“Com que roupa?” (Noel Rosa, 1931)
Source: Ministério da Cultura do Brasil, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Given his impact on samba and Brazilian music in general, it is literally incredible that Noel Rosa (1910-1937) only lived 26 years. In honor of his birthday today, here is a translation of his breakthrough hit 1931 song “Com que roupa.” Gilberto Gil made this song a hit again at the end of the century. My translation below incorporates both versions.
Listen to the song (sung by Noel Rosa)
Listen to the song (as sung by Gilberto Gil)
“Com que roupa eu vou?”
Agora eu vou mudar minha conduta
Eu vou à luta, pois eu quero me aprumar
Vou tratar você com força bruta
Pra poder me reabilitar
Pois essa vida não está sopa, e eu me pergunto com que roupa?
Com que roupa eu vou?
Pro samba que você me convidou.
Com que roupa eu vou?
Pro samba que você me convidou.
Agora eu não ando mais fardeiro*
Pois o dinheiro não é fácil de ganhar
Mesmo eu sendo um cabra trapaceiro
Não consigo ter, nem pra gastar
Eu já corri de vento em popa
Com que roupa eu vou?
Pro samba que você me convidou. (Com que roupa?)
Com que roupa eu vou
Pro samba que você me convidou
Eu hoje estou pulando feito um sapo
Pra ver se escapo dessa praga de urubu
Já estou coberto de farrapos,
Eu vou acabar ficando nu
Meu paletó virou estopa, e eu nem sei mas com que roupa?
Com que roupa eu vou?
Pro samba que você me convidou.
[falado] Vai de roupa velha e tutu, seu trouxa
Seu português agora foi-se embora
Já deu um fora, levou seu capital
Esqueceu quem tanto amava outrora
Foi o Adamastor pra Portugal
Pra se casar com uma cachopa, e agora, com que roupa?
Com que roupa eu vou?
Pro samba que você me convidou.
“What clothes will I wear?”
Now I’m gonna change my behavior
I’m entering the fight, cuz I want to fix myself up
I’m gonna handle you with brute force
In order to rehabilitate myself
Since this life ain’t easy, and I ask myself what clothes?
What clothes will I wear?
To the samba you invited me to.
What clothes will I wear?
To the samba you invited me to.
Now I’m not being gentle* anymore
Since money ain’t easy to earn
Even though I’m a cheating rogue
I can’t get any, not even to spend
I’ve already had the wind in my sails
But now what clothes, what clothes will I wear?
To the samba you invited me to. (What clothes?)
What clothes will I wear
To the samba you invited me to
Today I’m jumping like a frog
To see if I can escape from this vulture plague
I’m already covered in rags
I’m gonna end up naked
My suit’s already turned into old ropes, and I no longer know what clothes
What clothes will I wear?
To the samba you invited me to.
[spoken]** Go in old clothes and a tutu, you idiot
Mr. Portuguese has now left
He slipped out, took his capital
Forgot who he used to love
Adamastor went to Portugal
To marry a country girl*** and now, what clothes?
What clothes will I wear?
To the samba you invited me to.
* At the beginning of the second verse, Rosa uses the word “fardeiro” and Gil uses “fagueiro.” The former means to “stuff” as in overeating, and the latter means “affectionate” or “caring” and also “smooth,” “sweet,” or “gentle.” I went with Gil’s take - sort of assuming that Rosa’s was 1930’s slang of some sort - since it seems to match the dynamic of the song where the malandro says he’s gonna change, but then reveals by his lyrics that he’s not.
** The spoken line is only in the Noel Rosa version, ending the song. The last verse is only in the Gil version, typically adding a political twist.
*** The Portuguese word “cachopa” literally means a girl from the northern provinces of Portugal.