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"Sabiá" (also known as "The Song of the Sabiá") is a Brazilian song composed in 1968 by Antônio Carlos Jobim, with lyrics by Chico Buarque. English-language lyrics were written later by Norman Gimbel. In 1968, "Sabiá" won first place at Brazil’s III Festival Internacional da Canção (International Festival of Song), where it was performed by Cynara and Cybele. After Buarque wrote the original lyrics, he traveled to Italy, and, while he was away, Jobim added a last verse, which was included in the performance at the Festival but was not well received. Buarque convinced Jobim to drop the verse, and it has not been used since. The ''sabiá'' is a songbird ( Rufous-bellied thrush in English) and the national bird of Brazil. Buarque's lyrics allude to the sabiá in the famous Brazilian poem " Canção do exílio", written in 1843 by Gonçalves Dias.


Sinatra & Jobim recording

In 1969,
Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular ...
and Jobim recorded "The Song of the Sabiá" for an album entitled ''Sinatra-Jobim'', but at the last minute, Sinatra stopped release of the record. Seven of the ten songs from those sessions were released in 1971 as Side A of ''
Sinatra & Company ''Sinatra & Company'' is an album by American singer Frank Sinatra released in 1971. The first side of this album is in the bossa nova style, and the second side is influenced by soft rock, featuring two songs from John Denver. The bossa nova re ...
'', but "The Song of the Sabiá" was not used. It appeared as the B-side of Sinatra's single "Lady Day" (Reprise 0970) in December 1970, and was later included on ''
Portrait of Sinatra – Forty Songs from the Life of a Man ''Portrait of Sinatra – Forty Songs from the Life of a Man'' is a 1977 compilation (Gatefold) album by American singer Frank Sinatra that consists of 40 songs that were recorded for Reprise Records. It spent a total of eighteen non-consecutive ...
'' (1977), ''
Sinatra–Jobim Sessions The ''Sinatra–Jobim Sessions'' is a 1979 double LP compilation album of American singer Frank Sinatra's work with Antônio Carlos Jobim. The album was published only in Brazil by producer Roberto Quartin, and had never been re-released on vin ...
'' (1979) and '' Sinatra/Jobim: The Complete Reprise Recordings'' (2010). In his book, ''Sinatra! The Song Is You: A Singer's Art'', music critic Will Friedwald questions why "Sabiá" was ever left off the original album, calling it "a soft, mystical piece on the order of the first album's 'Dindi'.... revealing Jobim as a Brazilian
Billy Strayhorn William Thomas Strayhorn (November 29, 1915 – May 31, 1967) was an American jazz composer, pianist, lyricist, and arranger, who collaborated with bandleader and composer Duke Ellington for nearly three decades. His compositions include "Take ...
." He says that trombonist Milt Bernhart, who was on the session and had recorded with Sinatra many times dating back to 1953, thought "Sabiá" was "one of the most gorgeous things he ever heard Sinatra sing." Charles L. Granata included "Song of the Sabiá" in his list of "Fifty Songs that Define the Essence of Sinatra" in his book ''Sessions with Sinatra: Frank Sinatra and the Art of Recording'' (Chicago Review Press, 1999).


Other recorded versions

* Chico Buarque - ''Não Vai Passar'' (rec. 1968, released in 1990) * Clara Nunes - '' Você passa eu acho graça'' (1968) * Françoise Hardy - '' Françoise Hardy'' (1968) - as "La mésange" *
Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular ...
& Antônio Carlos Jobim - '' Sinatra/Jobim: The Complete Reprise Recordings'' (rec. 1969, released 2010) * Antônio Carlos Jobim - '' Stone Flower'' (1970), ''
Terra Brasilis ''Terra Brasilis'' is the 11th album by Antônio Carlos Jobim. It was recorded at the RCA Recording Studios in New York City and released in 1980. The album includes reworkings of old songs as well as new material and placed 42nd on the US Jazz ...
'' (1980), and ''Inédito'' (rec. 1987, released 1995) * Nara Leão - '' Dez Anos Depois'' (1971) *
Cedar Walton Cedar Anthony Walton Jr. (January 17, 1934 – August 19, 2013) was an American hard bop jazz pianist. He came to prominence as a member of drummer Art Blakey's band, The Jazz Messengers, before establishing a long career as a bandleader and com ...
/
Hank Mobley Henry "Hank" Mobley (July 7, 1930 – May 30, 1986) was an American hard bop and soul jazz tenor saxophonist and composer. Mobley was described by Leonard Feather as the "middleweight champion of the tenor saxophone", a metaphor used to descr ...
Quintet - '' Breakthrough!'' (1972) * Elis Regina - ''Saudade do Brasil'' (1980) * Billy Higgins - '' Once More'' (1980) *
Cedar Walton Cedar Anthony Walton Jr. (January 17, 1934 – August 19, 2013) was an American hard bop jazz pianist. He came to prominence as a member of drummer Art Blakey's band, The Jazz Messengers, before establishing a long career as a bandleader and com ...
- '' The Maestro'' (1981) * Gal Costa & Antônio Carlos Jobim - '' Jazzvisions: Rio Revisited'' (1987) * Eliane Elias - ''
Eliane Elias Plays Jobim ''Eliane Elias Plays Jobim'' is the fifth studio album by Brazilian jazz artist Eliane Elias. It was released in 1990 via Blue Note label. Background Eliane Elias is considered one of the great interpreters of Antonio Carlos Jobim's music.ref? S ...
'' (1990) * Susannah McCorkle - ''Sabia'' (1990) * Jaques Morelenbaum,
Paula Morelenbaum Regina Paula Martins Morelenbaum (, born July 31, 1962) is a Brazilian singer, born in Rio de Janeiro. She and her husband Jaques Morelenbaum were in the band that toured with Antonio Carlos Jobim from 1984 to 1994. In addition to Jobim's group, ...
, and Ryuichi Sakamoto - '' Morelenbaum 2/Sakamoto: A Day in New York'' (2003)


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sabia (song) 1968 songs Brazilian songs Frank Sinatra songs Songs with music by Antônio Carlos Jobim Bossa nova songs