Chico Buarque
Juca lyrics with English translation
- Language
- Portuguese
- Level
- Intermediate
- Released
- 1997
- Genre
- Bossa Nova, Samba
- Length
- 1:47
Juca foi autuado em flagrante
Juca was caught in the act
Como meliante
As a criminal
Pois sambava bem diante
For dancing samba right in front
Da janela de Maria
Of Maria's window
Bem no meio da alegria
Right in the middle of joy
A noite virou dia
The night turned into day
O seu luar de prata
His silver moonlight
Virou chuva fria
Turned into cold rain
A sua serenata
His serenade
Não acordou Maria
Did not wake Maria
Juca ficou desapontado
Juca was disappointed
Declarou ao delegado
He declared to the officer
Não saber se amor é crime
Not knowing if love is a crime
Ou se samba é pecado
Or if samba is a sin
Em legítima defesa
In legitimate defense
Batucou assim na mesa
He tapped on the table like this
O delegado é bamba
The officer is a pro
Na delegacia
At the police station
Mas nunca fez samba
But never made samba
Nunca viu Maria
Never saw Maria
O delegado é bamba
The chief is a smooth talker
Na delegacia
At the precinct
Mas nunca fez samba
But he never danced samba
Nunca viu Maria
Never saw Maria
Juca foi autuado em flagrante
Juca was caught red-handed
Como meliante
As a delinquent
Pois sambava bem diante
For he danced right before
Da janela de Maria
Maria's window
Bem no meio da alegria
Right in the middle of joy
A noite virou dia
The night turned to day
O seu luar de prata
Your silver moonlight
Virou chuva fria
Turned into cold rain
A sua serenata
Your serenade
Não acordou Maria
Didn't wake Maria
Juca ficou desapontado
Juca was left disappointed
Declarou ao delegado
Declared to the officer
Não saber se amor é crime
Not knowing if love is a crime
Ou se samba é pecado
Or if samba is a sin
Em legítima defesa
In rightful defense
Batucou assim na mesa
He tapped like this on the table
O delegado é bamba
The chief's a smooth operator
Na delegacia
At the precinct
Mas nunca fez samba
But he's never made samba
Nunca viu Maria
Has never seen Maria
O delegado é bamba
The chief's a smooth operator
Na delegacia
At the precinct
Mas nunca fez samba
But he's never made samba
Nunca viu Maria
Has never seen Maria
O delegado é bamba
The chief's a smooth operator
Na delegacia
At the precinct
Mas nunca fez samba
But never did samba
Nunca viu Maria
Never saw Maria
O delegado é bamba...
The chief is a master...
Lyrics powered by www.musixmatch.com
Key vocabulary
- juca
- name
- autuado
- charged
- flagrante
- in flagrante
- meliante
- criminal
- sambava
- samba
- bem
- goodA1
- diante
- before
- janela
- windowA1
- maria
- Mary
- meio
- middleA2
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About this song
Chico Buarque is a Brazilian singer, songwriter, poet, novelist, and playwright associated with samba, bossa nova, and MPB. He is known for intricate harmonic work and lyrics that often engage politics and culture, including foundational recordings such as Construção and Calabar.