Fado is a music genre that can be traced to the 1820s in Lisbon, Portugal, but probably has much earlier origins. Although the origins are difficult to trace, today, fado is commonly regarded as simply a song about anything but must follow a certain traditional structure. In popular belief, fado is a form of music characterized by mournful tunes and lyrics, often about the sea or the life of the poor, and infused with a sentiment of resignation, fate, and melancholia. This is loosely captured by the Portuguese word Saudade, or longing, symbolizing a feeling of loss (a permanent, irreparable loss and its consequent lifelong damage).
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country located on the Iberian Peninsula, in south-western Europe. It is the westernmost sovereign state in mainland Europe, bordered to the west and south by the Atlantic Ocean and to the north and east by Spain, the sole country to have a land border with Portugal.