Popular bossa nova songs: a roundup of recommended classic BGM

O BarquinhoNara Leao

O Barquinho Nara Leao

One of the representative bossa nova songs by Roberto Menescal is O Barquinho, known in Japanese as Kobune (The Little Boat).

It is well known that Menescal composed this song when he went fishing off the coast of Rio de Janeiro with Nara Leão and Ronaldo Bôscoli, and their boat broke down and drifted out to sea.

O PatoJoao Gilberto e Caetano Veloso

João Gilberto e Caetano Veloso – O Pato

This song is one of the bossa nova standards written by Neusa Teixeira and Jaime Silva, known in Japanese as “Gaucho no Samba” (Gaucho’s Samba).

The original title appears frequently in the lyrics, and that part is syncopated, giving the piece a distinctive sense of buoyancy and briskness that makes it especially enjoyable.

Ela é CariocaAdriana Calcanhotto

Adriana Calcanhotto – Ela é Carioca

One of Antonio Carlos Jobim’s classic bossa nova songs is known in Japanese as “She’s a Carioca.” Incidentally, João Gilberto also released an album with the same title that includes this song.

“Carioca” refers to people who live in Rio de Janeiro, much like how “New Yorker” refers to someone from New York.

Chovendo Na RoseiraGal Costa

Gal Costa – Chovendo Na Roseira

This song is one of Antônio Carlos Jobim’s masterpieces, known in Japanese as “Rain Falling on Roses.” It has a challenging melody with delicate intervals that could easily sound unstable if handled poorly, yet it’s a very beautiful piece.

However, since it’s a waltz in 3/4 time, it may not be strictly considered bossa nova.

Blue BossaJoe Henderson

Joe Henderson – Blue Bossa

Blue Bossa was not born in Brazil; it is said that jazz musician Kenny Dorham created it by fusing hard bop—a subgenre of jazz—with bossa nova.

Tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson performed it on his album, and it has since become a jazz standard.

Você e euKay Lyra

Kay Lyra (com o pai Carlos Lyra) – “Você e eu”

This song, known in Japanese as “You and I,” is one of the bossa nova classics by Carlos Lyra and Vinicius de Moraes.

The lyrics by Moraes are very beautiful and full of a joyful, happy atmosphere.

By the way, the singer, Kay Lyra, is Carlos Lyra’s daughter.

Samba de AviãoMiúcha

Tom Vinícius Toquinho e Miúcha 08 – Samba de Avião

This song is one of the bossa nova masterpieces by Antônio Carlos Jobim, known in Japanese as “Jet Plane Samba.” It’s said that Jobim loved watching planes taking off and landing at the airport in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and he composed this piece inspired by the view from a plane about to arrive in Rio.