Água de Beber: A Bossa Nova Born in Brasília

Some bossa nova classics were born on the beaches of Rio; "Água de Beber" was born amid the raw concrete of a brand-new capital.^[1]

Inspiration in Brasília

In 1960 Antônio Carlos Jobim and the poet Vinícius de Moraes were invited by President Juscelino Kubitschek to spend ten days at the construction site of Brazil's new capital, Brasília, in search of inspiration for a symphony.^[1] According to the song's lore, "Água de Beber" — "Drinking Water" — grew out of evening walks there, prompted by the constant rippling of water near the building where they stayed.^[1]

A jazz standard

The song was introduced in January 1961 by Vinícius de Moraes on a single.^[1] Like the other Jobim–Vinícius collaborations, it crossed quickly into jazz, accumulating hundreds of recorded versions over the decades.^[1] One of the most famous is Astrud Gilberto's 1965 vocal version, recorded with Stan Getz, which carried English lyrics by Norman Gimbel.^[1]

Why it matters

"Água de Beber" is one of the durable standards of the bossa nova songbook, sitting alongside Garota de Ipanema and Desafinado among the Jobim–Vinícius classics that brought Brazilian song to the world.^[2] Its blend of a simple, hypnotic melody and elegant harmony makes it a favorite of singers and jazz musicians alike.^[1]