The youngest of the five children of José Fares, Lebanese immigrant to Brazil, and Dona Francisca, Fagner was born in Fortaleza, the capital of the state of Ceará, although his birth was recorded in Orós.
At the age of five years he won a youth competition at a local radio station. As a teen, he formed vocal and instrumental groups and began to compose his own music. In 1968 he won the Festival de Música Popular do Ceará (Popular Music Festival of Ceará) with his song "Nada Sou" (I am Nothing).
In 1971 he moved to the capital Brasília, taking first place in the Festival de Música Popular do Centro de Estudos Universitários de Brasília (Popular Music Festival of the University Studies Center of Brasília) with his piece "Mucuripe" (with collaborator Belchior), which was later recorded by artist Elis Regina, and became Fagner's first notable success as a composer. He won prizes in other categories with additional pieces, as well.
He has had a distinguished career as a performer, singer, songwriter and composer for over 3 decades, and is also known for his collaborations with other MPB artists such as Caetano Veloso, Roberta Miranda, Chico Buarque and others.
O Vendedor De Biscoito
Fagner Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Vim lá de riba só pra trabalhar
Pode me chamar de pau-de-arara
Se não vai com a minha cara
Que eu não vou ligar
Sou pai de família, sujeito honrado
Não compro fiado, não devo a ninguém
Não pego no alheio, pois não me convém
Talvez você não saiba, servi na Itália
Não tenho medalha, não sou Zé-Ninguém
Viver de trabalho é que eu compreendo
Por isso é que eu vendo biscoito no trem
Eu sou o Zé Paraíba ...
Eu tenho um filhinho pequeno demais
Mas ele já faz o que vou lhe ensinar
Já assina o seu nome, já lê a cartilha
Já sabe que Brasília é a capitá
É um brasileirinho esperto e sadio
Não é um vadio, não ri de ninguém
Eu quero que na vida ele compreenda
Pra que ele não venda biscoito no trem
The song O Vendedor De Biscoito by Fagner speaks about the life of Zé Paraíba, a cookie seller in the train, who is proud of his work and his principles. The song begins with Zé Paraíba introducing himself and declaring that he came from afar just to work hard, even if people call him pau-de-arara (a slang term for a poor person from the Northeast of Brazil). He is an honorable man and a family man who doesn't buy on credit and doesn't owe anyone. He values hard work, honesty and doesn't steal because it doesn't suit him.
Zé Paraíba also mentions that he served in Italy, even though he didn't get any medals or recognition for it, but he understands that living off work is the way to go. This is the reason why he sells cookies on the train. He is proud of his work and doesn't feel ashamed of it. He believes in the value of labor and making an honest living. He sings about his son, who is still a small child, but already knows how to read and write, and he wants him to grow up understanding the value of education and hard work so that he doesn't have to sell cookies on the train.
Overall, the song emphasizes the importance of hard work, honesty, and education. It speaks about the struggles of a man who sells cookies on the train, but who is proud of his work and his principles. The song is a beautiful tribute to the life of working-class people who work hard to make an honest living.
Line by Line Meaning
Eu sou o Zé Paraíba
I am Zé Paraíba, a man who came from the countryside to work hard
Vim lá de riba só pra trabalhar
I came from up there just to work
Pode me chamar de pau-de-arara
You can call me a 'wooden bird carrier', it doesn't bother me
Se não vai com a minha cara
If you don't like me
Que eu não vou ligar
I won't care
Sou pai de família, sujeito honrado
I'm a family man and an honest person
Não compro fiado, não devo a ninguém
I don't buy on credit, and I don't owe anyone anything
Não sou vigarista, eu acho isso feio
I'm not a swindler – I think it's ugly
Não pego no alheio, pois não me convém
I don't take what belongs to others because it's not appropriate
Talvez você não saiba, servi na Itália
Perhaps you don't know, but I served in Italy
Não tenho medalha, não sou Zé-Ninguém
I don't have a medal, but I'm not a nobody
Viver de trabalho é que eu compreendo
I understand that living by working is important
Por isso é que eu vendo biscoito no trem
That's why I sell cookies on the train
Eu tenho um filhinho pequeno demais
I have a little son who is too young
Mas ele já faz o que vou lhe ensinar
But he already does what I'm teaching him
Já assina o seu nome, já lê a cartilha
He already signs his name and reads the primer
Já sabe que Brasília é a capitá
He even knows that Brasília is the capital
É um brasileirinho esperto e sadio
He's a clever and healthy little Brazilian boy
Não é um vadio, não ri de ninguém
He's not a lazy person, and he doesn't make fun of anyone
Eu quero que na vida ele compreenda
I want him to understand in life
Pra que ele não venda biscoito no trem
So that he doesn't have to sell cookies on the train
Contributed by Max R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.