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Mas que Nada
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Wikipedia article
"'Mas, que Nada!'" is a song written and originally recorded in 1963 by Jorge Ben (currently known as "Jorge Ben Jor") on his debut album 'Samba Esquema Novo', which was covered in 1966 by Srgio Mendes, becoming one of the latter's signature songs. It was voted by the Brazilian edition of 'Rolling Stone' as the fifth-greatest Brazilian song. It was inducted to the Latin Grammy Hall of Fame in 2013.
Title meaning
Brazilians use 'Mas que nada' (in a literal translation: 'just nothing') colloquially to disagree with someone. A fitting English translation might be a sarcastic "Yeah, right!" or "No way!"
With many recordings, the title song is incorrectly written 'Mais que nada' (Portuguese for "more than nothing")Brazilian pronunciation of "'mas'" and "'mais'" is very similar, approaching identical in some dialects which would fundamentally alter its meaning, and would be the equivalent to the Spanish expression 'ms que nada', which means "more than anything", or "above all", and is used in the sense of "mainly" or "principally".
Jos Prates song
In 1958, Brazilian artist Jos Prates recorded a track called "Nan Imbor" that appears on his album 'Tam... Tam... Tam...!' (1958, Polydor Brasil LPNG 4.016), which features the underlying melody and vocalizations later used by Jorge Ben in "Mas, que Nada!" This motifs would by further highlighted by Sergio Mendes arrangement of the song in 1966.
Srgio Mendes versions
Srgio Mendes covered the song with his band 'Brasil '66' on their debut album 'Herb Alpert Presents Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66' (1966). In the United States, the single reached number 47 on the US 'Billboard' Hot 100, and number four on the 'Billboard' Easy Listening chart. Outside of Brazil this 1966 version is better known than Jorge Ben's original and, to many, the definitive version of the song.
In 1989, Mendes re-recorded the song on his album 'Arara'; in Brazil, the song is also well known for being the theme song for the local television channel Rede Globo's 'Estrelas'.
With the Black Eyed Peas
In 2006, Mendes again re-recorded the song, this time with American musical group the Black Eyed Peas and additional vocals by Mendes' wife, Gracinha Leporace, for his album 'Timeless'. This version contains a sample of the Black Eyed Peas' 2004 single "Hey Mama". The song topped the charts of Hungary and the Netherlands and peaked at number six on the UK Singles Chart. This version was included in the 2011 animated film 'Rio' (along with another version recorded in the style of Brasil '66 and also coincidentally featured one of the members, will.i.am with a voice role in the film as Pedro the red-crested cardinal one of the main characters of the film) and its soundtrack.
Track listing
# "Mas que Nada" (Radio Edit) 3:33# "Mas que Nada" (Masters at Work Remix) 8:03
# "Mas que Nada" (Original Brazil '66 Version) 2:41
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Sales and certifications
Other uses
The song is used in Disney's Animal Kingdom, "Mickey's Jammin Jungle Parade" in Orlando, Florida, and in the films 'Joe Versus the Volcano', 'Rio' and 'Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery'. The song is also used in a 1998 Nike advertisement, featuring the Brazil national football team playing football in an airport.Professional darts player Diogo Portela uses the song as his walk-on music.
Professional football team Burton Albion F.C. uses the song as their goal song.
London based events team "Mas Que Nada" is named after the song.
Other versions
Other Brazilian artists who recorded the song include Luiz Henrique, Elza Soares and . Outside Brazil, the song has been covered by dozens of international stars:
*Hugh Masekela included the song in his 1966 live album 'The Americanization of Ooga Booga'.
*Dizzy Gillespie included a cover version on his albums 'The Melody Lingers On' (1966) and 'Swing Low, Sweet Cadillac' (1967).
*Miriam Makeba covered the song on for her albums 'Live from Paris & Conakry' (1996) and 'Miriam Makeba in Concert!' (1967).
*A Moog version is featured on Perrey and Kingsley's album, 'Kaleidoscopic Vibrations: Electronic Pop Music From Way Out' (1967).
*Lill Lindfors recorded a Swedish-language version titled 'Hr min samba' for her album 'Du r den ende' (1967).
*Warren Kime recorded a version, track number one, on his 'Brass Impact' album RS 910 SD (LP) and R4T3-910 (Reel Tape) issued in 1967.
*A rumba version is featured on the album 'Patato & Totico' by Patato Valdes and Totico Arango (1968).
*Klaus Wunderlich under the pseudonym Chris Waxman released a spirited version during this period, performed on the Hammond organ, for the opening track on a special phase four stereo album 'Organized' (1968) (London and Decca SP 44119).
*The Chopsticks, a Hong Kong female duo, covered this song on their first LP 'The Chopsticks: Sandra and Amina' (1970).
*Ella Fitzgerald recorded it on her 1971 album 'Things Ain't What They Used to Be (And You Better Believe It)' with English lyrics by Loryn Deane.
*The Sacramento Freelancers Drum and Bugle Corps performed this song as part of their 1976 show.
*Al Jarreau also did a cover version on his 1994 album 'Tenderness'.
*UK garage singer Colour Girl recorded her version featuring MC PSG in 2001, which reached No. 57 on the UK Singles Chart and the top 10 of the UK Dance Singles Chart.
*French jazz guitarist Marc Antoine performed an instrumental version on his album 'Cruisin' (2001).
*Serbian jazz and pop singer Madame Piano also covered it in 2001. and included it on her second studio album 'Zemlja uda', while Croatian cellist Walter Despalj did an arrangement of the song for a group of cellos.
*The Idea of North perform "Mas, que Nada!" a cappella, and have recorded a version on 'The Sum of Us' (2001) featuring James Morrison on trombone.
*Filipino bossa nova singer Sitti did a remake of this song, which is included on her 2006 album, 'Caf Bossa'.
*The Los Angeles Guitar Quartet recorded a version for their 2007 album 'LAGQ Brazil'.
* British singer Ava Leigh covered the song for her debut album, 'Rollin'. It was released as a double A-side with "Mad About the Boy". This version has recently been used in UK television commercials for clothing chain 'Next' (2008).
*Jessy J recorded a cover of this song in her album 'Tequila Moon' (2008).
*Covered by Jane McDonald in her seventh album 'Jane' in 2008.
*The Slovenian XL vocal group Perpetuum Jazzile performed the song in a cappella arrange at Vokal Xtravaganzza (2008).
*Madlib included this song in episode 2 of the 'Madlib Medicine Show' on the track "Rio de Janeiro" in 2010.
* Palo Yuba Orquesta made a salsa cover in 2010.
* The Sergio Mendes version was used in the movies I Shot Andy Warhol in 1996, Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery in 1997, and Rio in 2011.
*Pink Martini and Saori Yuki released the album '1969' in 2011. "Mas que Nada" is track number eight.
* French girl group Nossa released a cover of this song as a single in 2012.
*Jazztronik has recorded a cover of this song, including the electric jazz and bossa nova instrumentation on the album 'Vamos la Brasil' (2014).
References
Category:1963 songs
Category:1966 songs
Category:2006 singles
Category:A&M Records singles
Category:Black Eyed Peas songs
Category:Bossa nova songs
Category:Brazilian songs
Category:Dutch Top 40 number-one singles
Category:Miriam Makeba songs
Category:Number-one singles in Hungary
Category:Portuguese-language songs
Category:Samba songs
Category:Srgio Mendes songs
Category:Latin Grammy Hall of Fame Award recipients
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