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
Carnaval
Sérgio Mendes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's a jubilation, it's the carnaval
People in the streets are dancing
No time for romancing, it's carnaval
Focused people, body splashing, their eyes are laughing into your dreams
No one can resist the magic and can miss the music of the carnaval
No one can resist the magic and can miss the music of the carnaval
It's a jubilation, it's the carnaval
People in the streets are dancing
No time for romancing, it's carnaval
Focused people, body splashing, their eyes are laughing into your dreams
No one can resist the magic and can miss the music of the carnaval
No one can resist the magic and can miss the music of the carnaval
You live it, you like it, you love it, you miss it
Get up, get up, go now it's blasting
It's only asking anything your heart desires
You live it, you like it, you love it, you miss it
Get up, get on all this fun that's glowing
The music's flowing
Welcome to the carnaval
Welcome to the celebration
It's a jubilation, it's the carnaval
People in the streets are dancing
No time for romancing, it's carnaval
Focused people, body splashing, their eyes are laughing into your dreams
No one can resist the magic and can miss the music of the carnaval
No one can resist the magic and can miss the music of the carnaval
You live it, you like it, you love it, you miss it
Get up, get up, go now it's blasting
It's only asking anything your heart desires
You live it, you like it, you love it, you miss it
Get up, get on all this fun that's glowing
The music's flowing
Welcome to the carnaval
In Sergio Mendes's song Carnaval, the lyrics describe the atmosphere and energy of the carnaval celebration. The song welcomes listeners to the celebration, emphasizing its jubilant and lively nature. Throughout the song, the emphasis is placed on the dancing, music, and general merriment that are a part of the event. The lyrics speak to the all-encompassing nature of the carnaval, with no time for anything other than enjoyment and celebration.
The use of repetition throughout the song reinforces the message that the carnaval is a place of pure enjoyment and celebration. The line "No one can resist the magic and miss the music of the carnaval" is repeated twice, solidifying the idea that the carnaval is a magical and captivating experience that all should partake in. The lyrics also call listeners to action, urging them to "get up, get on all the fun that's glowing, the music's flowing." Overall, the song Carnaval is a lively and joyous ode to one of the most beloved cultural festivities in Brazil and beyond.
Line by Line Meaning
Welcome to the celebration
Join us in this festive occasion
It's a jubilation, it's the carnaval
It's a joyful, lively carnival
People in the streets are dancing
See everyone dancing together outside
No time for romancing, it's carnaval
This is a time to celebrate, not to be romantic
Focused people, body splashing, their eyes are laughing into your dreams
Everyone is completely immersed in the lively atmosphere and having fun beyond imagination
No one can resist the magic and can miss the music of the carnaval
The music and magic of the carnival is irresistible and everyone must experience it
You live it, you like it, you love it, you miss it
This feeling of the carnival is so indescribable, it's unforgettable and you'll always crave for it
Get up, get up, go now it's blasting
Come on, let's go party while it's at its peak
It's only asking anything your heart desires
The carnival has everything you desire, so simply enjoy it
Get up, get on all this fun that's glowing
Let's throw ourselves into this glowing, vibrant energy and have a blast
The music's flowing
The music just never stops and it keeps everyone going
Welcome to the carnaval
This is the place where everyone is welcome to have the time of their lives
Writer(s): Clare Fischer
Contributed by Dylan N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@ivankiryakov7676
=== What Fantastic Carnival With Sergio Mendes!!! Amazing Song All The Time!!!❤
@franco-su3dt
♥
@nileskelly6466
That Song Was Also Courtesy Of On The A&M Records Inc./Warner Brothers Records Inc.
@shdahlia
Welcome to the celebration
It's a jubilation, it's the carnaval
People in the streets are dancing
No time for romancing, it's carnaval
Focused people, body splashing, their eyes are laughing into your dreams
No one can resist the magic and can miss the music of the carnaval
No one can resist the magic and can miss the music of the carnaval
Welcome to the celebration
It's a jubilation, it's the carnaval
People in the streets are dancing
No time for romancing, it's carnaval
Focused people, body splashing, their eyes are laughing into your dreams
No one can resist the magic and can miss the music of the carnaval
No one can resist the magic and can miss the music of the carnaval
You live it, you like it, you love it, you miss it
Get up, get up, go now it's blasting
It's only asking anything your heart desires
You live it, you like it, you love it, you miss it
Get up, get on all this fun that's glowing
The music's flowing
Welcome to the carnaval
Welcome to the celebration
It's a jubilation, it's the carnaval
People in the streets are dancing
No time for romancing, it's carnaval
Focused people, body splashing, their eyes are laughing into your dreams
No one can resist the magic and can miss the music of the carnaval
No one can resist the magic and can miss the music of the carnaval
You live it, you like it, you love it, you miss it
Get up, get up, go now it's blasting
It's only asking anything your heart desires
You live it, you like it, you love it, you miss it
Get up, get on all this fun that's glowing
The music's flowing
Welcome to the carnaval
@OreadNYC
I don't hear "focused people, body splashing" -- I hear "all the sequined bodies flashing" (which I think makes more sense since the costumes which people in the Carnaval parade wear are usually VERY extravagant and glittery!)
@Ltd.Exp._AYAKAZE_for_Yumeshima
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