🎵 AotW AOTW: Sergio Mendes & Brasil '77 PAIS TROPICAL (A&M

[LPJim]

Sergio Mendes & Brasil '77
PAIS TROPICAL
A&M SP4315

Side One: *Pais Tropical 2:42/ So Many People 3:20/ Morro Velho 4:24/ Zanzibar 4:55.

Side Two: Tonga (A Tonga da Mironga do Kabulete) 4:25/ Gone Forever 4:25/ Asa Branca 2:15/ I Know You 4:07/ After Midnight 4:36.

Produced by Sergio Mendes for Serrich Productions/ Engineer: Bart Chiate/ Arranged by Sergio Mendes/ Orchestrations by David Grusin and *Tom Scott/ Vocals by Gracinha Leporace and Karen Phillip/ Bass: Sebastian Neto/ Drums: Claudio Slon/ Percussion: Rubens Bassini/ Congas: Laudir Soares/ Guitars: Oscar C. Neves/ Our special thanks to Jimmy Keltner (drums), Carl Radle (bass), Tom Scott (tenor sax).

Art Direction: Roland Young/ Illustrations: Abe Gurvin/ Album Design: Chuck Beeson/ Photography: Jim McCrary.

CD availability: Japan import (?)

PAIS TROPICAL entered the Billboard Top 200 on October 16, 1971, peaked at # 166 and remained in the charts for 6 weeks, according to Whitburn's "Top Pop Albums 1955-96."

JB

 

[W.B.]

It appears the catalogue number in question is SP-4315.

As for Carl Radle: Wasn't he in Derek & The Dominoes of "Layla" fame?

 

[LPJim]

Right. I guess the thingy cut off the SP # -- in the heading this time. Sometimes it's cut off on the subject screen but appears intact after its posted.

You're right; Radle played bass on the LAYLA album, released on Atco in 1970 and reissued on 2 CDs. Later it was reissued on a single disc by A&M/Polygram.
JB

 

[Mr Bill]

The forum is set to limit the # of characters that can be displayed in a subj line. Neil could expand it, I suppose. Or in the future we can editorially compress some of the longer group or LP names.

--Mr Bill
on a cover scan quest between home renovation phases...

 

[Dave]

Sergio Mendes & Brasil '77
PAIS TROPICAL
A&M SP4315

Produced by Sergio Mendes for Serrich Productions/ Engineer: Bart Chiate/ Arranged by Sergio Mendes/ Orchestrations by David Grusin and *Tom Scott/ Vocals by Gracinha Leporace and Karen Phillip/ Bass: Sebastian Neto/ Drums: Claudio Slon/ Percussion: Rubens Bassini/ Congas: Laudir Soares/ Guitars: Oscar C. Neves/ Our special thanks to Jimmy Keltner (drums), Carl Radle (bass), Tom Scott (tenor sax).

Hmmm...this one makes me miss STILLNESS and long for PRIMAL ROOTS. I just think it's a transitional effort between the two. The tracks are the upbeat Festival of Pais Tropical, the pop brevity of So Many People, a Paul Williams, Roger Nichols composition, on Williams' own SOMEDAY MAN album on Reprise, which even has a (not so Brasilian) harmonica thrown in, the one of two songs Sergio sings, Morro Velho, which is much like his earlier "When Summer Turns To Snow", and the all-over the place Manifesto of Zanzibar, which is toned down considerably on the gentle, relaxing La, La, La, La, La, La of Tonga (A Tonga da Mironga do Kabulete), which is followed by another Paul Williams tune, Gone Forever, we'll later hear him do on his first A&M effort, AN OLD FASHIONED LOVE SONG, the Sly 'N' Swayin', Jazzy "Hit Single", Asa Branca with support from Tom Scott on sax and may have been done with Carl Radle on bass & Jim Keltner on drums, the haunting balladry of I Know You, which Nichols & Williams wrote, Grusin OVER-Orchestarated and the second of two songs Sergio sang on, and ending with a neat Jazzy (as opposed to Eric Clapton's original Rockin') Brasilian Version of After Midnight, featuring more saxophone soloing from Tom Scott and may also have featured Keltner on drums & Radle on bass.

More upbeat than STILLNESS and back to the Tropicalia Sound (though lacking their BATUCADA), but shows that an album like PRIMAL ROOTS (and their final on A&M) was definitely needed!

*** -- Three Stars

Dave

...and I still see my copy at the record store that I traded it in at, months ago...

 

[Mike Blakesley]

Congrats, Dave, that's gotta be the longest sentence ever to appear on this forum.

Up to this point, Sergio's albums were pretty cohesive affairs, but this one is all over the map. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it's still an uneven album.

If they would have left out "I Know You" it would have picked things up considerably. That song just grinds the proceedings to a halt -- the same way "Summer Turns to Snow" does on FOOL ON THE HILL. Surprising that nobody had the courage to say, "Sergio, old friend, those vocals have got to go! Stick to doing the opening couple of likes, like on 'Look Around.'"

Not to say his vocals don't always work...I actually like his vocal turns on STILLNESS and PRIMAL ROOTS, because on those albums, the songs he sings on fit with the rest. On PAIS, those slow draggy things are out of place. (I'm no big fan of "Morro Velho" either.)

 

[Brasil_Nut]

Pais Tropical has always worked for me. Agreed: it is a transitional album in every way. However, it's always amazed me how Sergio was able to keep his vocal sound intact from Stillness to Pais.

How did he do this? By giving Karen and Gracinha gradual exposure on Stillness, by the time Lani left, the sound remained intact with Karen -- amazing. There have been times I've listened to "So Many People" and "Gone Forever" and been blown away by the fact that Lani is not part of the mix...it's Karen Philipp all the way, baby!

"I know You" is definitely not one of my favorite Mendes vocals. "Cancao do Nosso Amor" is a much better showcase for his unique style of singing.

As a humorous sideline:

Has anyone read the lyrics on the Pais CD? According to the Japanese translation (of the English lyrics) the line reads: "After midnight, going to be bitches and queens..." It should, of course, read: "After midnight, going to be peaches and cream..."

Jon

 

[Dave]

Well, "After Midnight" and "Pais Tropical" were the only tracks that did anything for me. Hence, I listen to them on FOURSIDER and yes, contend with a gap between my STILLNESS and PRIMAL ROOTS albums, both of which I'm still highly fond of.

On, the plus side, STILLNESS intorduced an "Americanization" of the Brasilian material, which Sergio and Co. have always done, and the "Brasilaination" of a few more songs that are at least coherent with the rest of the proceedings. Just the "usual acquired taste" for me, though.

Dave

 

[Brasil_Nut]

"After midnight, going to be bitches and queens..." -- And Who Knows?? Maybe this was how "someone" meant to say it?!

What the hell does that mean? "Someone" meant to say what? And, who is this "someone" supposed to be?? Whatever... :twitchy:

Jon

 

[aymnostalgico]

I think the translation got lost in the language barrier, or did it? maybe there is something here...but, interesting find on that lyric.

 

[JMK]

Well, maybe I'm in the minority, but I have always loved this album from start to finish (well, maybe not Sergio's solo, but that's another story ). I remember how excited I was when I saw it for the first time in the store. I played it incessantly for months after buying it, driving all of my friends crazy. And that pic of Goddess Karen on the cover was worth the price of admission alone, if you ask me.

The Japanese lyric sheets are intensely funny at times--look at all of the Japanese imports and you will be rolling in the aisles at how they heard certain lines.

 

[Brasil_Nut]

...that pic of Goddess Karen on the cover was worth the price of admission alone, if you ask me.

Hallelujah!

The Japanese lyric sheets are intensely funny at times--look at all of the Japanese imports and you will be rolling in the aisles at how they heard certain lines.

How right you are! Funny thing is, the Portuguese lyrics have a tendency to be right on; but not always.

Jon

 

[Harry]

Coincidentally, a small trade magazine review for PAIS TROPICAL has appeared on eBay. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3389250976&category=2328

You can just make out their little review of this "new" album:

It says:

The super unique sound is enhanced by the fresh, Tasty sounds of brass and high strings in this dynamite new program, loaded with programming and sales potential. Standout cuts include the title tune as well as the infectious "Tonga," and the ballad beauty "Gone Forever," and the driving top reading of Eric Clapton's "After Midnight."

Harry
...who always loved the NIchols/Williams tune, "Gone Forever", online...

 

[snapcrotch]

Last October, I had the pleasure of hitting a mom-n-pop record store in Brunswick, Ga (Papa John's) and buying a sealed copy of 'PT' for $5.98, which was the original price tag. The record sounds even better due the the 'flavor' of my purchase. Yes, it's commercial and buttered in some L.A. slick, but I accept it on it's own (and Sergio's) terms.

 

[Brasil_Nut]

Yeah, Snapcrotch, I know exactly what you mean about the sound of Pais Tropical. A definite difference between Pais and Stillness: slicker arrangements, some enhancements to the band and different vocal arrangements (this time Karen was double-tracked instead of Lani). I was pleased with Pais from the first spin.

Many years later, our own Paula Worhatch taught me how to appreciate the originality of Pais for what it is: a Pop album with a Brasilian spin!

Definite magic there!!

Jon