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Every episode is a different song. This is the song today:

"Partido Alto", written by Chico Buarque/ performed by MPB4

---Today, we take a deep dive into the history of Partido Alto, a subgenre of samba. The style emerged in the 1940s as an improvised form, featuring improvised lyrics in which two singers engaged in a lyrical battle, accompanied by handmade percussion instruments such as knives and plates, with roots in the batucada tradition of Bahia. The genre took off in the 1970s, with artists such as Candeia, who appeared in the documentary Partido Alto, directed by Leon Hirszman, which offers insights from traditional samba figures.

We also talked about a couple of songs written based on Partido Alto, such as "Partido Alto", written by Chico Buarque for the soundtrack of the film "Quando o carnaval chegar", performed by the vocal group MPB4. Another famous song about Partido Alto was written by bossa-jazz masters Azymuth (1979), later covered by Airton Moreira.

In episode #96, we will continue our celebration of albums released 50 years ago. It was another great year for Brazilian music, with important albums such as Cartola's second album, Jorge Ben's Africa Brasil, Elis Regina's Falso Brilhante, and Tom Zé's Estudando o Samba, and more.

In this episode, we will discuss some of the underrated albums of 1976. Among the records are:

José Mauro - A Viagem das Horas; Taiguara - Imyra Tayra Ipy; Fagner - Raimundo Fagner; Luiz Henrique - Mestiço; Burnier e Cartier - Fotos p/ Capa do LP; Eduardo Araújo & Silvinha - Filhos desse Chão; Joelho de Porco - São Paulo 1554/Hoje; and the debut and only album released by the groups Mandala and Pão com Manteiga.

For an exclusive playlist featuring all the albums released in 1976, subscribe for free on Patreon.

All other songs are available in our Spotify playlist "⁠Soundtrack: Brazuca Sounds".

You may also like these other episodes:

#84 - Debut Samba Albums of 1975

#73 - The Underrated Albums of 1974

#58 - The Underrated Album of 1973

#42 - The Best Albums of 1972

#23 - The Best Albums of 1971

Salve! This is a trailer for the bonus episode exclusive for paid subscribers!

Every episode is a different song. This is the song today:

"Juventude Transviada", by Luiz Melodia

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“Juventude Transviada” captures the marginalized urban youth as they navigate Rio de Janeiro’s social tensions. The song blends samba, rock, and soul influences, reflecting Melodia’s unique style. Its lyrics reference James Dean's Rebel Without a Cause (released as Juventude Transviada in Brazil), portraying rebellion not as glamour but as a response to exclusion, poverty, and lack of opportunity. It became one of Brazil's biggest hits of 1976 after its inclusion on the soundtrack of the soap opera Pecado Capital.

Check out the translation of Juventude Transviada, provided by Translationsmith.