Capoeira Song of the Week: Mandaruê, Pega Pra Matar
You submit the songs. We show you the lyrics, translation, and give some phonetic spelling to help your pronunciation.
The format works like this:
The lyrics in Portuguese are in bold
The phonetic spelling for pronunciation is in italics with the STRESSED SYLLABLES IN ALL CAPITALS with syllables se-pa-ra-ted by dash-es
The English translation is in regular text
Enjoy!
Mandaruê
Mandaruê* Pega pra matar
Mahn-dahrh-ooh-EH PEH-gah prah mah-TAHRH
They sent me to catch him to be killed
Mandaruê*
Mahn-dahrh-ooh-EH
They sent me
(coro/chorus)
Mandaruê* Pega pra matar
Mahn-dahrh-ooh-EH PEH-gah prah mah-TAHRH
They sent me to catch him to be killed
O jogo é daqui pra ali
Ooh ZHOH-gooh eh/ah dah-KEEH prah ah-leeh
The game is from here to there
O jogo é daqui pra ali
Ooh ZHOH-gooh eh/ah dah-KEEH prah ah-leeh
The game is from here to there
O jogo é de lá pra cá
Ooh ZHOH-gooh eh/ah deeh lah prah kah
The game is from there to here
Você vai dar uma armada
VOH-sey vaye dahrh OOH-mah ahrh-MAH-dah
You're going to do an armada
Eu saio de salto mortal, camarada
Eh/ooh SAYE-ooh deeh SOW-tooh mohrh-TAHW, kah-mah-RAH-dah
I am going to escape with a back flip, my friend
(coro/chorus)
Mandaruê* Pega pra matar
Mahn-dahrh-ooh-EH PEH-gah prah mah-TAHRH
They sent me to catch him to be killed
Menino quem foi seu mestre
Meh-NEEHNH-nooh kehnh foy seh/ooh MEH-streeh
Boy who was your teacher
Menino quem foi seu mestre
Meh-NEEHNH-nooh kehnh foy seh/ooh MEH-streeh
Boy who was your teacher
Quem se ensinou a jogar
Kehnh seeh ehn-seeh-NOH ah zhoh-GAHRH
Who taught you to play
Eu sou discípulo que aprende
Eh/ooh soh deeh-SEEH-plooh keeh ah-PREHN-deeh
I am a disciple that learns
Quero ver você jogar, camarada
Eh/ooh keh-rooh vehrh voh-SAY zhoh-GAHRH, kah-mah-RAH-dah
I want to see you play, my friend
(coro/chorus)
Mandaruê* Pega pra matar
Mahn-dahrh-ooh-EH PEH-gah prah mah-TAHRH
They sent me to catch him to be killed
* In talking with Mestre Samara of Capoeria Senzala in Amsterdam, he was telling me it's like the slave owners, sending a slave to go do something. He said that Mestre Leopoldina sang this song a lot when he was still with us.