07 June 2020

Fado VADIO

Just today, the viola player Vítor Tiago had some really touching things to say about FADO VADIO ("wandering fado"), which in general refers to the people (usually singers) who wander from fado house to fado house and.... Well, I'll let Vítor explain it (in my translation):
Vítor Tiago
My friends, today I want to communicate my simple, sincere and profound tribute to the amateur fado artists, those who, with some disdain, are called by some people within our world as the "fadistas of the fado vadio," those who "might even pay to sing". I say this because realistically, without them, and particularly in this period of pandemic, the fado itself would be in a state of recuperation and/or it would simply be reduced to half-a-dozen online performances. Courtesy of these amateur fadistas, the fado houses have once again offered fado by the Portuguese and for the Portuguese who are not bothered by needing to pay in order to sing one or two fados. It is for you, the " AMATEURS OF THE FADO VADIO", that I applaud, with humility and thankfulness for demonstrating the difference between LIKING the fado and NEEDING the fado. Thank you for the love that you show in holding fast to the fado. And, I believe, it is thanks to you that the genuine "fado of the people and for the people" will never die, even if it is sung with an imperfect rhythm or poor diction or errors in the lyrics. Your genuineness will never die even when confronted with the ever-increasing general degradation [in fado] that has been witnessed in the last few years.

I congratulate you for lifting the fado from the darkness in which it was submerged in the past months, and for helping to ensure that a number of houses do not close their doors before the tourists who previously sustained them return with stuffed wallets. When they (the tourists) return, you will return to the "fado vadio", to the customary places, where you will always be welcome.

Thank you to the community of the "AMATEURS OF THE FADO VADIO".

Amizades,hoje quero aqui deixar a minha mais singela , sincera e profunda homenagem aos amadores de fado,áqueles a quem ,com algum desdém, algumas pessoas do meio chamam "fadistas do fado vadio",aqueles  que "até pagam para cantar", porque realmente sem  eles o fado,provavelmente, nesta altura da pandemia, estava ainda "de molho" e,ou, simplesmente reduzido a "meia dúzia" de intervenções cibernautas. Graças a esses fadistas amadores já as casas de fado ( nalgumas das quais esses amadores eram "personas non gratas"...) voltaram a ter fados de portugueses para portugueses que não se importam de  pagar para cantar um ou dois fadinhos. É para vocês, "AMADORES DO FADO VADIO" que vai o meu aplauso de humildade e gratidão p'la  demonstração da diferença entre o GOSTAR de fado e o PRECISAR do fado. Obrigado p'lo amor que demonstram ter ao fado e graças a vocês acredito que  o genuino "fado do povo e para o povo" nunca irá morrer, mesmo cantado com pouco compasso ou má dicção e bacuradas nas letras  a genuidade  não morrerá em face da quantidade crescente da degradação genérica que se tem verificado nos últimos anos.

Bem-hajam por erguerem o fado das trevas em que está mergulhado há uns meses e por  permitirem que algumas casas não fechem de vez as suas portas até que os  turistas que as sustentavam regressem com as carteiras recheadas. Quando eles  (turistas) voltarem então lá  vão ter de regressar ao "fado vadio" ,aos lugares do costume,onde serão sempre bem recebidos.

Obrigado comunidade dos "AMADORES DE FADO VADIO".

I thank Vítor for letting me do this. Any problems with the translation are of course my responsibility!