Mendes is married to Gracinha Leporace who regularly performs vocals for her husband and can also be heard on his 2006 version of the song Mas Que Nada with the Black Eyed Peas.
Early career
The child of a physician in Niterói, Brazil, Mendes attended the local conservatory with hopes of becoming a classical pianist. As his interest in jazz grew, he started playing in nightclubs in the late-1950s just as bossa nova, a jazz-inflected derivative of samba, was taking off. Mendes played with Antônio Carlos Jobim (whom he regarded as a mentor) and many U.S. jazz musicians who toured Brazil.
Mendes formed the Sexteto Bossa Rio and recorded Dance Moderno in 196. Touring Europe and the United States, Mendes recorded albums with Cannonball Adderley and Herbie Mann and played Carnegie Hall. Mendes moved to the U.S. in 1964 and cut two albums under the name Sergio Mendes and Brasil '65 with Capitol Records and Atlantic Records.
Brasil '66
When sales were tepid, he replaced his Brazilian born vocalist Wanda de Sa with the distinctive voice of Chicago native Lani Hall (who learned Mendes' Portuguese material phonetically), switched to Herb Alpert's A&M label, and released Herb Alpert Presents Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66, an album that went platinum based largely on the success of the single "Mas Que Nada" (a Jorge Ben cover) and the personal support of Alpert, with whom Mendes toured regularly.
The original lineup of Sérgio Mendes & Brasil '66 was Mendes (piano), vocalists Lani Hall and Janis Hansen, Bob Matthews (bass), Jose Soares (percussion), and Joao Palma (drums). John Pisano guested as guitarist. This lineup recorded three albums between 1966-1968 (including the best-selling Look Around LP), before there was a major personnel change for their fourth album Fool on the Hill.
Karen Philipp replaced Hansen as the second female vocalist, while veteran drummer Dom Um Romão teamed with Rubens Bassini to assume percussionist duties. Sebastiao Neto was the new bassist and Oscar Castro-Neves the guitarist. This lineup had a more orchestral and big band sound than their predecessors. Most significantly, in the early 1970s, lead singer Hall pursued a solo career and became Alpert's second wife. Some accounts claim that Mendes was upset with Alpert for years for "stealing" Hall away from his group.
Though his early singles with Brasil '66 (most notably "Mas Que Nada") met with some success, Mendes really burst into mainstream prominence when he performed the Oscar-nominated Burt Bacharach and Hal David song The Look of Love on the Academy Awards telecast in April 1968. Brasil '66's version of the song quickly shot into the top 10, peaking at #4, and eclipsing Dusty Springfield's version from the soundtrack of the movie, Casino Royale. Mendes spent the rest of 1968 enjoying consecutive top 10 and top 20 hits with his follow-up singles, "The Fool on the Hill" and "Scarborough Fair". From 1968 on, Mendes was arguably the biggest Brazilian star in the world, enjoying immense popularity worldwide and performing in venues as varied as stadium arenas and the White House, where he gave concerts for both Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard Nixon.
Middle career
Mendes' career in the U.S. stalled in the mid-1970s, but he remained very popular in South America and Japan. His two albums with Bell Records in 1973 and 1974, followed by several for Elektra from 1975 on, found Mendes continuing to mine the best in American pop music and post-bossa writers of his native Brazil, while forging new directions in soul with collaborators like Stevie Wonder, who wrote Mendes' R&B-inflected minor hit, "The Real Thing".
In 1983, he rejoined Alpert's A&M records and enjoyed huge success with a self-titled album and several follow-up albums, all of which received considerable adult contemporary airplay with charting singles. "Never Gonna Let You Go", featuring vocals by Joe Pizzulo and Leza Miller, equalled the success of his 1968 single "The Look of Love" by reaching #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart; it also spent four weeks atop the Billboard adult contemporary chart. In 1984, Mendes worked with singer Lani Hall again.
By the time Mendes released his Grammy-winning Elektra album Brasileiro in 1992, he was the undisputed master of pop-inflected Brazilian jazz. The late-1990s lounge music revival brought retrospection and respect to Mendes' oeuvre, particularly the classic Brasil '66 albums. His stature in his native Brazil is reflected by "Cantor de Mambo", a song by fellow Brazilians Os Mutantes, which they regularly dedicate to Mendes in concert.
Later career
Timeless features a wide array of neo-soul and alternative hip hop guest artists, most prominently will.i.am and the Black Eyed Peas. It was released February 14, 2006 by Concord Records.
The album features the Black Eyed Peas, Erykah Badu, Black Thought, Chali 2na of Jurassic 5, India.Arie, John Legend, Justin Timberlake, Q-Tip, Stevie Wonder and Pharoahe Monch.
The 2006 re-recorded version of "Mas que Nada" with the Black Eyed Peas had additional vocals by Gracinha Leporace (Mendes' wife); a version that is included on his album Timeless. In Brazil, the song is pretty well-known for being the theme song for the local television channel Globo's Estrelas.
The Black Eyed Peas' version also contains a sample of their 2004 hit "Hey Mama". The re-recorded song became popular on many European charts. On the UK Singles Chart, the song entered at #29 and rose to and peaked at #6 on its second week on the chart.
Official website of Sérgio Mendes: http://www.sergiomendesmusic.com
Bananeira
Sérgio Mendes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Banana tree maybe
Banana tree I don't know
The best way to see it
Banana tree I don't know
Banana tree maybe
Banana tree I don't know
Maybe deep in the backyard
Backyard of your stare
The stare from the heart
Banana tree I don't know
Banana tree maybe
Banana tree I don't know
That's up to you
Banana tree, banana tree, banana tree
Banana tree, banana tree, banana tree?
The lyrics of Sergio Mendes's song "Bananeira" are open to interpretation and can be perceived in different ways depending on one's personal experiences and emotions. One way to analyze the song is to view the banana tree as a metaphor for life and the different paths that one can take in it. The repetitive questioning of whether or not to follow the banana tree represents the uncertainty and indecision that many people feel when faced with important choices. The lyrics suggest that the decision of which path to take ultimately lies within oneself, and that the best way to approach it is to follow the stare from the heart, which may lead one to a secluded and fulfilling place deep within their own backyard.
Another possible interpretation of the song is that the banana tree represents a symbol of hope and possibility, and the lyrics reflect the inherent uncertainty and risk involved in pursuing one's dreams. The repetition of the phrase "banana tree maybe" suggests that there is always the possibility of success or failure, and ultimately it is up to the individual to decide whether or not to take a chance and seize the opportunities that are presented to them. The "stare from the heart" can be seen as a reference to following one's intuition and inner voice, which is often the key to achieving one's goals and finding personal fulfillment.
Line by Line Meaning
Banana tree I don't know
I am unsure and do not know the nature of the banana tree
Banana tree maybe
It is possible that the banana tree exists
Banana tree I don't know
Again, I am unsure and do not know the nature of the banana tree
The best way to see it
The optimal approach to understanding the banana tree
Banana tree I don't know
Once again, I am unsure and do not know the nature of the banana tree
Banana tree maybe
It is possible that the banana tree exists
Banana tree I don't know
Again, I am unsure and do not know the nature of the banana tree
That's up to you
It is your responsibility to interpret and identify the banana tree
Maybe deep in the backyard
Potentially, the banana tree is located somewhere secluded, like in the depths of a backyard
Backyard of your stare
The place where the banana tree could be located is dependent on your state of mind and perception
The stare from the heart
Your true emotional state and feelings may guide you to the location of the banana tree
Banana tree, banana tree, banana tree
Repeat emphasis on the importance and mystery of the banana tree
Banana tree, banana tree, banana tree?
Questioning and seeking further knowledge about the existence and qualities of the banana tree
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Gilberto Moreira, Joao Neto, Joao Donato De Oliveira Neto
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@user-cy7oi5ox5f
2023 anyone?
@M.E.L.T
Yeah this music is great for playing Doom Eternal
@VicdaruB
2038 here ❤
@ciruelah
2021?
@GuilhermeRodrigues-sn7zc
2023❤
@shantaegreen6494
Sergio, as someone from the younger generation, I really admire your music♥️♥️
@subomiakin-abrahams227
That chorus is sooo hard
@zazafairy
innit
@zazafairy
1:00 my fav part ❤
@adalmeymorales1658
Esas canciones realmente te hacen sentir libre. 😃😃😃😃😃