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)
The Girl From Ipanema
João Gilberto Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
É ela menina que vem e que passa
Num doce balanço a caminho do mar
Moça do corpo dourado do sol de Ipanema
O seu balançado é mais que um poema
É a coisa mais linda que eu já vi passar
Ah, por que tudo é tão triste?
Ah, a beleza que existe
A beleza que não é só minha
Que também passa sozinha
Ah, se ela soubesse
Que quando ela passa
O mundo sorrindo se enche de graça
E fica mais lindo por causa do amor
Tall and tan and young and lovely
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 gently
That when she passes each one, she passes, goes, ah
Oh, but he watches her so sadly
How can he tell her he loves her
Yes, he would give his heart gladly
But each day, when she walks to the sea
She looks straight ahead, not at him
Tall, and tan, and young, and lovely
The girl from Ipanema goes walking
And when she passes, he smiles, but she doesn't see
Oh, but he sees her so sadly
How can he tell her he loves her
Yes, he would give his heart gladly
But each day, when she walks to the sea
She looks straight ahead, not at him
Tall, and tan, and young, and lovely
The girl from Ipanema goes walking
And when she passes, he smiles, but she doesn't see
She just doesn't see, no she doesn't see
But she doesn't see, she doesn't see
The lyrics of The Girl From Ipanema describe a young woman who walks through the streets of Ipanema with a graceful and captivating presence. The singer observes her with admiration and describes her as the most beautiful thing he has ever seen. Despite his love for her, she remains oblivious to his presence, lost in her own world.
The singer expresses his loneliness and despair, contrasting it with the beauty of the girl from Ipanema. He wishes she could understand the happiness she brings to the world around her and the effect she has on those who watch her. The song portrays the bittersweet nature of unrequited love, as the singer longs for the girl but can never have her.
The song's smooth and romantic melody perfectly complements the poetic nature of the lyrics, making it a timeless classic that continues to be celebrated to this day.
Line by Line Meaning
Olha que coisa mais linda mais cheia de graça
Behold that most beautiful and graceful thing
É ela menina que vem que passa
It is she, the girl who passes by
Num doce balanço caminho do mar
In a sweet sway, on the road to the sea
Moça do corpo dourado do sol de Ipanema
A girl with a golden body, kissed by the sun of Ipanema
O seu balançado é mais que um poema
Her sway is more than a poem
É a coisa mais linda que eu já vi passar
She is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen pass by
Ah, porque estou tão sozinho
Oh, why am I so lonely
Ah, porque tudo é tão triste
Oh, why is everything so sad
Ah, a beleza que existe
Oh, the beauty that exists
A beleza que não é só minha
The beauty that is not just mine
Que também passa sozinha
But also passes alone
Ah, se ela soubesse
Oh, if only she knew
Que quando ela passa
That when she passes by
O mundo sorrindo se enche de graça
The world fills with grace and happiness
E fica mais lindo por causa do amor
And becomes more beautiful because of love
Tall and tan and young and lovely
She is tall, tanned, young and lovely
The girl from Ipanema goes walking
The girl from Ipanema walks by
And when she passes each one she passes goes, ah
And when she passes by, everyone sighs
When she walks, she's like a samba
As she walks, she moves like a samba
That swings so cool and sways so gently
Her movements are cool and gentle
Oh, but he watches so sadly
But he watches with sadness
How can he tell her he loves her
How can he express his love to her
Yes, he would give his heart gladly
He would give his heart to her willingly
But each day, when she walks to the sea
But every day, as she walks to the sea
She looks straight ahead, not at him
She looks straight ahead, not at him
And when she passes he smiles, but she doesn't see
As she passes by, he smiles, but she doesn't notice
She just doesn't see, no she just doesn't see
She simply doesn't notice him
But she doesn't see, she doesn't see, no she just doesn't see
But she doesn't notice him, no she doesn't notice him
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Tratore, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Norman Gimbel, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Vinicius De Moraes
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Evanimations-8888
i replied to this comment, searched what "Junkie" meant and then deleted the comment 😅
PS: the comment said "me too" so that's why i deleted it
PPS: but what I meant was that I'm also mainly into hip hop but love this song too
@reinhardleonardo9464
Olha que coisa mais linda
Mais cheia de graça
É ela menina, que vem e que passa
Num doce balanço, a caminho do mar
Moça do corpo dourado
Do sol de Ipanema
O seu balançado
É mais que um poema
É a coisa mais linda
Que eu já vi passar
Ah, por que estou tão sozinho?
Ah, por que tudo é tão triste?
Ah, a beleza que existe
A beleza que não é só minha
Que também passa sozinha
Ah, se ela soubesse
Que quando ela passa
O mundo sorrindo
Se enche de graça
E fica mais lindo
Por causa do amor
Tall and tan and young and lovely
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 gently
That when she passes, each one she passes goes, ah
Oh, but he watches so sadly
How can he tell her he loves her
Yes he would give his heart gladly
But each day, when 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 smiles, but she doesn’t see
Oh, but he sees her so sadly
How can he tell her he loves her
Yes, he would give his heart gladly
But each day, when 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 smiles, but she doesn’t see
She just doesn’t see
No she doesn’t see
But she doesn’t see
@d-effect8799
full lyrics:
Olha que coisa mais linda
Mais cheia de graça
É ela menina
Que vem e que passa
Num doce balanço
Caminho do mar
Moça do corpo dourado
Do sol de Ipanema
O seu balançado
É mais que um poema
É a coisa mais linda
Que eu já vi passar
Ahh, porque estou tão sozinho
Ahh, porque tudo e tão triste
Ahh, a beleza que existe
A beleza que não é só minha
Que também passa sozinha
Ahh, se ela soubesse
Que quando ela passa
O mundo inteirinho
Se enche de graça
E fica mais lindo
Por causa do amor
Tall and tan, young and lovely
The girl from Ipanema goes walking
And when she passes
Each one she passes goes " aah!"
When she walks she's like a samba
That swings so cool and sways so gently
That when she passes
Each one she passes goes " aah!"
Oh, but he watchs her so sadly
How can he tells her he loves her
Yes, he would give his heart gladly
But each day when she walks to the sea
She looks straight ahead not at him
Tall and tan, young and lovely
The girl from Ipanema goes walking
And when she passes
He smiles but she doesn't see
Oh, but he watch her so sadly
How can he tells her he loves her
Yes, he would give his heart gladly
But each day when she walks to the sea
She looks straight ahead not at him
Tall and tan, young and lovely
The girl from Ipanema goes walking
And when she passes
He smiles but she doesn't see
She just doesn't see
Oh, she doesn't see
But she doesn't see
She doesn't see
Oh, she doesn't see
@pl443
RIP Astrud (29 March 1940 – 5 June 2023). Your lovely voice will live on.
@patterson65
She was the real star of the song, no doubt about it.
@Ambaryerno
@@patterson65 What Getz did to her was criminal. The man was a Capital B Bastard.
@patgalvez4563
@@patterson65 lovely song
@rjhanim
Thank you for this lovely song, forever favorite song ❤ Rest in peace Astrud
@ericdreizen1463
One in a million, she was.
@lisakatz9437
My 17 year old daughter was just humming this amazingly beautiful tune. I looked at her and asked if she knew the song. She did not. Well, she does now! And we are dancing around our kitchen listening together. What a wonderful bonding moment. Peace and Love be with us all...
@Miewtopia
@@Angl-lo5rw yes
@Miewtopia
@@Angl-lo5rw NO IM JOKING IM NOT HIS DAUGHTER
@smabri1
wow....x