Artist: Amandio Cabral
Author: Armando Soares
Label: Casa Do Léão
Year: 1958

Song about emigration - more than less forced - towards the former Portuguese colony of São Tomé e Principe in the early fifties where cheap labour was needed in the coffee plantations. Song also known as Camin Longe. Unofficial anthem of Cabo Verde. Cabral, born in 1935 on the isle of São Nicolau (Cabo Verde), cut this song more than once. They called him the Irving Berlin of Cabo Verde but he moved to San Francisco years ago. His song took shape during a boat trip to São Vicente. He and clarinet player Luis Morais inprovised on the theme of Saudade (nostalgia) until this song emerged. That's his version of the facts, for he's no longer regarded as the author. Armando Zeferino Soares, a salesman from Praia Branca, São Nicolau, spent his whole lifetime (1920-2007) battling this copyright, finally credited to him in December 2006. That's all he had hoped for apparantly for he died in peace shortly afterwards.

Song of the banned, political refugees, asylum seekers and those who stayed behind. Therefore due to last.