Serviço Militar
Garotos Podres Lyrics

The lyrics of Garotos Podres's song Serviço Militar (Military Service) speak on the issue of mandatory military service in Brazil. The first verse begins by stating that one loses a year of their life defending a country that does not belong to them. The subsequent lines reveal that it is actually only the bourgeoisie, the wealthy and powerful, who own the country and who sacrifice the lives of the poor to the cause. In other words, the song suggests that mandatory military service is a means of oppressing the poor.

The chorus is a resounding "No," where the singer renounces the concept of mandatory military service. The second verse takes a darker tone, describing a disgusting reality for those who are forced to serve. The barracks are filthy, and the personnel are abusive, which echoes some of the many reported cases of violence and sexual assault in Brazilian barracks. The lyrics suggest that these conscripts are dehumanized to the point that they would prefer to have sex with the daughter of an officer than be part of such a vile system.

In the final lines, the lyrics suggest that conscripts' minds are not free from their taskmasters' control, and they are disposable pawns. The song, therefore, is a condemnation of the military dictatorship that ruled Brazil from 1964 to 1985, and the perpetuation of the practice of mandatory military service, which was a part of this dark moment in history.