Born José Gomes Filho, in Paraíba, Brazil, a region in the northeast of the country, Jackson do Pandeiro's mother, Flora Mourão, was a musician and singer who played several percussion instruments.
As a child he had originally wanted to play the accordion, but his parents could not afford it and bought him a pandeiro, a type of tambourine, in its place. He began playing music with the zabumba, however, in order to assist his mother in performances. When Jackson was 13 years old his family moved to Campina Grande, a city in Paraíba. After the move, Jackson lived in João Pessoa, where he performed in various cabarets and on the radio; and also to Recife, where he eventually began working in a radio station and took the pseudonym of Jackson do Pandeiro. Originally his mother had nicknamed him "Jack", after the actor Jack Perry, who played parts in cowboy films which were popular in Brazil during Jackson's youth. He had his first hit with "Sebastiana", a song based on traditional Brazilian rhythms.
The single was followed by a number of albums that were successful with audiences throughout Brazil. Soon after, he joined his future wife Almira Castilhos de Albuquerque on a trip to Rio de Janeiro, financed by his recent success. The two had been performing in a duo together and were eventually married in October 1954. However, the duo and marriage were jointly ended in 1967, and Jackson's popularity diminished soon after. Jackson did find some greater success later, though, when the popular singer and guitarist Gilberto Gil, as well as the singer Gal Costa, recorded some of his material in 1972.
Discography
1954: Sua Majestade - o Rei do Ritmo
1955: Jackson do Pandeiro
1956: Forró do Jackson
1957: Jackson e Almira - Os Donos do Ritmo
1958: Forró do Jackson
1959: Jackson do Pandeiro
1960: Cantando de Norte a Sul
1961: Ritmo, Melodia e a Personalidade de Jackson do Pandeiro
1961: Mais Ritmo
1962: A Alegria da Casa
1962: ...É Batucada!
1963: Forró do Zé Lagoa
1964: Tem Jabaculê
1964: Coisas Nossas
1965: ...E Vamos Nós!
1966: O Cabra da Peste
1967: A Braza do Norte
1970: Aqui Tô Eu
1971: O Dono do Forró
1972: Sina de Cigarra
1973: Tem Mulher, Tô Lá
1974: Nossas Raízes
1975: A Tuba da Muié
1976: É Sucesso
1977: Um Nordestino Alegre
1978: Alegria Minha Gente
1980: São João Autêntico de Jackson do Pandeiro
1981: Isso é que é Forró!
Forró Em Caruaru
Jackson do Pandeiro Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cumpade Mané Bento só faltava tu (2x)
Eu nunca vi, meu cumpade
Forgansa tão boa
Tão cheia de brinquedo e de animação
Bebemo na função, dançamo sem parar
Num galope de matar
Por causo de uma danada que vêi de Tacaratu...
Matemo doi sordado, quato cabo e um sargento
Cumpade Mané Bento só faltava tu
No forró de Sá Joaninha em Caruaru
Cumpade Mané Bento só faltava tu (2x)
Meu irmão Gisuíno grudou numa nêga
Xamego de sujeito valente e brigão
Eu vi que a confusão não tardava a começá
Pois um cabra de punhá
Com cara de assassino
Partiu pra Gisuíno e tava feito o sururu
Matemo doi sordado, quato cabo e um sargento
Cumpade Mané Bento só faltava tu
No forró de Sá Joaninha em Caruaru
Cumpade Mané Bento só faltava tu (2x)
Ao doutor delegado que é veio, trombudo
Eu disse que naquela grande confusão
Houve apena uns arranhão
Mas os cabra morredô
Nesse tempo de calô tem a carne reimosa
O véio zombou da prosa eu fugi do Caruaru!
Matemo doi sordado, quato cabo e um sargento
Cumpade Mané Bento só faltava tu
No forró de Sá Joaninha em Caruaru
Cumpade Mané Bento só faltava tu (2x)
The lyrics to "Forró Em Caruaru" by Jackson do Pandeiro tell the story of a wild and rowdy party in the town of Caruaru. The singer describes the festive atmosphere at Sá Joaninha's forró, a popular dance and music style from northeastern Brazil. The dancers are full of energy, and the party is filled with toys and merriment. The singer and his comrades drink and dance through the night, enjoying the lively galope rhythm.
However, things take a darker turn when a fight breaks out between the singer's brother, Gisuíno, and a dangerous-looking man with a knife. The singer intervenes and the ensuing brawl leads to the deaths of two soldiers, four police officers, and several other men. The singer then describes his escape from Caruaru and the authorities, who are investigating the violent incident.
The lyrics of "Forró Em Caruaru" are a vivid portrayal of the raucous and sometimes dangerous world of the forró dance parties that are an integral part of rural Brazilian culture. The song highlights the hedonistic pleasures of drinking, dancing, and socializing with friends and neighbors, but also touches on the darker aspects of violence and lawlessness that can occasionally erupt during these gatherings.
Line by Line Meaning
No forró de Sá Joaninha em Caruaru...
At the Caruaru dance party of Sá Joaninha...
Cumpade Mané Bento só faltava tu
Uncle Mané Bento, you were the only one missing
Eu nunca vi, meu cumpade
My friend, I have never seen a party like this
Forgansa tão boa
The energy is so high
Tão cheia de brinquedo e de animação
So full of toys and animation
Bebemo na função, dançamo sem parar
We drank and danced without stopping
Num galope de matar
In a gallop that kills
Nas alta madrugada
In the early hours of the morning
Por causo de uma danada que vêi de Tacaratu...
Because of a troublemaker who came from Tacaratu...
Matemo doi sordado, quato cabo e um sargento
We killed two soldiers, four sergeants
Cumpade Mané Bento só faltava tu
Uncle Mané Bento, you were the only one missing
Meu irmão Gisuíno grudou numa nêga
My brother Gisuíno fell for a girl
Xamego de sujeito valente e brigão
The affection of a brave and belligerent man
Eu vi que a confusão não tardava a começá
I knew the trouble would start soon
Pois um cabra de punhá
A guy with a knife in his hand
Com cara de assassino
With a murderer's face
Partiu pra Gisuíno e tava feito o sururu
Attacked Gisuíno and chaos ensued
Ao doutor delegado que é veio, trombudo
To the old, grumpy police chief
Eu disse que naquela grande confusão
I said that in that big mess
Houve apena uns arranhão
There were just minor scratches
Mas os cabra morredô
But some guys died
Nesse tempo de calô tem a carne reimosa
During this heatwave, the meat goes bad
O véio zombou da prosa eu fugi do Caruaru!
The old man laughed at the story and I ran away from Caruaru!
Matemo doi sordado, quato cabo e um sargento
We killed two soldiers, four sergeants
Cumpade Mané Bento só faltava tu
Uncle Mané Bento, you were the only one missing
No forró de Sá Joaninha em Caruaru
At the Caruaru dance party of Sá Joaninha
Cumpade Mané Bento só faltava tu
Uncle Mané Bento, you were the only one missing
Contributed by Camden S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.