Mendes is married to the singer Gracinha Leporace who regularly performs vocals alongside Mendes and can 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 1961. 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 Brasil '65 group name 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 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
Upa Neguinho
Sérgio Mendes & Brasil '66 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Badabadri-dri-dri-dri-dri-badabá
Badabadri-dri-dri-dri-dri-badabá
Badabadri-dri-dri-dri-dri-badabá
Upa, neguinho na estrada
Upa, pra lá e pra cá
Virge, que coisa mais linda
Upa, neguinho na estrada
Upa, pra lá e pra cá
Virge, que coisa mais linda
Upa, neguinho, começando andar
Começando a andar, começando andar
E já começa a apanhar!
Cresce neguinho e me abraça
Cresce e me ensina a cantar
Eu vim de tanta desgraça
Mas muito te posso ensinar
(Capoeira!) Posso ensinar
(Ziquizira!) Posso tirar
(Valentia!) Posso emprestar
(Capoeira!) Posso ensinar
(Ziquizira!) Posso tirar
(Valentia!) Posso emprestar
Mas liberdade só posso esperar
Badabadri-dri-dri-dri-dri-badabá
Badabadri-dri-dri-dri-dri-badabá
Upa, neguinho na estrada
Upa, pra lá e pra cá
Virge, que coisa mais linda
Upa, neguinho, começando andar
Upa, neguinho na estrada
Upa, pra lá e pra cá
Virge, que coisa mais linda
Upa, neguinho, começando andar
Começando a andar, começando andar
E já começa a apanhar!
Cresce neguinho e me abraça
Cresce e me ensina a cantar
Eu vim de tanta desgraça
Mas muito te posso ensinar
(Capoeira!) Posso ensinar
(Ziquizira!) Posso tirar
(Valentia!) Posso emprestar
(Capoeira!) Posso ensinar
(Ziquizira!) Posso tirar
(Valentia!) Posso emprestar
Mas liberdade só posso esperar
Badabadri-dri-dri-dri-dri-badabá
Badabadri-dri-dri-dri-dri-badabá
Dri-badabá
The lyrics to Sérgio Mendes & Brasil '66's song Upa Neguinho are about a young, black child learning to walk and navigate the world around them. The lyrics express admiration for the child's beauty and potential, but also acknowledge the difficulties they will face as they grow up in a world that is not always kind to black people. The lines "começando a andar, começando andar e já começa a apanhar" (starting to walk, starting to walk and already starting to get beaten) convey the idea that the child will face hardships and discrimination, but also that they will learn to be resilient and strong.
As the song progresses, the lyrics shift from describing the child to addressing them directly, with the singer urging the child to "cresce" (grow) and teach them about capoeira, a Brazilian martial art, and other aspects of their culture. The lyrics also touch on the theme of freedom, with the singer lamenting that they can only hope for freedom in the future.
Overall, the lyrics to Upa Neguinho are a celebration of black culture and potential, but also a recognition of the challenges faced by black people in Brazil and beyond.
Line by Line Meaning
Badabadri-dri-dri-dri-dri-badabá
Repetitive musical phrase with no direct meaning.
Upa, neguinho na estrada
Encouraging someone, possibly a child or young person, to walk forward on their journey.
Upa, pra lá e pra cá
Encouraging someone to move around in different directions, possibly to explore their surroundings or expand their experiences.
Virge, que coisa mais linda
Expressing admiration or awe at something beautiful or awe-inspiring.
Upa, neguinho, começando andar
Continuing to encourage someone to take their first steps and begin their journey.
Começando a andar, começando andar
Reinforcing the idea of beginning a journey and taking steps forward.
E já começa a apanhar!
Acknowledging that beginning a journey and learning new things can be difficult and may include some setbacks or hardships.
Cresce neguinho e me abraça
Telling someone to grow and mature, possibly both physically and emotionally, and embrace those around them.
Cresce e me ensina a cantar
Asking someone who has grown and learned to teach others, possibly passing on their knowledge or skills.
Eu vim de tanta desgraça
Revealing personal hardships or struggles in the artist's past.
Mas muito te posso ensinar
Despite their previous struggles, the singer has valuable knowledge or skills that they can pass on to others.
(Capoeira!) Posso ensinar
Listing specific skills or knowledge that the artist possesses, in this case, Capoeira.
(Ziquizira!) Posso tirar
Listing another skill or knowledge that the singer can share, possibly involving overcoming obstacles or navigating difficult situations.
(Valentia!) Posso emprestar
Listing another skill or knowledge that the singer can share, possibly involving courage or bravery.
Mas liberdade só posso esperar
Acknowledging that true freedom may be elusive or difficult to achieve, and may require waiting or working towards it.
Writer(s): Gianfrancesco Guarnieri, Edu Lobo
Contributed by Penelope J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@C.Estudio
Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 - Upa Neguinho está na minha play list da pedalada de bicicleta.
@natividadramosvasconcelos6472
The Best from Brazil,After Ellis Regina,Gal Costa and Antonio Carlos Jobim🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁
@clint9040
Lani always so pretty. Thank you all Brazil 66
@michauxburn
"Upa neguinho na estrada, upa pra lá e pra cá. Virge que coisa mais linda! Upa neguinho começando a andar, e já começa a apanhar. Cresce neguinho me abraça, cresce me ensina a cantar. Eu vim de tanta desgraça, mas muito te posso ensinar."
@natividadramosvasconcelos6472
Para todos los Ninos del Mundo en 2021.
@1vaneligbruker
so is this song racist?
@HortaVerde-oq3dq
para de mimimi
@jimmyj1969
Νο, quite the contrary!