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!
Moxotó
Jackson do Pandeiro Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Você devia conhecer o Moxotó
Pra ver o cabra entrar no mato encourado
Derrubar touro montado, pegar cobra e dar um nó.
Lá tem vaqueiro que emboca no carquejo
Quebrando arapiraca... tem sim senhor.
Tem caçador que pega onça de mão
E sangra de faca... tem sim senhor.
Quantas reses tem...
E tem morena, de fala doce e amena
Que outra terra não tem... isso também tem
The lyrics to Jackson do Pandeiro's song "Moxotó" illustrate the beauty and toughness of a place called Moxotó. The lyrics begin by encouraging the listener to get to know this wonderful land, which is inhabited by strong and courageous people who know how to live off the land. There is a vivid depiction of a man entering the forest wearing leather clothing, ready to take on a bull and catch a snake. This shows the physical strength and bravery of the people from Moxotó. Additionally, there are vaqueros who can break an arapiraca, a type of wild bull, and hunters who can catch a jaguar with their bare hands and kill it with a knife.
The song goes on to speak of the difficulty that a farmer faces in keeping track of how many cattle he has, a reflection of the abundant wildlife and vastness of the land. Finally, there is a mention of a "morena," a beautiful and gentle woman who can only be found in Moxotó, who speaks with a soft and endearing voice. Through this description of the land and people, the song portrays Moxotó as a unique and special place that fosters a strong and resilient community that can overcome any obstacle.
Line by Line Meaning
Você precisa conhecer uma terra boa
You need to get to know a good land
Você devia conhecer o Moxotó
You should know about Moxotó
Pra ver o cabra entrar no mato encourado
To see the man entering the brush wearing leather boots
Derrubar touro montado, pegar cobra e dar um nó.
Knocking down a mounted bull, catching the snake and tying a knot.
Lá tem vaqueiro que emboca no carquejo
There are cowboys who are experts at handling the carquejo
Quebrando arapiraca... tem sim senhor.
Breaking the arapiraca... they sure can.
Tem caçador que pega onça de mão
There are hunters who catch jaguars with their hands
E sangra de faca... tem sim senhor.
And bleeding with a knife... they sure can.
Tem fazendeiro que morre e não sabe Quantas reses tem...
Some farmers die without knowing how many head of cattle they have...
E tem morena, de fala doce e amena Que outra terra não tem... isso também tem
And there are brunettes, with a sweet and gentle voice, that no other land has... and this also exists.
Contributed by Cameron T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.