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)
Isto Aqui o Que E?
João Gilberto Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
É um pouquinho de Brasil, iá iá
Deste Brasil que canta e é feliz
Feliz, feliz
É também um pouco de uma raça
Que não tem medo de fumaça ai, ai
E não se entrega não
Olha o jeito nas cadeiras que ela sabe dar
Olha só o remelexo que ela sabe dar
Olha o jeito nas cadeiras que ela sabe dar
Olha só o remelexo que ela sabe dar
Morena boa que me faz penar
Bota a sandália de prata
E vem pro samba sambar
Morena boa que me faz penar
Bota a sandália de prata
E vem pro samba sambar
Isto aqui
É um pouquinho de Brasil, iá iá
Deste Brasil que canta e é feliz
Feliz, feliz
É também um pouco de uma raça
Que não tem medo de fumaça ai, ai
E não se entrega não
Olha o jeito nas cadeiras que ela sabe dar
Olha só o remelexo que ela sabe dar
Olha o jeito nas cadeiras que ela sabe dar
Olha só o remelexo que ela sabe dar
Morena boa que me faz penar
Bota a sandália de prata
E vem pro samba sambar
Morena boa que me faz penar
Bota a sandália de prata
E vem pro samba sambar
Isto aqui
É um pouquinho de Brasil, iá iá
Deste Brasil que canta e é feliz
Feliz, feliz
É também um pouco de uma raça
Que não tem medo de fumaça ai, ai
E não se entrega não
Isto aqui
É um pouquinho de Brasil, iá iá
Desse Brasil que canta e é feliz
Feliz, feliz
É também um pouco de uma raça
Que não tem medo de fumaça ai, ai
E não se entrega não
Olha o jeito nas cadeiras que ela sabe dar
Olha só o remelexo que ela sabe dar
Olha o jeito nas cadeiras que ela sabe dar
Olha só o remelexo que ela sabe dar
Morena boa que me faz penar
Bota a sandália de prata
E vem pro samba sambar
Morena boa que me faz penar
Bota a sandália de prata
E vem pro samba sambar
In João Gilberto's song "Isto Aqui O Que É," the lyrics describe the essence of Brazil and the happiness found in the country's music. The singer relates that this is a little bit of Brazil that sings and is happy, and it is also a little bit of a race that is not afraid of smoke and does not give up easily. The lyrics take note of the way the woman moves in her chair, with her sensual swaying hips, and how she puts on her silver sandals to dance the samba with the singer.
The song perfectly encapsulates the joyous carnival spirit of Brazil and the passion for music and dance that is a significant part of the nation's culture. Brazil's music heritage is a perfect blend of African and Portuguese cultures, which have fused to create music styles that are unique and loved all over the world. The song also captures the freedom-loving spirit of the Brazilian people who face life with optimism and do not fear setbacks.
Overall, the lyrics of "Isto Aqui O Que É" mean that Brazil is full of fun, happiness, and vibrant energy that comes from the music, culture, and people who live there.
Line by Line Meaning
Isto aqui
É um pouquinho de Brasil, iá iá
Deste Brasil que canta e é feliz
Feliz, feliz
This is a little bit of Brazil, yaya
Of this Brazil that sings and is happy
Happy, happy
Essentially, this song is an ode to Brazil, the country that's known globally for its vibrant music and culture. It's also an exploration of the Brazilian people and their way of life, which is characterized by joy and a love for music.
É também um pouco de uma raça
Que não tem medo de fumaça ai, ai
E não se entrega não
It's also a little bit of a race
That isn't afraid of smoke, ai ai
And doesn't give up
The song acknowledges the resilience and determination of the Brazilian people, highlighting their ability to push through difficulties and never give up.
Olha o jeito nas cadeiras que ela sabe dar
Olha só o remelexo que ela sabe dar
Olha o jeito nas cadeiras que ela sabe dar
Olha só o remelexo que ela sabe dar
Look at the way she moves her hips
Just look at the groove she's got
Look at the way she moves her hips
Just look at the groove she's got
The song then shifts its focus to a particular woman, praising her dancing skills and sensuality. It celebrates the beauty of the Brazilian women and their ability to captivate with their movements.
Morena boa que me faz penar
Bota a sandália de prata
E vem pro samba sambar
Good-looking brown girl who makes me suffer
Put on your silver sandals
And come dance the samba
This stanza reinforces the earlier celebration of Brazilian women, urging the object of the singer's affection to put on her dancing shoes and join him in the samba.
Isto aqui
É um pouquinho de Brasil, iá iá
Deste Brasil que canta e é feliz
Feliz, feliz
This is a little bit of Brazil, yaya
Of this Brazil that sings and is happy
Happy, happy
The song's chorus reaffirms its central theme of joy and happiness, underscoring the idea that even a little bit of Brazil and its music is enough to make anyone happy.
Isto aqui
É um pouquinho de Brasil, iá iá
Desse Brasil que canta e é feliz
Feliz, feliz
This is a little bit of Brazil, yaya
Of this Brazil that sings and is happy
Happy, happy
The final repetition of the chorus drives home the song's message of joy and happiness, ending on a celebratory note of all that is great about Brazil and its culture.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Ary Barroso
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ppmbbarbosa
Isto aqui, ôi-ôi
É um pouquinho de Brasil, ia-iá
Deste Brasil que canta e é feliz
Feliz, feliz
É também um pouco de uma raça
Que não tem medo de fumaça ai, ai
E não se entrega, não
Olha o jeito nas 'cadeira' que ela sabe dar
Olha só o remelexo que ela sabe dar
Morena boa, que me faz penar
Bota a sandália de prata
E vem pro samba sambar
@wstsouza
A harmonia e a batida no violão; os avanços e os atrasos na melodia; que ritmo! Que balanço! Que maneira própria de executar um samba.
@sobrinhoneto6907
Si, incredible ! Maestro máximo !!!
@claudiocoelho7906
disse tudo!!
@dianagoncalves3768
Exacto! A maneira como ele emana a emoção em cada acorde musical é extraordinário
@tomassonhess9039
Lindo de se ver. O silencio, a voz, o Violão e a classe do mestre.
@RonaldoGazel
Hipnotizante essa interpretação, coisa mais linda.
@titamaral
Que triste, o mestre João Gilberto cantando um Brasil feliz, no entanto o próprio não se beneficiou dessa felicidade, como merecia! Um gênio pouco valorizado no Brasil.
Que ao menos o seja em outras galáxias.
@adrianomarques7896
Pouco valorizado aonde é reconhecido como criador da bossa etc 😂 reconhecido no mundo inteiro
@manassesoliveira1977
O incrível é que o público fica tenso!
Só esse gênio pra causar isso!!!
Grande Mestre!
@Gxyz222
He's incredible! Second to none, bossanova's greatest interpreter!