Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: forro
Song Meaning of “Saudade de Lá” by Banda Bastião
“Saudade de Lá” by Banda Bastião is a song that speaks to the longing of home, the feeling of being away from the ones who we love. The desperate emotions of homesickness and emptiness are detailed in this poignant ballad, singing of the need for a beloved home.
The opening lyrics describe the longing that oftentimes accompanies missing home, while describing the beautiful memories and landscape of one’s home: “My heart wants to take me / There where I belong / To a land that is fair and easy / My sweet homeland.” These lines describe the powerful desire to be with the people and places that one knows best.
The ensuing chorus features the phrase “saudade de lá” – a Portuguese phrase that speaks to the feelings of nostalgia, longing, and melancholy associated with homesickness. Here the song really encapsulates the plight of being far from home, singing of the bittersweet sorrow that comes with feeling so close to a person or place but so very far away.
The remainder of the song is an emotional call not only for a home to return to, but also for the desire to stay with the one who loves us most. The lyrics state “I beg for your love in abundance / The love so tender that unites me to you / Because no one else can heal my heart / I ask for nothing but that.” Here, the sentiment is clear – that despite being away from home, the greatest gift of all is to have the love of another person.
Ultimately, “Saudade de Lá” is a powerful song of loss and longing. By painting an image of nostalgia and sorrow, it captures the unique feeling of walling between home and reality. Despite its heartache, the song also gives hope and strength to those who are forced to be apart from those they love, offering them solace in the knowledge that love is the greatest force of all.