“THE GIRL FROM IPANEMA” (1962)

“The Girl from Ipanema” is the kind of song that inspires myth. In 1962 Antonio Carlos Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes purportedly composed the music and lyrics to “The Girl from Ipanema” while sitting at the bar of a Rio de Janeiro restaurant after observing the sensuous movements of the teen-age Heloísa Eneida Menezes Paes Pinto (now Helô Pinheiro), as she passed by on her way to the beach. The reality of the song’s genesis is less colorful. Vinicius de Moraes had composed the lyrics for a musical comedy titled Dirigível (Blimp), then a work-in-progress. He had originally entitled the song “The Girl Who Passes By” and wrote the lyrics in Petrópolis, near Rio de Janeiro. Jobim didn’t compose the melody while sitting at a bar either, but on his piano at his new house in Ipanema, an affluent neighborhood near the beach in Rio de Janeiro.

Where myth and reality do come together is that both men did know Helô and saw her frequently when she came into the Veloso restaurant to buy cigarettes for her mother. Her striking appearance had already attracted that attention of a number of Veloso patrons. It is reported that at a later date the composers decided to attribute their inspiration for the song to her. The popularity of the song gave Helô celebrity status, which, now age 63, she still retains.

When the song was first recorded in Brazil, it was not a hit. It was not until 1963, when Stan Getz and Joao Gilberto recorded it, that it became an international hit. Astrud Gilberto, at that time married to Joao, performed the vocals on the song. Another myth perpetrated is that she was “just a housewife” at the time of the recording and had never sung before. Stan Getz or Creed Taylor, who produced the Getz/Gilberto album for Verve, have been credited with “discovering” her. In actuality, while not having sung professionally, she had sung informally for a number of years, and had performed on stage with her husband, although not for payment. Joao Gilberto suggested to Stan Getz that she perform the vocals for the song after she joined them during rehearsals for the album at Gilberto’s request. Getz readily agreed, and the historic album was made. The Girl from Ipanema was awarded the Best Record of the Year at the 7th Annual Grammy Awards in 1964.

"THE GIRL FROM IPANEMA"
by Antonio Carlos Jobim, Vinicius DeMoraes and Norman Gimbel

Tall and tanned and young and lovely
the girl from Ipanema goes walking
and when she passes
each man she passes
goes Aaah!

When she moves it's like a samba
that swings so cool and sways so gently
that when she passes
each man she passes
goes Aaah!

Oh - but he watches so sadly
How - can he tell her he loves her
He - would just give his heart gladly

But each day when she walks to the sea
She looks straight ahead not at he.

Tall and tanned and young and lovely
the girl from Ipanema goes walking
and when she passes
he smiles
but she doesn't see
no she doesn't see
she just doesn't see...