I was reading a blip on the song “The Girl from Ipanema” which was a very well known bossa nova song. Then I got to thinking what is bossa nova music? So I looked it up on the Wikipedia but it didn’t give song lists.
So what are some better known example of bossa nova or even *bossa nova-like *songs, that may be well known?
The first one that comes to mind is “Blame it on the Bossa Nova.” Should be youtubeable, but I can’t hear it at work.
Isn’t at least one of the James Bond theme songs Bosa Nova? “Human” by Goldfrapp is bosa nova and it gets compared to those theme songs.
Well, Quincy Jones has a whole album entitled “Big Band Bossa Nova,” which starts off with what’s now probably the most famous example of the style, thanks to Austin Powers
The rest of the album is good, too.
That was sung by Edie Gorme, wife of Steve Lawrence.
Had the 45 record when I was a kid
Wasn’t there a coffee song? “They’ve got an awful lot of coffee in Brazil”.
an seanchai
All of the Stan Getz/Joao Gilberto album is instantly recognizable to me, which of course contains Ipanema and Desafinado. Antonio Carlos Jobim is one of the musical geniuses of our time.
Composers:
Antonio Carlos Jobim
Luis Bonfa
Joao Gilberto
Carlos Lyra
Vinicius de Moraes
Some songs:
Chega de Saudade (No More Blues)
O Barquinho (Little Boat)
O Pato (The Duck)
Agua de Beber (Water to Drink)
Manha de Carnaval (Morning of the Carnaval)
A Day In the Life of a Fool
Black Orpheus
Summer Samba
Dindi
One Note Samba
Check YouTube for any of these and follow links.
American Jazz Players with Bossa Nova material:
Stan Getz
Herbie Mann
Dizzy Gillespie
Charlie Byrd
Zoot Sims
Barney Kessel
Bud Shank
Laurindo Almeida
I don’t know if it qualifies, but Aguas de Março (Waters of March) has always had a bossa nova-ish feel to me.
“The Look of Love” from Casino Royale(1967).
John Pizzarelli recorded a CD called Bossa Nova, including some of the songs Zeldar named plus Desfinado, Aquelas Coisas Todas, So Danco Samba, Aguas De Marco, and Soares Samba. It’s good but not great.
Favorite rock song that features a bossa nova beat?
How about Break on Through (to the Other Side) by the Doors.
The intro and main percussion riff is straight-up bossa nova stick work.
Listen here
Thanks I’ll start looking for them
I have to admit I don’t know the exact definition of a bossa nova beat, but it seems to me that Elvis’ Bossa Nova Baby might fit the bill.
One Mint Julep, Ray Charles (and Quincy Jones) might fit the beat, too.
Corcovado and Blue Bossa haven’t been mentioned yet, the soundtrack to Next Stop Wonderland is a nice sampler.
Mas Que Nada?
(I always get confused with bossa nova, samba, and other things.)
Mmmmm…Dazzling Chocolate Recipes and Seductive Bossa Nova Music
This is the place to recommend Rita Lee. She has an album that consists of covers of the Beatles done in a bossa nova style.
Minha Vida (in my life)