One Note Samba
Leroy Holmes and His Orchestra Lyrics


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This is just
A little samba
Built upon
A single note
Other notes
Are sure to follow
But the root
Is still that note
Now this new note
Is the consequence
Of the one
We've just
Been through

As I'm bound to be
The unavoidable
Consequence of you
There's so many people
Who can talk
And talk and talk
And just say nothing
Or nearly nothing

I have used up
All the scale
I know
And at the end
I've come
To nothing
I mean nothing
So I come back
To my first note
As I must
Come back to you

I will pour
Into that one note
All the love
I feel for you
Anyone who wants
The whole show, show
Do-re-mi-fa
So-la-ci-do
He will
Find himself
With no show




Better play
The note you know

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Leroy Holmes and His Orchestra's song One Note Samba are a testament to the power of simplicity. The song describes a little samba that is built upon a single note, with other notes sure to follow. Despite the introduction of new notes, the root of the song remains that one note. The lyrics liken this to the unavoidable consequence of a relationship, where each person is bound to influence the other. The singer notes that so many people can talk and talk and say nothing, but he has used up all the scale he knows and come to nothing. He comes back to the first note, as he must come back to the person he loves. The lyrics end with the advice to play the note you know, rather than trying to put on a show.


Line by Line Meaning

This is just
This song is not grand


A little samba
It is a simple samba


Built upon
Created on the foundation of


A single note
Only one simple note


Other notes
Additional notes


Are sure to follow
Will soon come


But the root
However, the basis of the song


Is still that note
Is still that simple single note


Now this new note
This new additional note


Is the consequence
Is a result of


Of the one
The previous single note


We've just
That we just played


Been through
Has just happened


As I'm bound to be
Since you and I are connected, my existence is inevitable


The unavoidable
I am the result of our relationship


Consequence of you
A part of you that cannot be ignored


There's so many people
There are many people without direction


Who can talk and talk and talk
They only know how to talk


And just say nothing
And never say anything worthwhile


Or nearly nothing
Or almost insignificant words


I have used up
I have explored all


All the scale I know
Every single note I know


And at the end
But at the end


I've come to nothing
I found no other creative way to proceed


I mean nothing
Therefore nothing has been created


So I come back
I return


To my first note
To the basic single note


As I must
Because there's no other option for me


Come back to you
I am forever attached to you


I will pour
I will give


Into that one note
All my attention will focus on that one note


All the love
It'll be filled with all of the love


I feel for you
That I have for you


Anyone who wants
Anyone thinking they're prepared


The whole show, show
Are inviting others to enjoy everything they have


Do-re-mi-fa
The musical notes of the scale


So-la-ci-do
They still won't be satisfied


He will find himself
He'll eventually discover himself


With no show
Without any real achievement


Better play the note you know
It's better to stick to only what you know.




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@106001185

As a long time pc flight simulator enthusiast, I used a "sound panel mod" for FS9 (aka MS Flight Simulator 2004) two decades ago, which someone had made to download and use in your plane. This panel did not include only airport ambience files and in flight announcements, but also three "cabin muzak" files:

1. Bert Kaempfert, Swinging Safari,
2. Henry Mancini, Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, and
3. (you guessed it) ... Leroy Holmes, One Note Samba / Recado Bossa Nova!

So ever since ... whenever I hear this masterpiece here ... I am in my mind boarding a vintage airliner, sitting down somewhere in the front section, and slowly sipping my first welcome glass of champagne.

Thanks a lot for these nice memories!



All comments from YouTube:

@106001185

As a long time pc flight simulator enthusiast, I used a "sound panel mod" for FS9 (aka MS Flight Simulator 2004) two decades ago, which someone had made to download and use in your plane. This panel did not include only airport ambience files and in flight announcements, but also three "cabin muzak" files:

1. Bert Kaempfert, Swinging Safari,
2. Henry Mancini, Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, and
3. (you guessed it) ... Leroy Holmes, One Note Samba / Recado Bossa Nova!

So ever since ... whenever I hear this masterpiece here ... I am in my mind boarding a vintage airliner, sitting down somewhere in the front section, and slowly sipping my first welcome glass of champagne.

Thanks a lot for these nice memories!

@vnrjn8

Many of these ultra-lounge records were made by great musicians. I'm sure the times were just as corrupt and unseemly as they are today, but these records lay a patina of innocence over days gone, probably because some of us associate them with our parents and childhood. It's an illusion, but we're entitled to a few now and then.

@eratopavlidi7930

bossa for ever !!!! love it !!!

@paataramishvili9878

Bossa forever!!!

@SoDope29

After years of searching I finally found the songs

@TheGP83

Been stuck on this cd for years.

@montressatraci

This is a classic. i am a hip hop fan, but this is off the chain. Leroy created a masterpiece. Real talk;)

@TheRealFamespear

Actually One Note Samba is a jazz standard written and first recorded by Antonio Carlos Jobim. He invented the Bossa nova.

@thewebpro777

im so taking this song to the stage

@raulfuertes8564

It’s my life 😮😮😮

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