Eartha Kitt introduces an early Sergio Mendes & Brasil 66 performance of “Mas que nada” on Something Special (1967)
Eartha Kitt introduces an early Sergio Mendes & Brasil 66 performance of “Mas que nada” on Something Special (1967)
Brazilian artist José Prates first recorded a track called “Nanã Imborô” that appears on his album “Tam… Tam… Tam…!” (1958). The Prates track featured the same melody that was later heard in “Mas, que Nada!”, written and performed by Jorge Ben on his debut album, ‘Samba Esquema Novo’, and later covered by Sérgio Mendes becoming his signature song. This is understandable. It’s one of those indelible anthem songs.
Brazilian born Mendes had hopes of becoming a classical pianist, but instead grew a keen interest in jazz, playing in nightclubs in the late 1950s just as bossa nova, a jazz-inflected derivative of samba, was emerging. After stints at Atlantic and Capitol records, he formed a new group and released an album at A&M, “Herb Alpert Presents Sergio Mendes and Brasil ’66”. It went platinum based largely on the success of the Jorge Ben cover, “Mas Que Nada”, and the personal support of Alpert.
Love the classic sixties throwback fashion on the singers here, looks young women crave and love today.
“Mas, que Nada!” means “but, that [is] nothing”), “no way”, “whatever”, or “yeah, right!”. The track has been voted by the Brazilian edition of Rolling Stone as the 5th greatest Brazilian song of all time.
