He was considered the "ambassador" of the Favelas ( Brazilian Shanty Towns ). He was the singer of the Malandragem.
Bezerra was knowledgeable about life in the favelas, and the songs he sang are filled with slang terms having to do with drug dealing, the law, etc., and are often humorous. Later in life, not long before his passing, Bezerra gave up this life and became an evangelical Christian.
Coisa Bendita
Bezerra da Silva Lyrics
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Ele é cheio de "h", ele é cheio de "h"
Diz que o salário mínimo é coisa bendita
Que dá pra ir na europa comer caviar só com mulher bonita
Essa nem brasileiro acredita, essa nem brasileiro acredita
Esse cara só conta história...
Bebe uísque importado
E faz compra pra mais de mês
Tira onda no palace hotel lá em copacabana
E bacalhau é comida de pobre, acreditem vocês!
No seu cardápio é faisão dourado com vinho francês
E dá uma de artista
Essa nem brasileiro acredita, essa nem brasileiro acredita, esse cara...
Esse cara só conta história...
Ele disse que tem casa de praia em Ubatuba e Guarujá
Altos e baixos no Morumbi e mansão no Juá
Seu salário no bolso parece milagre ele se multiplica
E a venda do boi lá em Araçatuba é ele quem agita!
com cento e vinte reais ele manda e desmanda
Não anda de trem e nem usa marmita
Essa nem brasileiro acredita, essa nem brasileiro acredita, esse cara...
Esse cara só conta história...
The lyrics of Bezerra da Silva's song Coisa Bendita talks about a man who tells incredible stories about his life. He claims that the minimum wage is a blessing and that he can go to Europe to eat caviar with beautiful women. He speaks of drinking imported whiskey, shopping for more than a month, and staying at the luxurious Palace Hotel in Copacabana. He believes that cod is food for the poor and eats golden pheasant with French wine. He portrays himself as an artist and says he has beach houses in Ubatuba and Guarujá, a mansion in Juá, and stakes in the cattle market in Araçatuba. The man's salary seems to multiply in his pocket and he does not use public transportation or bring his lunch, according to his stories. Nonetheless, the lyrics suggest that this man is probably just a teller of tall tales as his stories are way too outlandish to be believed by any Brazilian.
Bezerra da Silva's lyrics highlight the extravagance and absurdity of the man's claims. He paints the portrait of a man who lives a life of luxury, but perhaps it's all make-believe. The refrain "essa nem brasileiro acredita" means "not even a Brazilian believes it," emphasizing the sheer fancifulness of the man's tales. The song also criticizes the notion that the minimum wage is enough to support a life of extravagance and opulence. The lyrics suggest that the man is lying, and da Silva is using him as a symbol of the superficiality and falsehoods in Brazilian society.
Line by Line Meaning
Esse cara só conta história
This guy only tells stories, none of which can be believed
Ele é cheio de "h", ele é cheio de "h"
He's full of himself and full of lies
Diz que o salário mínimo é coisa bendita
He claims that the minimum wage is a blessing
Que dá pra ir na europa comer caviar só com mulher bonita
He says you can travel to Europe, eat caviar, and only be with beautiful women
Essa nem brasileiro acredita, essa nem brasileiro acredita
Even Brazilians don't believe it
Diz que com esse salário ele curte adoidado
He says he can live it up on that salary
Bebe uísque importado
He drinks imported whiskey
E faz compra pra mais de mês
He can buy things that last him more than a month
Tira onda no palace hotel lá em copacabana
He shows off at a fancy hotel in Copacabana
E bacalhau é comida de pobre, acreditem vocês!
He claims that codfish is food for the poor
No seu cardápio é faisão dourado com vinho francês
On his menu, it's golden pheasant with French wine
E dá uma de artista
He acts like a big shot
Ele disse que tem casa de praia em Ubatuba e Guarujá
He said he has beach houses in Ubatuba and Guarujá
Altos e baixos no Morumbi e mansão no Juá
He has a house in Morumbi and a mansion in Juá
Seu salário no bolso parece milagre ele se multiplica
His salary in his pocket seems to magically multiply
E a venda do boi lá em Araçatuba é ele quem agita!
He's the one who makes things happen at the cattle auction in Araçatuba!
Com cento e vinte reais ele manda e desmanda
With only 120 reals, he calls the shots
Não anda de trem e nem usa marmita
He doesn't ride the train or bring his own lunch
Contributed by Nathaniel C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.