| Portugese | English |
|---|---|
| Entrada opcional por DJ Capoeira: |
No tempo que a capoeira
Era um jogo pesado,
Menino que entrava em roda
Saia de braço quebrado.
Ê, dava nele uma rasteira
Coice de mula e uma queixada,
Rabo de arraia e uma benção pulada
Jogava ele na calçada
Menino que entrava em roda
E não sabia dá pernada.”
Abalou cachoeira abalou
E abalou deixa abalar
**Abalou cachoeira abalou
**
E abalou vem abalar
**Abalou cachoeira abalou
**
E abalou vai abalar
**Abalou cachoeira abalou
**
Menino bom deixa jogar
**Abalou cachoeira abalou
**
Abalou deixa abalar | Optional Intro by DJ Capoeira
In the time that capoeira
It was a rough game
Boy enters the roda
Leaves with a broken arm.
Ê, They gave him a rasteira
Mule kick and a Queixada,
Rabo de arraia and a jumping Benção
Played him on the pavement
Boy walking around
And I didn’t know about pernada*
Shook, cachoeira shook
It shook, let it shake
shook cachoeira shook
It shook, come shake
shook cachoeira shook
It shook, it will shake
shook cachoeira shook
Good boy let him play
shook cachoeira shook
it shook, let it shake |
Author: Unknown
Pernada - Refers to a rough Capoeira game. Literally means hard kicks.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/CCc6IDY4SzE
Explanation:
As the story goes, "Cachoeira" refers to a neighborhood in Salvador where there were regular rodas. The rodas were so good in Cachoeira that the whole neighborhood would "abala" or shake. Saying Abalou Cacheoeira Abalou", is a retelling of the story of these rodas and reminding people how good they were, and how significant they were in this neighborhood. The song calls for the same kind of strong energy that could bring down the building. The pre-able by DJ Capoeira recounts the violent history of capoeira, especially in times when it was more closely associated with rough neighborhoods and tough guys that would test each other in the roda.
The entrance to the song describes a time when entering the "roda" (circle) could result in physical injury, emphasizing the violent nature of the game. The mention of a boy who enters the roda and the physical moves used (like "rasteira" which is a sweeping move, "coice de mula" or mule kick, and "queixada" or jaw strike) highlight the danger for someone who enters the roda unaware of the danger. The preamble does a good job at presenting the roda as something to be cautious about.