The Song "Aquarela do Brasil" (also known as "Brazil")

Guybrush · 05-25-2010, 08:18 AM

This is a thread for discussing that wonderful tune known to most of the world simply as "Brazil" which was written by Ary Barroso in 1939. The song has a little history to it, here fetched from it's wikipedia article :

Quote:

Originally Posted by wikipedia

Ary Barroso wrote "Aquarela do Brasil" in early 1939, when he was prevented from leaving his home one night due to a storm. Its title, a reference to watercolor painting, is a clear mention to the rain. He also wrote "Três Lágrimas" (English: Three teardrops) on the same night, before the end of the rain.

Describing the song in an interview to Marisa Lira, of the newspaper Diário de Notícias, Barroso said that he wanted to "free the samba away from the tragedies of life, of the sensual scenario already so explored". According to the composer, he "felt all the greatness, the value and the wealth of our land", reliving "the tradition of the national panels".

Initially, he wrote the first chords, which he defined as "vibrant", and a "plangent of emotions". The original beat "sang on [his] imagination, highlighting the sound of the rain, on syncope beats of fantastic tambourins". According to him, "the rest came naturally, music and lyrics at once". He declared to have felt like another person after writing the song.

Those of you who think you do not know this are probably wrong as it is quite famous and have been recorded by a number of times by many different artists.

The english lyrics go something like this :

English lyrics

Brazil
When hearts were entertained in June
We stood beneath an amber moon
And softly whispered 'some day soon'

We kissed and clung together
Then
Tomorrow was another day
The morning found me miles away
With still a million things to say

Now
When twilight beams the skies above
Recalling thrills of our love
There's one thing I'm certain of

Return I will
To old Brazil

Out of the many recordings of this song, I have a few more dear to my heart than others. This thread is of course for discussing the song, but also for posting your favourite versions if you have one or a few!

A recording I like quite a lot was done for Terry Gilliam's movie Brazil in which the song played an important role symbolizing the main characters hopes and dreams and the movie's escapist theme. One of the reasons I like it is that it's sung by Kate Bush, my favourite female artist ever

As a song to listen to, there are arguably better versions but I'll save those for later.

For now, enjoy Michael Kamen and Kate Bush's 1985 version!

And let me know what your favourites are!

Guybrush · 05-26-2010, 01:04 AM

I see noone else have posted, but I'm not gonna give up just yet.

The song became popular after Disney used it in their 1942 movie "Saludos Amigos". Supposedly, there was a worry that some of the latin american governments could side with the nazis during world war 2, so aside from being just another Disney movie, this film was a part of an attempt from the US at establishing a friendly neighbour relationship with the latin american countries. Supposedly!

This is the part from that movie containing much use of Aquarela do Brasil. The version in the movie is quite good (sung by Aloysio Oliveira) and the film itself is very entertaining, so it's well worth the watch.

Guybrush · 05-26-2010, 05:21 PM

Legendary jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt recorded a very famous version from 1947 which is another favourite of mine for the album Quintette du Hot Club de France. Check it out!

**Janszoon** · 05-26-2010, 08:55 PM

Great song. I love the Cornelius version myself.

Guybrush · 05-28-2010, 06:49 PM

I was starting to think noone knew this song

Great post, Jans! That's definetly one of the stranger versions I've heard!

Another version which is in my personal library is a more straightforward guitar version by the shadows. Here it is in somewhat poor quality.

Burning Down · 05-29-2010, 09:14 AM

I quite like this version myself:

I'm not sure where this singing group is from but they are quite good!

Guybrush · 05-31-2010, 04:05 AM

^Brilliant and a lot of fun Burning Down

Frank Sinatra's big band version, although perhaps not super valuable as a curiostiy, is one I find it hard not to like.

Seltzer · 06-01-2010, 04:11 AM

Wow, I'm looking at the wiki article now and I didn't realise there were that many Brazil covers. And I had no idea Cornelius covered it... their version is pretty damn cool actually. I've always known about the Django and Kate Bush versions (she's also my fav female artist). Great song.

Guybrush · 06-01-2010, 04:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seltzer

Wow, I'm looking at the wiki article now and I didn't realise there were that many Brazil covers. And I had no idea Cornelius covered it... their version is pretty damn cool actually. I've always known about the Django and Kate Bush versions (she's also my fav female artist). Great song.

There are plenty more out there, many more than what's listed in the wikipedia article I'm sure! This thread could potentially go on for quite a while.

Here's Antonio Carlos Jobim's version bossa nova style from the 1970 album Stone Flower. Another nice one

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seltzer

Kate Bush versions (she's also my fav female artist).

softunderbelly · 11-19-2013, 08:25 AM

Let's not forget Walter Wanderly's version. It's pretty good too. Heck! they're all good. It's a classic piece.

05-26-2010, 01:04 AM	#2 (permalink)
Guybrush Juicious Maximus III Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Scabb Island Posts: 6,525	I see noone else have posted, but I'm not gonna give up just yet. The song became popular after Disney used it in their 1942 movie "Saludos Amigos". Supposedly, there was a worry that some of the latin american governments could side with the nazis during world war 2, so aside from being just another Disney movie, this film was a part of an attempt from the US at establishing a friendly neighbour relationship with the latin american countries. Supposedly! This is the part from that movie containing much use of Aquarela do Brasil. The version in the movie is quite good (sung by Aloysio Oliveira) and the film itself is very entertaining, so it's well worth the watch. __________________ Something Completely Different

05-26-2010, 05:21 PM	#3 (permalink)
Guybrush Juicious Maximus III Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Scabb Island Posts: 6,525	Legendary jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt recorded a very famous version from 1947 which is another favourite of mine for the album Quintette du Hot Club de France. Check it out! __________________ Something Completely Different

05-26-2010, 08:55 PM	#4 (permalink)
Janszoon Mate, Spawn & Die Join Date: May 2007 Location: The Rapping Community Posts: 24,593	Great song. I love the Cornelius version myself. __________________ A Night in the Life of the Invisible Man Time & Place 25 Albums You Should Hear Before the Moon Crashes into the Earth and We All Die last.fm

05-28-2010, 06:49 PM	#5 (permalink)
Guybrush Juicious Maximus III Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Scabb Island Posts: 6,525	I was starting to think noone knew this song Great post, Jans! That's definetly one of the stranger versions I've heard! Another version which is in my personal library is a more straightforward guitar version by the shadows. Here it is in somewhat poor quality. __________________ Something Completely Different

05-31-2010, 04:05 AM	#7 (permalink)
Guybrush Juicious Maximus III Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Scabb Island Posts: 6,525	^Brilliant and a lot of fun Burning Down Frank Sinatra's big band version, although perhaps not super valuable as a curiostiy, is one I find it hard not to like. __________________ Something Completely Different

05-29-2010, 09:14 AM	#6 (permalink)
Burning Down The Music Guru. Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Beyond the Wall Posts: 4,858	I quite like this version myself: I'm not sure where this singing group is from but they are quite good!

06-01-2010, 04:11 AM	#8 (permalink)
Seltzer Fish in the percolator! Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Hobbit Land NZ Posts: 2,870	Wow, I'm looking at the wiki article now and I didn't realise there were that many Brazil covers. And I had no idea Cornelius covered it... their version is pretty damn cool actually. I've always known about the Django and Kate Bush versions (she's also my fav female artist). Great song. __________________ In the Court of King Crimson \| Last.fm \| RYM

11-19-2013, 08:25 AM	#10 (permalink)
softunderbelly Groupie Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 1	Brazil Let's not forget Walter Wanderly's version. It's pretty good too. Heck! they're all good. It's a classic piece.