Born Ezekiel Christopher Montanez in Los Angeles, California, Montez was brought up in Hawthorne, California. His early musical influences included the latino music played and performed by residents of his neighborhood, as well as Ritchie Valens. After the release of the highly successful "Let's Dance" on Monogram Records, Montez spent several years touring with artists such as Sam Cooke, The Platters, and Smokey Robinson and The Miracles, as well as The Beatles, then relatively unknown outside of Liverpool.
Early in 1963, Montez would score another hit with "Some Kinda Fun". Reaching #43 on the charts, the song utilized the same catchy keyboard instrumentation as did "Let's Dance"; fittingly, both were million sellers, and were awarded gold discs. 1963 also saw the release of Montez's only album on Monogram, Let's Dance and Have Some Kinda' Fun!!!. Shortly before Monogram folded, Montez was paired up with Kathy Young, releasing two singles as the duo Chris & Kathy, most notably surf rock classic "Shoot That Curl". While at Monogram, Montez wrote, or co-wrote, several of his own songs, such as "Chiquita Mia", "Let's Do the Limbo" and "No No No".
Two years later, Montez was practically a non-entity in the music business; however, Herb Alpert, co-founder of A&M Records, cordially invited Montez to resume his recording career at A&M. When Montez attempted to replicate his earlier rock 'n' roll success, however, Alpert personally suggested that Montez try a different approach: a middle of the road, soft ballad sound. While not particularly interested in changing his style of music, Montez decided to trust Alpert's instincts.
"Call Me", a cover version of a Petula Clark song, was the first single from his 1966 album, The More I See You / Call Me, earning Montez his biggest hit in years, eventually reaching #22. The song has since become an easy listening standard. The album's title cut, Montez's second single, was a source of confusion for certain radio disc jockeys who were unfamiliar with Montez' past as a rocker; when back-announcing the song, they would often refer to Montez as being female, likely owing to Montez's falsetto singing style. This confusion would be cleared up by the time the album, bearing Montez's pictures on the front and back sleeve, was released.
Montez would record three more albums for A&M: Time After Time (1966), Foolin' Around (1967), and Watch What Happens (1968). Although quite stylistically similar to his first hit album on A&M, they failed to mirror its success, although Time After Time's title cut and "Because of You" both managed to crack the Hot 100. In 1968, Montez departed from A&M on a three-year sabbatical. In 1972, Montez released a big hit single in Brazil, "Loco por ti". By this time, he had returned to his rock roots, albeit with more noticeable pop influence than before.
Two years later, now with CBS Records, Montez released The Best of Chris Montez, a compilation consisting of both old and new material, the newer bearing little to no resemblance to his past hits. While at CBS, he released one more album: Raza: Ay no digas, which fared well in international markets but failed to make an impact in the US. In 1983, Montez released his final album, Cartas de Amor, all of its songs being sung in Spanish. Although his recording career appears to be behind him, Montez is still an active musician, performing to mostly foreign audiences.
In 2008, Frozen Pictures announced plans to make a documentary on Montez's life and career, El viaje musical de Ezekiel Montanez: The Chris Montez Story. The film, focusing on Montez's multi-faceted musical career and considerable influence, has been previewed at several film festivals, but has not seen domestic release.
Girl From Ipanema
Chris Montez Lyrics
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The girl from Ipanema goes walking
And when she passes, each one she passes goes - ah
When she walks, she's like a samba
That swings so cool and sways so gentle
That when she passes, each one she passes goes - ah
How can he tell her he loves her
Yes I would give my heart gladly
But each day, that she walks to the sea
She looks straight ahead, not at he
Tall, (and) tan, (and) young, (and) lovely
The girl from Ipanema goes walking
And when she passes, he smile - but she doesn't see
(Doesn't see)
(She just doesn't see, she never sees him)
The song "Girl From Ipanema" describes a young woman who walks through the streets of Ipanema with such enchanting grace that she causes all heads to turn. She is tall and tan, with the rhythm of a samba in her step. She walks by the singer and he watches her with a sad longing, unable to express his love for her. He describes how each person is captivated by her beauty, but she doesn't acknowledge any of them. Her presence is like a breath of fresh air, and everything around her comes to life when she's near.
The singer is hopelessly in love with the girl from Ipanema, but she is oblivious to his feelings. He admires her from afar, painfully jealous of the other men who pass her on the street. He watches her every move, wishing he could be the one she notices. But for her, he's just another face in the crowd. The melancholic undertones of the lyrics paired with the upbeat rhythm of the music is a classic example of the varied emotional range of bossa-nova.
Line by Line Meaning
Tall and tan and young and lovely
Describing the girl from Ipanema as having a tall, tanned, youthful, and beautiful appearance
The girl from Ipanema goes walking
Stating that the girl from Ipanema takes frequent walks
And when she passes, each one she passes goes - ah
Noting the effect the girl has on those who see her, causing them to express their admiration
When she walks, she's like a samba
Comparing the girl's walking style to the fluid and rhythmic movements of the samba dance
That swings so cool and sways so gentle
Describing the girl's walking style as graceful, relaxed, and effortless
That when she passes, each one she passes goes - ah
Reiterating the effect that the girl has on those who see her
(Ooh) But he watch her so sadly
Expressing the sadness felt by the singer when watching the girl from afar
How can he tell her he loves her
Pondering how the artist can reveal his feelings to the girl, given their lack of direct interaction
Yes I would give my heart gladly
Expressing the artist's willingness to contribute everything to the girl
But each day, that she walks to the sea
Describing the girl's frequent walks toward the ocean
She looks straight ahead, not at he
Noting that the girl does not seem to notice the singer's presence or affection
The girl from Ipanema goes walking
Repeating the prior statement about the girl's walking, just with slightly different words
And when she passes, he smile - but she doesn't see
Indicating that the singer continues to admire the girl, but still is not noticed by her
(Doesn't see)
Repeating the prior statement in a shorter form
(She just doesn't see, she never sees him)
Stating explicitly that the girl has not ever shown notice of the singer
Lyrics © GRACEFUL SAMBA MUSIC
Written by: BOLA SETE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind