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.
Nessa Data
João Bosco Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ouro e rua dos fliembusteiros
Canastrões de capa e espada
Rá-tá-plã dos boys escoteiros
Bororós e homens marcados
Pangarés, quermesses e missas
Fuzuê nos supermercados
Busca-pés, bolachas, carniças
Mais guaranás
E parabéns nessa data querida
Meus guaranis
Que o couro coma nos seus carnavais
Que os menestréis
Cantem na voz dos pierrôs da caverna
Que o trovador
Tenha peixeira e um bom jogo de perna
Guaranis, Parabéns pra vocês
Na TV, comícios e mísseis
Jacarés, figuras difíceis
Hospitais, turismo e transplantes
Pantanais e desodorantes
The lyrics in João Bosco's song "Nessa Data" describe a festive atmosphere full of different kinds of activities, ranging from parades ("canastrões de capa e espada") to scavenger hunts ("busca-pés"), and from carnivals ("que o couro coma nos seus carnavais") to food markets ("fuzuê nos supermercados"). Amidst all of these different things going on, the song celebrates a particular group of people known as the "Guaranis", wishing them a happy anniversary ("parabéns nessa data querida"). The lyrics also mention other things happening in the world - TV broadcasts, political rallies, hospitals, tourism, and even deodorant - creating a sense of a larger cultural landscape. Overall, the song presents a vivid, diverse world filled with celebration and activity.
One interesting fact about "Nessa Data" is that it was released in 1972 on the album "João Bosco" as part of the popular Brazilian musical style known as MPB (Música Popular Brasileira). Another fact is that the term "Guaranis" in the song refers to a group of indigenous peoples who live mainly in Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, and Bolivia. Additionally, the song has been covered by several other artists over the years, including Elis Regina, Gal Costa, and Zizi Possi. The song's chord progression incorporates elements of samba, bossa nova, and jazz, among other genres. "Nessa Data" is often cited as one of João Bosco's most enduring and widely known songs, and it continues to be popular among audiences in Brazil and around the world.
Chords: G, D, Em, C (verse); G, D, C, D (chorus)
Line by Line Meaning
Hoje vai, vai ter marmelada
Today there will be trouble
Ouro e rua dos fliembusteiros
Gold and the street of the crooks
Canastrões de capa e espada
Boasters in capes and swords
Rá-tá-plã dos boys escoteiros
The rattle of the scout boys
Bororós e homens marcados
The Bororos and marked men
Pangarés, quermesses e missas
Nags, country fairs, and masses
Fuzuê nos supermercados
Chaos in the supermarkets
Busca-pés, bolachas, carniças
Zombie-like people searching for cookies and scraps
Mais guaranás
More guarana drinks
E parabéns nessa data querida
And congratulations on this beloved date
Meus guaranis
My Guarani friends
Que o couro coma nos seus carnavais
May you party hard during carnival
Que os menestréis
May the minstrels
Cantem na voz dos pierrôs da caverna
Sing in the voice of the harlequins from the cave
Que o trovador
May the troubadour
Tenha peixeira e um bom jogo de perna
Have a good knife and footwork
Guaranis, Parabéns pra vocês
Guarani people, congratulations to you
Na TV, comícios e mísseis
On TV, political rallies and missiles
Jacarés, figuras difíceis
Alligators, difficult people
Hospitais, turismo e transplantes
Hospitals, tourism, and transplants
Pantanais e desodorantes
Wetlands and deodorants
Contributed by Oliver R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Geraldo Xavier
Ponte Nova, terra de Reinaldp, João Bosco, Tunai