Lavadeira
Song Lyrics
Lava, lava, lavadeira
A roupa do Capoeira
Lava, lava, lavadeira
A roupa do Capoeira
Porque hoje é domingo
Amanhã segunda feira
Hoje a festa é no bonfim
Amanhã é na ribeira
Oi, vai ter roda de samba
E jogo de capoeira
Moleque, tome cuidado
Com o tombo da ladeira
Sua roupa está limpa
Coitada da lavadeira
Lava, lava, lavadeira
A roupa do capoeira
Lava, lava, lavadeira
A roupa do capoeira
English Translation
wash, wash, laundrywoman
capoeira clothes
wash, wash, laundrywoman
capoeira clothes
Because today it is sunday
Tomorrow Monday
Today the party is in Bonfim
Tomorrow it is in the Ribeira
Oi, lets have samba de roda
And a game of capoeira
Kid, take care
With the tombo da ladeira
Your clothes are clean
Poor laundrywoman
wash, wash, laundrywoman
capoeira clothes
wash, wash, laundrywoman
capoeira clothes
History and sentiment behind song
Tombo de ladeira literally means “fall down the hill”. It is the name of a movement described in Melo Moraes Filho’s 1901 description of capoeira in Rio: “to touch, with one’s foot, the opponent while he jumps in the air.”
