Composer: Luiz Gonzaga
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The English translation is below the Portuguese lyrics
Full lyrics
José Paraíba
Seu Zé das Crianças
Foi pro Paraná
Cheio de esperanças
Levou a muié
E seis barrigudinhos
Pedro, Juca e Mane
Severino, Zefa e Toínho
No norte do Paraná
Todo serviço enfrento
Batendo enxadas no chão
Mostrou que tinha valo
Dois anos de bom trabáio
Até cavalo comprou
A menininha crescia
Robusta e muito animada
A muié sempre dizia
Ninguém tá com pança inchada
Tudo igualzinho a sulista
De bochechinhas rosadas
Se nordestino é pesado
É do ofício, o cavaco
É como diz o ditado
Corda só quebra no fraco
Deus quando dá a farinha
O diabo vem, rasga o saco
Aquele fogo, maldito
Que o Paraná quase engole
José lutava com ele
Acompanhado da prole
Vosmicê fique sabendo
Que José nunca foi mole
Depois de tudo perdido
Chegando no seu ranchinho
Foi conferir os meninos
Tava faltando Toínho
Voltou em cima do rastro
Gritando pelo caminho
Cadê Toínho
Cadê toínho
Translation
José Paraíba
Seu Zé das Crianças
Went to Paraná
Full of hopes
He took his wife
And six little pot-bellied ones
Pedro, Juca and Mane
Severino, Zefa and Toínho
In the north of Paraná
He faced every job
Hitting hoes on the ground
He showed he had worth
Two years of good work
He even bought a horse
The little girl grew up
Robust and very lively
His wife always said
No one has a swollen belly
All just like a southerner
With rosy cheeks
If a Northeasterner is tough
It's part of the trade, the hardship
It's as the saying goes
The rope only breaks on the weak
When God gives the flour
The devil comes, tears the bag
That fire, cursed
That almost swallowed Paraná
José fought with it
Accompanied by his offspring
You should know
That José was never soft
After everything was lost
Arriving at his little ranch
He went to check on the boys
Toínho was missing
He went back on the trail
Shouting along the way
Where is Toínho
Where is toínho
