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
Waters of March
Sérgio Mendes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's the rest of a stump, it's a little alone
It's a sliver of glass, it is life, it's the sun
It is night, it is death, it's a trap, it's a gun
The oak when it blooms, a fox in the brush
A knot in the wood, the song of a thrush
The wood of the wind, a cliff, a fall
A scratch, a lump, it is nothing at all
It's a beam it's a void, it's a hunch, it's a hope
And the river bank talks of the waters of March
It's the end of the strain
The joy in your heart
The foot, the ground, the flesh and the bone
The beat of the road, a slingshot's stone
A fish, a flash, a silvery glow
A fight, a bet the fange of a bow
The bed of the well, the end of the line
The dismay in the face, it's a loss, it's a find
A spear, a spike, a point, a nail
A drip, a drop, the end of the tale
A truckload of bricks in the soft morning light
The sound of a shot in the dead of the night
A mile, a must, a thrust, a bump,
It's a girl, it's a rhyme, it's a cold, it's the mumps
The plan of the house, the body in bed
And the car that got stuck, it's the mud, it's the mud
A float, a drift, a flight, a wing
A hawk, a quail, the promise of spring
And the river bank talks of the waters of March
It's the promise of life, it's the joy in your heart
A stick, a stone, it's the end of the road
It's the rest of a stump, it's a little alone
A snake, a stick, it is John, it is Joe
It's a thorn in your hand and a cut in your toe
A point, a grain, a bee, a bite
A blink, a buzzard, a sudden stroke of night
A pin, a needle, a sting a pain
A snail, a riddle, a wasp, a stain
A pass in the mountains, a horse and a mule
In the distance the shelves rode three shadows of blue
And the river talks of the waters of March
It's the promise of life in your heart
A stick, a stone, the end of the road
The rest of a stump, a lonesome road
A sliver of glass, a life, the sun
A knife, a death, the end of the run
And the river bank talks of the waters of March
It's the end of all strain, it's the joy in your heart
The lyrics of "Waters of March" describe a vivid and varied collection of objects and experiences that evoke different feelings and moods. The song implies that all of these things are interconnected and part of the same cycle of life and death. For example, a stick, a stone, and a stump represent the end of a journey or a life cycle, while a sliver of glass, life, and the sun symbolize new beginnings and hope. The song captures the beauty, complexity, and unpredictability of life and nature by describing elements such as a fox in the brush, the wind, a well, a spear, a truckload of bricks, and the promise of spring.
Despite the apparent randomness of the lyrics, the song suggests that everything is connected and significant in its own right. Even the smallest and seemingly insignificant details can hold special meaning and contribute to the overall texture and richness of life. Furthermore, the waters of March - which the river bank talks about - symbolize renewal, hope, and the promise of life. Thus, the song offers a complex and profound meditation on the mystery and majesty of existence.
Line by Line Meaning
A stick, a stone, it's the end of the road
The end of a journey
It's the rest of a stump, it's a little alone
Loneliness, isolation
It's a sliver of glass, it is life, it's the sun
The beauty and fragility of life
It is night, it is death, it's a trap, it's a gun
The looming presence of danger and mortality
The oak when it blooms, a fox in the brush
Nature's wonders
A knot in the wood, the song of a thrush
The intricacies of nature
The wood of the wind, a cliff, a fall
The power of natural forces
A scratch, a lump, it is nothing at all
The insignificance of small things
It's the wind blowing free, it's the end of the slope
The feeling of freedom and release after a challenge
It's a beam it's a void, it's a hunch, it's a hope
Uncertainty and possibility
And the river bank talks of the waters of March
The passing of time and renewal
It's the end of the strain
The end of a difficult time or obstacle
The joy in your heart
The feeling of happiness and contentment
The foot, the ground, the flesh and the bone
The physicality of existence
The beat of the road, a slingshot's stone
The rhythm and energy of life
A fish, a flash, a silvery glow
The beauty of nature, and fleeting moments
A fight, a bet the fange of a bow
The danger and excitement of competition and conflict
The bed of the well, the end of the line
The limits of existence, and the end of things
The dismay in the face, it's a loss, it's a find
The unpredictability of life, and the mixed emotions that come with it
A spear, a spike, a point, a nail
Sharp, pointed objects and their potential danger
A drip, a drop, the end of the tale
The conclusion of a story or journey
A truckload of bricks in the soft morning light
The mundane and ordinary aspects of life
The sound of a shot in the dead of the night
Violence and darkness
A mile, a must, a thrust, a bump
The ups and downs of life's journey
It's a girl, it's a rhyme, it's a cold, it's the mumps
The randomness of life
The plan of the house, the body in bed
The physical spaces we inhabit
And the car that got stuck, it's the mud, it's the mud
The things that frustrate and hinder us
A float, a drift, a flight, a wing
The freedom and potential of movement
A hawk, a quail, the promise of spring
The beauty of nature and the cyclical nature of seasons
And the river bank talks of the waters of March
The river symbolizing the passage of time and change
It's the promise of life, it's the joy in your heart
Hope and happiness
A snake, a stick, it is John, it is Joe
The common and everyday aspects of life
It's a thorn in your hand and a cut in your toe
Pain and discomfort
A point, a grain, a bee, a bite
Little things that can bring us joy or pain
A blink, a buzzard, a sudden stroke of night
The unpredictability of life
A pin, a needle, a sting a pain
Physical sensations we feel
A snail, a riddle, a wasp, a stain
Mysterious and puzzling things
A pass in the mountains, a horse and a mule
Travel and adventure
In the distance the shelves rode three shadows of blue
The beauty of nature
And the river talks of the waters of March
Symbolizing the passage of time and change
It's the promise of life in your heart
Hope and renewal
A stick, a stone, it's the end of the road
The end of a journey
It's the rest of a stump, it's a little alone
Loneliness, isolation
A sliver of glass, a life, the sun
The beauty and fragility of life
A knife, a death, the end of the run
The looming presence of danger and mortality
And the river bank talks of the waters of March
Symbolizing the passage of time and change
It's the end of all strain, it's the joy in your heart
The conclusion of a difficult time or obstacle, and the feeling of happiness and contentment
Lyrics © CORCOVADO MUSIC CORPORATION
Written by: Antonio Carlos Jobim
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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