The moment a song is born, the world is different. It’s now a part of our lives. We sing it in the shower. We dance to it at our wedding. We get pumped with it. We break up to it. We memorize it. We try to forget it. We rediscover it. This month, I’m joining Arron Wright’s Twitter music challenge: ##Popiversary2. Because why the hell not. Songs deserve their own anniversaries, too.
Year: 1964
Gilberto and Getz hail from two different worlds, but come together as one on this classic recording. In one instance, I can listen to “The Girl From Ipanema” and feel like I’m transported to a hot summer night in Rio. In another, I’m transported to a cold, wintry night in Manhattan. Either way, the song does carry with it that certain carefree mood – somehow that love is all that matters. And maybe everything will be alright.
This bossa nova staple reminds me of fond old memories – my first year in NYC. At the same time, it gets me to slow down a few RPMs and look to better days ahead.“The Girl From Ipanema” is a plea to not take things so seriously, including itself. Don’t over-analyze it. Don’t over-critique it. Just go with the flow. Enjoy it. Even if a part of you thinks it’s the cheesiest thing in the world. It is what it is, and often it’s just perfect for the moment.
“The girl from Ipanema goes walking And when she passes, Each one she passes goes, ‘Ah’.”