Carioca (song)

"Carioca" is a 1933 popular song composed by Vincent Youmans with lyrics by Edward Eliscu and Gus Kahn. It was introduced by Alice Gentle, Movita Castenada and Etta Moten and danced by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in their first screen dance duet, as part of an extended production dance number with chorus illustrating the dance of the same name in the 1933 film "Flying Down to Rio".cite book
last = Mueller
first = John
title = Astaire Dancing - The Musical Films
publisher = Hamish Hamilton
date = 1986
location = London
id = ISBN 0-241-11749-6 ] rp|46,47

Fred and Ginger's short dance has historical significance, as it was their first screen dance together. Though billed fourth and fifth, many felt they stole the film, which became a big hit for RKO. They starred in their next picture, "The Gay Divorcee" (1934), and were billed by the studio as "The King and Queen of 'The Carioca.'"

It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 7th Academy Awards, and lost to an even bigger Astaire and Rogers production number, "The Continental" from "The Gay Divorcee".

The credits of "The Kentucky Fried Movie" feature a comedy version of the song recorded by Jo Stafford and her husband, Paul Weston, recording under the names Jonathan and Darlene Edwards.

Notable recordings

*Jack Jones - "Shall We Dance" (1961)
*Mel Tormé - "Mel Tormé and the Marty Paich Dektette - In Concert Tokyo" (1988)
*Caetano Veloso - "A Foreign Sound" (2004)

References