Besouro Mangangá (Manoel Henrique Pereira - was born in Santo Amaro da Purificação, 1895 - 1924). Besouro was a Bahian capoeirista that early in the twentieth century became the ultimate symbol of Bahian capoeira. His fame reached the national level from the years 1930 and with the expansion of Capoeira to other continents, is internationalized. In order to understand the context and the subject of which this song focuses on, see our article: besouro-manganga.

Adeus Besouro

Farewell Besouro

Em Santo Amaro
Quando o fato aconteceu
Menino chegou dizendo
Que seu Besouro morreu

In Santo Amaro
When the event took place
A boy came, saying
That Besouro died

Pois seu patrão
Cujo o nome Baltazar
Deu uma carta a Besouro
Para entrega na usina
Pedindo pra lhe matar

Because his boss,
Whose name was Baltazar
Had given a letter to Besouro
To deliver to the factory
Asking to kill him (i.e. the letter ordered his death)

E o Besouro
Que
não sabia ler
Não
sabia que na carta
Pedia para morrer

And Besouro 
who could not read
Did not know that the letter
Asked for his death

Lá na bahia
Terra de São Salvador
Besouro era valente
Tinha o corpo fechado
Mas a traição o matou

In Bahia,
The land of
Saint Salvador,
Besouro was valiant
He had "corpo fechado" (close/protected body)
But the betrayal killed him

Adeus Besouro
Adeus Besouro
Adeus Besouro
Valente cordão de ouro

farewell Besouro
farewell
 Besouro
farewell
 Besouro
Valiant hero/champion (lit. belt of gold)

Adeus Besouro
Adeus Besouro
Adeus Besouro
Valente cordão de ouro
farewell Besouro
farewell Besouro
farewell Besouro
Valiant hero/champion (lit. belt of gold)
Oi zum zum zum cadê Besouro
(zum is the sound of a beetle) where's Besouro
Valente cordão de ouro
Valiant hero/champion (lit. belt of gold)
Mais cadê o meu Besouro
But where is my Besouro
Valente cordão de ouro
Valiant hero/champion (lit. belt of gold)
Besouro de Mangangá
Besouro de Mangangá (Besouro's nickname, see besouro article)
Valente cordão de ouro
Valiant hero/champion (lit. belt of gold)



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