Lyrics of Os tambores de Minas - Milton Nascimento

Os tambores de Minas (original)

Era um, era dois, era cem
Mil tambores e as vozes do além
Morro velho, senzala, casa cheia
Repinica, rebate, revolteia
E trovão no céu é candeia
Era bumbo, era surdo e era caixa
Meia-volta e mais volta e meia
Pocotó, trem de ferro e uma luz
Procissão, chão de flores e Jesus
Bate forte até sangrar a mão
E batendo pelos que se foram
Os batendo pelos que voltaram
Os tembores de Minas soarão
Seus tambores nunca se calaram
Era couro batendo e era lata
Era um sino com a nota exata
Pé no chão e as cadeiras da mulata
E o futuro nas mãos do menino
Batucando por fé e destino
Bate roupa em riacho a lavadeira
Ritmando de qualquer maneira
E por fim o tambor da musculatura
O tum-tum ancestral do coração
Quando chega a febre ninguém segura
Bate forte até sangrar a mão
Os tambores de Minas soarão
Seus tambores nunca se calaram…

(translation)

It was one, it was two, it was a hundred
A thousand drums and the voices from the beyond
Old hill, slave quarters, full house
Repin, counter, revolt
And thunder in the sky is a candle
It was bass drum, it was deaf and it was a snare drum
Half a turn and a half turn
Pocotó, iron train and a light
Procession, floor of flowers and Jesus
Hit hard until your hand bleeds
And beating for those who are departed
The beating for those who returned
The fears of Minas will sound
Your drums never stopped
It was beating leather and it was tin
It was a bell with the exact note
Foot on the floor and the mulata's chairs
And the future in the hands of the boy
Drumming for faith and destiny
Laundry washcloth in stream
Rhythming anyway
And finally, the musculature drum
The ancestral tum-tum of the heart
When the fever comes, no one holds back
Hit hard until your hand bleeds
The drums of Minas will sound
Your drums never stopped...