Pretty World

[sjssf]

Hi kids- first I wanted to say that I've been a closet fan for years and am really happy to find this page! I remember being a young pre-teen with pimples, braces and a groovy velour shirt and wishing to death that I was pals with the really happening crowd on the cover of my mom's copy of Fool On the Hill. But beside the camp value, it helped shape my musical taste and I'm thankful!

I have bought a lot of the Japanese reissues and am struck by Pretty World in particular. The lyrics are beyond camp but there's something so infectious about it. Was this a Brazilian song with English lyrics added? I'd love to know more about it.

 

[Harry]

The Brazilian (Portuguese) title to "Pretty World" is "Sa Marina". I'm sure some of our more knowledgable Brazilian music fans can fill you in on more details about the song.

Harry
NP: radio at work

 

[Cotton66]

First off let me say, "Holy re-registering, Rudyman!" It's a quite awhile since I've posted here, I guess!
Pretty World is probably my all-time fav song from Brasil 66! Mabye a favorite, period! It was my initial introduction to Sergio and Bossa Nova in general. Yeah, the lyrics are way hokey, but I don't care. It really should have been used for a sitcom back in the 60's. I can totally see the opening credits and some goofball actors out in the garden waving to the paperboy biking by, or something like that!
Herb has an instrumental version of it on Warm. I love that version as well. It's much more melancholy, but it really works.

Trent Sprenkle

 

[Rudy]

First off let me say, "Holy re-registering, Rudyman!" It's a quite awhile since I've posted here, I guess!

Trent-sters! What's happ'nin, bro?? How's life been treatin' ya?

-= N =-

 

[W.B.]

I have the original "Pretty World" (#1043), complete with picture sleeve printed with blue ink on special goldenrod paper, and with the photo of Sergio and his crew on the beach, and the B-side being "Festa" ('English Lyrics by Lani Hall'). Some time, I hope to present both that and the original 45 label for your entertainment and edification. I.I.N.M., its time of original release was not too dissimilar to that of Sonny Charles(/Checkmates, Ltd.)'s "Black Pearl," judging from the fact that the label copy artwork on both look almost exactly the same as to their quality and fonts used (not that again!).

In all seriousness, though . . . I can attest that it certainly does have a feel of sitcomish optimism to it, having listened all the way through myself. (But then again, Alan and Marilyn Bergman are the co-writers of this piece . . . and Dave Grusin was the arranger. . . . I don't know if these have something or anything to do with it, but. . . . )

 

[DAN BOLTON]

In all seriousness, though . . . I can attest that it certainly does have a feel of sitcomish optimism to it, having listened all the way through myself. (But then again, Alan and Marilyn Bergman are the co-writers of this piece . . . and Dave Grusin was the arranger. . . . I don't know if these have something or anything to do with it, but. . . . )

Yeah, it DOES have a Frank De Vol "Bewitched" kind of quality to it, doesn't it? Herb's version seems almost like a different song...but I'd be hard pressed as to say which I liked better.


Dan

 

[TulitaPepsi]

PRETTY WORLD is one of my very favorite B'66 cuts as well. Sergio's opening flourish has a very Linus and Lucy feel to it that always puts me in a great mood - it's Brazilian Bubblegum at its most irresistible!
Herbs version is neck-a neck to it, and I love the meloncholic tang he gives to it.

Less good but still fun is the version by DeNovo on L.A. Transit (I sometimes refer to this as 'Brasil 88 minus Sergio Mendes') with vocals by Yutaka and Carol Rogers.

I'd love to know what Portugese-language versions exist.

 

[cakeicer]

Trents back, YAHOO! I have wondered about you and several other posters from the old forum. Happy to have you with us again, you were missed.

 

[W.B.]

(My apologies if I'd gotten the 45 catalogue number wrong a few posts up.)

I thought the picture sleeve was interesting myself. . . .

 

[Mr Bill]

It's my favorite Sergio picture sleeve.

--Mr Bill
lucky enough to have had Mr Mendes autograph the sleeve at his 2000 Humphrey's appearance here in San Diego

 

[Cotton66]

Trents back, YAHOO! I have wondered about you and several other posters from the old forum. Happy to have you with us again, you were missed.

I've been here the whole time!!! Just haven't had any reason to post in awhile. It looks as though Sergio will NEVER come back east. Mabye I'll have to book a trip to the West Coast.

 

[Rudy]

The guy's got class...he digs BR5-49.

-= N =-
..."out of habit"...

 

[William]

With regards to preferences on "Pretty World": I think Herb's is a much much better version of the song. It has what I call a "tears of joy" sound... far more moving (to me) than the Crystal Illusions treatment. Herb's playing is absolutely gorgeous (some of his best ballad playing on record, IMO) and Shorty Rogers' writing for the orchestra and chorus is nice and lush in the background. I think Sergio takes it too fast, and the trumpet & flute fills between each phrase just sound goofy. (I do like the live version on Expo 70, though.)

With regard to picture sleeves, here's my favorite -- a Spanish single of "The Frog" b/w "Watch What Happens":

Dig Janis' infamous Christmas-ornament earrings. And Lani? Lani? The camera's over HERE...

- William

 

[sjssf]

Just got a very cheap 3CD set of Wilson Simonal and what a shock to find Sa Marina on it! It's very close to the same arrangement and not quite as groovy as Sergio's but it's good.

It's from his Lp called Alegria Vol 2.

 

[Rudy]

Dig Janis' infamous Christmas-ornament earrings. And Lani? Lani? The camera's over HERE...

That photo is dying for a caption! "Hey, Janis, check out that Herb guy over there..."

 

[Brasil_66_Fan]

Wow, great sleeve! BTW, notice the backround - the Equinox album layout, now vertical instead of under their feet. Must've been the same photo session, since the guys are in the exact same outfits while the girls just changed dresses. Lani's shoes appear to be the same as the album cover though. Where can I get one of these sleeves (drool, drool...) ??

 

[JMK]

There's another almost identical picture sleeve from that same session where Lani does discover where the photographer is. I'll have to dig out my copy to remember what tunes are on it (in it?).

Sa Marina is very well-recorded, so to speak. Tamba Trio does a nice version, among many others.

 

[Rudy]

More captions:

"Uh oh Bob, put that joint away. The Chaplin Lot police force is heading this way!"

"This wasn't in my contract...I'm not looking at the camera!"

"This room would look much better in off-white."

"After last night, you should be lucky I'm even standing here!"

"I'd rather be shopping."

"Oh good...pizza's here."

"If I turn this way, I won't be lost in dark shadows like you guys are!"

"Gee, that Christmas tree over there would look really nice if it just had two more blue ornaments on it..."

 

[SoCalfan]

This is my first post in here. All I'd like are the lyrics to such a beautiful melodic song such as "Pretty World". The song is simply sublime and I just have a question with a couple of words in it. Could someone please post the lyrics to this ambrosia to the ears ?

Thank you in advance,

SoCalfan

Why doesn't Mendes perform this song in his tours ? I saw him a few years ago here in San Diego, and he only played a few from the past.

 

[JMK]

Sergio has actually been starting his recent shows with "Pretty World." Sergio has always been wonderful at varying his repertoire through the years to reflect both the big chart hits, and the lesser-known but well-loved Brasilian and pop stuff he's done.

Why don't you tell us what section of "Pretty World" you're having trouble with? The following is from memory only--no looking at the sheet music--so this might have a glitch or two, which someone else will no doubt correct:

Why don't we take a little piece of summer sky
Hang it on a tree
For that's the way to start to make a pretty world
For you and for me

And for the sun we'll take a lemon bright balloon
You can hold the string
Oh can't you see that little world of ours will be
The prettiest thing

We can gather rain enough for the stream
To hold our happy faces
When we want a breeze, I'll blow you a kiss or two
Take me in your arms and our little world
Will be the place of places
Nothing left to make but breakfast and love

We'll hang a little sign that just says Paradise
Population two
For that's the way to start to make a pretty world
For me and for you
For you
It's what I wanted to do, to do
To make a world.....for you

 

[Brasil_Nut]

Jeff,

Excellent reading of the song from memory!

No corrections here, but in the show, Gracinha and Jessica actually sing:

"We can gather rain enough from a stream..." as opposed to, "for a stream..." Although I agree with you--it does sound as if Lani and Karen sing "for a stream" on the recording. In fact, that's what I've been hearing all these years.

On the last verse they sing, "It's what I'm longing to do, to do..." as opposed to, "It's what I'm wanting to to do, to do..."

This question came up while talking with Gracinha in New York last November about What Is This? "Because of the layering [voices atop voices], it was sometimes difficult to make out what the singers were saying," she relayed.

Jon...the "Brasil Nut"

 

[SoCalfan]

Thank you JMK and Brazil_Nut for your timely responses. I would have responded sooner, but I always seem to have a great deal of trouble logging on in here, so I just give up and quit. Does anyone else have that trouble ?

The lyrics I had trouble discerning were the following ( In parentheses are what I thought was being sung ) :

We can gather rain enough for the stream (breeze) to hold our happy faces
When we want (got) a breeze, I'll blow you a kiss or two.

FWIW, I have the pleasure of working with a co-worker, who has a voice to match her incredibly beautiful appearance. It is simply sublime, and I've put her on the spot by having her rehearse some stanzas from Brazil 66's Greatest Hits CD. She has a beautiful, sensual voice similar to Lani Hall's, so I know she'll do a great job. She's filling in for me blowing the last concert by Mendes here in San Diego. I'll let y'all know how it goes.
I've told her that I would do my best Richard Butler ( lead singer for the Psychedelic Furs ) in return. Hee-hee!

Frank[/b][/i]

 

[Rudy]

Thank you JMK and Brazil_Nut for your timely responses. I would have responded sooner, but I always seem to have a great deal of trouble logging on in here, so I just give up and quit. Does anyone else have that trouble ?

Are you using AOL or Compuserve (who now uses AOL's network)? Their proxy servers are a PITA for any of us who work with this stuff all the time. I'll be doing some tuning up and reinstalling of the forum over the next week or so...after I've done it, I'll post a note somewhere so I can have everyone with login problems try it out.

BTW, other providers sometimes use proxy servers...if you're not on AOL's network, let me know which provider it is.

 

[Brasil_Nut]

Thank you JMK and Brazil_Nut for your timely responses. I would have responded sooner, but I always seem to have a great deal of trouble logging on in here, so I just give up and quit. Does anyone else have that trouble ?

You're welcome SoCalfan!

Neil...I haven't had this problem, but did have difficulty a couple of weeks ago with the A&M Corner home page. I kept receiving a message that read, "You are not authorized to view this page." I was able to access the page hours later, but still wonder what caused this to happen?

Jon...the ever-baffled "Brasil Nut"

 

[Rudy]

Jon: it was a server problem.