Hoje Tem Capoeira
Key Terms in the Song
Before diving into the lyrics, it helps to understand a few traditional terms used throughout the song:
Biriba: The traditional, flexible wood used to make the bow of the berimbau.
Viola: The highest-pitched of the three berimbaus (Gunga, Médio, and Viola). It is responsible for improvisations, syncopation, and driving the energy of the rhythm.
Mandinga: In Capoeira, this refers to a blend of expressiveness, trickery, and spiritual essence. It’s the cleverness or "magic" a capoeirista uses to outsmart their opponent.
There is one main chorus to this song:
E hoje tem capoeira, no toque da viola entra na roda e começa a jogar
This translates to the following:
Today there is capoeira, at the sound of the viola enter the roda, and start to play
At the end of each verse, there’s a line that calls for the chorus to respond - “Hoje tem, hoje tem, hoje tem” that I’ve heard sung by some groups but not others, so it’s mentioned here but not in the lyrics themselves.
| Letras | Lyrics |
|---|---|
| Olha pega a biriba e começa a tocar | Look, grab the biriba and start to play |
| Pandeiro, atabaque não pode faltar | Pandeiro and atabaque cannot be missing |
| No jogo ligeiro que lá na Bahia | In the fast game that there in Bahia |
| Aprendi a jogar | I learned to play |
| Meia-lua, rasteira, martelo e pisão | Meia-lua, rasteira, martelo, and pisão |
| Solta a mandinga conforme a razão | Release the mandinga according to reason |
| Na reza cantada pede proteção | In the sung prayer, ask for protection |
| (Coro) | (Chorus) |
| O meu mestre foi Bimba | My master was Bimba |
| Negro mandingueiro com quem esta arte | Black mandingueiro with whom this art |
| Aprendi a jogar | I learned to play |
| Já joguei na ribeira | I've already played in the riverside |
| No pé da ladeira na beira do mar | At the foot of the hill, by the seashore |
| Pula daqui, joga pra lá | Jump from here, play over there |
| Discípulo de Bimba chegou pra jogar | The disciple of Bimba has arrived to play |
| (Coro) | (Chorus) |
Interested in learning more about capoeira? Check out our other blog posts here.
