My brother Howard alerted me to the death of Sergio Mendes, who died yesterday at the age of 83. It was fitting that Howard told me about this because it was him who introduced me to Mendes. I got his greatest hits compilation Foursider sometime in the early 90s and listened to it around the clock.
I had a party sometime in the 90s in my cute little one bedroom on West Wash. My friend Christine Seitz was there, who was maybe 15 years older than me. She was floored that I was playing the CD because she had it on LP. She asked to see the CD case. She sat there and marveled at it for a while and then broke out laughing (a laugh that only a Wagnerian soprano could have). She said, "You know why it's called 'Foursider.' Because it was two albums. Two albums, four sides. Now it's a CD, so it's a one-sider!"
I'll feature my four favorite tracks on that CD. The first track is "Mas que nada." It sets the tone of something sexy and vibrant. It makes you want to stand up and shake your hiney.
"Watch What Happens" originated in one of my favorite movies ever, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, so it's got that extra bit of heartfelt history for me. It definitely was never this groovy in the movie.
I want to explain a hidden secret of "Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay," something Howard clued me into back in the day. The verses of the song are sung either by the two female singers or by one or of them dubbed on top of herself. The bridge is sung by just one voice, sometime around 1:35. You can hear the difference in the texture, it sounds more singular and direct. Then we're back to two voices in the final verse, at 1:50. And you can hear two Ss when they sing "Sittin' here restin' my bones" - - the word "bones" is finished twice. Magical.
And talk about magic! The Mendes arrangement of "Fool on the Hill" is nothing short of genius. It reimagines the song completely. He alternates between 3/4 time and 4/4 time in the most effortless, inventive, imaginative way. Love it love it love it.
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