Composer: Jackson Do Pandeiro
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The English translation is below the Portuguese lyrics
Full lyrics
Bate o zabumba
Toque o bombo por favor
Bate com força
Que o noiteiro assim mandou
Já fui cangaceiro
E ganhei dinheio
A mode assassinar
Já fui bom no rifle
Hoje toco pife
Já não dei brigar
Era menino que eu era pior
Besta, fera no meio do sertão
Hoje sou musico afamado
Tocando reizado, novena e lilão
Bate o zabumba
Toque o bombo por favor
Bate com força
Que o noiteiro assim mandou
Já fui cangaceiro
E ganhei dinheio
A mode assassinar
Já fui bom no rifle
Hoje toco pife
Já não dei brigar
Já fui a muque de celeiro
No juazeiro, pia de ladrão
Hoje procuro um amparo
Falei com o vigario pra ser sacristão
Translation
Hit the zabumba
Play the bass drum, please
Hit it hard
As the night's reveler commanded
I used to be a cangaceiro
And I earned money
By means of assassinating
I used to be good with a rifle
Today I play the pife
I no longer fight
When I was a boy, I was worse
A brute, a wild beast in the middle of the sertão
Today I am a renowned musician
Playing reizado, novena, and lilão
Hit the zabumba
Play the bass drum, please
Hit it hard
As the night's reveler commanded
I used to be a cangaceiro
And I earned money
By means of assassinating
I used to be good with a rifle
Today I play the pife
I no longer fight
I used to be a strongman of the barn
In Juazeiro, a thief's hideout
Today I seek solace
I spoke with the vicar to be a sacristan