Açougue das Almas
papangu Lyrics

The lyrics to "Açougue das Almas" by Papangu are layered with various interpretations. The first verse talks about trust in the context of hunger and the absence of experience. The singer trusted someone who had never felt the rain nor tasted meat, emphasizing the naivety of youth. The phrase "eu confiei na palavra com a gula" (I trusted the word with gluttony) suggests that the character was so hungry that they trusted someone without considering the consequences of their actions. The second verse is a reference to a butcher shop where human bones are used to make food. The lyrics "o osso que eu entrego pra enterrar e exumar desterra pra cozinhar" (the bone that I hand over to bury and exhume is unearthed to cook) highlights the morbidity of the situation. The third verse is about the singer encountering the souls of the dead. The lyric "eu mergulhei na bacia das almas" (I plunged into the basin of souls) portrays a descent into the underworld. The phrase "dissolve os nervos da face desmascara" (dissolve the nerves of the face and unmask) signifies the revelation of a hidden truth.

One interpretation of the song is a comment on the Brazilian dictatorship when many innocent people were killed, and their bodies disappeared without any explanation. The line "o erro que feito medo encravou meu coração correção destas apostas tombadas há muito mortas" (the mistake that fear-crusted my heart correction of these bets that were long dead) seeks to correct past mistakes and bury the ghosts of the past. Another interpretation could be a lament on the mistreatment of animals in the meat industry. The theme of betrayal and trust and death is intertwined with both interpretations, making the song highly evocative.