Jobim, Getz, Gilberto and the Bossa Nova

Nobody knows who really invented the Bossanova. Does that matter? It gained momentum in Brazil in the late fifties and reached the shores of the US in the movie Black Orpheus with the music of Luiz Bonfa and Antonio Carlos Jobim.

But one of the key factors in its success was the popularity of the song “Girl from Ipanema”. Was it the lyrics (the English translation which differs from the original?), Jobim’s haunting and intricate melody, Stan Getz’ guitar, Joao Gilberto‘s amazing guitar, or Astrud Gilberto’s naive singing and singular beauty?

Girl from Ipanema in English

And Gal Costa, as well