The song that made me fall in love with Brazilian music....
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Artist:
Spent part of a snowed-in Sunday afternoon wandering around in the fields of Youtube and stumbled across this. And suddenly i remembered hearing Caetano Veloso sing "Voce e Linda" for the first time on a mixtape given to me (probably a quarter-century ago) by a friend who spent his childhood bouncing around South America with his oil exec dad and their family. All I can remember is being so captivated with the gently passionate, vaguely McCartneyesque voice, the simple-but-complicated melody, the elegantly inevitable chord progression. There are surely a lot of people whose education in Brazilian music, like mine, began with Caetano. With any kind of luck one or two will be added to that number soon....
At any rate, I want to age as well as him, and have girls in the front row of my concerts staring raptly as I sing. Though this would, of course, mean actually developing a repertoire, a reputation and a bunch of other things.....
Locating MOG account...
Comments (16)
Damn fine. I think I may just be added to those numbers...
<swoon>
lovely!
I traveled through Brazil long ago and actually managed to be in the central Amazonian town of Manaus when Caetano was having a concert there. My now wife, having grown up in Rio, had been a long time admirer of Caetano and insisted that we go to the concert. I must admit that it was fun, but I was a bit thrown by all of the worship coming from the mostly female crowd. There were also many guys enjoying the show, just not with as much swooning. A few days after that we took a glorious three day trip down the Amazon to the Atlantic. Thanks for the reminder; Mrs. DaBeef also thanks you.
My first introduction to Brazilian music was probably during Sergio Mendez's propularity with Brazil '66. I can especially remember the sibilant s in the song Mais Que Nada (translation - No Way) that was so well suited to testing turntable/speaker response. Here's Sergio's cover of Jorge Benjor's '63 tune.
CBW, welcome on board...
deedee, it's wonderful to see your hair again. You've been away too long. And, as usual, you have impeccable taste in dreamboats....
Nick, isn't it? The song transates as "You Are Beautiful," I think (all the Portuguese I know comes from phrasebooks and song lyrics).
Dabeef, I am envious of you - in a collegial, non-angry way, of course. I saw him at Carnegie Hall back when I lived in New York. Not only was he killer good, but both Celia Cruz and Sonia Braga were in attendance. (Celia was hotter.) I too remember those early Sergio Mendes sides with fondness, though I didn't think of them as Brazilian at the time. Just knew they were supercool. And God, is "Mais, Que Nada" a superior cut. I actually have two very different Jorge Ben versions of this, each claiming to be the "original." Nothing can ever be simple, can it?
The simplicity is in the enjoyment. The venue I saw Caetano at is probably not as sonically proficient as Carnegie, but I believe it was close. It was in Manaus' old 1896 Opera House built by Italian architect Celestial Sacardim.
You introduced me to Caetano Veloso years ago with a post, but it doesn't appear when I search for it. Anyway, this video and your thoughts about it are a perfect antidote to the solstice. Also, your avatar, simply by hanging around you, is steadily more convincing as seeming like someone who shares your positive traits.
Dabeef, Sergio Mendes looked so happy, perhaps amazed that he had a big hit and was succeeding at what he wanted to do in life. It sounded live, and had to have been skillfully miked. I hope the bandmember standing on the railing had health insurance.
Spike, yeah if you look carefully at the nuanced movement they do track with the sound correctly. Oddly, the music sounds identical to the track I have on a LP. I have to look at the liner notes for more clues. As for the guy on the rail, fortunately duck tape had been around since 1942.
Dabeef, I've heard the Manaus opera house has excellent acoustics - indeed, is famed for it. I'm certain that we had sonically equivalent experiences. But your was on site, as it were, and also came out of nowhere as regards your previous musical knowledge. I love being hit upside the head like that.
Spike, if the information on the lifesaver and other props is accurate, I'm guessing this clip came from Dick Clark's "Where The Action Is," his afternoon program that attempted to cash in on the popularity of "Shindig" and "Hullaballoo." Because there was no such thing as a live cut on that show, I am sadly forced to conclude that Brasil '66 lip-synched it. I am still putty in the hands of women who have that look....
And yes, I do believe I'm growing into my avatar. But then, as we age don't we all become our avatars?
I sure have.
Same here, Spike. I'm the one on the left.
I can't keep my eyes off those two women, alright. (Doublemint Twins?) Note: most of the song, they sing together. But at one point only one voice is heard, but both perfectly lipsynch. I think that's real water under the noble prow of the boat. I see ripples. That guy on the rail is pretty dang good.
By a srange coincidence, ivylander, I happen to have his album "cê" on my desk right now. Here's a sample. Rocks, Musa Hibrida, and O Herói
Brazill 66 was my first also. i think one of the women in brazil 66 was Lani Hall, a favorite of mine and i am afraid you are right about the lip sync on dick clark very few of his shows at that time were live music recordings. and speaking of avatars mine is a painting and haven't found another that best describes me.
Spike 1, what was that about seeing nipples? Where, where? Ha! Don't give me a heart attack.
Spike, you must introduce me to your barber,
Spike1, these are really interesting cuts. I have to confess that Caetano's more recent records have been easier for me to admire than to love ("Livro" is the exception - it's a throwback in the best way, though in fairness it does have several vintage songs of his, along with a couple of stinkers.) But I love the fact that, at his age and with his immortality assured, he continually strikes out into new territory.
CP3, over the years I have come to believe that Dick Clark is a handmaiden of Satan who would love nothing better to see real music laying dazed, bleeding and near death in a cave full of rabid bats....
Dabeef said nipples, heh....
A DJ Remix of Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66
Bill, it figures that the song in question is one by the incomparable Caetano Veloso. My experiences of listening to as well as watching him sing are no less than magical, always.
Egberto Gismonti and, strangely enough, by association, Pedro Almodóvar did it for me additionally.