Blame It on the Bossa Nova: Difference between revisions

Content deleted Content added

Inline

Revision as of 22:35, 24 December 2010

"Blame it on the Bossa Nova" is a 1963 hit song was written by Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann^[1] which as recorded by Eydie Gormé reached #7 on the US charts in March 1963.

The track was produced by Al Kasha who had recently been responsible for the #1 hit "Go Away Little Girl" by Gormé's husband Steve Lawrence. "Blame It on the Bossa Nova" featured backing vocals by The Cookies.

Bossa nova is a Brazilian music style which, with its associated dancing forms, became popular in the late 1950s. "Blame It on the Bossa Nova" merges the sensibilities of the Brill Building Sound with the Latin music which Gormé had previously specialized in, as the song describes a romantic relationship inaugurated by a couple dancing to the bossa nova - "the dance of love."

"Blame It on the Bossa Nova" was an international hit for Gormé, reaching #1 in Australia, South Africa and Sweden and #2 in Norway. In the UK the single reached #32. Rendered in Spanish by Gormé as "Cúlpale a la bossa nova"^[2], the track sold 250,000 units in Spain and Latin America and 100,000 units in Italy.^[3]

Gormé consequently recorded several Top 40-oriented releases but "Blame It on the Bossa Nova" would be her last Top 40 hit, although partnered with Lawrence as Steve & Eydie she did reach #28 and #35 with respectively "I Want To Stay Here" and "I Can't Stop Talking About You" in 1964. Gormé did reach #43 with Mann-Weil's "I Want You to Meet My Baby" in September 1964; that track's B-side : "Can't Get Over (the Bossa Nova)", written by Gormé and Lawrence with Marilyn Gins, gained enough attention to chart at #87. Gormé subsequently shifted back to the easy listening musical style of her the first phase of her career.

"Blame It on the Bossa Nova" was also recorded by Cliff Richard on his 1966 album Kinda Latin.^[1]^[4]

A recording by Manuela, with lyrics in German as Schuld war nur der Bossa Nova written by Georg Buschor, was at German Charts for 27 weeks (21 weeks Top 10) during the period 27 April - 2 November 1963, peaking at #1 for five weeks.

A recording by Anna-Lena Löfgren, with lyrics in Swedish as Det finns ingenting att hämta written by Stig Andersson, was at Svensktoppen for 11 weeks during the period 14 May - 23 July 1967, peaking at #3 ^[5]. Another recording of the Swedish language version by the dansband Lotta Engbergs in 1997 was on the album "Tolv i topp", and as "B-side" for the 2000 single En liten stund på Jorden ^[6]. In Québec, the song was recorded in French by the late Margot Lefebvre (1936–1989) as C'est la faute au bossa nova, written by Pierre Nolès.

The song has appeared from time to time in television programs, commercials, and films, often for comic effect. For example, in the TV show The West Wing, new White House Assistant Counsel Ainsley Hayes (played by Emily Procter) is dancing joyfully to the Gormé recording, wearing a bathrobe, and drinking a cocktail to celebrate a successful television appearance when she is shocked to see President Jed Bartlet (Martin Sheen) enter her office to meet her for the first time. Former San Francisco 49ers head coach George Seifert performs the song Karaoke-style in a Visa commercial that aired during the 1990s.

Movie soundtrack appearances for "Blame It on the Bossa Nova" include The Big Picture (1989), Mermaids (1990) and Doubt (2008). "Blame It on the Bossa Nova" is also featured in episode seven of the first season of the HBO program Big Love.^[7]. It is playing on the car stereo when character Albie Grant solicits a male prostitute.

References

^ ^a ^b Australasian Performing Right Association
^ Songfacts entry for "Blame It on the Bossa Nova"
^ Billboard vol 76 #49 (5 December 1964) p.18.
^ Cliff Richard and Shadows New Zealand discography
^ Svensktoppen - 1967
^ Aftonbladet 18 April 2000 - Tommys - bör ej överdoseras
^ [1]

[APRA-1] Australasian Performing Right Association

[songfacts-2] Songfacts entry for "Blame It on the Bossa Nova"

[3] Billboard vol 76 #49 (5 December 1964) p.18.

[4] Cliff Richard and Shadows New Zealand discography

[5] Svensktoppen - 1967

[6] Aftonbladet 18 April 2000 - Tommys - bör ej överdoseras

[7] [1]

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{Infobox Single <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Songs -->
+{{Info/Single <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Songs -->
 | Name           = Blame it on the Bossa Nova
 | Cover          = EydieGorme BossaNova.jpg
@@ Line 33: / Line 33: @@
 "I Can't Stop Talking About You" in 1964. Gormé did reach #43 with Mann-Weil's "I Want You to Meet My Baby" in September 1964; that track's B-side : "Can't Get Over (the Bossa Nova)", written by Gormé and Lawrence with Marilyn Gins, gained enough attention to chart at #87. Gormé subsequently shifted back to the [[easy listening]] musical style of her the first phase of her career.
-"Blame It on the Bossa Nova" was also recorded by [[Cliff Richard]] on his 1966 album ''Kinda Latin''.<ref>
+"Blame It on the Bossa Nova" was also recorded by [[Cliff Richard]] on his 1966 album ''Kinda Latin''.<ref name="APRA" /><ref>
-[http://www.penumbra.co.nz/crdiscnz.html Cliff Richard and Shadows New Zealand discography]</ref> <ref name="APRA" />
+[http://www.penumbra.co.nz/crdiscnz.html Cliff Richard and Shadows New Zealand discography]</ref>
 A recording by [[:de:Manuela (Sängerin)|Manuela]], with lyrics in [[German language|German]] as ''Schuld war nur der Bossa Nova'' written by Georg Buschor, was at German Charts for 27 weeks (21 weeks Top 10) during the period 27 April - 2 November 1963, peaking at #1 for five weeks.
-A recording by [[:sv:Anna-Lena Löfgren|Anna-Lena Löfgren]], with lyrics in [[Swedish language|Swedish]] as ''Det finns ingenting att hämta'' written by [[Stikkan Andersson|Stig Andersson]], was at  [[:sv:Svensktoppen|Svensktoppen]] for 11 weeks during the period 14 May - 23 July 1967, peaking at #3 <ref>[http://www.sr.se/Diverse/AppData/Isidor/files/2023/3466.txt Svensktoppen - ''1967'']</ref>. Another recording of the Swedish language version by the [[dansband]] [[Lotta Engbergs]] in [[1997]] was on the album "[[Tolv i topp]]", and as "[[A-side and B-side|B-side]]" for the [[2000]] single ''En liten stund på Jorden'' <ref>[http://wwwc.aftonbladet.se/noje/kronikor/dans/dans000418.html Aftonbladet 18 April 2000 - ''Tommys - bör ej överdoseras'']</ref>. In Québec, the song was recorded in French by the late Margot Lefebvre (1936-1989) as ''C'est la faute au bossa nova'', written by [[Pierre Nolès]].
+A recording by [[:sv:Anna-Lena Löfgren|Anna-Lena Löfgren]], with lyrics in [[Swedish language|Swedish]] as ''Det finns ingenting att hämta'' written by [[Stikkan Andersson|Stig Andersson]], was at  [[:sv:Svensktoppen|Svensktoppen]] for 11 weeks during the period 14 May - 23 July 1967, peaking at #3 <ref>[http://www.sr.se/Diverse/AppData/Isidor/files/2023/3466.txt Svensktoppen - ''1967'']</ref>. Another recording of the Swedish language version by the [[dansband]] [[Lotta Engbergs]] in [[1997]] was on the album "[[Tolv i topp]]", and as "[[A-side and B-side|B-side]]" for the [[2000]] single ''En liten stund på Jorden'' <ref>[http://wwwc.aftonbladet.se/noje/kronikor/dans/dans000418.html Aftonbladet 18 April 2000 - ''Tommys - bör ej överdoseras'']</ref>. In Québec, the song was recorded in French by the late Margot Lefebvre (1936–1989) as ''C'est la faute au bossa nova'', written by [[Pierre Nolès]].
 The song has appeared from time to time in television programs, commercials, and films, often for comic effect. For example, in the TV show ''[[The West Wing]]'', new [[White House]] [[White House Counsel|Assistant Counsel]] [[Ainsley Hayes]] (played by [[Emily Procter]]) is dancing joyfully to the Gormé recording, wearing a bathrobe, and drinking a cocktail to celebrate a successful television appearance when she is shocked to see President [[Jed Bartlet]] ([[Martin Sheen]]) enter her office to meet her for the first time. Former [[San Francisco 49ers]] head coach [[George Seifert]] performs the song [[Karaoke]]-style in a [[Visa (credit card)|Visa]] commercial that aired during the 1990s.
@@ Line 48: / Line 48: @@
 <references/>
+{{DEFAULTSORT:Blame It On The Bossa Nova}}
 [[Category:1960s pop songs]]
 [[Category:Bossa nova]]