canção

Canção is the Portuguese word for a song. In general, a canção is a vocal musical work designed to be sung along with melody and lyrics. The term is broad, covering a wide range of styles from traditional folk tunes to modern ballads, and is often used to emphasize the lyrical aspect of the piece.

In Portuguese-speaking contexts, canção typically refers to songs with lyrics, as opposed to instrumental music. It is used for both traditional and composed works, including canções populares (folk songs) and canções de autor (songs written by individual composers) in genres such as fado, MPB, and pop. The form may be strophic or through-composed.

Historical and linguistic notes: the word derives from Latin cantio, via Old Portuguese from cantar. It coexists with cantiga in medieval and early modern Portuguese; today canção is the common term for a lyric song, while cantiga often refers to earlier or regional songs. In Portugal and Brazil, the distinction is mostly functional, with canção emphasizing vocal performance and lyric content.

In modern usage, canção covers many forms from lullabies to love songs, protest songs to intimate singer-songwriter pieces, illustrating the central role of lyric and vocal melody in Portuguese-language music.