Faroeste Caboclo

João de Santo Cristo had no fear
That’s what everyone said when he lost his way
Left behind all the dullness of the farm
Just to feel in his blood the hate that Jesus gave him
As a kid, he only dreamed of being a thug
Especially after his dad got shot by a soldier
He was the terror of the backcountry where he lived
And even the teacher learned to deal with him

He went to church just to steal the cash
That the old ladies dropped in the altar box
He really felt he was different
Felt like that place just wasn’t for him
He wanted to leave to see the ocean
And the things he saw on TV
Saved up money to be able to travel
By his own choice, he picked solitude

He hooked up with all the girls in town
From playing doctor, by twelve, he was a teacher
At fifteen, he was sent to reform school
Where his hate grew in the face of so much terror
He didn’t understand how life worked
Discrimination because of his class and his color
He got tired of trying to find answers
And bought a ticket, went straight to Salvador

And when he got there, he went for a coffee
And met a cowboy he wanted to talk to
The cowboy had a ticket and was about to lose his trip
But João went to save him
He said: I’m heading to Brasília
In this country, there’s no better place
I need to visit my daughter
I’ll stay here and you go in my place

And João accepted his offer
And got on a bus to the Central Plateau
He was amazed by the city
Leaving the bus station, he saw the Christmas lights
My God, what a beautiful city
On New Year’s, I’ll start working
Cutting wood, an apprentice carpenter
He earned a hundred grand a month in Taguatinga

On Fridays, he went to the city’s red-light district
To spend all his money as a hard-working guy
And he met a lot of interesting people
Even a bastard grandson of his great-grandfather
A Peruvian who lived in Bolivia
And brought many things from there
His name was Pablo and he said
That he was going to start a business

And Santo Cristo worked until death
But the money wasn’t enough to feed him
And at seven, he listened to the news
That always said his minister would help
But he didn’t want to hear any more talk
And decided that, like Pablo, he would make it
He crafted his holy plan once again
And without being crucified, he started the plantation

Soon, the crazies in town heard the news
There’s good stuff here
And João de Santo Cristo got rich
And wiped out all the dealers around
Made friends, hung out in Asa Norte
And went to rock parties to let loose

But suddenly, under a bad influence
From the rich kids in town, he started to steal
On his first robbery, he got caught
And went to hell for the first time
Violence and rape of his body
You’ll see, I’m coming for you

Now Santo Cristo was a thug
Fearless and feared in the Federal District
He had no fear of the police
Captain or dealer, rich kid or general
That’s when he met a girl
And he regretted all his sins
Maria Lúcia was a beautiful girl
And Santo Cristo promised his heart to her

He said he wanted to marry
And he went back to being a carpenter
Maria Lúcia, I’ll love you forever
And I want to have a child with you

Time passed and one day at the door
A high-class man with money in hand came
And he made an indecent proposal
And said he expected a response
A response from João
I don’t blow up newsstands
Or schools for kids, I don’t do that, no
And I don’t protect ten-star generals
Who sit behind a desk with their asses on the line
And it’s better for you to leave my house
Never mess with a Pisces with a Scorpio rising
But before leaving, with hate in his eyes, the old man said
You’ve lost your life, my brother

You’ve lost your life, my brother
You’ve lost your life, my brother
These words will enter your heart
I’ll suffer the consequences like a dog

Isn’t it that Santo Cristo was right?
His future was uncertain and he didn’t go to work
He got drunk and in the middle of his drunkenness
Discovered someone else was working in his place
He talked to Pablo that he wanted a partner
And he also had money and wanted to arm up
Pablo brought contraband from Bolivia
And Santo Cristo resold it in Planaltina

But it happened that a guy named Jeremias
A well-known dealer, showed up there
He found out about Santo Cristo’s plans
And decided he would end João
But Pablo brought a Winchester 22
And Santo Cristo already knew how to shoot
And decided to use the gun only after
Jeremias started to fight

Jeremias, a shameless stoner
Organized the Rockonha and made everyone dance
Deflowered innocent girls
Claimed to be a believer but didn’t know how to pray
And Santo Cristo hadn’t been home in a long time
And the longing started to tighten
I’m leaving, I’m going to see Maria Lúcia
It’s about time we got married

Arriving home, he cried
And went to hell for the second time
With Maria Lúcia, Jeremias got married
And had a child with her

Santo Cristo was just hate inside
And then Jeremias called him out for a duel
Tomorrow, at two o’clock, in Ceilândia
In front of lot fourteen, that’s where I’m going
And you can choose your weapons
I’ll finish you off, you traitorous pig
And I’ll kill Maria Lúcia too
That false girl to whom I swore my love

And Santo Cristo didn’t know what to do
When he saw the TV reporter
Who reported the duel on TV
Saying the time, the place, and the reason

On Saturday, then, at two o’clock
Everyone rushed there just to watch
A man who shot from behind
And hit Santo Cristo and started to smile
Feeling the blood in his throat
João looked at the streamers and the crowd applauding
And looked at the ice cream vendor and the cameras
And the TV crew filming everything there

And remembered when he was a child
And everything he had lived up to that point
And decided to jump into that dance
If the Via-Crucis turned into a circus, I’m here

And in that moment, the sun blinded his eyes
And then he recognized Maria Lúcia
She brought the Winchester 22
The gun that his cousin Pablo gave him

Jeremias, I’m a man, something you’re not
And I don’t shoot from behind, no
Look over here, you shameless son of a bitch
Take a look at my blood and come feel your forgiveness
And Santo Cristo, with the Winchester 22
Fired five shots at the traitorous thug
Maria Lúcia regretted later
And died along with João, her protector

The people declared that João de Santo Cristo
Was a saint because he knew how to die
And the high bourgeoisie of the city
Didn’t believe the story they saw on TV
And João didn’t get what he wanted
When he came to Brasília to deal with the devil
He just wanted to talk to the president
To help all these people who only suffer