The first track on their 1966 debut album Herb Alpert Presents Sergio Mendes & Brasil ’66, "Mas Que Nada" was their first single to chart, reaching #47 on the Hot 100 but #4 on the Adult Contemporary chart. The song was written by Jorge Ben in 1963 and became Mendes’s theme song. The Brazilian edition of Rolling Stone magazine voted it the fifth greatest Brazilian song, and it was inducted into the Latin Grammy Hall of Fame in 2013. Mendes later recorded this with The Black Eyed Peas; that version reached #13 on the Hot Dance Singles chart and was a Top 20 hit in most of the rest of the world.
The shorter woman is Chicago-born Lani Hall, who became Mrs. Herb Alpert in 1973. Just thought you’d like to know.
Okay, those earrings would drive me crazy. Eartha Kitt can make reading the dictionary sound sexy.
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Eartha was a tremendous singer herself. She spent most of her career in France, especially after she mouthed off to Lady Bird Johnson about Vietnam (about which she was absolutely right). I didn’t like her portrayal of Catwoman on “Batman,” only because Julie Newmar’s was so good. I still think the reason the Batman-Catwoman relationship changed so much when she took over was because she was black and Adam West was white.
As for the earrings, what can I say? It was the ’60’s.
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Love this song, John! It makes it easier to handle the 25 degree morning we had.
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Good thing we didn’t have to go anywhere today. Mary’s waiting until this afternoon to take her walk, hoping it’ll be warmer. I’ve noticed that this happens around this time every year, a sudden cold snap like this. All things considered, it’s not too bad, actually. Just keep the s-n-o-w away…
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Yes, the weather here is pretty mild. Even when the s-n-o-w pays a visit.
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I love this song. My parents had the album.
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They weren’t my mother’s cup of tea. Herb Alpert, no problem.
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I love this song. It’s so much fun to listen. Those earrings on that woman in gold is a bit too ballsy for me..hahahaaa. Who doesn’t love Eartha Kitt
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Re the earrings: it was the ’60’s. What can I say?
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There’s a blast from the past. Thanks John. You’re waking up dormant brain cells 🙂
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There are bound to be more. Stay tuned…
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I like this song, always make me feel like summer.
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Brasil ’66 can do that.
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I always knew the song but nothing about it.
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See? Not just entertaining, but educational, too…
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