In episode #93, we are celebrating the Queen Bee of Brazilian music, Maria Bethânia. She has released 50 studio albums and is among the 10 best-selling music artists in Brazil, having sold more than 26 million copies. Born on June 18th, 1946, in Santo Amaro, Bahia, we honour her 80th birthday with a song-by-song analysis of her album "Pássaro Proibido" (1976). This was the first album to expand her from cultural elite to mainstream, ignited by an AM radio phenomenon of "Olhos nos Olhos" written by Chico Buarque.

We also talked about her introduction to the scene, by replacing Nara Leão in a musical with a voracious performance of "Carcará", and her notorious collaboration with her older brother, Caetano Veloso. We also put together a playlist with 50 of her best songs, one for every year of her career!

Check Translationsmith for the translation of many songs from the album.

Follow our playlist ⁠Brazuca Sounds Soundtrack.

This is the preview for a bonus episode for paid subscribers!

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

"Que Maravilha", written and performed by Toquinho, featuring Jorge Ben

This episode celebrates the 80th birthday of Toquinho, born Antonio Bondeolli Pecci. He started his career as a virtuoso bossa-nova guitarist, but that changed when he met Chico Buarque in Italy, and later Jorge Ben in his hometown São Paulo, and became a prolific songwriter. "Que Maravilha" (and its B-side "Carolina Carol Bela") were written for a Tropicalia TV show, Divino, Maravilhoso, in 1969, and later released as a single.

Both songs are about the same girl (Carolina, there is), who had a brief romantic relationship to Toquinho. A fusion of samba, tropicalia, and sambalanço, "Que Maravilha" became one of the most successful Brazilian songs of all time. We talked about how the song was written, its melody, lyrics, and how it connects to "Carolina Carol Bela".

Salve! This is the preview of our bonus episode exclusive for paid subscribers!

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

"Lígia" (Jobim/Buarque), performed by Tom Jobim

Tom Jobim wrote this song based on a real story about a girl he met in a bar in Rio de Janeiro, who turned out to be his daughter's teacher. They were never in a relationship, but this song reflects the possibility of one, with two different interpretations or endings. One lyric by Tom Jobim was performed by João Gilberto, while the more famous version was written by Chico Buarque, who arguably strengthened the narrative. Tom Jobim recorded this version on his 1976 album Urubu, while Chico recorded it on Sinal Fechado.

In episode #93, we celebrate 50 years of Cartola's second album, released in 1976 by the record label Marcus Pereira Discus. Nearly 50 years into his career, Cartola released his debut featuring many of his early sambas and chorinhos. This follow-up is completed with songs written exclusively for this album, such as "As Rosas Não Rosam", arguably his most popular song.

Among other famous iconic samba standards are "O Mundo é um Moinho" and "Preciso me Encontrar" (written by another amba legend, Candeia). Although with a very similar approach to his debut album, this 1976 sophomore album is definitely a step forward that finally gave Cartola the stardom he deserved.

Check our episode about his debut album, Cartola (1974).

Check our episode History of Samba in 10 Albums.

Check Translationsmith for the translation of many songs from the album.

Follow our playlist ⁠Brazuca Sounds Soundtrack.

Salve! This is a preview of our latest bonus episode exclusive for paid subscribers!

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

"A Noite do Meu Bem", written and performed by Dolores Duran

Dolores Duran is one of the most important figures in Brazilian music. She wasn’t just a crooner or a performer, but was also a prolific lyricist, including words written for Tom Jobim. "A Noite do Meu Bem" is probably Duran’s biggest hit, with all the lyrics and music written by her, just a few weeks before her passing. That matters greatly because, at the time, very few women had the space or recognition to write. Dolores Duran carved out that role for herself with remarkable talent and presence before tragically dying while sleeping at the age of 29. "A Noite do Meu Bem" was voted one of the 100 Best Brazilian Songs of All Time according to Rolling Stone Brasil.

Check for the song's full translation at The Anvil, by Translationsmith.

In episode #92, we will feature the last 25 songs that mention Brazilian places in their lyrics. This time we traveled all over Brazil with a contemporary approach, and music produced in the 1980s, 1990s, and until now. Among the artists featured are heavyweights such as Marcos Valle, Emílio Santiago, Moraes Moreira, and present-day greats like Criolo, Racionais MCs, and Ed Motta.

We finished this episode uncovering the 4,175.72 km extension of land from the Northernmost part, with Nazaré Pereira, singing about her homeland of Pará and the Marajó Island, to the South region where Brazil meets Uruguay. Check the ⁠⁠⁠⁠Translationsmith ⁠⁠⁠⁠for lyrics!

A Trip to Brazil in 100 Songs: ⁠PART 1⁠; and ⁠PART 2⁠; and PART 3.

Listen to our playlist ⁠'A Trip to Brazil' ⁠on Spotify.

Follow our playlist ⁠Brazuca Sounds Soundtrac⁠k on Spotify.

Salve! This is a preview of a bonus episode exclusive for paid subscribers!

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

"Meu Balanço", written and performed by Waltel Branco

Branco was a conductor, arranger, and classical guitarist who worked with Henry Mancini in the USA and became a household composer of soundtracks to soap operas in Brazil. One of the pioneers of Brazilian funk and soul, he arranged songs for Tim Maia, Toni Tornado, Hyldon, Marcos Valle, and countless more.

In 1975, with the studio hours left for a different project, he recorded his iconic instrumental album "Meu Balanço", immersed in groovy bass, funky beats, brass, and fuzzy guitars. In this bonus episode, we spoke about the backstory behind the album and its most significant track, and how Branco is one of the unrecognized masters of Brazilian music.

Salve! This is a preview of our latest bonus episode, available exclusively for subscribers at Patreon.

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

"O Que Será?" by Chico Buarque feat. Milton Nascimento

Originally written for the soundtrack to Dona Flor and her Two Husbands, and performed by the singer Simone, this song was already a massive success when its writer recorded it for his album "Meus Caros Amigos" with the subtitle "À flor da terra”. In this episode, we talked about what the song means, its context, and how Milton Nascimento ended up sharing its vocals - Nascimento also recorded “O que será? (À flor da pele)” with different lyrics. Check out the translation and links to multiple versions of the song at TranslationSmith.