Composer: Luiz Gonzaga, Carmelia Alves
Spotify subscribers hear the full song. Without a subscription, only a preview.
The English translation is below the Portuguese lyrics
Full lyrics
Dei u'a carrera num cabra qui mexeu c'a Maroquinha
Cumeçou na Mata Grande e acabou na Lagoinha!
Curri mais de sete légua, carregado cumo eu vinha
Pois trazia na cabeça um balaio cheio de galinha
Oh, oh, oh! Qui mintira qui lorota boa Certa noite muito escura atirei de brincadeira
Espaiei dezesseis chumbo cum a minha atiradeira
No momento ia passando quinze patos no terreiro
Qui cairam fulminado, oi qui tiro mais certeiro
Oh, oh, oh! Qui mintira qui lorota boa Uma coisa aqui no Rio qui me chamou atenção
Foi ver a facilidade qui se toma condução
Todo mundo confortave, seja em trem ou gostosão
E os tais de trocadores, qui amáveis que eles são
Oh, oh, oh! Qui mintira qui lorota boa Vou contar agora um caso qui astur dia assucedeu
Minha sogra tá de prova que tal fato aconteceu
Uma cobra venenosa viu a véia e mordeu
Mais inveis da minha sogra foi a cobra que morreu
Oh, oh, oh! Qui mintira qui lorota boa O meu primo Zé Potoca mente tanto qui faiz dó
Me contou qui pegou água, inrolô e deu um nó
Qui mintira mais danada, qui conversa mais à toa
Dá nó n'água né pussive, é lorota e das boa
Oh, oh, oh!
Translation
I chased a guy who messed with Maroquinha
It started in Mata Grande and ended in Lagoinha!
I ran more than seven leagues, loaded as I came
Because I carried on my head a basket full of chickens
Oh, oh, oh! What a lie, what a good tall tale One very dark night I shot for fun
I scattered sixteen pellets with my slingshot
At that moment, fifteen ducks were passing in the yard
Who fell struck down, oh what a most accurate shot
Oh, oh, oh! What a lie, what a good tall tale One thing here in Rio that caught my attention
Was to see the ease with which one takes transportation
Everyone comfortable, whether on a train or a comfortable ride
And those fare collectors, how kind they are
Oh, oh, oh! What a lie, what a good tall tale I'm going to tell a story now that happened the other day
My mother-in-law is proof that such a fact happened
A poisonous snake saw the old woman and bit her
But instead of my mother-in-law, it was the snake that died
Oh, oh, oh! What a lie, what a good tall tale My cousin Zé Potoca lies so much it's pitiful
He told me he took water, rolled it up and tied a knot
What a damned lie, what a most pointless talk
Tying a knot in water isn't possible, it's a tall tale, and a good one
Oh, oh, oh!