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!
O Povo Falou
Jackson do Pandeiro Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Foi ou é, ou esta pra ser
Você diz que deixou a Salomé
Porque ela é mulher muito exigente
Veja a lingua do povo como é
Pois pra mim já contaram diferente
A princípio não quis acreditar
O povo falou, vá ver
Foi ou é, ou esta pra ser
Já andaram falando por ai
Que você a mulher não da valor
Eu não digo que é ou que não é
Mas se isso é verdade é um horror
Se é verdade o que dizem de você
Mais cedo ou mais tarde agente ve
The lyrics to Jackson do Pandeiro's song O Povo Falou speak to the power and influence of gossip within a community. The title, which translates to "The People Spoke," sets the tone for the rest of the song as the singer grapples with conflicting stories about a woman named Salomé and the motives behind the end of their relationship. The first verse finds the singer questioning Salomé's alleged "demanding" nature and the validity of the claims made by others. Despite initial skepticism, the chorus admits that there may be some truth to the rumors, and the second verse shifts to addressing similar gossip about the singer. Ultimately, the song leaves the truth of these stories unresolved, emphasizing the pervasive nature of hearsay and the difficulty in discerning fact from fiction.
Beyond its narrative content, O Povo Falou is notable for its use of Northeastern Brazilian forró music, a genre characterized by the accordion and rhythmic percussion. The song has become a classic of the forró genre and a staple at dance parties throughout Brazil. Some interesting facts about O Povo Falou include its use in the 2017 Brazilian film Bacurau, its inclusion on the soundtrack of the popular video game Grand Theft Auto V, and its sampling by artists like Lorn and Prefuse 73. The song's lyrics have also been referenced in academic articles examining gossip and folklore in Northeastern Brazil. While the chords to the song are not provided, they can be found in various songbooks and online resources for those interested in playing the music themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
O povo falou, vá ver
The people have spoken, go see for yourself
Foi ou é, ou esta pra ser
It either happened, is happening, or is yet to come
Você diz que deixou a Salomé
You say you left Salome
Porque ela é mulher muito exigente
Because she is a very demanding woman
Veja a lingua do povo como é
See how the language of the people is
Pois pra mim já contaram diferente
Because they have told me differently
A princípio não quis acreditar
At first, I didn't want to believe it
Mas o povo falou, o que que há
But the people spoke, what is there to do
Já andaram falando por ai
They have already been talking out there
Que você a mulher não da valor
That you don't value women
Eu não digo que é ou que não é
I'm not saying it's true or false
Mas se isso é verdade é um horror
But if it's true, it's a horror
Se é verdade o que dizem de você
If what they say about you is true
Mais cedo ou mais tarde agente ve
Sooner or later, we'll see
Contributed by Aubrey W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Samuel Machado Filho
Rojão (espécie de baião mais acelerado) do próprio Jackson do Pandeiro em parceria com Elias Soares, abrindo seu 78 rpm de estreia na Philips, número P61021H, lançado em julho de 1960, integrando também o compacto duplo de 45 rpm "O sucesso do momento".