Composer: Luiz Gonzaga
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The English translation is below the Portuguese lyrics
Full lyrics
Ai, de dá, ai de dá
A ligeira dá canseira
Pra quem não saba dançar
Ai, de dá, ai de dá
A ligeira só é boa
Pra quem sabe apreciar
Nhem, nhem, nhem
Eu dancei uma ligeira
Num forró no Ceará
De culote e de peneira
Porque eu era militar
Tinha cara me espiando
Pra depois me debochar
Inventei um floreado
Fiz tanta admiração
Que apesar de ser soldado
Me chamavam de capitão
Quem me deu uma canseira
Foi a moça do lugar
Fez uns passos na ligeira
Querendo me embaraçar
Rebatí logo na hora
Cum a circunvolução
Levantei tanta poeira
Que assombrei o pavilhão
O meu nome é Zé Pereira
Me chamavam furacão
Mas eu fiz uma besteira
Me menti a namorar
Um vintém bateu no outro
Fez tirím, tirím, tá, tá
Comecei na brincadeira
Terminei no pé do altar
Sendo chefe de família
Sete filhos pra criar
Quando garro na ligeira
Hoje eu vou mais devagar
Translation
Ai, de dá, ai de dá
The ligeira makes one tired
For those who don't know how to dance
Ai, de dá, ai de dá
The ligeira is only good
For those who know how to appreciate it
Nhem, nhem, nhem
I danced a ligeira
At a forró in Ceará
Wearing culottes and with a peneira
Because I was a soldier
There were people spying on me
To later mock me
I invented a flourish
I caused so much admiration
That despite being a soldier
They called me captain
The one who made me tired
Was the local girl
She made some steps in the ligeira
Wanting to embarrass me
I immediately countered
With a circumvolution
I raised so much dust
That I astonished the pavilion
My name is Zé Pereira
They called me hurricane
But I made a mistake
I got myself into dating
One vintém hit the other
It went tirím, tirím, tá, tá
I started it as a joke
I ended up at the foot of the altar
Being a family head
Seven children to raise
When I grab the ligeira
Today I go slower
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