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Sérgio Godinho

Sérgio de Barros Godinho

Culture and censorshippoet, composer and singeractorexiled for refusing the colonial war
Born
31 August 1945, Porto

A poet, composer, singer and actor. He left Portugal at the age of 20 so as not to go to the colonial war, and lived in exile in Geneva, Paris, Amsterdam, Brazil and Vancouver. His first record, “Os Sobreviventes” (The Survivors), recorded in France, was banned by the censors.

He was born in Porto on 31 August 1945. At the age of 20 he left Portugal because he refused to fight in the colonial war, and lived in exile in Geneva, Paris, Amsterdam, Brazil and Vancouver.1 On 10 November 1970 he was the first to sing, at the Mutualité, in Paris, at the concert “La Chanson de Combat Portugaise”, with José Mário Branco, Tino Flores, Luís Cília and José Afonso.2

In 1971 he took part, as musician and author, in Mudam-se os Tempos, Mudam-se as Vontades (Times Change, Wills Change), José Mário Branco’s first solo record.1 His first LP, Os Sobreviventes (The Survivors), was recorded in April that year at the Château d'Hérouville, in France, with José Mário Branco as producer and on flute; one of the songs, “Que força é essa” (What force is that), spoke to the badly paid workers in Portugal and in emigration: “I saw you working the whole day long” (Vi-te a trabalhar o dia inteiro).3 In Portugal, the censors banned the record, authorised it and banned it again; even so, in 1973 the Casa da Imprensa (Press House) gave it the Press Prize for best record.13

He returned to Portugal after the revolution — a year later, according to the Aljube Museum — and recorded, among others, “À Queima-Roupa” (Point Blank), which became an anthem for the causes of the revolution.1 In 1980 he sang at the Coliseu, at the 10th anniversary of the CGTP-IN trade union confederation, with José Afonso, Adriano Correia de Oliveira, Luísa Basto, Paulo de Carvalho and José Mário Branco.4

From the archives

  • Sérgio Godinho sings “Eh Zeca Afonso” at the Coliseu dos Recreios, in 1985, in a video from his official channel. The description lists the musicians who accompanied him, among them Emanuel Frazão on piano and Carlos Guerreiro on vocals and various instruments.

    Original page Licença padrão do YouTube — embed permitido pelo canal oficial de Sérgio Godinho

    Sérgio Godinho (canal oficial), on YouTube. The player only connects to that site when you press “Watch”.

In other archives

These can only be viewed on each archive’s own website.

Places

In the timeline

  1. 10 Nov 1970

    “La Chanson de Combat Portugaise”: the exiled singers in Paris

  2. Sep 1972

    The censors ban “Os Sobreviventes” (The Survivors), by Sérgio Godinho

  3. 1980

    “Os 10 Magníficos” (The Magnificent Ten) at the Coliseu, for the ten years of the CGTP-IN

They crossed paths with him

  • José Mário Branco

    1942–2019

    A singer, composer and producer. Arrested by the PIDE in 1962, he deserted from the colonial war and spent eleven years in exile in France, where he produced José Afonso’s “Cantigas do Maio” (Songs of May). He returned on 30 April 1974 and was welcomed at the airport with “Grândola”.

  • José Afonso (Zeca Afonso)

    1929–1987

    A protest singer, persecuted by the censors and imprisoned by the PIDE/DGS in 1973. His “Grândola, Vila Morena” (Grândola, swarthy town), sung in chorus at the Coliseu in March 1974, was a month later the second signal of 25 April.

  • Adriano Correia de Oliveira

    1942–1982

    A singer of the Coimbra generation that made song a weapon against the Estado Novo (“New State”). His “Trova do Vento que Passa” (Ballad of the Passing Wind), with a poem by Manuel Alegre, became a student and anti-fascist anthem. He was at the Coliseu in March 1974 and at the airport to welcome the exiles.

  • Luísa Basto

    b. 1947

    A singer from the Alentejo. She went underground with her parents at the age of 12 and studied singing in Moscow; her voice reached Portugal through the clandestine radio stations. She was the first to record “Avante Camarada” (Forward, Comrade) and, once freedom had come, “É Para Ti Mulher Esta Canção” (This Song Is for You, Woman), the anthem of the Democratic Women’s Movement.

  • Luís Cília

    b. 1943

    A singer and composer born in Huambo, Angola. He deserted in 1964 and went into exile in Paris, where he sang against the colonial war and composed “Avante Camarada” (Forward, Comrade). He returned on 30 April 1974, with José Mário Branco.

  • Paulo de Carvalho

    b. 1947

    The singer of “E Depois do Adeus” (And After the Goodbye), the song that won the 1974 Festival da Canção (Song Festival) and that Emissores Associados de Lisboa broadcast at 22:55 on 24 April as the MFA’s first signal.

Notes on the sources2
  • When he returned to Portugal: the Aljube Museum says “a year after the April Revolution”; a source with the date is still needed.
  • The year of “Os Sobreviventes”: the Aljube Museum says it came out in 1971 and was banned three days later; the “Diário de Notícias” says that, recorded in April 1971, it was only published in September 1972.

Do you know more, or do you have a document? Tell us.

Sources

  1. 1Sérgio de Barros Godinho (#nestedia, 31 de agosto). Museu do Aljube Resistência e Liberdade (EGEAC) — consulted on 3 October 2026
  2. 2Concerto «La Chanson de Combat Portugaise» (Paris, 10 de novembro de 1970). RTP Arquivos (Antena 1) — consulted on 3 October 2026
  3. 3Jorge Mangorrinha, #38 «Que força é essa» (Sérgio Godinho), Sérgio Godinho, 1972 — série «50 canções a chamar Abril». Diário de Notícias, 2024 — consulted on 3 October 2026
  4. 4António Adriano (textos), Adriano Correia de Oliveira, músico, 1942-1982. Câmara Municipal de Lisboa — Comissão Municipal de Toponímia, 2016 — consulted on 3 October 2026

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