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Every episode is a different song. This is the song today:

"Sonho Meu" (Dona Yvone Lara) performed by Maria Bethânea feat. Gal Costa

The song was first recorded by Maria Bethânia in her album "Álibi" released in 1978, featuring Gal Costa, and lyrics written by Dona Ivone Lara, the first woman to join the composers' crew of a samba school in Rio de Janeiro. "Sonho meu", with verses evoking freedom, hope, and nostalgia from better times, became a sort of political anthem for the return of political exiles during the Brazilian dictatorship.

The song was a huge success, catapulting the album to sell more than 500,000 copies, making Bethânea the first female singer to reach this milestone in Brazil. It also opened doors for Dona Ivone Lara to finally retire from her career as a nurse and social worker, when she eventually released her debut solo album, also in 1978.

Check the translation to "Sonho Meu" provided by Steve Smith from The Anvil blog, also known as Translationsmith.

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Every episode is a different song. This is the song today:

"Aquarela Brasileira" (Silas de Oliveira) by Martinho da Vila

The intro to “Aquarela Brasileira” is perhaps the most famous ever written for Carnaval. Composer Silas de Oliveira wrote the samba-enredo in 1964 exclusively for Rio’s desfiles—the annual parades of floats and costumes held each February—but its extraordinary impact quickly took it beyond the Sambadrome. The song became a lasting samba classic, later recorded by artists such as Martinho da Vila.

NOT TO BE confused with “Aquarela do Brasil,” from the 1930s— the first Brazilian song to become an international hit, recorded by Frank Sinatra. That song was, in fact, the inspiration for Silas de Oliveira’s “Aquarela Brasileira,” a tribute to Brazil’s many regions, cultures, and colors—hence the reference to watercolor. We discussed the two songs and their respective impact on Brazilian Carnaval.

In episode #90, we explored one of the most revered albums in Brazilian music history. Recorded live between January 3rd and 6th, 1966, Os Afro-Sambas has endured decades of change and upheaval in Brazil’s musical landscape. The unlikely duo behind it—Baden Powell, a 24-year-old virtuoso guitarist of poor Afro-Brazilian origins, and Vinícius de Moraes, 51, celebrated white-diplomat songwriter of Garota de Ipanema and Chega de Saudade—first met in a Rio nightclub in 1961. Widely regarded as the first album to fuse bossa nova’s signature instruments—guitar, bass, flute—with Afro-religious rhythms, Os Afro-Sambas was born after Baden traveled to Bahia to conduct extensive research in candomblé temples.

Recorded in a basement studio in downtown Rio during a torrential rainstorm, the sessions help explain why Vinícius’ vocals sometimes sound notably nasal. Or, according to various legends, perhaps because they reportedly went through more than 2,300 bottles of whisky over those four days of recording. In this episode, we took a deep dive into the album’s history, analyzing its lyrics, music, and the context of its creation, including audio excerpts from interviews and documentaries.

Among the videos I have shared in this episode:

• Baden Powell plays on the TV show Ensaio - TV Cultura (1967)

• Baden Powell plays "Tempo de Amor" for Saravah documentary

• Baden & Vinícius play Berimbau/Canto de Ossanha (1979)

Follow our updated playlist on Spotify: "⁠Soundtrack: Brazuca Sounds⁠". Every song we've ever playedon the show!

Salve! This is a bonus episode for paid subscribers!

Every episode is a different song. This is the song today:

"Atalaia" by Guilherme Coutinho

Guilherme Coutinho was an obscure keyboardist from Belém, in Brazil’s Amazon region. “Atalaia” first appeared in 1978 on Guilherme Coutinho e o Grupo Stalo, released by his hometown radio station’s label. It's a laid-back song with an atmospheric groove driven by Coutinho’s Fender Rhodes, and subtle analog synth lines drift in and out, adding a cosmic, slightly psychedelic feel that bridges Brazilian rhythm with 1970s fusion and ambient soul. Atalaia is a coastal town located in the north, where the river meets the ocean, and is known for its mangroves, dunes, and extreme tides, which are all referenced in the lyrics. Guilherme Coutinho passed away in 1983 at the age of 41, making this a true cult album that has been recently reissued by Mr. Bongo.

Check the song's translation with TranslationSmith.

In episode #89, we discussed some of the best Brazilian albums released in 2025. Among the artists we talked about were BaianaSystem, Alberto Continentino, and Seu Jorge, with his first album in 10 years.

We also discussed singer-songwriter Luedji Luna and her two albums released in 2025; the latest album from Jadsa, the psychedelic duo Parque do São; millenial singer songwriter Rubel; and the new album released by Sessa. Follow our updated playlist: "⁠Soundtrack: Brazuca Sounds⁠". 

Follow our brand new playlist, The Contemporary Music of Brazil, with all songs from our New Sounds collection.

Similar episodes:

Brazuca Sounds #74: Best Albums of 2024

Brazuca Sounds #49: Best Albums of 2023

Brazuca Sounds #29: New Sounds of 2021

Brazuca Sounds #6: Best Albums of 2020

In episode #89, we discussed some of the best Brazilian albums released in 2025. Among the albums discussed were BaianaSystem, Alberto Continentino, and Seu Jorge, with his first album in 10 years.

We also discussed singer-songwriter Luedji Luna and her two albums released in 2025; the latest album from Jadsa, the psychedelic duo Parque do São; millenial singer songwriter Rubel; and the new album released by Sessa. Follow our updated playlist on Spotify: "⁠Soundtrack: Brazuca Sounds⁠". 

Follow our brand new playlist, The Contemporary Music of Brazil, with all the songs we shared in our New Sounds collection since 2020

Similar episodes:

Brazuca Sounds #74: Best Albums of 2024

Brazuca Sounds #49: Best Albums of 2023

Brazuca Sounds #29: New Sounds of 2021

Salve! This is a preview of our bonus episode exclusive for paid ⁠⁠subscribers⁠⁠!

Every episode is a different song. This is the song today:

"Onda" by Cassiano

Released on the third Cassiano album, Cuban Soul-18 Kilates, from 1976, "Onda" was never a big hit in Brazil until it found success through hip-hop samples. Combining Brazilian rhythms with American soul and funk elements, the song created a unique fusion, which now stands as a milestone in Brazilian black music.

It's a psychedelic funk trip of nearly 8 minutes, repetitive vocals, sounds of crashing waves and seagulls, and one of the most beautiful bass lines ever recorded in the country. A genius but troubled figure, Cassiano faced many battles with record labels during his career, and imprecise accounts suggest that in 1978, he lost a lung to tuberculosis.

Check the song translation at TranslationSmith.

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Subscribe now at patreon.com/brazucasounds to unlock.

Every episode is a different song. This is the song today:

"Onda" written and performed by Cassiano

Released on the third Cassiano album, Cuban Soul-18 Kilates, from 1976, "Onda" was never a big hit in Brazil until it found success through hip-hop samples. Combining Brazilian rhythms with American soul and funk elements, the song created a unique fusion, which now stands as a milestone in Brazilian black music.

It's a psychedelic funk trip of nearly 8 minutes, repetitive vocals, sounds of crashing waves and seagulls, and one of the most beautiful bass lines ever recorded in the country. A genius but troubled figure, Cassiano faced many battles with record labels during his career, and imprecise accounts suggest that in 1978, he lost a lung to tuberculosis.

Check the song translation at TranslationSmith.

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Every episode is a different song. This is the song today:

"Boas Festas" written by Assis Valente

This is the quintessential Brazilian Christmas song. Samba songwriter Assis Valente wrote it in 1932 while living alone, far from his family, in a boarding house in the suburbs of Rio de Janeiro. Sad and nostalgic, the song challenges Santa Claus (Papai Noel) to deliver the ultimate gift: happiness.

Caetano Veloso, who later recorded “Boas Festas,” has argued that it is the Christmas song that best encapsulates the Brazilian spirit, as its lyrics openly acknowledge the excluded. Its tone is deeply connected to Valente’s own troubled life, marked by poverty, illness, and repeated personal crises.

Salve! This is a bonus episode available for all!

Every episode is a different song. This is the song today:

"Boas Festas" written by Assis Valente

This is the quintessential Brazilian Christmas song. Samba songwriter Assis Valente wrote it in 1932 while living alone, far from his family, in a boarding house in the suburbs of Rio de Janeiro. Sad and nostalgic, the song challenges Santa Claus (Papai Noel) to deliver the ultimate gift: happiness. Caetano Veloso, who later recorded “Boas Festas,” has argued that it is the Christmas song that best encapsulates the Brazilian spirit, as its lyrics openly acknowledge the excluded. Its tone is deeply connected to Valente’s own troubled life, marked by poverty, illness, and repeated personal crises.