Antigamente
Tudo era diferente
No Rio a gente era gente
Que beleza de lugar
Ali na Lapa
Tinha toda a malandragem
Do Samba e da Capoeira
Vale a pena recordar
A malandragem
Não era como hoje em dia
Havia mais poesia
No jeito de malandrar
O bom malandro
De branco era boa praça
Cantava e fazia graça
Era um tipo popular
Mas respeitado
Porque bom de Capoeira
Derrubava de rasteira
Sem nem mesmo se sujar
E de noitinha
Embaixo dos lampiões
Lindas moças rufiões
Olhavam o bonde passar
Lá pelos arcos
Desenhando de beleza
O céu que a mãe natureza
Reservou pra esse lugar
O céu que a mãe natureza
Reservou pra esse lugar
O céu que a mãe natureza
Reservou pra esse lugar
O céu que a mãe natureza
Reservou pra esse lugar
Ê viva meu Deus
Iê viva meu Deus camará
Iê que me ajudou
Iê quem me ajudou camará
Iê viva meu Mestre
Iê viva meu Mestre camará
Iê quem me ensinou
Iê quem me ensinou camará
Iê malandragem
Iê malandragem camará
Previously (in ancient times)
Everything was different
In Rio people were people
What a beautiful place
There in the Lapa
Had all the trickery
Of the Samba and the Capoeira
It is worth remembering (recording)
The trickery
Wasn’t like today
There was more poetry
In the way of doing trickery
A good Malandro
With white clothes at the square
Sang and did grace
It was a popular type
But respected
Because he is good in Capoeira
Knocked down with Rasteira
Without even getting dirty
And in the evening
Beneath the lamps
Beautiful girls ruffians
Watched the tram pass
There at the arches (of the Lapa)
Designed so beautiful
The sky that mother nature
Reserved to this place
The sky that mother nature
Reserved to this place
The sky that mother nature
Reserved to this place
The sky that mother nature
Reserved to this place
Ie living God
Ie living God my friend
You helped me
Hey, who helped me here
Be alive my Master
Be alive, my Master my friend
Hey who taught me
I was the one who taught me my friend
Hey trickster
Hey trickery my friend
Antigamente translates as in the olden days. In Brazil men who used street smarts to make a living were called malandros. Later the meaning expanded, indicating a person who is a quick thinker in finding a solution for a problem.In Capoeira, malandragem is the ability to quickly understand an opponent’s aggressive intentions, and during a fight or a game, fool, trick and deceive him.
