Manhã de Carnaval

"Manhã de Carnaval" ("Morning of Carnival"), is the title of the most popular song by Brazilian composers Luiz Bonfá and Antonio Maria. It appeared in the 1959 Portuguese-language film Orfeu Negro (Black Orpheus), by French director Marcel Camus and based on a play by Vinícius de Moraes. Particularly in the USA, the song is considered to be one of the most important Brazilian Jazz/Bossa songs that helped establish the Bossa Nova movement in the late 1950s. Manhã de Carnaval has become a jazz standard in the USA, while it is still performed regularly by a wide variety of musicians around the world in its vocalized version or just as an instrumental one.

In the USA, the song is also known as "A Day in the Life of a Fool", "Carnival", "Theme from Black Orpheus", or simply "Black Orpheus". In France, the song is also known as "La Chanson D'Orphée." The song is also known by the Spanish title "Mañana de Carnaval". All versions of foreign texts were written by different people using Bonfá's original music.

The songs of Black Orpheus

Although most of the songs in the film, Orfeu Negro (Black Orpheus)^[1] were composed by Antônio Carlos Jobim and Vinícius de Moraes, Manhã de Carnaval was one of two by composer Luiz Bonfá (the other being "Samba de Orfeu"). Manhã de Carnaval was by far the song that got branded popularly as the movie theme in "Black Orpheus." Luiz Bonfá's success with his 1959 hit song was very great, and made his name so well known in the music industry internationally that on several occasions US producers brought him from Brazil to the USA for TV presentations.^[2] "Manhã de Carnaval" was originally sung by Elizete Cardoso and Agostinho dos Santos.

Recordings of Manhã de Carnaval

(All recordings listed below were released by the title of "Manhã de Carnaval" and sung in Portuguese, except where noted.)

• Luiz Bonfá, Solo in Rio 1959 [LIVE], track #11 & track #25 (reprise), audio CD, Label: Smithsonian Folkways, Feb 22, 2005. Originally released as "O Violão de Luiz Bonfá," label: Cook, 1959.
• Black Orpheus (Original Intl. release title: Orfeu Negro): The Film. Dispat Films, December 1959.
• Luiz Bonfá and Antonio Carlos Jobim, Black Orpheus, Motion Picture Soundtrack, tracks #6 (sung by Agostinho dos Santos), 8 (instrumental by Roberto Menescal), 11 (sung by Elizeth Cardoso) & 14 (instrumental by Bola Sete), LP Vinyl, Fontana, 1959.
• Frida Boccara, recorded La Chanson d’Orphée at «Baccara 9» n° 17 (VA compilation, EP), 1959
• Maysa, Live, sings for TV production, Video, Japan, 1960
• Miriam Makeba, Miriam Makeba, LP vinyl RCA 1960/63
• Vince Guaraldi, Jazz Impressions of Black Orpheus, CD, track #2, label: Orig. Jazz Classics, USA, April 18, 1962.
• Luiz Bonfá performs on acoustic guitar with Perry Como (vocal), "Manhã de Carnaval", live on the NBC program Kraft Music Hall, USA 1963.
  • (Note: Perry sings in English his 1963 recorded version of Bonfá's song)
• Stan Getz, Big Band Bossa Nova, arranged by Gary McFarland, LP & CD, track #1, Verve, USA, August 1962.
• Cal Tjader, Sona Libre, LP, track # 7, Verve, USA, January 1963.
• Paul Desmond, Take Ten, LP, track #5, Bluebird RCA, (USA), 1963.
• Gerry Mulligan, Night Lights, LP & CD, track #2, label: Polygram Records, (USA), (original) September 1963.
• Perry Como, The Songs I Love, LP, RCA, (USA), 1963
  • (Note: This is a version with English lyrics called "Carnival")
• Dinah Shore, sings (in Portuguese) on ABC TV, USA 1964.
  • (Note: Dinah starts singing at the second strophe, and then repeats the same)
• Mongo Santamaría, La Bamba track #4, CD, label: Columbia, 1965.
• Luiz Bonfá on guitar plays with Caterina Valente, vocal & guitar, for the TV Variety Show. Ms Valente hosted the show at The Hollywood Palace. Audio/Video, 1965.
• Sandy Bull, Inventions, LP, Vanguard, (USA), 1965. (instrumental)
• Perry Como, The Songs I Love, LP, RCA, (USA), 1966.
  • (Note: This is the same version sung in 1963 by Perry Como, now titled "Manhã de Carnaval")
• Stanley Turrentine - A Bluish Bag, Blue Note, USA, 1967 (instrumental)
• Claudine Longet, The Look of Love, LP, A&M, (USA), 1967.
• Frank Sinatra, My Way, LP (1969) and CD (1990) track #7, label: Warner Bros, (UK), 1969.
  • (Note: Frank sings the previously-unreleased lyrics version, in English, titled: "A Day in the Life of a Fool")
• Cannonball Adderley, Paris Jazz Concert 1969, LP, Malaco Jazz Classics, (USA), 1998.
• Mason Williams, Hand Made, LP (1970), first track on side 2 (instrumental bluegrass version).
• Chuck Mangione, The Chuck Mangione Quartet, LP 1972 and The Feeling's Back, CD 1998.

(Note: Both are instrumental / flugelhorn solos)

• Clara Nunes and Paulo Gracindo, Brasileiro Profissão Esperança, track #7, LP, label: Odeon, Brazil (1974)
• Joan Baez, Joan Baez In Concert, First 10 Years & Golden Hour, Vol.2, CD, label: Vanguard Records, January 1976.
• Cal Tjader, Grace Cathedral Concert [LIVE], track #3, CD, label: Fantasy, May 1976.
• Earl Klugh, Living Inside Your Love (Remastered), CD, track #8, label: Blue Note, (USA), 1976.
• Julio Iglesias, "Mañana de Carnaval", Live in Jerusalem, DVD, label:Xenon, 1981 and single, label: SMI Artist, (Holland), November 1978.
  • (Note: Julio sings a Spanish text version)
• Earl Klugh, George Benson and Chet Atkins play an all-guitar instrumental version, AV Live for PBS TV production (USA), 1978.
• Ahmad Jamal and Gary Burton, Ahmad Jamal in Concert, Recorded at MIDEM 1981, for USA TV Production, film director John Whited, 1981.
• Clara Nunes, Live, sings (in Portuguese), TV Video Japan, August 1982
• Patricia Barber, Café Blue, CD, label: Blue Note/Mobile Fidelity, (USA), June 1984.
• Luiz Bonfá, Luiz Bonfa in 1984. Audio/Video, 9'.16mins. Bonfá being interviewed by reporter Zaira Martins at his home in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1984.
  • (Note: Bonfá plays the first verse of "Manhã de Carnaval" on acoustic guitar at the end of the interview. Instrumental)
• Chet Atkins, Guitar for All Seasons, Record 2, label: RCA, (USA), 1985.
• Nara Leão, sing and plays in Portuguese, Live, TV Manchete Network, Brazil 1988
• Barney Wilen with the Mal Waldron Trio, Movie Themes from France CD, label: Timeless/Alfa Jazz, 1989.
• Tuck Andress, Reckless Precision, CD, label: Windham Hill Records, USA, January 1990.
• Black Orpheus (Orfeu Negro): The Original Sound Track from the Film, participated by: Antonio Carlos Jobim, Luiz Bonfá, Studio: Verve. 1990
• Concert for Planet Earth, John Michael Phillips, director(film), recorded Live on June 7, 1992, during the Earth Summit,

included: The Wynton Marsalis Septet, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Plácido Domingo, plus orchestra directed & conducted by John DeMain. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for TV Production, USA 1992.

• Ray Brown, Black Orpheus, track #3, CD, label: Evidence, February 1994.
• Leny Andrade, Maiden Voyage, CD, label: Chesky Records, January 1994.
• Camila Benson, Memoires, track #8, CD, label: One Voice Records, April 1995.
• John McLaughlin and Al Di Meola, The Guitar Trio. track #4, CD, label: Polygram Records. October 1996.
• Luís Miguel, Romances - Mañana de Carnaval, CD, track #14, label: Warner Music Latina, (Mexico), August 1997.

(Note Luís Miguel sings a Spanish text version)

• Plácido Domingo, José Carreras and Luciano Pavarotti, The 3 Tenors - Live Concert, in Paris, During the Opening for the Soccer World Cup, TV, (France), 1998.
• Luiz Bonfá, "The Bonfa Magic", CD, track #11, label: Fan/Milest (Zyx), (Germany), May 1999
• Gal Costa, Maria Bethânia & Luciano Pavarotti, Live in Salvador, Bahia with the Symphonic Orchestra of Bahia (OSBA), show: "Pavarotti in Bahia", celebrating 500 Years of Brazil's discovery, Video for TV, Brazil, April 8, 2000
• Luciano Pavarotti and Caetano Veloso, Live: at Pavarotti & Friends for Cambodia and Tibet, track #18, CD, label: Decca, (Italy), 2000
  • (Note: VHS released by Polygram Records in English in 7/28/2001, containing selection on track #20, (USA).
• Daniel Barenboim, Brazilian Rhapsody, CD, label: Teldec May 2000.
• Luiz Bonfá, Composer of Black Orpheus Plays and Sings Bossa Nova, (originally released in 1962), track #5, CD, Polygram Records, label: Verve (USA), March 2000.
• Tori Amos, "Mission Impossible 2 Soundtrack", (2000) Hollywood Records, track #15, May 2000
• Baden Powell, Minha História, (1995) Universal Music Ireland, Ltd, and The Best of Baden Powell, CDs. label: Mercury Phonogram (Japan), July 2000.
• Emilio Santiago, Bossa Nova, Live, sings (in Portuguese) with orchestra in Rio de Janeiro show, DVD, Brasil 2000
• Paquito D'Rivera, Brazilian Dreams, track #3, CD, label: Mcg Jazz, 2001.
• Emilio Santiago, Bossa Nova, track #10 "Maxximum" CD (2005) and track #6, CD, label: Sony Music Distribution (Brazil), 2001
• Peter Almqvist, My Sound: Solo and Duets, rack #10, CD, label: Storyville Records, January 2001.
• Ray Barretto, Gourmet Music Deluxe: Brazil, (Various Artists) & Latino, CD, label: Zyx Artist, (Germany), 2001.
• Maria Bethania and Hanna Schygulla, during award "Abitfashion" presentation show, Live, Video, Brazil, Maio 2002.
• Benoit Jazz Works, Watch What Happens, track #13, CD, label: The Orchard, June 2002.
• Astrud Gilberto, The Diva Series, CD, track #7, label: Verve Records, USA, May 2003.
• Oscar Castro-Neves, Playful Heart, CD, track #5, label: Mack Avenue, USA, September 2003.
• Franck Pourcel, The Movie Collection Vol.2, CD Track #19, label: EMI Brazil, January 2004.
• Graham Anthony Devine, Manhã de Carnaval- Guitar Music from Brazil, track #8, CD, label: Naxos, Germany, March 2004.
• André Rieu and Carla Maffioletti, (in Portuguese), Live with orchestra, and Flying Dutchman track #12, CD, label: Denom, (Holland), 2005
• Ed Bickert, At Last: Live Toronto Canada 1976, track #6, CD, label: Mambo Maniacs, February 2005.
• Carly Simon, Into White, track #6, CD, label: Sony, (EUA), 2006
• Sandy Bull, Still Valentines Day, 1969: Live At The Matrix, San Francisco, CD, Water (USA), 2006 (instrumental, live recording from 1969)
• Carmen Paris, Un Tributo a Brasil, com "Mañana de Carnaval", track #4, CD, 2007
• Nara Leão, Garota de Ipanema, track 1 side 2, LP & CD label: Philips, Brazil (CD) 2007
• Frank Evans, Ballade: jazz guitar of Frank Evans, track #7, CD label: BB/C107
• Jose Pastor, Spain, CD, track #7, CD label: AclamaSion (2008)
• Dexter Gordon, "Gettin' Around"
• Nicole Henry, "Embraceable", CD 2011

Lyrics other than Portuguese

Although not as popular as the vast number of interpretations with Portuguese lyrics,^[3] the song can also be found with a few English lyrics adaptations and in some other languages as well. None of the versions in other languages were written by Brazilian song writers.

• Luis Miguel sang the song in a Spanish version, while Julio Iglesias sang a different Portuguese version in a more Spanish sounding Portuguese, without his distinguished accent. However, both versions were titled: "Mañana de Carnaval" although their rhythmic interpretations vary greatly.
• George David Weiss, Hugo Peretti, and Luigi Creatore wrote an English lyric adaptation under the title "Carnival." This version was recorded by Perry Como in 1963, and again, using the original cover name, "Manhã de Carnaval", three years later. Singer-songwriter Tori Amos recorded this version of the song for the Mission: Impossible 2 soundtrack in 2000.^[4]
• Carl Sigman later wrote a different set of English lyrics titled "A Day in the Life of a Fool", again adapting it to Bonfá's original music. Sigman's version is not a translation of the Brazilian lyrics, but rather an all new text on a different topic altogether, but to the same unmodified music.
• In 2002, the music of Manhã de Carnaval was used in an Arabic version called "Shou Bkhaf" (How I fear) with lyrics written by Ziad Rahbani (Lebanese musician and composer, one of the leaders of Oriental Jazz). His mother, the Lebanese diva singer Fairouz, very popular in the Arab world, released this song in her Wala Kif album.
• Shiina Ringo, lead singer for the Japanese band Tokyo Incidents covered this song in both Portuguese and English under the title "Kuroi Orufe" (黒いオルフェ, Black Orpheus^?) in her cover album, Utaite Myouri ~Sono Ichi~ (2002) while she was a solo artist.

See also

• List of bossa nova standards

External links

• Manhã de Carnaval on YouTube
• Luiz Bonfá - Manhã de Carnaval guitar solo on YouTube
• Lyrics of Perry Como's 1963 version
• Lyrics of Perry Como's 1966 version
• Lyrics of "A Day in the Life of a Fool"

References

1. ^ Black Orpheus at the Internet Movie Database
2. ^ Video of Luiz Bonfá with Perry Como performing, "Manhã de Carnaval", live, on the NBC program Kraft Music Hall, 1963.
3. ^ Portuguese lyrics of Manhã de Carnaval
4. ^ "Carnival" from Mission Impossible 2 soundtrack