destiny,” fado can be compared to soul or blues. The songs are often about longing or mourning, though there are many that can be happy, celebrating love, country and the Portuguese psyche.

There are two important instruments in fado: The Portuguese guitarra, a 12-string guitar that has a high-pitched/twangy sound, and the acoustic guitar.

History of Fado

The history of fado is a bit murky, and you can hear influences from other cultures and styles in the sound itself. As a port city, Lisbon was/is an important trade stop. Listening to fado, you can hear influences from Africa, Indonesia and other countries.

The lyrics of fado reflect the lives of people working on the docks, the lives of the working class. Most songs are about hardship, longing, sorrow and resignation.

However, there are songs that are joyful,and that celebrate love and romance. In Coimbra, a university city north of Lisbon, the fado there is very different. Historically an all-male university, fado in Coimbra was sung by the students, who, similar to troubadours, would go and serenade their young loves.

Pro tip: When listening to fado in Lisbon, you clap when the song ends. In Coimbra, you clear your throat.

What is Saudade?

Saudade is a uniquely Portuguese sentiment, and very much a part of the Portuguese identity.

It’s a word that describes a deep longing for something (or someone) that is gone, and a recognition that you are ultimately changed because of it.

A great way to understand the concept of saudade, is to watch one of Paul’s favorite movies – The Muppet Movie. In it, Gonzo, realizing that he will never get to Hollywood, sings a sad song (I’m going to go back there someday) for a place that he has dreamt about but never been to. It is a song of longing, a song of saudade.

Our Favorite Fado Songs

If you want to listen to some fado music, but don’t know where to start, listen to some of our favorites:

• Barco Negro (Black Boat): A song about a woman who can’t accept the fact that her love is lost at sea. You should also listen to this spine-tingling cover by Mariza
• Uma Casa Portuguesa (A Portuguese Home): A sweet song about the typical Portuguese home: simple and humble, but welcoming and full of love
• Lisboa, Menina e Moça (Lisbon, Girl and Young Woman): This fado is about a love for Lisbon. In it, she is compared to a young woman right out of girlhood, full of joyfulness and confidence
• O Gente de Minha Terra (The People of My Land): A song to the Portuguese people, recognizing that fado and saudade is a part of a shared identity

The Home of Fado

If you want to trace the steps of fado’s history and evolution, visit these places:

• Mouraria
  • A neighborhood close to Praça de Martim Moniz
  • Birthplace of Maria Severa, one of the important fadistas
  • Visit Rua Capelão and Rua João do Outeiro, the outdoor “Hall of Fame,” where plaques honoring various fadistas can be found
• Alfama
  • Home to many fadistas, there are many places to listen to fado here 
  • Museu de Fado 
    • A fantastic museum dedicated to fado
    • Can go through it pretty quickly if you are short on time, or you can spend some time there if you want to dig deep
    • There are listening stations where you can sit and listen to various fado songs
• Amalia Rodrigues Home
  • Known simply as Amalia, Amalia Rodrigues was an internationally known fadista who brought fado to worldwide stage
  • You can visit her home. In the yards is an orange tree, a reminder of her childhood, when she would sell oranges
  • A symbol of Portugal, she is interred at the Pantheon, where many heads of state are laid. The government held three days of mourning when she died

Where to Listen to Fado Music

There are two types of places to listen to fado:

• Fado house
  • Mostly found in Alfama and Bairro Alto
  • Requires a bit of a time commitment: You’ll go there for dinner and stay there for several hours while different fadistas, usually professional singers, sing between courses
  • Making a reservation is a good idea. It can be a little pricey, so it is a bit of a special night out
  • Two places to check out: Parreirinha da Alfama and Senhor Vinho
• Fado bar
  • Much less of a time commitment, these are smaller, informal places; similar to taverns
  • You can go in, listen to a few songs have a drink and and a snack
  • Our favorite place is Duque da Rua 

Important: Whether you are in a fado house or fado bar, there is a certain etiquette that you should follow: you should not talk during a performance. It is expected that you‘ll be listening without distraction.

Duque da Rua

Our favorite fado bar, Duque da Rua, is located near Rossio. Known for its fado vadio (vagabond/stray), the performers here are a tight-knit community and take turns singing a few fados, often getting the crowd involved. If you go in, you’ll see a painting of the original members. 

We got the chance to interview Helder Menezes de Aragão and Marco Henriques. Helder owns Duque da Rua and Marco is an amazing fadista. Listen to the interview to learn more about what fado means to the speakers and how they became involved with Duque da Rua. There is even a special surprise at the end…