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
Norwegian Wood
Sérgio Mendes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I looked around and I noticed there wasn't a chair
I once had a guy
Or should I say
He once had me
He showed me his room
Norwegian wood?
He asked me to stay and he told me to sit anywhere
But I looked around and I noticed there wasn't a chair
I sat on the rug
Biding my time
Drinking his wine
We talked until two
And then he said
It's time for bed
He told me he worked in the morning and started to laugh
I told him I didn't and crawled out to sleep in the bath
And, when I awoke
I was alone
This bird had flown
So, I lit a fire
Isn't it good
Norwegian wood?
He asked me to stay and he told me to sit anywhere
But I looked around and I noticed there wasn't a chair
I sat on the rug
Biding my time
Drinking his wine
We talked until two
And then he said
It's time for bed
In "Norwegian Wood," the singer recalls a past encounter with a man who invites her to his place. Though she doesn't seem entirely interested in him, she agrees to come along anyway. After arriving, she notices there's no chair and politely remarks on it, but the man seems dismissive of its importance. She takes a seat on the rug, drinks wine, and chats with him until 2 am. He invites her to bed, but she declines, as she doesn't want to have sex with him. The next morning, she wakes up alone after a restless night and lights a fire, feeling the warmth of the flames and reflecting on the situation she got into.
The lyrics are an interesting exploration of power dynamics and expectations between men and women. The male character is portrayed as persistent and somewhat pushy, from his repeated invitations to his bedroom to his lack of concern about offering basic comforts such as a chair. Meanwhile, the singer is hesitant and unsure, going along with things but ultimately asserting her agency in the end. The fire she lights at the end could be interpreted as a symbol of her taking control of the situation by creating her warmth and comfort.
Line by Line Meaning
He asked me to stay and he told me to sit anywhere
He invited me over and suggested I make myself comfortable
But I looked around and I noticed there wasn't a chair
However, I quickly realized there was no seat available
I once had a guy
I had a man in my life before
Or should I say
Maybe I should rephrase that
He once had me
I was once in a relationship with him
He showed me his room
He gave me a tour of his home
Isn't it good
Don't you find it pleasing
Norwegian wood?
The wooden decor is of Norwegian style or origin
I sat on the rug
I took a seat on the floor covering
Biding my time
I was waiting for a suitable moment
Drinking his wine
I indulged in some of the wine he offered me
We talked until two
We conversed until two in the morning
And then he said
He uttered the following statement
It's time for bed
It was time for rest
He told me he worked in the morning and started to laugh
He informed me about the next day's plans and chuckled
I told him I didn't and crawled out to sleep in the bath
I revealed I had no commitments and opted to rest in the bathtub
And, when I awoke
Next morning, when I opened my eyes
I was alone
I found myself alone in the room
This bird had flown
The man had left without any notice
So, I lit a fire
I started a fire for warmth
Isn't it good
Isn't this satisfying
Norwegian wood?
The wood I used for the fire was of Norwegian origin/theme
He asked me to stay and he told me to sit anywhere
He invited me over and suggested I make myself comfortable
But I looked around and I noticed there wasn't a chair
However, I quickly realized there was no seat available
I sat on the rug
I took a seat on the floor covering
Biding my time
I was waiting for a suitable moment
Drinking his wine
I indulged in some of the wine he offered me
We talked until two
We conversed until two in the morning
And then he said
He uttered the following statement
It's time for bed
It was time for rest
Contributed by Kennedy F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@seanmorrissey3103
A round on the vamp-out... A VOCAL ROUND. Genius.
@nanialoha
Indeed!
@tomvalveede6808
THE Most Wonderful MUSIC of
Sergio Mendes, the Music of my Life since the 60's! Great Artistry and a huge talent! ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
@johnshamy1581
I agree 100%. The best music of the 60's John Shamy
@kellyjaykahuimcconnell2752
Best version
@jamesbrent1809
THE definitive version IMHO.
@macmarcelomac
Salve Niterói!!!! Viva o Ingá!!! Parabéns Sérgio Niterói Mendes!!!! Orgulho de Niterói!!! 💖💖💖
@blujay9191
I'm no songwriter, but I'm guessing Lennon/McCartney, Paul Simone, etc were delighted and flattered to have Sergio Mendes choose their material to put his touch on. This is a great version.
@jimmyj1969
Yes, most probably.
@georgefranklin5686
Most excellent