The sexy/quirky/mysterious Brazilian Girls were three men -- Didi Gutman (from Argentina) on keyboards and computers, Jesse Murphy on bass, and Aaron Johnston on drums -- and one woman, Sabina Sciubba, the vocalist. Sciubba often enjoys wearing lacy eye masks on-stage and sings in no fewer than five different languages. She was born in Rome but grew up in Nice and Munich before settling in Brooklyn, NY. She first came to record buyers' attention when she recorded two jazz albums -- You Don't Know What Love Is with pianist Chris Anderson and Meet Me in London with guitarist Antonio Forcione -- for the English audiophile label Naim. She described her meeting with the men of Brazilian Girls as "love at first sight and it moved as fast as the Autobahn." Falling into the new, playful downtown scene that was revolving around the Nublu club helped speed the band's success.
Like-minded bands like Wax Poetic and the Nublu Orchestra had made the club the hip spot 2004 for adventurous pop fans and Brazilian Girls' freeform, bouncy kind of jamming fit right in. Soon they had the Saturday night slot at Nublu, and the East Village press had fallen in love with them. Murphy and Johnston made appearances on John Zorn's 2003 album Voices in the Wilderness and every Brazilian Girl contributed to Wax Poetic's sophomore release, the Nublu Sessions, the same year. The Verve Company became interested in the band around this time, thinking them perfect for the more pop and progressive imprint Verve Forecast. In 2004 the label released the Lazy Lover (EP), which included the title track -- a chillout room favorite -- in its original form and in a remix by the quirky house producer Herbert. The group's self-titled, full-length debut Brazilian Girls hit the streets in early 2005. (allmusic.com, 02/06) The band's second album, Talk to La Bomb, was released in September 2006 by Verve Forecast, to mixed reviews.
In 2008, the band released a third album "New York City" - also to mixed reviews. In the interim, singer Sciubba returned to France and had a child. Unfortunately, the band announced in January 2011 that they had broken up.
Nouveau Americain
Brazilian Girls Lyrics
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maybe it was a vista
ma te lho detto colto impossibile divino
i followed him around
i thought they never existed
ognuno hat mal nella vita una voce di bambina
it's not my fault
i'm a nouveau americain
i'm a nouveau americain
he's a nouveau americain
As good as gold
i saw another one from a distance
there was a ribbon in my hair
und meine sonne und mein mond am himmel
wie wunderbar i thought
but then there's zero resistance
ognuno hat mal nella vita un momento di follia
he said:
it's not my fault
i'm a nouveau americain
i'm a nouveau americain
he's a nouveau americain
so he said
eye catcher
it is a matter of gusto
la nuit est jeune so soll es sein
y cada vez un poco mas y cada vez un poco mas
the last one to laugh will not be driving a mustang
ognuno hat mal nella vita il momento di poesia
he said:
it's not my fault
i'm a nouveau americain
i'm a nouveau americain
yes a nouveau americain.
he's a nouveau americain
The song "Nouveau Americain" by Brazilian Girls is a poetic reflection on the experience of living as an immigrant in America. The lyrics describe the singer's encounters with two different men, both of whom are described as "eye catchers" or visually striking. The first man seems unattainable and god-like, while the second is more accessible but still alluring.
The chorus reveals that the second man, who refers to himself as a "nouveau americain," is the focus of the singer's attention. The term "nouveau americain" suggests that he is a recent immigrant to the United States, and the lyrics imply that he may be struggling with his identity in this new context. However, he maintains a sense of confidence and charm, proclaiming that his behavior is not his fault.
The overall message of the song is that life is full of ups and downs, and that every person experiences moments of both beauty and madness. The singer seems to identify with the struggles of the "nouveau americain," and the lyrics suggest that she is attracted to his resilience and determination in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
eye catcher
Something that captures one's attention or is visually striking
maybe it was a vista
Perhaps it was a scenic view or panorama that caught my eye
ma te lho detto colto impossibile divino
I told you, a refined, impossible, divine man
i followed him around
I kept close to him and trailed him
i thought they never existed
I believed such a person or thing could never exist
ognuno hat mal nella vita una voce di bambina
We all have a childlike voice at some point in our lives
it's not my fault
I am not to blame
i'm a nouveau americain
I am a new kind of American
he's a nouveau americain
He is a new kind of American
As good as gold
As genuine as one can be
i saw another one from a distance
I spotted another one from afar
there was a ribbon in my hair
I had a ribbon tied in my hair
und meine sonne und mein mond am himmel
And my sun and my moon in the sky
wie wunderbar i thought
How wonderful, I thought
but then there's zero resistance
But then there was no opposition or challenge
he said:
He spoke:
so he said
And then he said
it is a matter of gusto
It is a matter of personal taste
la nuit est jeune so soll es sein
The night is young, so it should be
y cada vez un poco mas y cada vez un poco mas
And each time a little more, and each time a little more
the last one to laugh will not be driving a mustang
The person who doesn't give up and persists will succeed eventually
ognuno hat mal nella vita il momento di poesia
We all have a moment of poetry in our lives
yes a nouveau americain.
Yes, a new kind of American.
Writer(s): Aaron Johnston, Didi Gutman, Jesse Yusef Murphy, Sabina Sciubba Copyright: Didisongs, Blue People Drum Music, Sciubbiz Music, Hoss Music, Songs Of Universal Inc., Universal Music Corp.
Contributed by Asher G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.