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
Like a Lover
Sérgio Mendes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Slowly rises and kisses you awake
Your smile is soft and fuzzy
As you let it play upon your face
Oh, how I dream
I might be like the morning sun to you
Like a lover, the river wind
Upon your cheek it lingers
Never having known a sweeter place
Oh, how I dream
I might be like the river wind to you
How I envy a cup that knows your lips
Let it be me, my love
And a table that feels your fingertips
Let it be me, let me be your love
Bring an end to the endless days and nights
Without you
Like a lover, the velvet moon
Shares your pillow and watches while you sleep
Its light arrives on tiptoe
Gently taking you in its embrace
Oh, how I dream
I might be like the velvet moon to you
Oh, how I dream
I might be like the river wind to you
How I envy a cup that knows your lips
Let it be me, my love
And a table that feels your fingertips
Let it be me, let me be your love
Bring an end to the endless days and nights
Without you
Like a lover, the velvet moon
Shares your pillow and watches while you sleep
Its light arrives on tiptoe
Gently taking you in its embrace
Oh, how I dream
I might be like the velvet moon to you
I might be like the velvet moon to you
I might be like the velvet moon to you
The lyrics to Sergio Mendes's song "Like a Lover" describe the dream of being able to love someone as gently and intimately as the morning sun, the river wind, and the velvet moon. The morning sun, as it slowly rises and kisses the person awake, brings a smile to their face. The river wind ripples its fingers through their hair, leaving a sweet lingering sensation on their cheek. The velvet moon watches over them as they sleep, taking them in its gentle embrace. The singer of the song dreams of being like these natural elements, able to love their significant other with the same tenderness and care.
The lyrics also express a longing for intimacy and a desire to be close to the person they love. The singer envies objects that have touched their lover's lips and fingers, wishing they could be the one to experience that intimate connection. The endless days and nights without their loved one are painful, and the dream of being able to love them like the morning sun, river wind, and velvet moon is a way to cope with the distance.
Overall, "Like a Lover" is a romantic and poetic song about the desire for intimacy and the dream of being able to love another person in a gentle and tender way.
Line by Line Meaning
Like a lover, the morning sun
The morning sun rises and kisses you awake with the warmth and affection of a lover.
Slowly rises and kisses you awake
The sun's warm rays gently and softly awaken you from sleep with a tender kiss.
Your smile is soft and fuzzy
Your smile is warm and full of love, bringing a sense of comfort and safety to those around you.
As you let it play upon your face
You allow your smile to light up your face and radiate joy to all those around you.
Oh, how I dream
The artist longs and yearns deeply for a relationship with the other person.
I might be like the morning sun to you
The singer desires to bring warmth, light, and vitality to the other person's life, just like the morning sun.
Like a lover, the river wind
The river wind blows gently and softly, caressing the person's hair with a lover's touch.
Sighs and ripples its fingers through your hair
The gentle breeze delicately ripples through your hair, creating a soothing sensation and a sense of calmness.
Upon your cheek it lingers
The breeze lingers on your cheek, leaving a pleasant, refreshing feeling and a memory of its touch.
Never having known a sweeter place
The gentle breeze has never been in a more exquisite and delightful place than by the person's side and in their hair.
How I envy a cup that knows your lips
The singer is jealous of an inanimate object, a cup, that has the privilege of being close to the person's lips and feeling their touch.
Let it be me, my love
The artist begs and pleads for the person to let them be that privileged object that is close to their lips.
And a table that feels your fingertips
The singer longs for the privilege of being the table that the person touches, feeling their warmth and their grasp.
Bring an end to the endless days and nights without you
The singer is tormented by the endless days and nights without the person and desires an end to this suffering.
Like a lover, the velvet moon
The velvet moon, round and soft, watches over the person like a lover, with tenderness and protection.
Shares your pillow and watches while you sleep
The moon shares the person's bed and watches over them protectively while they sleep.
Its light arrives on tiptoe
The moonlight arrives softly and delicately, just like a lover arrives on tiptoe to avoid disturbing their partner's slumber.
Gently taking you in its embrace
The moon's light wraps the person in a gentle and loving embrace, creating a sense of warmth and comfort.
I might be like the velvet moon to you
The singer desires to be like the velvet moon, watching over the person with tenderness and love, and protecting them from harm.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Spirit Music Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Alan Bergman, Dorival Tostes Caymmi, Marilyn Bergman, Nelson Motta
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@flashcardsyahoo
Like a Lover by Sérgio Mendes & Brasil '66.Album: Look Around (March 1968 not 1969).English lyrics by Alan & Marilyn Bergman from Dori Caymmi's O Cantador
Like a lover, the morning sunSlowly rises and kisses you awakeYour smile is soft and drowsyAs you let it play upon your faceOh, how I dreamI might be like the morning sun to you(I might be like the morning sun to you)
Like a lover, the river windSighs and ripples its fingers through your hairUpon your cheek it lingersNever having known a sweeter placeOh, how I dreamI might be like the river wind to you(I might be like the river wind to you)
How I envy a cup that knows your lipsLet it be me, my loveAnd a table that feels your fingertipsLet it be me, let me be your loveBring an end to the endless days and nightsWithout you
Like a lover, the velvet moonShares your pillow and watches while you sleepIts light arrives on tiptoeGently taking you in its embraceOh, how I dreamI might be like the velvet moon to you(I might be like the velvet moon to you)
Oh, how I dreamI might be like the river wind to you(I might be like the river wind to you)
How I envy a cup that knows your lipsLet it be me, my loveAnd a table that feels your fingertipsLet it be me, let me be your loveBring an end to the endless days and nightsWithout you
Like a lover, the velvet moonShares your pillow and watches while you sleepIts light arrives on tiptoeGently taking you in its embraceOh, how I dreamI might be like the velvet moon to you(I might be like the velvet moon to you)I might be like the velvet moon to you(I might be like the velvet moon to you)I might be like the velvet moon to you(I might be like the velvet moon to you)I might be like the velvet moon to you(I might be like the velvet moon to you)I might be like the velvet moon to you
@haljones246
Sergio and Lani formed the quintessential jazzy, bossanova sound of the 60s. Mellow perfection! And Herb knew his music!
@cynthiahill8165
I was in 7th grade when I was first introduced to Sergio Mendes and I loved listening to Lani Hall. Her voice is beautiful. I'm 66 now and still loving it. I'm a forever fan.
@martinnunya7878
I also listened to this song when I was just a young kid and loved it........ "how I envy a cup that knows your lips, and a table that feels your fingertips" WOW just WOW
@mauricioduron3193
+Martin Nunya
Credit also the inspiration of Alan and Marilyn Bergman and music by Dori Caymi.
@rayjarvis633
Check out j dilla's "fingertips" dope
@newjeffersonian6456
Over the last 50+ years the Bergmans have written some of the most memorable lyrics in music from films: The Windmills of Your Mind, The Way We Were, It Might Be You . . .
@mickykirk2839
Wow, is right !!!
@jazzbirdbecky
I had this album in high school. Loved it. I still sing this one today at my gigs.
@stonedsoulpicnic
I walked through a field at sunset today while this song was playing and it's truly the best thing ever
@josephinelarosa5173
This song still bring tears to my eyes. It's so tender and romantic. It is definitely one of the most beautiful songs ever recorded.