João Gilberto (João Gilberto Prado Pereira de Oliveira, Juazeiro, Bahia, Br… Read Full Bio ↴João Gilberto (João Gilberto Prado Pereira de Oliveira, Juazeiro, Bahia, Brazil, June 10, 1931 - July 6, 2019) was a Brazilian singer, acoustic guitarist and ocasional songwriter, considered one of the creators of bossa nova with Antônio Carlos Jobim and Vinícius de Moraes. One of his most famous nicknames is "Pai da Bossa Nova" (Father of Bossa Nova).
A self-taught guitarist and singer, Gilberto moved to Rio de Janeiro in 1950 and joined the vocal group Garotos da Lua ("The Boys of the Moon") as their lead singer. After a year and a half, he was kicked out of the group for his lack of discipline and spent the next several years in a marginal existence. Eventually, he found his way, creating a new way to express himself in voice and on the guitar. The result of his obsessive experiments became known as bossa nova.
Bossa nova is a refined version of samba, deemphasizing the percussive aspect of its rhythm and enriching the melodic and harmonic content. Rather than relying on the traditional Afro-Brazilian percussive instruments, bossa nova usually utilizes a drum set. João Gilberto often eschews all accompaniment, using only his guitar, which he uses as a percussive as well as a harmonic instrument. The singing style he developed is almost whispering, economical, and without vibrato. He creates his tempo tensions by singing ahead or behind the guitar.
This style, which Gilberto introduced in 1957, created a sensation in the musical circles of Rio's Zona Sul, and many young guitarists sought to imitate it. It was first heard on record in 1958 when João Gilberto accompanied singer Elizete Cardoso in a recording of "Chega de Saudade", a song by Antonio Carlos Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes. Shortly after this recording, João Gilberto made his own debut single of the same song, followed by the 1959 LP, Chega de Saudade. The song became a hit, launching Gilberto's career and the bossa nova craze.
Besides a number of Jobim compositions, the album Chega de Saudade featured older sambas and popular songs from the 1940s and '50s, all performed in the distinctive bossa nova style. This album was followed by two more in 1960 and 1961, by which time the singer featured new songs by a younger generation of performer/composers such as Carlos Lyra and Roberto Menescal.
By 1962, bossa nova had been embraced by such North American jazz musicians as Herbie Mann, Charlie Byrd, and Stan Getz, who invited Gilberto and Jobim to collaborate on what became one of the best-selling jazz albums of all time, Getz/Gilberto. Through this album, Gilberto's wife, Astrud, became an international star, and the Jobim/de Moraes composition "The Girl from Ipanema" became a worldwide pop music standard for the ages.
João Gilberto continued to perform through the 1960s but did not release another studio album until João Gilberto en México, recorded in 1970 during a period of residence in Mexico. João Gilberto, aka the "White Album" (1973), featured hypnotic minimalist execution and is widely considered to be his best album. The year 1976 saw the release of The Best of Two Worlds, a reunion with Stan Getz, featuring singer Miúcha, sister of Chico Buarque, who had become Gilberto's second wife in April 1965. Amoroso (1977) backed Gilberto with the lush string orchestration of Claus Ogerman, who had provided a similar sound to Jobim's instrumental recordings in the late 1960s and early 1970s. As had been the case for all of Gilberto's albums, the album consisted mostly of Jobim compositions, mixed with older sambas and an occasional North American standard from the 1940s.
Having lived in the US since 1962, João Gilberto returned to Brazil in 1980. The following year saw the release of Brasil, with guests Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso, who in the late 1960s had founded the Tropicalia movement, a fusion of Brazilian popular music with foreign pop. The 1991 release, João, with orchestrations by Clare Fischer, was unusual in its lack of even a single Jobim composition, instead featuring songs in English, French, Italian, and Spanish, plus old sambas and the solitary contemporary song "Sampa" (Caetano Veloso). Also released in 1991 was the album Canto Do Pajé by Veloso's sister Maria Bethânia on which Bethânia and Gilberto sing an intimate duet Maria/Linda Flor (Barroso, Peixoto, Vogler, Costa, and Pôrto) accompanied solely by his guitar. João Voz e Violão (2000) was an homage to the music of Gilberto's youth as well as a nod to producer Caetano Veloso.
Evenly interspersed with these studio recordings have been the live recordings, Live in Montreux; João Gilberto Prado Pereira de Oliveira; Eu Sei Que Vou Te Amar; Live at Umbria Jazz, and Live in Tokyo.
While all of Gilberto's albums since Getz/Gilberto have been released on CD, the first three domestic albums were released in 1988 by EMI on a single CD entitled The Legendary João Gilberto: The Original Bossa Nova Recordings (1958-1961). The disc also included three tracks from the singer's 1959 Orfeu Negro EP: "Manhã de Carnaval," O Nosso Amor, and A Felicidade, the latter two merged into a single medley track to fit within the recording time of a CD. After its release, Gilberto successfully sued to have the title removed from sale as an unauthorized release of his artistic works.
João Gilberto has long had a reputation as an eccentric recluse and a nearly neurotic perfectionist. He lives in an apartment in Leblon, Rio de Janeiro, refusing all interviews and avoiding crowds. He has been known to walk out on performances in response to an audience he considers disrespectful or out of theaters possessing acoustics below his standards, and at times demands that the air conditioning be turned off at concert venues. Yet he continues to perform to sell-out crowds in Brazil as well as in Europe, North America, and Japan.
Discography:
1959 - Chega de Saudade (Odeon)
1960 - O Amor, o Sorriso e a Flor (Odeon)
1961 - João Gilberto (Odeon)
1962 - The Boss of the Bossa Nova (Atlantic)
1963 - The Warm World of João Gilberto (Atlantic)
1964 - Getz/Gilberto (Verve)
1965 - Herbie Mann & João Gilberto (Atlantic)
1974 - João Gilberto en Mexico (PolyGram)
1976 - Best of Two Worlds (Columbia)
1977 - Amoroso (Warner Brothers)
1981 - Brasil (Warner Brothers)
1986 - João Gilberto Live in Montreux (WEA)
1991 - João (PolyGram)
2000 - João Voz e Violão (Universal)
2002 - Live at Umbria Jazz (Egea)
2004 - João Gilberto in Tokyo (Verve)
A self-taught guitarist and singer, Gilberto moved to Rio de Janeiro in 1950 and joined the vocal group Garotos da Lua ("The Boys of the Moon") as their lead singer. After a year and a half, he was kicked out of the group for his lack of discipline and spent the next several years in a marginal existence. Eventually, he found his way, creating a new way to express himself in voice and on the guitar. The result of his obsessive experiments became known as bossa nova.
Bossa nova is a refined version of samba, deemphasizing the percussive aspect of its rhythm and enriching the melodic and harmonic content. Rather than relying on the traditional Afro-Brazilian percussive instruments, bossa nova usually utilizes a drum set. João Gilberto often eschews all accompaniment, using only his guitar, which he uses as a percussive as well as a harmonic instrument. The singing style he developed is almost whispering, economical, and without vibrato. He creates his tempo tensions by singing ahead or behind the guitar.
This style, which Gilberto introduced in 1957, created a sensation in the musical circles of Rio's Zona Sul, and many young guitarists sought to imitate it. It was first heard on record in 1958 when João Gilberto accompanied singer Elizete Cardoso in a recording of "Chega de Saudade", a song by Antonio Carlos Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes. Shortly after this recording, João Gilberto made his own debut single of the same song, followed by the 1959 LP, Chega de Saudade. The song became a hit, launching Gilberto's career and the bossa nova craze.
Besides a number of Jobim compositions, the album Chega de Saudade featured older sambas and popular songs from the 1940s and '50s, all performed in the distinctive bossa nova style. This album was followed by two more in 1960 and 1961, by which time the singer featured new songs by a younger generation of performer/composers such as Carlos Lyra and Roberto Menescal.
By 1962, bossa nova had been embraced by such North American jazz musicians as Herbie Mann, Charlie Byrd, and Stan Getz, who invited Gilberto and Jobim to collaborate on what became one of the best-selling jazz albums of all time, Getz/Gilberto. Through this album, Gilberto's wife, Astrud, became an international star, and the Jobim/de Moraes composition "The Girl from Ipanema" became a worldwide pop music standard for the ages.
João Gilberto continued to perform through the 1960s but did not release another studio album until João Gilberto en México, recorded in 1970 during a period of residence in Mexico. João Gilberto, aka the "White Album" (1973), featured hypnotic minimalist execution and is widely considered to be his best album. The year 1976 saw the release of The Best of Two Worlds, a reunion with Stan Getz, featuring singer Miúcha, sister of Chico Buarque, who had become Gilberto's second wife in April 1965. Amoroso (1977) backed Gilberto with the lush string orchestration of Claus Ogerman, who had provided a similar sound to Jobim's instrumental recordings in the late 1960s and early 1970s. As had been the case for all of Gilberto's albums, the album consisted mostly of Jobim compositions, mixed with older sambas and an occasional North American standard from the 1940s.
Having lived in the US since 1962, João Gilberto returned to Brazil in 1980. The following year saw the release of Brasil, with guests Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso, who in the late 1960s had founded the Tropicalia movement, a fusion of Brazilian popular music with foreign pop. The 1991 release, João, with orchestrations by Clare Fischer, was unusual in its lack of even a single Jobim composition, instead featuring songs in English, French, Italian, and Spanish, plus old sambas and the solitary contemporary song "Sampa" (Caetano Veloso). Also released in 1991 was the album Canto Do Pajé by Veloso's sister Maria Bethânia on which Bethânia and Gilberto sing an intimate duet Maria/Linda Flor (Barroso, Peixoto, Vogler, Costa, and Pôrto) accompanied solely by his guitar. João Voz e Violão (2000) was an homage to the music of Gilberto's youth as well as a nod to producer Caetano Veloso.
Evenly interspersed with these studio recordings have been the live recordings, Live in Montreux; João Gilberto Prado Pereira de Oliveira; Eu Sei Que Vou Te Amar; Live at Umbria Jazz, and Live in Tokyo.
While all of Gilberto's albums since Getz/Gilberto have been released on CD, the first three domestic albums were released in 1988 by EMI on a single CD entitled The Legendary João Gilberto: The Original Bossa Nova Recordings (1958-1961). The disc also included three tracks from the singer's 1959 Orfeu Negro EP: "Manhã de Carnaval," O Nosso Amor, and A Felicidade, the latter two merged into a single medley track to fit within the recording time of a CD. After its release, Gilberto successfully sued to have the title removed from sale as an unauthorized release of his artistic works.
João Gilberto has long had a reputation as an eccentric recluse and a nearly neurotic perfectionist. He lives in an apartment in Leblon, Rio de Janeiro, refusing all interviews and avoiding crowds. He has been known to walk out on performances in response to an audience he considers disrespectful or out of theaters possessing acoustics below his standards, and at times demands that the air conditioning be turned off at concert venues. Yet he continues to perform to sell-out crowds in Brazil as well as in Europe, North America, and Japan.
Discography:
1959 - Chega de Saudade (Odeon)
1960 - O Amor, o Sorriso e a Flor (Odeon)
1961 - João Gilberto (Odeon)
1962 - The Boss of the Bossa Nova (Atlantic)
1963 - The Warm World of João Gilberto (Atlantic)
1964 - Getz/Gilberto (Verve)
1965 - Herbie Mann & João Gilberto (Atlantic)
1974 - João Gilberto en Mexico (PolyGram)
1976 - Best of Two Worlds (Columbia)
1977 - Amoroso (Warner Brothers)
1981 - Brasil (Warner Brothers)
1986 - João Gilberto Live in Montreux (WEA)
1991 - João (PolyGram)
2000 - João Voz e Violão (Universal)
2002 - Live at Umbria Jazz (Egea)
2004 - João Gilberto in Tokyo (Verve)
Bésame Mucho
João Gilberto Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Besame, Besame mucho, Como si fuera esta noche, La ultima vez
Besame, Besame Mucho, Que tengo miedo perderte,Perderte despues ...
Besame, Besame mucho, Como si fuera esta noche, La ultimavez
Besame, Besame Mucho, Que tengo miedo perderte,Perderte despues ...
Quiero Sentirte muy cerca, Mirarme en tus ojos, Verte juntoa mi
Piensa que tal vez mañana, Yo estare lejos, Muy lejos de ti ...
Besame, Besame mucho, Como si fuera esta noche, La ultimavez
Besame, Besame Mucho, Que tengo miedo perderte,Perderte despues ...
Besame, Besame mucho, Como si fuera esta noche, La ultimavez
Besame, Besame Mucho, Que tengo miedo perderte,Perderte despues ...
Quiero Sentirte muy cerca, Mirarme en tus ojos, Verte juntoa mi
Piensa que tal vez mañana, Yo estare lejos, Muy lejos de ti ...
Besame, Besame mucho, Como si fuera esta noche, La ultimavez
The song Besame Mucho, originally written by Consuelo Velasquez, has been covered countless times, but Joao Gilberto's version stands out for its beautifully interpretive and emotive performance. The song is about an intense and passionate moment between two lovers - the singer is pleading with his partner to kiss him as if it were the last time, because he is afraid he might lose them forever.
The lyrics express a deep sense of longing and desperation, emphasizing the fragility and fleeting nature of life and love. The repetition of "Besame, Besame mucho" emphasizes the need for physical intimacy, and the urgency of the moment. The singer implores his lover to hold him close, to look into his eyes, and to savor the present moment, knowing full well that tomorrow they may be separated.
Line by Line Meaning
Besame, Besame mucho, Como si fuera esta noche, La ultima vez
Kiss me, kiss me a lot, as if tonight were the last time we have together
Besame, Besame Mucho, Que tengo miedo perderte,Perderte despues ...
Kiss me, kiss me a lot, because I am afraid of losing you later on
Besame, Besame mucho, Como si fuera esta noche, La ultimavez
Kiss me, kiss me a lot, as if tonight were the last time we have together
Quiero Sentirte muy cerca, Mirarme en tus ojos, Verte juntoa mi
I want to feel you very close, look into your eyes, and have you close to me
Piensa que tal vez mañana, Yo estare lejos, Muy lejos de ti ...
Think that perhaps tomorrow, I will be far away, very far from you
Besame, Besame mucho, Como si fuera esta noche, La ultima vez
Kiss me, kiss me a lot, as if tonight were the last time we have together
Contributed by Caleb I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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@francescomorabito3048
Bésame, bésame mucho
Como si fuera esta noche la última vez
Bésame, bésame mucho
Que tengo miedo a perderte
Perderte despues
Bésame, bésame mucho
Como si fuera esta noche la última vez
Bésame, bésame mucho
Que tengo miedo a perderte
Perderte despues
Quiero sentirte muy cerca
Mirarme en tus ojos
Verte junto a mí
Piensa que tal vez mañana yo ya estare lejos
Muy lejos de ti
Bésame, bésame mucho
Como si fuera esta noche la última vez
Bésame, bésame mucho
Que tengo miedo a perderte
Perderte despues
Bésame, bésame mucho
Como si fuera esta noche la última vez
Bésame, bésame mucho
Que tengo miedo a perderte
Perderte despues
@zootszabo2415
Besame, besame mucho
Each time I cling to your lips
I hear music divine
Besame besame mucho
Hold me my darling
And say that you'll always be mine
This joy is something new
My arms enfolding you
Never knew this thrill before
Who ever thought I'd be
Holding you close to me
Whispering, It's you I adore
Dearest one, if you should leave me
Each little dreams will take wings
And my heart would be through
Besame mucho
Hold me forever
And make all my dreams come true
This joy is something new
My arms enfolding you
Never known this thrill before
Who ever thought I'd be
Holding you close to me
Whispering, It's you I adore
Besame besame mucho
Hold me forever
And make all my dreams come true
@jeanned.6706
A classic!
Besame, besame mucho
Como si fuera esta la noche
La ultima vez
Besame, besame mucho
Que tengo miedo a perderte
Perderte después
Quiero tenerte muy cerca
Mirarme en tus ojos
Verte junto a mi
Piensa que tal vez mañana
Yo ya estaré lejos
Muy lejos de aquí
Besame, besame mucho
Como si…
@jeremyflakes
Recuerdo que ayer Miercoles 25 de enero del 2023, pude ver a mi novia que llego de Italia. Recuerdo bien que antes que se fuera a su casa, le coloque mis audifonos y le puse esta canción mientras la besaba y abrazaba y ponia mi cabeza en su hombro. No pude contenerme las lagrimas y ella puso sus suaves manos en mi cara y me dijo: ¿Porque lloras mi amor? Voy a estar siempre contigo pase lo que pase. Fue un momento tan hermoso que senti como nuestras almas se conectaban y nuestros corazones emitian latidos que formaban una hermosa melodia. Ella tiene un corazón tan hermoso y un amor tan puro que voy a proteger siempre.
Te amo tanto lulu, quiero estar a tu lado pase lo que pase.
@juancarlossaavedra4505
Frederik Chopin said " Good music is measured by the quality of the silence in between the notes " Joao is a master in this aspect.
@bandgeek0622
Chopin, aka that one composer that tries to put as many notes as possible in one measure. Oh the irony.
@Ivanselectsongs
wow, "quality silence" is a combination of words I had never imagined. thanks for sharing!
@ceroci343
impressive
@yassir7001
I think that was Claude Debussy
@mjjj4067
That was Claude Debussy who said “music is the silence between the notes” :)
@lewest7317
The amount of air, space, timing, pacing, silence in this album is astonishing. The orchestral arrangements are among the best I have heard. One of my favorites recordings.
@F8Lwrld
yes
@pepperwilliams4428
I bought this album in 1977. It's one of the best Bossa Nova albums ever. All the arrangements are done impeccably by the great Claus Ogerman. 5 stars out of 5