Antonio Carlos Jobim is best known for having written this tune, “The Girl From Ipanema,” said to be one the most recorded songs of all time. Brazilians are quite aware, but Americans may not know, that there was an actual young beauty in the Ipanema section of Rio de Janeiro of whom the song was written in tribute. Her name is Heloísa Pinheiro and the song has given her a measure of fame and public support.
According to the Wik, “During a recording session in New York with João Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim and Stan Getz, the idea of cutting an English language version came up. João’s wife, Astrud, was the only one of the Brazilians who could speak English well and was chosen to sing. Her voice, without trained singer mannerisms, proved a perfect fit for the song.”
Indeed it did, and it’s hard now to imagine a more carefree voice for this carefree tune.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDGUZeZWKZo
