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
Mais Que Nada
Sérgio Mendes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Obá Obá Obá
Mas que nada
Sai da minha frente
Eu quero passar
Pois o samba está animado
O que eu quero é sambar
Este samba
É samba de preto velho
Samba de preto tu
Mas que nada
Um samba como esse é tão legal
Você não vai querer
Que ele chegue no final
Oariá raiô*
Obá Obá Obá*
Mas que nada*
Sai da minha frente*
Eu quero passar*
Pois o samba está animado*
O que eu quero é sambar*
Este samba*
Que é misto de maracatu*
É samba de preto velho*
Samba de preto tu*
Mas que nada*
Um samba como esse é tão legal*
Você não vai querer*
Que ele chegue no final*
Obá Obá Obá*
Obá Obá Obá*
Obá Obá Obá*
The lyrics to Sérgio Mendes's song "Mas que nada" are a mix of Portuguese and English. The repeated lines "Oariá raiô" and "Obá obá obá" are traditional Brazilian phrases often used in samba music to express joy and excitement. The verses sung by the Black Eyed Peas are in English and reference their own party-starting, genre-crossing style, as well as their admiration for Mendes and his blend of samba and jazz.
The music itself is a fusion of several Brazilian styles, including samba, maracatu, and preto velho (a type of traditional African Brazilian music). The song's rhythm is fast and upbeat, with a prominent piano riff that is both catchy and complex. In the Black Eyed Peas version, a modern hip hop beat is overlayed onto the original track.
The lyrics could be interpreted as a celebration of music's power to unify people across cultures and languages. The Black Eyed Peas and Mendes come from different backgrounds and genres, but their shared love for Brazilian music brings them together to create a unique and infectious song.
Line by Line Meaning
Oariá raiô
Celebratory chant in Brazilian Portuguese, expressing joy and exuberance
Obá obá obá
Another exclamation of excitement and happiness
Mas que nada
But that's nothing; a statement denying the importance of something in favor of what is to come
Black Eyed Peas came to make it hotter
The Black Eyed Peas are here to turn up the heat and elevate the energy of the crowd
We be the party starters
The Black Eyed Peas are known for their ability to get a party started
Bubblin' up just like lava, like lava
The energy of the group is building up rapidly and intensifying, like a volcano about to erupt
Heated like a sauna
The energy of the Black Eyed Peas is intense and hot, like a sauna
Penetrating through your body armor
The music of the Black Eyed Peas is so powerful that it can break through emotional barriers and connect with the listener on a deep level
Rhythmically we massage ya
The music and rhythm of the Black Eyed Peas has a soothing and relaxing effect on the listener
With hip hop mixed up with samba
The Black Eyed Peas combine hip hop and samba music to create a unique and exciting sound
You know we never stop we never rest, y'all
The Black Eyed Peas are constantly pushing forward and bringing the party to new heights
The Black Eyed Peas'll keep it funky fresh, y'all
The Black Eyed Peas will continue to bring fresh and exciting music to the party
And we won't stop until we get y'all, 'til we get y'all sayin'
The Black Eyed Peas are committed to winning over the crowd and getting everyone involved in the party
Peter Piper picked peppers
A reference to a famous tongue-twister
But Tab rocked rhymes-a
Tab (a member of the Black Eyed Peas) is a talented rapper
1, 2, 3, 4, several times-a
Tab is counting out a beat, indicating the rhythm of the song
Heavy rotation played by every kind-a
The music of the Black Eyed Peas is played on many different radio stations and heard by many different people
Radio stations blastin' every mind-a
The music of the Black Eyed Peas has a wide appeal and reaches many different people
We crossing boundaries like everyday
The Black Eyed Peas are breaking down barriers and bringing people together through their music
To rock ya body, Bobbie be on the R and the Bay
The Black Eyed Peas are dedicated to getting the crowd up and dancing, with a shout out to Bobby who is joining in from the R&B filled city of the Bay
We got we got Tab magnifications
Tab's skills as a rapper are amplified and enhanced by the group's collective talent
Tab magnified like every day
Tab's talent and influence continue to grow and make an impact in the music world
Drop hot hot be my daily operation
Producing and playing hot music is a daily priority for the Black Eyed Peas
Got to put in work in this crazy occupation
Making music is hard work, but it's worth it for the Black Eyed Peas
Gotta keep it movin' (that's the motivation)
They have to keep moving forward and creating music, and that's what keeps them going
Gotta ride the waves and keep a tight relation
The Black Eyed Peas need to adjust to changing circumstances and work well together as a team
With my team keep it moving, and doing it right
The Black Eyed Peas are dedicated to continuing to make great music with their team
Up in the lab every day 'til daylight
The Black Eyed Peas are constantly working on new music in the studio
That's the way things move in this monkey business
The music industry can be a chaotic and unpredictable business
(We took an old samba song and remixed it)
The Black Eyed Peas have taken a classic samba song and made it their own with a fresh remix
Sai da minha frente
Get out of my way
Que eu quero passar
I want to keep moving forward
Pois o samba esta animado
Because the samba is lively
O que eu quero e sambar
All I want to do is dance the samba
Este samba, que e misto de maracatu
This samba is a blend of maracatu
E samba de preto velho
And samba of the old blacks
Samba de preto tu
Samba of the black man
We gonna make you feel lil' hotter
The Black Eyed Peas pledge to heat up the dance floor and make everyone feel the music
The Peas and Sergio Mendes heating up samba
The Black Eyed Peas and Sergio Mendes are combining their talents to create an exciting and fresh take on samba music
Sergio, play yo piano
A call for Sergio Mendes to showcase his talent on the piano
(Oh eh oh) Sergio, play yo yo yo yo yo
A joyful and celebratory chant to encourage Sergio to keep playing
Check it out!
A call to the audience to listen closely and enjoy the music
Ba badada ba
A catchy and upbeat instrumental refrain
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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on Waters of March (Les Eaux de Mars) - French Version
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