"Água de Beber" ("Water To Drink") is a bossa nova jazz standard composed by Antônio Carlos Jobim and originally recorded in the key of A minor, with lyrics written by Vinicius de Moraes. The English lyrics were written by Norman Gimbel.

This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (June 2020)

The story is, as told by Kléber Farias, one of the engineers who helped build Brasília: In 1959, when the new capital was being built, the President of Brazil, Juscelino Kubitschek invited Antonio "Tom" Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes to spend a season at Catetinho (the provisional presidential palace, made of wood) to compose a symphony that would be performed at the inauguration of Brasilia.

One evening, Vinicius and Tom were walking near the wooden palace when they heard the noise of the water. They asked the watchman "But what is that noise of water here?"  The watchman replied, "Você não sabe não? É aqui que tem água de beber, camará." [Don't you know? This is where you have drinking water, buddy boy.]

At that moment, they learnt both the source of water and inspiration for the first song composed in Brasilia.  Kléber was one of the first to hear the song, sung by Tom and Vinícius at the city's only hotel, hours after composing it.

Recordings

This section may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. The specific problem is: recordings may not meet WP:SONGCOVER. (June 2020)

• Vinicius de Moraes - Philips 78 rpm (1961)
• Maysa - Canção do Amor mais Triste (1962)
• Antônio Carlos Jobim - The Composer of Desafinado, Plays (1963) and The Wonderful World of Antonio Carlos Jobim (1965)
• Astrud Gilberto (with Jobim) - The Astrud Gilberto Album (1965)
• Sérgio Mendes- Herb Alpert Presents (1966)
• La Lupe (with Tito Puente) - Tú y Yo (1965)
• Frank Sinatra (with Jobim) - Sinatra & Company (1969)
• Juan García Esquivel - The Genius of Esquivel (1967)
• Al Jarreau - Glow (1976)
• Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Abraça Jobim (1981) and Ella A Nice, Pablo, (1971)
• Astrud Gilberto (plus James Last and his orchestra) (1986)
• Joseph Portes (merengue rhythm) - Agua de beber (1988)
• Eliane Elias - Eliane Elias Plays Jobim (1989)
• Lee Ritenour - A Twist of Jobim (1997, various artists)
• Charlie Byrd - My Inspiration: Music of Brazil (1999)
• Quarteto Jobim Morelenbaum - Quarteto Jobim Morelenbaum (2000)
• Sophie Milman - Sophie Milman (2004)
• Meja - Mellow (2004)
• Ana Paula Lopes - Meu (2005)
• Tania Maria - Intimidade (2005)
• David Benoit - Full Circle (2006)[1][2]
• Bernie Worrell - Standards (2011)

See also

• List of bossa nova standards

References

• Bet E & Stef - Jazz/Bossa Nova (2002)

This article about Brazilian music is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

• v
• t
• e

This 1960s pop song–related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

• v
• t
• e