"Aquarela do Brasil" (; 'Watercolor of Brazil'), commonly known in the English-speaking world simply as "Brazil", is a samba song written by Ary Barroso in 1939. The patriotic lyrics and celebration of the country of Brazil in the song helped create the genre of samba-exaltação. Recordings of the song were massively popular abroad and were featured in movies such as Saludos Amigos and the titular Brazil.
Background and composition Ary Barroso wrote "Aquarela do Brasil" in early 1939, when he was prevented from leaving his home one rainy night due to a heavy storm. Its title, a reference to watercolor painting, is a clear reference to the rain. He also wrote "Três lágrimas" (Three Teardrops) on that same night, before the rain ended. About "Aquarela do Brasil" at blog Cifra Antiga. Accessed on March 30, 2009.
Describing the song in an interview to Marisa Lira, of the newspaper Diário de Notícias, Barroso said that he wanted to "free the samba away from the tragedies of life, of the sensual scenario already so explored". According to the composer, he "felt all the greatness, the value and the wealth of our land", reliving "the tradition of the national panels".
Initially, he wrote the first chords, which he defined as "vibrant", and a "plangent of emotions". The original beat "sang on [his] imagination, highlighting the sound of the rain, on syncope beats of fantastic tambourins". According to him, "the rest came naturally, music and lyrics at once". He declared to have felt like another person after writing the song.
Release and reception Before being recorded, "Aquarela do Brasil", initially named "Aquarela brasileira", was performed by the baritone on Joujoux e Balangandans, a benefit concert sponsored by Darci Vargas, then the First Lady of Brazil. It was then recorded by Francisco de Morais Alves, arranged by Radamés Gnattali and his orchestra, and released by Odeon Records in August 1939. Dicionário Cravo Albin de Música Popular Brasileira. Ary Barroso - Artistic database . Accessed on March 30, 2009. It was also recorded by Araci Cortes, but despite the singer's huge popularity at the time, the song was not a success.
"Aquarela do Brasil" took a while to succeed. In 1940, it was not among the top three songs of that year's Carnival in Rio. The president of the jury was Heitor Villa-Lobos, and Barroso, offended that his masterpiece was not on the list, ended his relationship with him. The two men would only speak to each other again fifteen years later, when both received the National Order of Merit.
The song only became famous after it was included in Walt Disney's 1942 animated film Saludos Amigos, sung by Aloísio de Oliveira. After that, the song became known not only in Brazil, but worldwide, becoming the first Brazilian song to be played over a million times on American radio. Due to the huge popularity achieved in the United States, it received an English version by songwriter Bob Russell.
It was voted by the Brazilian edition of Rolling Stone as the 12th greatest Brazilian song.
Controversy This song, because of its exaltation of Brazil's great qualities, marked the creation of a new genre within samba, known as (exaltation samba). This musical movement, with its extremely patriotic nature, was seen by many as being favorable to the dictatorship of Getúlio Vargas, generating criticism towards Barroso and his work, which was perceived as Barroso's prostration to the regime. The Barroso family, however, strongly denies these claims, pointing out that he also wrote an anti-Nazi song named "Salada Mista" (Mixed salad), recorded by Carmen Miranda in October 1938.
The Department of Press and Propaganda, the official censorship body of the regime, wanted to censor the line "terra do samba e do pandeiro" ("land of samba and the pandeiro"), which was seen as being "derogatory" for Brazil's image. Barroso persuaded the censors to keep the line. . Accessed on March 30, 2009. Archived 2009-10-25.
Some criticism of the song, at the time, was that it used expressions little known by the general public, such as "inzoneiro", "merencória", and "trigueiro" (intriguing, melancholic, and swarthy), and that he was too redundant in the verses "meu Brasil brasileiro" ("my Brazilian Brazil") and "esse coqueiro que dá coco" ("this coconut palm that produces coconut"). The composer defended his work, saying that these expressions were poetic effects inseparable from the original composition. On the original recording, Alves sang "mulato risoneiro" (laughing mulatto) instead of "inzoneiro" because he was unable to understand Barroso's illegible handwriting. . Accessed on March 30, 2009. Archived 2009-10-25.
Lyrics Portuguese lyricsEnglish translationS. K. (Bob) Russell English LyricsBrazil, my Brazilian Brazil, My intriguing mulatto, I will sing you in my verses: Brazil, samba that gives, A swaying that makes you waddle; Brazil of my love, Land of our Lord. Brazil! Brazil! For me! For me! Oh, open the curtains of the past; Take the black Mother from the cerrado;* Put the Congo king in the congado. Brazil! Brazil! Let the minstrel sing again, Under the melancholic moonlight, All the songs of my love. I want to see this lady walking, Through the halls, dragging Her garments made of lace. Brazil! Brazil! For me! For me! Brazil, beautiful and pleasant land, Of the mischievous brunette little girl, With her air of indifference. Brazil, a greenness that is offered For the admiration of the world. Brazil of my love, Land of our Lord. Brazil! Brazil! For me! For me! This coconut tree that gives coconuts, Where I tie my hammock In the bright moonlit nights. Brazil! Brazil! Oh! These murmuring fountains, Where I quench my thirst, And where the moon comes to play. Oh! This Brazil, beautiful and swarthy, Is my Brazilian Brazil, Land of samba and tambourine, Brazil! Brazil! For me! For me!(introduction)
Brazil ... The Brazil that I knew Where I wandered with you Lives in my imagination
Where the songs are passionate And a smile has flash in it And a kiss has art in it For you put your heart in it
And so I dream of old ...
(Most recordings start here)
Brazil ...
Where hearts were entertaining June We stood beneath an amber moon And softly murmurr'd "some day soon" We kissed and clung together
Then Tomorrow was another day The morning found me miles away With still a million things to say
Now When twilight dims the sky above Recalling thrills of our love There's one thing I'm certain of
Return I will To old Brazil The Portuguese lyrics are as sung by Francisco Alves (chorus in brackets). The S. K. Russell English version is from the sheet music by Southern Music Publishing Company. The tune of the first four lines of the introduction is the same as the first instrumental break in the Alves version.
Notable recordings The song has received many successful recordings through the years, being played in many different genres, ranging from its original samba genre to disco. It is one of the 20 most recorded songs of all time.
In 1943, Spanish-born bandleader Xavier Cugat reached number two on the Best Sellers List and number nine on the Harlem Hit Parade with his version of "Brazil". Django Reinhardt recorded "Brazil" three times between 1947 and 1953. In 1957, Frank Sinatra recorded the song in Come Fly With Me. He was followed by other successful artists of the time such as Bing Crosby, Ray Conniff, and Paul Anka.
During the Brazilian military dictatorship, MPB singer Elis Regina performed what is perhaps the darkest version ever of "Aquarela do Brasil", accompanied by a chorus of men reproducing chants of the Native Brazilians. In 1975, American band The Ritchie Family reached number-one on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart for seven weeks and number eleven Pop with their disco version of the song.Other successful Brazilian singers such as Antônio Carlos Jobim, Erasmo Carlos, João Gilberto (with Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, and Maria Bethânia), Gal Costa, and Simone also recorded versions of the song at the same period.
The song was featured prominently in Terry Gilliam's 1985 film Brazil, which was named after it. It was recorded by Geoff Muldaur for the soundtrack, but parts of the song were also incorporated throughout the orchestral score by Michael Kamen, including a Kate Bush version. Afterwards, in the 1990s, it was recorded by both Harry Belafonte and Dionne Warwick.
In 2007, singer-songwriter Daniela Mercury, which recorded the most recent cover of the song by a Brazilian artist, was invited to perform the song at the end of the opening ceremony of the XV Pan American Games, held in Rio de Janeiro.
In 2009, the Recording Academy added the 1942 recording of "Brazil (Aquarela do Brasil)" by Jimmy Dorsey & His Orchestra, released as Decca 18460B, to the Grammy Hall of Fame.28 Titles Being Added to Grammy Hall of FameGrammy Hall of Fame award Jimmy Dorsey was the first to record the song on July 14, 1942, and release it with the English lyrics by Bob Russell sung by Bob Eberly and Helen O'Connell.Brazil. Second Hand Songs.
Also in 2009, American band Beirut performed "Brazil" for their live DVD Beirut: Live At The Music Hall Of Williamsburg.
ITV used a cover of this song by Thiago Thomé as the theme song for their coverage of the 2014 FIFA World Cup which took place in Brazil in June and July 2014. During the tournament's opening ceremony, its first verses were performed live by Brazilian singer Claudia Leitte before being joined onstage by Pitbull and Jennifer Lopez to sing "We Are One (Ole Ola)".
In 2021, the Michael Kamen (Brazil movie) arrangement was used by agency VCCP as the soundtrack for the Transport for London post-COVID advertising campaign, #LetsDoLondon.
Year Artist Album Source 1939 Francisco Alves Odeon 11768 (78 rpm record) discogs.com: Francisco Alves Com Radamés E Sua Orquestra – Aquarela Do Brasil. Retrieved December 3, 2020(YouTube) Francisco Alves Retrieved July 12, 2019.Odeon Records Retrieved July 12, 2019. 1942 Sylvio Caldas 78 rpm record 1942 Xavier Cugat 78 rpm record 1947 Django Reinhardt Quintette du Hot Club de France 1957 Frank Sinatra Come Fly With Me 1958 The Coasters The Coasters The Coasters, The Coasters Retrieved February 8, 2012. 1963 Paul Anka Our Man Around the World [] 1968 Geoff & Maria Muldaur Pottery Pie [] 1974 Santana Lotus (quoted in "Samba Pa Ti") 1975 Crispy & Co. Tonight at the Discotheque 1975 The Ritchie Family Brazil 1976 Chet Atkins and Les Paul Guitar Monsters [] 1981 João Gilberto, Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil Brasil 1981 Tav Falco's Panther Burns Behind The Magnolia Curtain 1990 Harry Belafonte Around the World with the Entertainers [] 1991 Deborah Blando A Different Story [] 1997 Gal Costa Acústico (Mtv) [] 1998 Vengaboys The Party Album 2002 Cornelius Point 2002 Metrô Déjà-Vu 2005 Arcade Fire "Cold Wind" (B-side)"Rebellion (Lies)" (B-side) 2009 Beirut Beirut: Live At The Music Hall Of Williamsburg (DVD) 2009 The Spinto Band Slim and Slender 2014 Claudia Leitte We Are One (World Cup Opening Ceremony Version) Loona Brazil Bellini Festival2016Leslie Odom, Jr.Leslie Odom, Jr.
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