Coisa da Antiga

Old School Thing

Coisa da Antiga

In the washtub, grandma washed, grandma washedNa tina, vovó lavou, vovó lavou
The clothes that mom wore when she was baptizedA roupa que mamãe vestiu quando foi batizada
And mom, when she was a girl, had to iron, had to ironE mamãe quando era menina teve que passar, teve que passar
Lots of smoke and heat on the ironMuita fumaça e calor no ferro de engomar

Today mom told me about grandma, just about grandmaHoje mamãe me falou de vovó só de vovó
Said that in her time it was much betterDisse que no tempo dela era bem melhor
Even crouched in the washtub and blowing on the coal ironMesmo agachada na tina e soprando no ferro de carvão
There was more friendship and more respectTinha-se mais amizade e mais consideração

She said that back then the word of a mere citizenDisse que naquele tempo a palavra de um mero cidadão
Was worth more than nowadays a million-dollar billValia mais que hoje em dia uma nota de milhão
She finally said that what is freedomDisse afinal que o que é liberdade

No one cares anymoreNinguém mais hoje liga
That's an old school thing, oh in the washtubIsso é coisa da antiga, ai na tina

Today mom's eyes welled up, just welled upHoje o olhar de mamãe marejou só marejou
When she remembered the old man, my great-grandfatherQuando se lembrou do velho, o meu bisavô
She said he was a slave but didn't give in to slaveryDisse que ele foi escravo mas não se entregou à escravidão
He was always running away and causing troubleSempre vivia fugindo e arrumando confusão

She told me that the story of my great-grandfather, the runaway black manDisse pra mim que essa história do meu bisavô, negro fujão
Should serve as an example to 'those black folks'Devia servir de exemplo a "esses nego pai João"
She finally said that what is truly importantDisse afinal que o que é de verdade

No one cares anymoreNinguém mais hoje liga
That's an old school thingIsso é coisa da antiga
Hey in the washtubOi na tina