The firstborn son of Sérgio Buarque de Hollanda, Buarque lived at several locations throughout his childhood, though mostly in Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Rome. He wrote and studied literature as a child and found music through the bossa nova compositions of Tom Jobim and João Gilberto. He performed as a singer and guitarist in the 1960s as well as writing a play that was deemed dangerous by the Brazilian military dictatorship of the time. Buarque, along with several Tropicalist and MPB musicians, was threatened by the Brazilian military government and eventually left Brazil for Italy in 1969. However, he came back to Brazil in 1970, and continued to record, perform, and write, though much of his material was suppressed by government censors. He released several more albums in the 1980s and published three novels in the 1990s and 2000s.
In 2019, Buarque was awarded the Camões Prize, the most important prize for literature in the Portuguese language.
Vai Trabalhar Vagabundo
Chico Buarque Lyrics
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Vai trabalhar, criatura
Deus permite a todo mundo
Uma loucura
Passa o domingo em família
Segunda-feira beleza
Embarca com alegria
Na correnteza
Prepara o teu documento
Carimba o teu coração
Não perde nem um momento
Perde a razão
Pode esquecer a mulata
Pode esquecer o bilhar
Pode apertar a gravata
Vai te enforcar
Vai te entregar
Vai te estragar
Vai trabalhar
Vê se não dorme no ponto
Reúne as economias
Perde os três contos no conto
Da loteria
Passa o domingo no mangue
Segunda-feira vazia
Ganha no banco de sangue pra mais um dia
Cuidado com o viaduto
Cuidado com o avião
Não perde mais um minuto
Perde a questão
Tenta pensar no futuro
No escuro tenta pensar
Vai renovar teu seguro
Vai caducar
Vai te entregar
Vai te estragar
Vai trabalhar
Passa o domingo sozinho
Segunda-feira a desgraça
Sem pai nem mãe, sem vizinho
Em plena praça
Vai terminar moribundo
Com um pouco de paciência
No fim da fila do fundo
Da previdência
Parte tranquilo, ó irmão
Descansa na paz de Deus
Deixaste casa e pensão
Só para os teus
A criançada chorando
Tua mulher vai suar
Pra botar outro malandro
No teu lugar
Vai te entregar
Vai te estragar
Vai te enforcar
Vai caducar
Vai trabalhar
Vai trabalhar
Vai trabalhar
The lyrics of Chico Buarque's song "Vai Trabalhar Vagabundo" is a satirical take on the lazy and unproductive lifestyle of some individuals who prefer to live off the support of others rather than working hard to earn their living. The song is a call to action for such people to work hard and take responsibility for their lives instead of idly wasting time. The lyrics are structured in a way that emphasizes the importance of hard work in a person's life.
In the first stanza, the singer encourages the lazy person to go to work, reminding them that God has given them the ability to do something productive in life. The second stanza urges the individual to prepare their documents, stamp their heart, and lose their mind for work, emphasizing the seriousness of the situation. In the final stanza, the song paints a bleak picture of the lazy person's future if they do not start working, encouraging them to think about their family and the consequences of their actions.
Overall, "Vai Trabalhar Vagabundo" is a potent song that highlights the importance of hard work and the consequences that come from laziness.
Line by Line Meaning
Vai trabalhar, vagabundo
Stop being lazy and go to work
Vai trabalhar, criatura
You need to find a job and start working, my friend
Deus permite a todo mundo, uma loucura
God gave each of us the ability to be a little crazy sometimes
Passa o domingo em família
Spend Sundays with your family
Segunda-feira beleza
Start the week off feeling good
Embarca com alegria, na correnteza
Start your day with enthusiasm and positivity
Prepara o teu documento
Organize your work documents
Carimba o teu coração
Put your heart into your work
Não perde nem um momento
Don't waste any time
Perde a razão
Focus on your work and don't get distracted
Pode esquecer a mulata
Forget about having fun
Pode esquecer o bilhar
Forget about playing games
Pode apertar a gravata
Get dressed up for work
Vai te enforcar
Work hard to the point of exhaustion
Vai te entregar
Put all your effort into work
Vai te estragar
Work so hard that you burn out
Vê se não dorme no ponto
Stay alert and don't fall asleep on the job
Reúne as economias
Save your money
Perde os três contos no conto, da loteria
Don't waste your money on the lottery
Passa o domingo no mangue
Spend your free time in a low-quality place
Segunda-feira vazia
Start the week feeling empty and unfulfilled
Ganha no banco de sangue, pra mais um dia
Sell your blood to make extra money for work
Cuidado com o viaduto
Be careful on your daily commute
Cuidado com o avião
Be careful when traveling for work
Não perde mais um minuto
Don't waste any more time
Perde a questão
Don't get distracted, focus on the task at hand
Tenta pensar no futuro
Start thinking about your long-term goals
No escuro tenta pensar
Even when things seem difficult, try to stay positive and focused
Vai renovar teu seguro
Take care of your insurance policy
Vai caducar
If you don't keep up with your insurance, it will expire
Passa o domingo sozinho
Spend Sundays alone
Segunda-feira a desgraça
Start the week with dread
Sem pai nem mãe, sem vizinho
Feel completely alone in the world
Em plena praça
Alone in public
Vai terminar moribundo
If you don't take care of yourself, you may end up sick and dying
Com um pouco de paciência
With a little patience
No fim da fila do fundo, da previdência
At the bottom of the social security line
Parte tranquilo, ó irmão
Leave this world in peace, my friend
Descansa na paz de Deus
Rest in God's peace
Deixaste casa e pensão
Left your family without financial security
Só para os teus
Only for your own benefit
A criançada chorando
Your children will be left crying and suffering
Tua mulher vai suar
Your wife will struggle to make ends meet
Pra botar outro malandro, no teu lugar
Someone else will take advantage of the opportunity you didn't value
Vai te enforcar
Work hard to the point of exhaustion
Vai te estragar
Work so hard that you burn out
Vai te entregar
Put all your effort into work
Vai caducar
If you don't keep up with your insurance, it will expire
Vai trabalhar
Go work hard, make a living
Vai trabalhar
Go work hard, make a living
Vai trabalhar
Go work hard, make a living
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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