About the title: 'País de Abril' means 'Land of April'. It is also a line in a poem written by Manuel Alegre, later interpreted by Amália Rodrigues.
She sang the poem in Fado style a long, long time ago (listen). I have always been very fond of
the poem and ruthlessly snatched the line as the title for my own
website. The song has a double meaning in that it refers to a political event, and to Portugal as a country. In 1974, Portugal liberated itself in a
largely peaceful revolution, after having endured a dictatorship that had lasted for 48 years. The revolution occurred in April and is commemorated on April 25th, which
is the obvious inspiration for the poem. Manuel Alegre became very well known for his political poems before, during, and after the revolution.
Politics aside, Manuel Alegre's poetry is full of melancholy and beauty, just like the month of April. And Portugal, just like the month of April, is a stormy and temperamental country,
full of melancholy and beauty, of contradictions and -- changes of light. I have been very happy there.
almeidaa[at]uncw.edu