This is a famous song. It comes from Brazil. Many people love to sing it. It has a happy sound. You might hear it in a movie. Do you like to dance to music?
Mas que nada is a song from Brazil.
A man named Jorge Ben wrote it. He sang it many years ago. Other singers also made their own versions. One singer named Sérgio Mendes made it very famous.
His music reached many lands. Later, he sang it with a group called the Black Eyed Peas. This new version was in a movie called Rio. People in many places love this song. It is a very special piece of music.
Mas que nada is a famous song from Brazil.
Jorge Ben wrote the song. He first sang it in 1962. The song uses a melody from an older track. That song was called "Nanã Imborô." It was made by José Prates in 1958.
Many artists have made their own versions. One singer named Sérgio Mendes made the song very popular. His band was called Brasil '66. Their version came out in 1966. This version became famous in the United States. It also reached many people in Canada.
In 2006, Mendes made the song new again. He sang it with a group called the Black Eyed Peas. This version was a big hit. It reached number one in Hungary and the Netherlands. It also did well in the United Kingdom.
This song was even in the movie Rio. People in Brazil think it is a great song. It was even put into the Latin Grammy Hall of Fame in 2013.
"Mas que nada" is a very famous song from Brazil.
It is a special part of Brazilian music history. Many people in Brazil love this song very much. The Brazilian edition of Rolling Stone called it a great song. They even voted it the fifth-greatest Brazilian song ever. In 2013, it joined the Latin Grammy Hall of Fame. This shows how much people value the music. It is a song that people keep sharing and singing.
The song has a very interesting way of working. It uses a melody and vocal sounds from an older track. That older track was called "Nanã Imborô." The artist José Prates recorded it in 1958.
Later, Jorge Ben used those same musical ideas. He wrote "Mas que nada" using those motifs. When Sérgio Mendes arranged the song, he made those sounds stand out even more. This shows how new songs can grow from old ideas.
Jorge Ben wrote the song and sang the lead vocals.
He first recorded it in 1962 with Zé Maria. Zé Maria was a bandleader who played Bossa Nova. The song appeared on the album titled Tudo Azul - Bossa E Balanço. Jorge Ben made his own version the next year. He put it on his first album called Samba esquema novo. This version was also released as a single for people to buy.
Many different artists have performed this song over the years.
The Tamba Trio sang it in 1963. Luis Carlos Vinhas also covered it in 1964. Sérgio Mendes and his band Brasil '66 made a famous version in 1966. That version reached number 47 on the US Billboard Hot 100. It also hit number four on the Easy Listening chart. In Canada, the song reached number 54 on the charts.
In 2006, the song became a big hit once again.
Sérgio Mendes recorded it with the American group Black Eyed Peas. This new version used a sample from a song called "Hey Mama." It reached number one in Hungary and the Netherlands. It also reached number six in the United Kingdom. You might even hear it in the movie Rio. The song is part of that movie's soundtrack too.
"Mas que nada" is a famous Brazilian song. It is a landmark in the history of Brazilian music. This song connects different styles like Bossa Nova and Samba. Many people in Brazil consider it a masterpiece. The Brazilian edition of Rolling Stone magazine voted it the fifth-greatest Brazilian song. In 2013, it received a major honor. It was inducted into the Latin Grammy Hall of Fame. This recognition shows how much the song matters to the world of music.
The song's musical structure is built on older ideas. In 1958, an artist named José Prates recorded a track. That track was called "Nanã Imborô." It appeared on his album titled Tam... Tam... Tam...! This older recording contained specific melody and vocal motifs. These are repeating musical patterns or ideas. Jorge Ben used these motifs to create "Mas que nada." Later, the musician Sérgio Mendes used a specific arrangement to highlight these sounds. This process shows how musicians build new works from existing melodies.
Jorge Ben is the primary creator of the song. He is also known today as Jorge Ben Jor. The song was first recorded in 1962. It was recorded by the Bossa Nova musician and bandleader Zé Maria. The track appeared on the album Tudo Azul - Bossa E Balanço. On this album, Jorge Ben provided the lead vocals. Ben recorded his own version of the song in 1963. He included it on his debut album, Samba esquema novo. This version was also released as a single for listeners.
Many different artists have performed their own versions of the song. In 1963, the Tamba Trio covered the track. Luis Carlos Vinhas also performed a version in 1964. A very significant version arrived in 1966. Sérgio Mendes recorded the song with his band, Brasil '66. This version appeared on the debut album, Herb Alpert Presents Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66. Outside of Brazil, this 1966 version is very famous. Many people consider it the definitive way to hear the song.
This 1966 version had great success on international music charts. In the United States, the single reached number 47 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also reached number four on the Billboard Easy Listening chart. The song reached number 54 in Canada. These numbers show the song's wide appeal across North America. It helped bring Brazilian musical styles to a much larger global audience.
The song saw a massive resurgence in 2006. Sérgio Mendes re-recorded the track for his album Timeless. He collaborated with the American musical group the Black Eyed Peas. This version also featured vocals from Gracinha Leporace, who is Mendes' wife. The 2006 version used a sample from the Black Eyed Peas' 2004 single "Hey Mama." This new version became a global hit. It reached number one on the charts in Hungary and the Netherlands. It also peaked at number six on the UK Singles Chart.
"Mas que nada" connects to many different areas of modern culture. It was featured in the 2011 animated film Rio. The song is part of the movie's official soundtrack. One member of the Black Eyed Peas, will.i.am, also had a voice role in the film. He voiced Pedro, a red-crested cardinal. The song's success in different decades shows its lasting power. It links 1950s melodies to 1960s Bossa Nova and 2000s pop music. This makes it a vital piece of musical history.
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