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
With a Little Help From My Fri
Sérgio Mendes & Brasil '66 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Would you stand up and walk out on me
Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song
And I'll try not to sing out of key
I get by with a little help from my friends
I get high with a little help from my friends
yeah, gonna try with a little help from my friends
What do I do when my love is away
Does it worry you to be alone
But how do I feel by the end of the day
Are you sad because you're on your own
No, I get by with a little help from my friends
I get high with a little help from my friends
Yeah gonna try with a little help from my friends
Do you need anybody
I just need someone to love
Could it be anybody
I want somebody to love
Would you believe at a love at first sight
Yes, I'm certain that it happens all the time
what do you see when you turn of the light
I can't tell you but I kno that it's mine
Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends
I get high with a little help from my friends
Gonna try with a little help from my friends
Do you need anybody
I just need someone to love
Could it be anybody
I want somebody to love
Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends
I'm gonna try with a little help from my friends
Oh I get high with a little help from my friends
Yes I can't buy a little help from my friends
With a little help from my friends
The song "With a Little Help from My Friends" by Sergio Mendes Brasil '66 is a cover of the original Beatles hit. The song starts off with the singer questioning the listener, asking how they would react if the singer were to sing a song out of tune. The singer then goes on to talk about getting help from friends and how they get by with that help. They also mention getting high with the help of friends, implying the use of drugs. The singer then asks the listener if they need anyone to love and if anybody could be their love interest. They end the song by repeating the phrase "With a little help from my friends" and emphasizing the importance of friendship.
The lyrics of the song highlight the importance of having a support system and how friends can make life more tolerable. The line "I get high with a little help from my friends" has often been interpreted to refer to drug use, but it can also be considered as a metaphorical expression for the sense of euphoria, confidence and happiness that comes when one feels loved and appreciated by their friends.
Line by Line Meaning
What would you think if I sang out a tune
Do you think it's alright if I sing a song for you?
Would you stand up and walk out on me
Would you leave if I didn't sing well?
Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song
Listen to me sing a song for you
And I'll try not to sing out of key
I'll do my best to sing on pitch
I get by with a little help from my friends
I need my friends to help me cope and succeed
I get high with a little help from my friends
My friends help me feel happy and elevated
Yeah gonna try with a little help from my friends
I will attempt something with the help of my friends
What do I do when my love is away
How do I handle being alone without my loved one?
Does it worry you to be alone
Are you concerned about being alone too?
But how do I feel by the end of the day
How do I really feel when the day is over?
Are you sad because you're on your own
Are you unhappy being by yourself?
Do you need anybody
Do you require any sort of help?
I just need someone to love
All I need is to be loved by someone
Could it be anybody
It could be anyone who loves me
I want somebody to love
I desire to be loved by someone
Would you believe at a love at first sight
Do you believe in love at first sight?
Yes, I´m certain that it happens all the time
I am sure it happens very often
what do you see when you turn off the light
What do you imagine when you close your eyes?
I can´t tell you but I know that it´s mine
I cannot explain, but it is a personal experience
I'm gonna try with a little help from my friends
With the help of my friends, I will attempt something
Yes I can´t buy a little help from my friends
I can't purchase help from my friends, but I appreciate it
With a little help from my friends
With the assistance of my friends
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Lennon, Paul McCartney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@JoaoCarlos-qh8no
Timeless joy! Unforgettable band
@DRALIVIACALASANS
Música assertiva...vocal harmônico...instrumental perfeito!
@gregbailey1753
This version was probably more listened to than Dusty Springfield's as it was used on GM's sample 8 tracks and numerous compilations. was my introduction to one of the sexiest songs ever.
@luisa.7734
❤👌🏻
@krispybeats6615
Love from slovenija europe ❤️✌️
@eanderson5199
❤️🙏
@porchfyre612
Yeah baby yeah!
@spindriftdrinker
Shagadelic!
@TheOiler1989
Early Spring 1968.
@saucen1785
Gogo sent me.