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
Say It With Your Body
Sérgio Mendes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't talk
Don't talk
Just say it
With your body
Say it with your body
Baby, let the moves you make
Let your body tell me
What'cha got in mind
Say it with your body
Show me what you want
And skip the conversation
Baby, let your body lay it on the line
Slowly drowning in the music
Go with how it feels without a word
Get your fantasies in motion
If you got somethin' hot to tell me
That I've never heard
Say it with your body
Baby, let the moves you make
Do all your talking
Let your body tell me
What'cha got in mind
Say it with your body
Show me what you want
And skip the conversation
Baby, let your body lay it on the line
You and me keep getting closer
Reachin' for each other with our eyes
Baby, save your breath for later
Let me listen to your body
'Cause a body never lies
Say it with your body
Baby, let the moves you make
Do all your talking
Let your body tell me
What'cha got in mind
Say it with your body
Show me what you want
And skip the conversation
Baby, let your body lay it on the line
We're electric Shadows
Touching in the dark
We're a promise of a fire
Abut to spark
We're dancing on the edge
Of breaking free
So, baby if you wanna say
Tonight belongs to me
Say it with your body
Baby, let the moves you make
Do all your talking
Let your body tell me
What'cha got in mind
Say it with your body
Show me what you want
And skip the conversation
Baby, let your body lay it on the line
Say it!
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Say it with your body
Say it!
Ohh, ohh
Say it with your body
Say it with your body
Say it!
The song "Say It With Your Body" by Sérgio Mendes is an upbeat, sensual track that encourages communication through body language rather than words. The lyrics paint a picture of two people getting lost in the music, flirting and communicating through their movements. The song suggests that words are often unnecessary when it comes to conveying passion and desire, and that the body holds all the answers we need.
The chorus, "Say it with your body, baby, let the moves you make do all your talking," emphasizes the idea that actions speak louder than words. The song's message is simple yet effective, as it encourages listeners to let go of their inhibitions and communicate through the universal language of physicality. The verses go on to describe the physical and emotional sensations of dancing with someone, and the excitement that comes with discovering hidden desires.
In summary, "Say It With Your Body" is a celebration of the power of body language and the importance of physical communication in relationships. It encourages listeners to let go of their fears and communicate with their partners in a new way, one that is more primal and instinctual.
Line by Line Meaning
Sssh
Quiet down and focus on expressing yourself through your movements
Don't talk
Words are unnecessary, let your actions speak for you
Just say it
Communicate your desires through your body language
With your body
Use your physical movements to convey your thoughts and emotions
Say it with your body
Make your intentions known through your movements
Baby, let the moves you make
Express yourself freely through your physical actions
Do all your talking
Let your body language do the talking instead of using words
Let your body tell me
Use your movements to communicate with me
What'cha got in mind
Share your thoughts through your physical actions
Show me what you want
Express your desires through your movements
And skip the conversation
Avoid using words to convey your message, use your body language instead
Baby, let your body lay it on the line
Be direct with your message and use your body to express it clearly
Slowly drowning in the music
Get lost in the music and let it guide your movements
Go with how it feels without a word
Follow your instincts and express yourself through your body without needing words
Get your fantasies in motion
Allow your imagination to come alive through your movements
If you got somethin' hot to tell me
If you have something passionate to share, express it through your body
That I've never heard
Surprise me with your message through your movements
You and me keep getting closer
Our connection continues to grow stronger
Reachin' for each other with our eyes
Our gaze shows our desire and intention to be closer
Baby, save your breath for later
Use your energy to communicate through your movements instead of talking
Let me listen to your body
Allow me to understand your thoughts and emotions through your movements
'Cause a body never lies
Your physical actions are a true reflection of your feelings and intentions
We're electric Shadows
We have a powerful connection and energy between us
Touching in the dark
Our physical connection is intense even in darkness
We're a promise of a fire
Our passion and desire to be together is strong
About to spark
Our chemistry is reaching a boiling point
We're dancing on the edge
We are living in the moment and taking risks in our connection
Of breaking free
We are ready to let go of anything that's holding us back in order to pursue our connection
So, baby if you wanna say
If you have something to express, use your body to say it
Tonight belongs to me
Let's allow our passion to take over tonight
Say it!
Communicate your message through your body
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Indicating the passion and energy in the connection
Contributed by Charlie M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
david
on Waters of March (Les Eaux de Mars) - French Version
haaaaaaaaaaaaaa