João Bosco de Freitas Mucci, better known as João Bosco is a noted Brazilia… Read Full Bio ↴João Bosco de Freitas Mucci, better known as João Bosco is a noted Brazilian singer with a distinctive style as a guitarist. In the 1970s he established his reputation in MPB alongside collaborator lyricist Aldir Blanc.

Born on July 13, 1946, in Ponte Nova, Minas Gerais, João Bosco's profession was engineering when he moved to Rio de Janeiro, where his songs were also recorded by Elis Regina and were a success. He soon became admired as a versatile vocalist and a dynamic performer. João Bosco has been noted for "his singular fusion of Arab culture, Afro-American music and Brazilian styles bossa nova," influenced by American jazz.

Convocação
João Bosco Lyrics

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Chega aí, chega aí
Tem que ter manha
Santugri, pra chegar
Pra jogar pra sair
Tem que ter manha

Canta aí, canta aí
Tem que ter manha

Santugri, pra cantar
Pra chegar pra jogar, pra sair
Tem que ter manha

Dança aí, dança aí
Tem que ter manha
Santugri, pra dançar, pra cantar
Pra chegar, pra jogar, pra sair
Tem que ter manha

Sai daí, sai daí
Tem que ter manha
Santugri, pra ficar, pra dançar, pra cantar

Pra chegar, pra jogar, pra sair
Tem que ter manha

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to João Bosco's song Convocação speak to the importance of having a sense of awareness and cunning in order to navigate through life successfully. The repeated mention of the word "manha" emphasizes this idea of having a certain type of cleverness or savvy in order to achieve one's goals. The use of the word "Santugri" is a Brazilian slang term that refers to this type of cleverness, and is frequently used in samba and bossa nova music to describe a certain style or attitude.

The song suggests that in order to succeed in any aspect of life - whether it be in a social or romantic setting, at work or in a game - one must possess this "manha" in order to come out on top. The repetition of the phrases "pra chegar, pra jogar, pra sair" emphasize this point, making it clear that the same principles apply no matter the situation.

In this way, João Bosco's lyrics are not just talking about dancing or playing a game, but about the way we interact with the world more broadly. The song is a reminder that ultimately, success is not just about luck or innate talent, but about having an acute sense of awareness and a certain type of social intelligence.

Line by Line Meaning

Chega aí, chega aí
Come on in, come on in

Tem que ter manha
You gotta have game

Santugri, pra chegar
Swag, to arrive

Pra jogar pra sair
To play to leave

Canta aí, canta aí
Sing it out, sing it out

Santugri, pra cantar
Swag, to sing

Pra chegar pra jogar, pra sair
To arrive, to play, to leave

Tem que ter manha
You gotta have game

Dança aí, dança aí
Dance it out, dance it out

Santugri, pra dançar, pra cantar
Swag, to dance, to sing

Sai daí, sai daí
Get out of there, get out of there