Mambembe – Bilingual Lyrics Portuguese/English

• By: Chico Buarque, Roberta Sá
• Album: Pra se ter alegria

Lyrics & Translation

Experience the vibrant spirit of Brazilian music with Chico Buarque and Roberta Sá's "Mambembe." This song, rich in MPB tradition, offers a poetic exploration of resilience and dignity, inviting listeners to connect with the soul of Brazil through its evocative lyrics and captivating melody.

[English]

In streets, in squares

In circuses, on park benches

Running in the dark

My picture on the walls

They're going to know about me

Mambembe, gypsy

Under the bridge, singing

Under the earth, singing

In the people's mouths, singing

Beggar, rogue, little black boy, mulatto, outcast

Singing

Escaped slave

Or lost madman

I'm going to make my festival

Mambembe, gypsy

Under the bridge, singing

Under the earth, singing

In the people's mouths, singing

Poet, clown, pirate, outlaw, wanderer, Jew

Singing

Sleeping in the street

It's nothing, it's nothing

And this world is all mine

Mambembe, gypsy

Under the bridge, singing

Under the earth, singing

In the people's mouths, singing

In streets, in squares

In circuses, on park benches

Singing

Beggar, rogue, little black boy, mulatto, Daniel

Singing

Under the bridge, hands forward

Singing

Poet, clown, pirate, Vinicius in the water

Singing

Sleeping in the street, Atahualpa, Mercedes who is a guide

Singing

Silvio, saravá, saravá Pablito, saravá Noel

Singing

Mexican, violet and clumsy, it's done

Singing

...

[Portuguese]

En calles, en plazas

En circos, en bancos de jardín

Corriendo en lo oscuro

Mi foto en los muros

Ya van a saber de mí

Mambembe, gitano

Debajo del puente, cantando

Bajo de la tierra, cantando

En boca del pueblo, cantando

Mendigo, malandro, negrito, mulato, marginal

Cantando

Esclavo evadido

O loco perdido

Voy a hacer mi festival

Mambembe, gitano

Debajo del puente, cantando

Bajo de la tierra, cantando

En boca del pueblo, cantando

Poeta, payaso, pirata, corisco, errante, judío

Cantando

Durmiendo en la calle

No es nada, no es nada

Y ese mundo es todo mío

Mambembe, gitano

Debajo del puente, cantando

Bajo de la tierra, cantando

En boca del pueblo, cantando

En calles, en plazas

En circos, en bancos de jardín

Cantando

Mendigo, malandro, negrito, mulato, Daniel

Cantando

Bajo del puente, manos adelante

Cantando

Poeta, payaso, pirata, Vinicius al agua

Cantando

Durmiendo en la calle Atahualpa, Mercedes que es guía

Cantando

Silvio saravá, saravá Pablito, saravá Noel

Cantando

Mexicana, violeta y torpe si fa

Cantando

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
calles /ˈka.les/ A2	noun - streets
plazas /ˈpla.sas/ A2	noun - public squares
circos /ˈsiɾ.kos/ B1	noun - circuses
bancos /ˈbɐ̃.kus/ A2	noun - benches
jardín /ʒarˈdʒĩ/ A2	noun - garden
corriendo /koˈrɾĩ.ðʊ/ A2	verb - running
oscuro /osˈku.ɾo/ A2	adjective - dark
foto /ˈfo.tu/ A2	noun - photo
muro /ˈmu.ɾu/ A2	noun - wall
gitano /ʒiˈta.nu/ B2	noun - Gypsy
debajo /deˈβa.xo/ B1	adverb - under
puente /ˈpwente/ A2	noun - bridge
bajo /ˈba.xo/ A2	adjective - low
territorio /tɛr.ɾiˈto.ɾjo/ B2	noun - territory
mendigo /mẽˈdʒi.ɣu/ B2	noun - beggar
mundo /ˈmũn.du/ A2	noun - world
canta /ˈkɐ̃.tɐ/ A2	verb - sings

Key Grammar Structures

• En calles, en plazas

  ➔ Use of prepositions to indicate location.

  ➔ The phrase "in streets, in squares" uses the preposition "in" to indicate where the actions take place.

• Mendigo, malandro, negrito, mulato, marginal

  ➔ Use of nouns to describe identity.

  ➔ The list of nouns "beggar, rogue, little black, mulatto, marginal" illustrates various identities and social roles.

• Voy a hacer mi festival

  ➔ Future tense construction with 'ir a'.

  ➔ The phrase "I am going to make my festival" uses the future tense to express an intention.

• Durmiendo en la calle

  ➔ Present participle to indicate ongoing action.

  ➔ The phrase "sleeping in the street" uses the present participle to describe an ongoing state.

• Y ese mundo es todo mío

  ➔ Use of possessive to indicate ownership.

  ➔ The phrase "and that world is all mine" uses the possessive adjective "my" to indicate ownership.

• En boca del pueblo, cantando

  ➔ Gerund to indicate simultaneous actions.

  ➔ The phrase "in the mouth of the people, singing" uses the gerund "singing" to indicate that the action is happening at the same time.

• Bajo del puente, cantando

  ➔ Prepositional phrase to indicate location.

  ➔ The phrase "under the bridge, singing" uses the prepositional phrase "under the bridge" to indicate where the action is taking place.