The iconic song “Garota de Ipanema,” better known as “The Girl from Ipanema,” combines Brazilian bossa nova and jazz music genres in a mellifluous manner. The song gained widespread popularity during the mid-1960s, and it didn’t take long for it to become a global hit. In 1965, the song was awarded the Grammy Award for Record of the Year.
Composed in 1962, with words in Portuguese by poet Vinicius de Moraes and music by composer Antônio Carlos Jobim, who wrote the song in the early 1960s, the lyrics were later translated into English by Norman Gimbel. Needless to say, it is Brazil’s most widely famous song, and people still can’t get enough of it almost 59 years later. The song became even more famous after Astrud Gilberto, the queen of Brazilian bossa nova
However, the saddest part about this exquisite piece of art is that the song, which was regarded as one of the finest of the twentieth century, has now become mere “Muzak,” soft, soothing music which is listened to while waiting or in a lift. But whether you agree or not, the song’s appeal is still far greater than just elevator music.
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The Story Behind the Origins of the Song
There are various stories and countless lore attached to the song. Early in the 1960s, the two songwriters were relaxing in Ipanema’s Veloso café-bar when they originally got the idea for the song. The Veloso also happened to be the place where the poet and composer would often meet up with the lyricist.
The song is supposed to be about a beautiful, young, strikingly gorgeous girl assumed to be in her early teens. The duo would see her every day. She would walk by while out shopping or on her way to the beach.
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The two men were mesmerized by her beauty and used their crush on this local Ipanema girl as a source of inspiration for their new song. It is believed that Moraes and Jobim wrote the song on a napkin while sitting at a table in the Veloso. The original title of the song was “Menina que Passa” which translates to “The Girl Who Passes By” and the first verse was different.
The Real Identity of The Girl from Ipanema
The tales associated with the song are intriguing enough to raise questions like, was there really a girl that inspired the song, and if yes, then who was she?
Well, the answer is yes, the girl did exist. The fascination of the public with the song led to many girls coming forward, claiming to be the real girl from Ipanema. But all these false and real inspirations for the song came from a girl named Heloísa Eneida Menezes Paes Pinto (now Heloísa Pinheiro), and she was 17 years old when the song was written about her. She would often walk into the Veloso to buy cigarettes for her mother whilst on a walk toward the beach.
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Moraes held a press conference in 1965 and told everyone the truth that the girl from Ipanema was Heloísa. That same year the song won the prestigious Grammy Award in the Record of the Year category. As a result, both the song and Heloísa, along with it, were thrust into the spotlight even more.
Legal Disputes and Controversies Surrounding the Song
The current copyright holders for the song—the composers’ heirs—sued Pinheiro in 2001 for naming her boutique Garota de Ipanema, which is the Portuguese translation for “The Girl from Ipanema.” In their complaint, they argued that just because she was given the status of “The Girl from Ipanema,” it didn’t give her the right to use a name that was lawfully theirs.
The press conference of 1965 held by Jobim and Moraes was used as evidence in the case, stating that the original writers of the song had been inspired by Pinheiro. The public came out in overwhelming support of Pinheiro. Consequently, the case was ruled in Pinheiro’s favor.
In 2001, Astrud Gilberto filed a lawsuit against Frito-Lay for trademark infringement after the company used the song in a television commercial for its baked potato chips. Her claims were denied by the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in Oliveira v. Frito-Lay Inc. (2001).
The song has had its fair share of controversies, but it still continues to leave millions spellbound, and it is safe to say that its impact is nothing short of historically everlasting.
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