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.
Na Hora Da Dura
Bezerra da Silva Lyrics
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Você abre o cadeado
E dá de bandeja
Os irmãozinhos pro delegado
Na hora da dura
Você abre o bico e sai cagüetando
Eis a diferença, mané, do otário pro malandro
Eis a diferença do otário pro malandro
E no pau-de-arara você confessou o que fez e não fez
E de madrugada gritava gemendo dentro do xadrez
Quando via o xerife se ajoelhava e ficava rezando
Eis a diferença, canalha, do otário pro malandro
Eis a diferença do otário pro malandro
Na hora da dura
Você abre o cadeado
E dá de bandeja
Os irmãozinhos pro delegado
Na hora da dura
Você abre o bico e sai cagüetando
Eis a diferença, mané, do otário pro malandro
Eis a diferença do otário pro malandro
E na colônia penal
Assim que você chegou
Deu de cara com os bichos que você cagoetou
Aí você foi obrigado a usar fio-dental e andar rebolando
Eis a diferença, canalha, do otário pro malandro
Eis a diferença do otário pro malandro
Na hora da dura
Você abre o cadeado
E dá de bandeja
Os irmãozinhos pro delegado
Na hora da dura
Você abre o bico e sai cagüetando
Eis a diferença, mané, do otário pro malandro
Eis a diferença do otário pro malandro
The lyrics of Bezerra da Silva's song "Na Hora Da Dura" talk about the difference between two types of people: the "otário" and the "malandro". The first one is the one who in moments of trouble or "dura", opens the lock, giving away his companions to the police, he opens his mouth and starts "cagüetando", betraying them. On the other hand, the "malandro" is the one who doesn't snitch, who doesn't give up his partners in crime, who knows how to keep his mouth shut, even if it means facing punishment on his own.
The lyrics also include references to the "pau-de-arara," a torture technique used during Brazil's military dictatorship to extract information, and to the "colônia penal," a type of prison in which the convicts would be forced to do hard labor in harsh conditions.
In general, the song criticizes the culture of betrayal and snitching, portraying it as something shameful that only the weak and cowardly would do. The song also celebrates the idea of loyalty among criminals, even if it means facing hardships and punishment.
Line by Line Meaning
Na hora da dura
When the tough times come
Você abre o cadeado
You give up easily
E dá de bandeja
And give away
Os irmãozinhos pro delegado
Your little brothers to the police
Você abre o bico e sai cagüetando
You talk and squeal
Eis a diferença, mané, do otário pro malandro
That's the difference, fool, between the sucker and the crook
E no pau-de-arara você confessou o que fez e não fez
And on the torture rack, you confessed whether you did it or not
E de madrugada gritava gemendo dentro do xadrez
And in the early morning you cried and moaned inside the jail cell
Quando via o xerife se ajoelhava e ficava rezando
When you saw the sheriff, you knelt down and prayed
Eis a diferença, canalha, do otário pro malandro
That's the difference, scumbag, between the sucker and the crook
Na hora da dura
When the tough times come
Você abre o cadeado
You give up easily
E dá de bandeja
And give away
Os irmãozinhos pro delegado
Your little brothers to the police
Você abre o bico e sai cagüetando
You talk and squeal
Eis a diferença, mané, do otário pro malandro
That's the difference, fool, between the sucker and the crook
E na colônia penal
And in the penal colony
Assim que você chegou
As soon as you arrived
Deu de cara com os bichos que você cagoetou
You faced the animals you ratted out
Aí você foi obrigado a usar fio-dental e andar rebolando
Then you were forced to wear a thong and walk shaking your hips
Eis a diferença, canalha, do otário pro malandro
That's the difference, scumbag, between the sucker and the crook
Na hora da dura
When the tough times come
Você abre o cadeado
You give up easily
E dá de bandeja
And give away
Os irmãozinhos pro delegado
Your little brothers to the police
Você abre o bico e sai cagüetando
You talk and squeal
Eis a diferença, mané, do otário pro malandro
That's the difference, fool, between the sucker and the crook
Contributed by Thomas R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.