Mas que Nada

"Mas, que Nada!" is a song written and originally performed by Jorge Ben on his debut album, which in a later cover version became the signature song of Sérgio Mendes. The song was voted by the Brazilian edition of Rolling Stone as the 5th greatest Brazilian song.^[1] The song was inducted to the Latin Grammy Hall of Fame.^[2]

The meaning of the title

In Brazilian Portuguese slang, mas, que nada (literally, "but, that [is] nothing") means "no way", "whatever", or "yeah, right!". In many recordings, the title song is incorrectly written "Mais que nada", Portuguese for "more than nothing". Correspondingly the title should not be confused with the Spanish más que nada meaning "more than anything", or "above all" (in the sense of "mainly" or "principally").

Early version

In 1958, Brazilian artist José Prates recorded a track called "Nanã Imborô" that appears on his album "Tam... Tam... Tam...!" (1958, Polydor Brasil - LPNG 4.016), which features the same melody later heard in Jorge Ben's "Mas, que Nada!", especially the Sergio Mendes version.^[3][4][5][6]

Interpretations other than Jorge Ben's

Other Brazilian artists who recorded the song include Elza Soares and Maria Creuza.

• Dizzy Gillespie included a cover version on his albums The Melody Lingers On (1966) and Swing Low, Sweet Cadillac (1967).
• A Moog version is featured on Perrey and Kingsley's album, Kaleidoscopic Vibrations: Spotlight on the Moog (1967).
• Michele Richard recorded a version on her album Miss Radio-TV '67 (1967).
• Lill Lindfors recorded a Swedish-language version titled Hör min samba for her album Du är den ende (1967).
• A rumba version is featured on the album Patato & Totico by Patato Valdes and Totico Arango (1968).
• 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)"
• The Sacramento Freelancers Drum and Bugle Corps performed this song as part of their 1976 show.
• 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 4 Stereo album Organized (1968) (London/Decca SP 44119).
• Bossa nova singer Sitti from the Philippines did a remake of this song, which is included on her album, Café Bossa.
• Al Jarreau also did a cover version on his 1994 album Tenderness.
• French jazz guitarist Marc Antoine performed an instrumental version on his album Cruisin' (2001).
• Echobeatz released a cover version in 1997, and a house/dance version in 1998.
• L.A. Transit performed a version on the Denon Jazz Sampler Vol. 1 (1985).
• Serbian pop singer Madame Piano also covered it, while Croatian cellist Walter Despalj did an arrangement of the song for a group of cellos. Swedish singer Lill Lindfors has also covered this song.
• Nike used a 1963 cover by Tamba Trio in an advertising campaign for the 1998 FIFA World Cup, prompting that version of the song to crack the UK Top 40, reaching Number 34 in the summer of 1998.
• Ava Leigh has covered the song. This version has recently been used in UK television commercials for clothing chain Next.
• Jessy J recorded a cover of this song in her album Tequila Moon (2008).
• Covered by Jane McDonald in her 7th album 'Jane' in 2008.
• Miriam Makeba covered the song on Miriam Makeba in Concert! (1967) and Live from Paris & Conakry (1996).
• The Los Angeles Guitar Quartet recorded a version for their 2007 album LAGQ Brazil.
• 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.
• The Slovenian XL vocal group Perpetuum Jazzile performed the song in a cappella arrange at Vokal Xtravaganzza 2008 (YouTube).
• Pink Martini & Saori Yuki released the album 1969 in 2011. Mas Que Nada is track number 8.
• Nossa released a version in 2012.

Sérgio Mendes version

"Mas que Nada"
Single by Sérgio Mendes featuring The Black Eyed Peas
from the album Timeless
Released	29 May 2006
Format	CD single, digital download
Recorded	2005
Genre	MPB, hip hop
Length	3:32 (single version) 4:22 (album version)
Label	Concord, will.i.am
Writer(s)	Jorge Ben
Producer(s)	will.i.am
Sergio Mendes chronology
Mas que Nada "That Heat" (2006)
The Black Eyed Peas chronology "Pump It" (2006) "Mas que Nada" (2006) "Boom Boom Pow" (2009)

Song information

Sergio Mendes covered the song with his band Brasil '66 on their debut album (1966). In the United States, the single reached No. 47 on the Billboard pop chart, as well as No. 4 on the easy listening chart. This 1966 version is the best-known 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 Globo's Estrelas.

In 2006, Mendes again re-recorded the song, this time with The Black Eyed Peas and additional vocals by Mendes' wife, Gracinha Leporace for his album Timeless. This version contains a sample of their 2004 hit "Hey Mama". The record performed well on many European charts. On the UK Singles Chart, the song entered at number 29 and rose to and peaked at number six on its second week on the chart. The song appeared as part of the EA Sports FIFA World Cup 2006 and NBA Live 07 video games. This version was also included in the 2011 animated film Rio (along with another version recorded in the style of Brasil '66) and its soundtrack, an episode of 90210^[7] in the 2012 video game Just Dance 4, and was also featured in Over Her Dead Body during the opening of the film.

Track listing

1. "Mas Que Nada" (Radio Edit) – 3:33
2. "Mas Que Nada" (Masters at Work Remix) – 8:03
3. "Mas Que Nada" (Original Brazil '66 Version) – 2:41

Charts

Sales

It is used in Disney's Animal Kingdom, "Mickey's Jammin Jungle Parade" in Orlando, Florida, and was also used in the film 'Rio'.

Ava Leigh version

British singer Ava Leigh covered the song for her debut album, Rollin'. The song was released as a Double-A side with popular song, "Mad About the Boy". The song gained popularity after being featured in the UK summer adverts for clothing chain Next. A music video was filmed for "Mad About the Boy" and shows Leigh walking through various places singing the song.

Charts

Notes

¹ Note that it was "Mad About the Boy" which charted in the UK Singles Chart

References