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
Constant Rain
Sérgio Mendes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Constant is the rain
Chove, chuva
Endless is the pain
Chove, chove, chove, chuva
Endless is the pain
As I stand here and remember
And everyday was spring to me
To be loved and to go on the sun
Now the days are lonely
The song of love is still
They say that I will forget you
But I say I never will
And it hurts with such a pain
To be alone and lonely in the rain
And it hurts with such a pain to be
Alone and lonely in the rain
Chove, chuva
Constant is the rain
Chove, chuva
Endless is the pain
Chove, chove, chove, chuva
Endless is the pain
The lyrics of Sergio Mendes's song "Constant Rain" express the deep sorrow of lost love and the pain that comes with it. The repetition of "Chove, chuva" (rain, rain) emphasizes the constancy and relentless presence of the rain, which serves as a metaphor for the grief that the singer is feeling. The rain signifies the tears that he sheds and the heaviness that follows him wherever he goes. The second verse leads us into a reminiscence of happier times when the singer and his lover were together, and every day was joyous like spring. However, things have changed now, and the song of love has fallen silent, leaving the singer alone with his memories. The middle stanza reflects the singer's inner turmoil and rejection of any possibility of forgetting his love. The closing lines evoke the climatic moment of the song, where the pain and loneliness are punctuated with the drummer pounding relentlessly.
"Constant Rain" is a poignant and melancholic tune that captures the essence of the bossa nova genre, which emphasizes introspection and melancholy. The lyrics are simple yet effective, blending the Portuguese and English languages to convey the emotions and mood of the song. Sergio Mendes is a renowned musician who started his career in the 1960s in Brazil and achieved international success with his bossa nova-inspired music. "Constant Rain," released in 1966, was one of his most popular hits in Brazil and abroad.
Line by Line Meaning
Chove, chuva
The rain falls steadily
Constant is the rain
The rainfall is continuous and unchanging
Endless is the pain
The pain feels like it will never end
As I stand here and remember
The artist is reflecting on past memories
When once our hearts were one
In the past, they were deeply connected and in love
And everyday was spring to me
In their love, every day felt joyful and full of life
To be loved and to go on the sun
Being loved made everything feel bright and beautiful
Now the days are lonely
The present is lonely and devoid of happiness
The song of love is still
Their love still exists, but it is no longer as vibrant
They say that I will forget you
Others believe that the artist will eventually move on from their heartbreak
But I say I never will
The singer believes that they will never truly forget their lost love
And it hurts with such a pain
The pain is intense and difficult to bear
To be alone and lonely in the rain
Being isolated in the midst of a constant reminder of their sadness is especially painful
Chove, chuva
The rain falls steadily
Endless is the pain
The pain feels like it will never end
Chove, chove, chove, chuva
The rain is an ongoing presence
Endless is the pain
The pain feels like it will never end
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Jorge Menezes
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@AliYouKnow
Chove, chuva
Constant is the rain
Chove, chuva
Endless is the pain
Chove, chove, chove, chuva
Endless is the pain
As I stand here and remember
When once our hearts were one
And everyday was spring to me
To be loved and to go on the sun
Now the days are lonely
The song of love is still
They say that I will forget you
But I say I never will
And it hurts with such a pain
To be alone and lonely in the rain
And it hurts with such a pain to be
Alone and lonely in the rain
Chove, chuva
Constant is the rain
Chove, chuva
Endless is the pain
Chove, chove, chove, chuva
Endless is the pain
@alhaller4828
I have loved this since i used to hear it playing New on the radio, driving to work, for my high school job, in 1967! Here, Hear, 57 years later, and i Still Love it! It flys me back to that special time! I recall the windshield wipers, swiping in time, blending the wash with the percussion...☔🏳🌈
@michaelcolors
Dearest Sergio, thank you very much for your contribution to the whole world! We love you! ♥️🏋️💜
@PremiumMind
+100
@tinydancer6949
It is impossible to sit still when listening to anything by Brasil '66, even the slower songs.
@DiamondHeadbyMoonlight
I don’t think of my father often, but I am reminded of him and the beautiful music that he imparted into my life growing up as a child.🌈🌸🥰
@breadloaf2829
finally found this beautiful song. only took a year ish lol
@sergiopolo-yc2qe
Love it as so much.....from spain......this is so clever music ......specially lani hall's voice thats so awesome ...greetings from spain
@jmrodas9
Good sad song, Sergio Mendes and his Group sang songs for all ocassions. There are times we are happy, and others we are sad. The lyrics are very good, and the rhythm and the music as well as the voices are excellent.
@sergiop9885
Chove chiva 😅 endles is the pain love lani hall ❤from Spain 🇪🇸 she its so amazing !! With her voice !!sweet taste of good Brazilian vibes!!for me amazin !!
@jamesgarman4788
Brilliant!!! I love this song😊