Heifer da Silva was born in the city of Recife(PE) and went to Rio de Janei… Read Full Bio ↴Heifer da Silva was born in the city of Recife(PE) and went to Rio de Janeiro at 15, hidden in a ship, and there he started to work in civil construction. He was a percussionist since his childhood and soon he entered into a carnavalesco block, where one of the components took him to the Radio Club of Brazil, in 1950. From there, he started to act as composer, instrumentalist and singer, recording his first compact in 1969 and the first LP six years later.
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.

Presepada Do Mané
Bezerra da Silva Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Mas que presepada
fez esse tal do mané
Mas que presepada
fez esse tal do mané
Pegaram ele de tapa,
tomaram-lhe o ferro
e deixaram-lhe à pé. (refrão)

Ele pintou na colina
tocando tudo quanto era grinfa
com tremenda cara de cruel
e com a maior 'quatro-cinco' na cinta

foi aí que a rapaziada
pensou que o mané fosse grinfa (2x)

Lá no meu morro não sobe ninguém sem ser identificado
porque a malandragem é maneira
e não gosta de ver vagabundo, abusado

se ele soubesse chegar
podes crer que seria bem tratado
se ele soubesse chegar
podes crer que seria bem tratado

Se fosse um bom malandro
ele podia deitar e rolar
e também, comer e beber à vontade
e não precisava pagar

e ainda levava uma rapa na hora que ele quisesse voltar
e ainda levava uma rapa na hora que ele quisesse voltar

Overall Meaning

The song "Presepada Do Mané" by Bezerra da Silva is a humorous commentary on the consequences of trying too hard to fit in with a particular social group or community, especially when one is not familiar with the unwritten rules and expectations of that group. The main character in the song is Mané, who is portrayed as a hapless individual who tries to impress a group of tough guys by playing music and carrying a gun, only to find himself beaten up and robbed. The lyrics suggest that Mané's behavior is a "presepada," or a foolish and misguided stunt, and that he would have been better off if he had simply been himself and not tried so hard to impress others.

The song is notable for its use of playful and slang-filled language, which adds to the humor and lighthearted tone of the lyrics. The opening lines, "Mas que presepada/fez esse tal do Mané," are a catchy refrain that is easy to sing along to and helps to reinforce the central theme of the song. The reference to a "quatro-cinco" (a type of handgun) is another example of the slang and street jargon that is used throughout the song.

Line by Line Meaning

Mas que presepada
What a mess this guy Mané got himself into

fez esse tal do mané
by doing something foolish and getting caught

Pegaram ele de tapa,
They caught him off guard,

tomaram-lhe o ferro
and took his weapon

e deixaram-lhe à pé. (refrão)
leaving him stranded on foot (chorus)

Ele pintou na colina
He strutted up the hill

tocando tudo quanto era grinfa
playing his 'quatro-cinco' recklessly

com tremenda cara de cruel
with a menacing look on his face

e com a maior 'quatro-cinco' na cinta
armed with a powerful gun

foi aí que a rapaziada
That's when the guys

pensou que o mané fosse grinfa (2x)
figured Mané was too cocky and dangerous (2x)