“Patty Andrews, the lead singer of the Andrews sisters group was born in Mound, Minnesota on February 16, 1918 in a house that occupied the property where The Gillespie Center stands today.
During the 1920’s Laverne, Maxene and Patty Andrews spent their summers in Mound, living with their parents in a house across the street from the grocery store that was owned by Pete and Ed Sollie, bachelor uncles of the three girls. (Today, Green T Accounting occupies the Sollie grocery store building and The Gillespie Center is on the land where the Andrews Sisters’ house once stood.)” - From a commentary by Tom Rockvam that appeared in The Laker Newspaper during 2005.
They started their career as imitators of an earlier successful singing group, the Boswell Sisters. After singing with various dance bands and touring on Vaudeville, they first came to national attention with their recordings and radio broadcasts in 1937. Their music entertained Allied troops worldwide during World War II, sold war bonds, appeared in several films (including a few Abbott and Costello features), and performed for soldiers serving overseas. Their first film with Abbott and Costello, the pre-war comedy Buck Privates, introduced their best-known recording, "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" which would win Best Song at the Academy Awards.
They also recorded many songs with Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye and other popular artists of the era. Their popularity was such that after the war they discovered that some of their records had actually been smuggled into Germany after the labels had been changed to read "Hitler's Marching Songs."
After a brief hiatus after the war, the sisters regrouped, performing in clubs throughout the United States and Europe. They broke up in 1953, with Patty's choice to go solo. Their last appearance together was in 1962 on The Dean Martin Show. Laverne, who had cancer, retired soon after; she died five years later, in 1967 at the age of 55.
After a long silence, the two surviving sisters had something of a comeback when Bette Midler recorded a cover of their song "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy." Maxene and Patty appeared both together and separately throughout the 1970s, with Maxene releasing a solo album in 1986. Their most notable comeback; however, was in the Sherman Brothers' nostalgic World War II musical: "Over Here!" which premiered on Broadway at the Shubert Theatre in 1974. The musical featured the two then living sisters (Maxene and Patty) and was written with them in mind for the leads. It launched the careers of many, now notable theater and film icons (John Travolta, Marilu Henner, Ann Reinking, et al). Ironically it was the last major hurrah of the sisters and was cut short due to a frivolous lawsuit initiated by Patty's husband to the show's producers.
Throughout their long career, the sisters had sold over 60 million records. The group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1998.
The last of the three sisters Patty Andrews died of natural causes at her home in Northridge, California on January 30, 2013, just 17 days before her 95th birthday. The sisters were interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California, close to their parents.
South American Way
The Andrews Sisters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
É o canto do pregoneiro
Que com sua harmonia
Traz alegria
In South American Way
Ai, ai, ai, ai
E o que traz no seu tabuleiro
Vende pra iaiá
In South American Way
E vende vatapá
E vende caruru
E vende munguzá
E vende umbu
No tabuleiro tem de tudo que convém
Mas só lhe falta, ai, ai berenguendéns
Ai, ai, ai, ai
É o canto do pregoneiro
Que com sua harmonia
Traz alegria
In South American Way
Ai, ai, ai, ai
Ai, ai, ai, ai
Ai ,ai, ai, ai
In South American Way
Ai, ai, ai, ai
Have you ever danced
In the tropics?
With that hazy lazy
Like, kind of crazy
Like South American Way
Ai, ai, ai, ai
Have you ever kissed
In the moon light
In the grand and Glorious
Gay Notorious
South American Way
Ai, ai, ai, ai
Ai, ai, ai, ai
In South American Way
The Andrews Sisters's South American Way is a fun-loving, upbeat song that encapsulates the joy and energy of South American culture. The lyrics seem to be celebrating a street vendor or a street crier, whose harmonious voice brings joy and liveliness wherever he goes. The singer describes the various goods and food items that the vendor is selling: vatapá, caruru, munguzá, and umbu. The words "ai, ai, ai, ai" frequently appear throughout the song, which is a common feature of Brazilian samba music. It is used to express excitement, surprise, or happiness, and some suggest it signifies a sense of longing for something unattainable.
The second part of the song changes its focus to dancing and romance. The singer asks the audience if they have ever danced in the tropics to the distinctive rhythm of South American music, which is hazy and crazy in a good way! The lyrics suggest that the culture of the region inspires people to come alive and embrace life. The singer then asks if they have ever kissed someone in the moonlight in that grand and glorious, gay, and notorious way that is unique to South America. The song's vibrant melody and upbeat tempo make it a perfect dance number, and its lyrics celebrate the culture's lively and vivacious spirit.
Line by Line Meaning
Ai, ai, ai, ai
Expressing the joy and excitement of the South American culture
É o canto do pregoneiro
It's the song of the street vendors who spread happiness with their melody
Que com sua harmonia
Whose harmony is so soothing and refreshing
Traz alegria
Brings joy and contentment
In South American Way
All in the unique, vibrant way of South America
E o que traz no seu tabuleiro
And what they bring on their tray
Vende pra ioiô
Sells to the young lovers
Vende pra iaiá
Sells to the young ladies
E vende vatapá
And sells typical dishes such as vatapá
E vende caruru
And sells another dish called caruru
E vende munguzá
And sells a delicious dessert called munguzá
E vende umbu
And sells a refreshing fruit called umbu
No tabuleiro tem de tudo que convém
On their tray, they have all that one can desire
Mas só lhe falta, ai, ai berenguendéns
But they still lack some small things, like berenguendéns
Have you ever danced
Did you ever experience
In the tropics?
A dance under the palm trees?
With that hazy lazy
In that dreamy, laid-back
Like, kind of crazy
Somehow mad but also exciting
Like South American Way
Typical of the South American folks
Have you ever kissed
Have you ever tasted
In the moon light
The flavor of the moonlit night
In the grand and Glorious
In the impressive and glorious
Gay Notorious
But also loud and joyful
South American Way
South America's magic
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Al Dubin, Jimmy Mc Hugh
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Maximus Meridius
play fighting my grandad as a kid he flicked me with a tea towel accidentally catching me in the eye i cried like a baby and he sang this song eye eye eye eye my dad and uncles thought it was hysterical 🤣
Mario Eslao
that's it ,the ANDREWS, how very nice singing,it makes my day complete every day,that passes me by,I love them singing,
Kristina Pulido
Me encanta esta música 🎶🙆👑💟💟👏👏
Mai Bigliani
I love them!
Michael O'Leary
Love it!
Cruciferum Aeternum
Thumbs up αν το ανακαλύψατε απ'τα Ημισκούμπρια!
Pedro Castilhos
👏👏👏👏👏👍👍👍👍👍
Ebeeries
Κι έμεινα ο Snoop με το μαλλί αφάνα!
Dimitris Kokkalis
γιατί ήμουνα μονάχος με μια Αμερικάνα!
ME MIA AMEPIKANA!
Gretchen Graef
Carmen Miranda got a lot of flak for recording her version. They thought she made a caricature of Brazilians.