Eu Tenho Um Melro

Song Meaning

This song presents a peculiar pet, a blackbird, that the narrator cherishes. It's an "achado," a find, sleeping by day and eating and singing fado by night. Neighbors hear the singing and suspect the narrator is hiding someone, hinting at a secret or an unusual companion. The blackbird is kept in the narrator's room, not allowed to fly freely, a choice made because if it flew, it "cai sobre os gatos" – it would fall on the cats. This suggests a protective, perhaps overly so, instinct. The core tension lies in the narrator's possessiveness and the methods used to keep the blackbird. The narrator admits to cutting its wings "para não voar," to prevent it from flying. Yet, in a striking turn, the bird transforms its feathers into "lindos poemas" (beautiful poems) to lull the narrator to sleep. This elevates the bird from a mere pet to a creative muse, a source of comfort derived from its very confinement. The lyrics play with the identity of the blackbird, questioning if it's a man or a woman, before settling on it being a bird that "mais me quer" (wants me the most). This ambiguity blurs the lines between a literal pet and a metaphorical companion, perhaps representing a deep emotional need. The narrator instructs the bird to claim it's expected home if caught and to stop singing fado if captured, all to avoid causing the narrator suffering. The final lines, "E não voltes mais que a tua gaiola serve a outros animais," suggest a potential parting, or a realization that the cage, once meant for this special bird, now serves a different purpose, adding a layer of melancholy to the possessive affection. What makes these lyrics resonate is the raw, almost childlike possessiveness mixed with a profound creative output. The narrator's actions, like cutting the wings, are extreme, yet the result is poetry that soothes. It’s this juxtaposition of control and artistic expression, the literal bird and its metaphorical significance, that creates a complex emotional portrait. The narrator's deep attachment, expressed through both protection and a desire for the bird's unique song, is what makes the narrative so compelling.