Contos da Sul (feat. Tina)

Hope, I always had hope
Always believed in a better world
Even when I got pregnant, still being underage
The father of my child, he abandoned me
But still, I believed in people
Believed that maybe one day I could be happy

I studied, tried in every way to be an honorable woman
Dreamed of a better future for my son and my family
Every morning I went from Jardim Ângela to the Center in search of a job
My parents earned little, I had to help support the household
One day I received a telegram, it said I was hired
That day I went to sleep in peace, as I would soon be employed

On the first day of work I was very happy
Because my life was starting to be
As I always wanted it to be
Everyone in the office was kind and sweet
Morning passed, afternoon came, the first day was gone
I went home in those conditions, crowded transportation
But, happy, I was employed

Second day of work I stayed later, at the request of my boss
As there was a meeting and I couldn't refuse
As there was the risk of him firing me
It was 9:30 PM, I left, went down, towards Praça da Bandeira
I quickened my pace, went fast
On the way to Santo Amaro
Every stop I slept and woke up, and nothing
I couldn't wait to arrive

I got off the bus, looked at the clock: 11:30 PM
I saw the dark, empty and wet street
Just me, God and nothing else
I took the normal path, skirting the bushes
Had a bad premonition, it seemed like my end was near
But nothing, not even finished high school
Nonsense, normal thought

I wish it were
My thought was interrupted by three individuals
Who were not sweet
A blow to the head left me dazed
I remember seeing the bushes part and being dragged inside
My clothes were torn, I was raped, tortured
My dreams were fading until they turned into nothing
Two days later I was found dead
With a disfigured face, disfigured

Tales from the South, tales from the South
Tales from the South, tales from the South
Tales from the South, tales from the South

In the Northeast
I always heard that São Paulo was the land of opportunity
I imagined that coming here
I could become someone real
Where I lived there was drought, lack of water and food never enough
I ended up coming to São Paulo, arrived here with nothing
Just with the hope that with my work
I could get my car, my house
Send money to my brothers
It didn't take long for me to realize it was all an illusion

I ended up having to submit
Most of those who come from the North always end up in the periphery
I ended up in a place called Capão Redondo
Where crime is cruel all the time
Police versus thief
Here I was just another construction worker
With no qualifications

Soon I got a job at a construction site
A laborer job, but for me it was already good
Had lunch and dinner, 100 reais to start and a place to stay
I couldn't complain
I swore to honor my father's memory
He told me to work and never, ever steal
He also said that this was written in the Bible somewhere

Three months have passed since I arrived in São Paulo
My hand full of calluses, the work is heavy
At five in the morning I'm already awake
Oh, how I wish I had studied
I lie down and get up in this since I arrived here
I never left here, not even to have fun

Friday arrived
And the other guys invited me to go to the bar
Have a drink, play cards, dominoes or billiards
What harm is there in joining them?
I was happy, as it was a gift to me
A real job, I felt proud, I was someone

Suddenly an Opala braked abruptly at the bar's door
And I got alert
Two armed guys, the one with a hood on his face entered
One of them shouted asking who was the Bahian
I got up from the table where I was sitting, trembling, sweating
Scared, as that was the nickname the work guys had given me
The hooded guy with the automatic in hand
Told me to lie on the floor, called the other, cocked the gun

Pointed it at my head and shot
The only thing I remember is my blood flowing
And the guys running away
Before dying I heard someone say
That the Bahian the guys were looking for was the junkie from the area
Who sniffed and didn't pay, didn't pay, didn't pay

Tales from the South, tales from the South
Tales from the South, tales from the South
Tales from the South, tales from the South

In the periphery it's always like this
The worst stays for you, the worst stays for me
Growing up without a father, without a mother, is difficult
Knowing that they died in a robbery
Leaves me outraged, you know?
Woe is me if it weren't for my grandfather
Who raised me, put me in school
If it weren't for him, I think I wouldn't be alive anymore

But then, I'm alive until today, I think it's my punishment
There are marks that will never be erased
There are wounds that will hurt forever in our souls
The road I'm on until today, has no return
Nor can I move forward
When I was a kid, I imagined everything would be different
Different, different, different

I remember in childhood, me a hopeful kid
Running on the dirt field after the ball
I lost count of how many times I skipped school
All day under the Sun
All I wanted was to be a soccer player
I was better than most kids
Played all day and had no brakes for me

My grandfather who raised me always supported me
It was him who took me to the stadium for the first time
When I saw the field my eyes sparkled
My grandfather was the only one who cared about me
He was the only person I had
My family and I loved him

Time passing and I always training on the field
I was already seventeen
I did several tests at Corinthians, São Paulo, Palmeiras
But I managed to get into the Junior team of Portuguesa
My grandfather paid for everything, even my cleats
I was a solid winger
Wanted to be a starter, away from crime

One day I was training on the field with the other guys
When I saw a guy approaching
Stopped the game, called everyone aside
Looked at me, gave me a strange look
I realized it was white powder
Even knowing what it was, I decided to try
That's when my life started to change

I lost my peace, always wanted a lot
Always wanted more and more
Forgot about soccer and now played Satan's game
My life became another
It didn't take long and I was involved with the crazy life partners
Man, how everything changed in just one year
I couldn't free myself
I wasn't even willing to jump anymore

It was the day my grandfather was going to withdraw his pension
He arrived home, had just received it
In a frenzy, I held him and started hitting him
I was in a bad trip
He shouted, saying he loved me
I didn't listen and didn't care
But deep down, somewhere, those screams hurt

I searched him all over, but he had hidden the money
I grabbed the gun and bang, gave the first shot
He tried to explain that he had saved it to pay for my treatment
Unfortunately there wasn't even time
Without mercy I emptied the gun
At that moment I killed the only person who loved me
At that moment I lost my soul
Today I only have memories and nothing else

Behind the bars of Carandiru even my honor was taken
Imprisoned for four years, with no release date
Rape, beatings
And the virus consuming me from within
Man, I just regret
My God, how I wish I could go back in time, time
Could go back in time, time
Could go back in time, time

Tales from the South, tales from the South
Tales from the South, tales from the South
Tales from the South, tales from the South

The injustices, the inequalities
One day will come to an end
The Sun of justice will shine in the periphery, you know?
The blood will stop flowing through the sidewalk
The kids will be safe out there, running
Mothers won't wear mourning for their children
There won't be shots, nor sirens
There won't be humiliation by the police
Nor bodies on the ground, waiting for the forensic

The prostitutes and the money won't save anyone, you know?
The boy's BMW won't serve for anything
Nor the jewelry, nor the gold, nor the silver
The day of justice is coming
The day of redemption for the humble
The day of the Second Coming is coming, the Healing
Second coming of the Son of God, Jesus
The Lord of lords
Kings of kings

So, listen carefully
Trust in Him, my brother
Trust in Him, girl
Only God can bring peace to your life
Peace is not a dream
Your word, Lord, is a lamp to my feet
Guide me through the paths of justice
He will come, will return to fetch the righteous, the humble

From all the slums
From Jardim Guarujá, Vila Moraes, Vila Nhocuné, Vila Cachoeirinha
Peace is not a dream, Eliópolis
Campanário, Jardim Herculano
You will have peace when He returns
Monte Azul, Vila Brasilina, Jardim São Bento, Jabaquara
Jardim Damasceno, Parada de Taipas, Morro do Macaco

Hey bro, peace is not a dream, listen to what I'm telling you
Hey, it's a lot of trouble, but He will return
Believe in that, periphery