Victor Jara
Victor Jara of Chile
Lived like a shooting star
He fought for the people of Chile
With his songs and his guitar
His hands were gentle, his hands were strong
Victor Jara was a peasant
He worked from a few years old
He sat upon his father's plow
And watched the earth unfold
His hands were gentle, his hands were strong
Now when the neighbors had a wedding
Or one of their children died
His mother sang all night for them
With Victor by her side
His hands were gentle, his hands were strong
He grew up to be a fighter
Against the people's wrongs
He listened to their grief and joy
And turned them into songs
His hands were gentle, his hands were strong
He sang about the copper miners
And those who worked the land
He sang about the factory workers
And they knew he was their man
His hands were gentle, his hands were strong
He campaigned for Allende
Working night and day
He sang "Take hold of your brothers hand
You know the future begins today"
His hands were gentle, his hands were strong
Then the generals seized Chile
They arrested Victor then
They caged him in a stadium
With five-thousand frightened men
His hands were gentle, his hands were strong
Victor stood in the stadium
His voice was brave and strong
And he sang for his fellow prisoners
Till the guards cut short his song
His hands were gentle, his hands were strong
They broke the bones in both his hands
They beat him on the head
They tore him with electric shocks
And then they shot him dead
His hands were gentle, his hands were strong
Victor Jara
Victor Jara do Chile
Viveu como uma estrela cadente
Lutou pelo povo do Chile
Com suas canções e sua guitarra
Suas mãos eram suaves, suas mãos eram fortes
Victor Jara era um camponês
Trabalhou desde pequeno
Sentava no arado do pai
E via a terra se revelar
Suas mãos eram suaves, suas mãos eram fortes
Agora, quando os vizinhos tinham um casamento
Ou um de seus filhos morria
Sua mãe cantava a noite toda pra eles
Com Victor ao seu lado
Suas mãos eram suaves, suas mãos eram fortes
Ele cresceu pra ser um lutador
Contra as injustiças do povo
Ele ouvia sua dor e alegria
E transformava em canções
Suas mãos eram suaves, suas mãos eram fortes
Cantou sobre os mineiros de cobre
E aqueles que trabalhavam a terra
Cantou sobre os operários das fábricas
E eles sabiam que ele era o deles
Suas mãos eram suaves, suas mãos eram fortes
Ele fez campanha por Allende
Trabalhando dia e noite
Cantou "Agarre a mão do seu irmão
Você sabe que o futuro começa hoje"
Suas mãos eram suaves, suas mãos eram fortes
Então os generais tomaram o Chile
Prenderam Victor então
O encarceraram em um estádio
Com cinco mil homens amedrontados
Suas mãos eram suaves, suas mãos eram fortes
Victor ficou no estádio
Sua voz era corajosa e forte
E ele cantou para seus companheiros de prisão
Até que os guardas cortaram sua canção
Suas mãos eram suaves, suas mãos eram fortes
Eles quebraram os ossos de suas mãos
Bateram em sua cabeça
O torturaram com choques elétricos
E então o mataram
Suas mãos eram suaves, suas mãos eram fortes