"Samba do Avião" (), also known as "Song of the Jet", is a Brazilian song composed in 1962 by

Antônio Carlos Jobim Antônio Carlos Brasileiro de Almeida Jobim (25 January 1927 – 8 December 1994), also known as Tom Jobim (), was a Brazilian composer, pianist, guitarist, songwriter, arranger, and singer. Considered one of the great exponents of Brazilian mu ...

, who also wrote the original Portuguese lyrics. The English-language lyrics are by

Gene Lees Frederick Eugene John Lees (February 8, 1928 – April 22, 2010) was a Canadian music critic, biographer, lyricist, and journalist. Lees worked as a newspaper journalist in his native Canada before moving to the United States, where he was a music ...

. In the biography ''Antonio Carlos Jobim: An Illuminated Man'', Helena Jobim describes how her brother came up with the idea for the song: "Tom's many walks from

Ipanema Ipanema () is a neighbourhood located in the South Zone of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, between Leblon and Arpoador. The beach at Ipanema became known internationally with the popularity of the bossa nova jazz song, "The Girl from Ipa ...

Santos Dumont Airport Santos Dumont Airport is the second major airport serving Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is named after the Brazilian aviation pioneer Alberto Santos Dumont (1873–1932). It is operated by Infraero. Santos Dumont has slot restrictions operati ...

yielded that ode of beauty... He would head towards the airport, following the water's edge around Guanabara's Bay. The pretext to go there was to buy foreign magazines and newspapers. From Santos Dumont Airport he could observe his passion, the airplane. Yet he still kept some distance from those machines. He was afraid of flying, but he loved their power, splendor, and aerodynamics—man's conquest over machine".Jobim, Helena, ''Antonio Carlos Jobim: An Illuminated Man'', Hal Leonard, Montclair, NJ, 2011. > In the song, Jobim writes about landing at "Galeão" in

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of the same name, Brazil's List of Brazilian states by population, third-most populous state, and the List of largest citi ...

. The airport was renamed in his honor in 1999 and is now called Rio de Janeiro–Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport. Jobim wrote "Samba do Avião" for an Italian film, ''Copacabana Palace'' (1962), where it was performed by Jula De Palma and I 4 + 4 di

Nora Orlandi Nora Orlandi (born 28 June 1933; pseudonym: Joan Christian) is an Italian pianist, violinist, soprano vocalist, composer and occasional actress. As the first female film composer of Italian cinema, she composed scores for Spaghetti Westerns, ...

. The movie was filmed in Rio and features cameo appearances by Jobim,

João Gilberto João Gilberto (born João Gilberto Prado Pereira de Oliveira – ; 10 June 1931 – 6 July 2019) was a Brazilian guitarist, singer and composer who was a pioneer of the musical genre of bossa nova in the late 1950s. Around the world, he was of ...

and

Os Cariocas Os Cariocas are a Brazilian popular music band. The band was first founded in 1942 by Ismael Neto, and continues to perform today (with new members). Música popular brasileira musical groups Musical groups established in 1942 Brazilian mu ...

. The first performance of the song was by Jobim and Os Cariocas in August 1962 at the Au Bon Gourmet restaurant in Copacabana, Rio, at what music historian Ruy Castro calls "the bossa nova show to end all bossa nova shows", as it featured Jobim, João Gilberto,

Vinícius de Moraes Marcus Vinícius da Cruz e Mello Moraes (19 October 1913 – 9 July 1980), better known as Vinícius de Moraes () and nicknamed O Poetinha ("The little poet"), was a Brazilian poet, diplomat, lyricist, essayist, musician, singer, and playwright ...

and Os Cariocas on stage together for the only time.Castro, Ruy, ''Bossa nova: the story of the Brazilian music that seduced the world'', A Cappella Books, Chicago, IL, 2000. > The first recording of the song was released in October 1962 by Elza Laranjeira.SecondHandSongs – Samba do Avião
/ref> Os Cariocas had a hit with their rendition in 1963. The first English-language version was by

Tony Bennett Anthony Dominick Benedetto (born August 3, 1926), known professionally as Tony Bennett, is an American retired singer of traditional pop standards, big band, show tunes, and jazz. Bennett is also a painter, having created works under his bir ...

for his 1965 album '' If I Ruled the World: Songs for the Jet Set''.

Recorded versions

* Elza Laranjeira (October 1962) *

– ''A Bossa dos Cariocas'' (1963) *

Sylvia Telles Silvia D'Atri Telles (; August 27, 1934 – December 17, 1966) was a Brazilian jazz samba and bossa nova singer of the 1950s and 1960s. Life Daughter of Paulo Telles and Maria Amelia D'Atri, Sylvia was born in 1934 and she had the ambition to be a ...

– ''Bossa, Balanço, Balada'' (1963) *

Eumir Deodato Eumir Deodato de Almeida (; born 22 June 1942) is a Brazilian pianist, composer, arranger and record producer, primarily in jazz but who has been known for his eclectic melding of genres, such as pop, rock, disco, rhythm and blues, classical ...

– ''Inútil Paisagem – As Maiores Composições de Antonio Carlos Jobim'' (1964) *

Paul Winter Paul Winter (born August 31, 1939) is an American saxophonist, composer, and bandleader. He is a pioneer of world music and earth music, which interweaves the voices of the wild with instrumental voices from classical, jazz and world music. The ...

, w/

Luiz Bonfá Luiz Floriano Bonfá (17 October 1922 – 12 January 2001) was a Brazilian guitarist and composer. He was best known for the music he composed for the film ''Black Orpheus''. Biography Luiz Floriano Bonfá was born on October 17, 1922, in R ...

Roberto Menescal Roberto Menescal (born October 25, 1937) is a Brazilian composer, record producer, guitarist, vocalist, and pioneer of bossa nova. In many of his songs there are references to the sea, including his best-known composition "O Barquinho" ("Little Bo ...

Luiz Eça Luiz Mainzi da Cunha Eça (April 3, 1936 – May 24, 1992) was a samba and bossa nova pianist from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, who was a member of the Tamba Trio with Helcio Milito and Bebeto Castilho. Trained as a classical pianist, Eça created ...

– ''Rio'' (1964) – as "Avion (Song of the Jet)" *

– '' If I Ruled the World: Songs for the Jet Set'' (1965) *

Charlie Byrd Charlie Lee Byrd (September 16, 1925 – December 2, 1999) was an American jazz guitarist. Byrd was best known for his association with Brazilian music, especially bossa nova. In 1962, he collaborated with Stan Getz on the album '' Jazz Samba'', ...

– ''Brazilian Byrd'' (1965) *

– ''

The Wonderful World of Antonio Carlos Jobim ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in ...

'' (1965) *

Bud Shank Clifford Everett "Bud" Shank Jr. (May 27, 1926 – April 2, 2009) was an American alto saxophonist and flautist. He rose to prominence in the early 1950s playing lead alto and flute in Stan Kenton's Innovations in Modern Music Orchestra and thr ...

, with

João Donato João Donato de Oliveira Neto is a Brazilian jazz and bossa nova pianist from Brazil. He first worked with Altamiro Carrilho and went on to perform with Antonio Carlos Jobim and Astrud Gilberto. Career A professional at the age of 15, Donato pla ...

– '' Bud Shank & His Brazilian Friends'' (1965) *

Walter Wanderley Walter Wanderley (born Walter Jose Wanderley Mendonça, May 12, 1932 – September 4, 1986) was a Brazilian organist and pianist, best known for his lounge and bossa nova music and for his instrumental version of the song '' Summer Samba'' whi ...

– ''

Rain Forest Rainforests are characterized by a closed and continuous tree canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforest can be classified as tropical rainforest or temperate rainforest ...

'' (1966) *

Dick Hyman Richard Hyman (born March 8, 1927) is an American jazz pianist and composer. Over a 70-year career, he has worked as a pianist, organist, arranger, music director, electronic musician, and composer. He was named a National Endowment for the Art ...

– ''Brazilian Impressions'' (1967) *

Stanley Turrentine Stanley William Turrentine (April 5, 1934 – September 12, 2000) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. He began his career playing R&B for Earl Bostic and later soul jazz recording for the Blue Note label from 1960, touched on jazz fusion dur ...

– ''

A Bluish Bag ''A Bluish Bag'' is an album by jazz saxophonist Stanley Turrentine consisting of two sessions recorded for the Blue Note label in 1967 and arranged by Duke Pearson, the first featuring Donald Byrd and the second McCoy Tyner, among others. Recep ...

'' (rec. 1967, released 2007) *

Gilberto Gil Gilberto Passos Gil Moreira (; born 26 June 1942), is a Brazilian singer-songwriter and politician, known for both his musical innovation and political activism. From 2003 to 2008, he served as Brazil's Minister of Culture in the administratio ...

– ''Refavela'' (1977) *

Miúcha Heloísa Maria Buarque de Hollanda (30 November 1937 – 27 December 2018), whose artistic name was Miúcha, was a Brazilian singer and composer. Life and career Heloisa Maria Buarque de Hollanda was born in Rio de Janeiro. She was the daughter ...

– ''Miúcha & Antonio Carlos Jobim'' (1977) *

Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917June 15, 1996) was an American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, i ...

– ''

Ella Abraça Jobim ''Ella Abraça Jobim'' or ''Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Antonio Carlos Jobim Songbook'' is a 1981 studio album by Ella Fitzgerald, devoted to the songs of Antônio Carlos Jobim. It was reissued on CD in 1991, although the CD version does not inclu ...

'' (1981) – Released on the original LP but left off the 1991 CD version *

Os Mulheres Negras Os Mulheres Negras ( Portuguese for "The Black Women") are a Brazilian experimental rock duo formed in São Paulo in 1985, by musicians André Abujamra (vocals, electric guitar, synthesizer, drum machine) and Maurício Pereira (vocals, saxopho ...

– '' Música e Ciência'' (1988) *

Baden Powell Baden-Powell () is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: Baden-Powell * The Rev. Prof. Baden Powell (mathematician) (1796–1860), mathematician, clergyman and liberal theologian. By his first marriage father of: :* Baden Henry Powell ...

– ''Live in Hamburg'' (rec. 1983, released 1995) *

Eliane Elias Eliane Elias
BrowseBiography.com, 20 November 2011; retrieved 10 September 2014. is a Brazilian

Paulistana'' (1993) – As "Jet Samba (Samba do Avião)" *

Danilo Caymmi Danilo Candido Tostes Caymmi (born March 7, 1948) is a Brazilian musician, singer, composer and arranger. Danilo was born in Rio de Janeiro, the youngest son of Dorival Caymmi and Stella Maris, and brother of Dori and Nana Caymmi. Brought up by ...

– ''Sol Moreno'' (1995) *

Eliane Elias Eliane Elias
BrowseBiography.com, 20 November 2011; retrieved 10 September 2014. is a Brazilian

Eliane Elias Sings Jobim'' (1998) and '' Brazilian Classics'' (2003) *

Gal Costa Gal Maria da Graça Costa Penna Burgos (born Maria da Graça Costa Penna Burgos; 26 September 1945 – 9 November 2022), known professionally as Gal Costa (), was a Brazilian singer of popular music. She was one of the main figures of the tro ...

– ''Gal Costa Canta Tom Jobim ao Vivo'' (1999) *

Jaques Morelenbaum Jaques Morelenbaum (() born 18 May 1954) is a Brazilian instrumentalist, arranger, conductor, composer and music producer. Morelenbaum was born in Rio de Janeiro, the son of conductor Henrique Morelenbaum and piano teacher Sarah Morelenbaum. Hi ...

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 is a Japanese composer, pianist, singer, record producer and actor who has pursued a diverse range of styles as a solo artist and as a member of Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO). With his bandmates Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi, Sakamoto i ...

– '' Morelenbaum 2/Sakamoto: A Day in New York'' (2003) *

Roseanna Vitro Roseanna Elizabeth Vitro (born February 28, 1951) is a jazz singer and teacher from Arkansas. Biography Born Roseanna Elizabeth VitroScott Fredrickson and Gary W. Kennedy.Vitro (Wickliffe), Roseanna" In ''The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz'', 2 ...

– '' Tropical Postcards'' (2004) *

Toquinho Antônio Pecci Filho (born July 6, 1946), better known as Toquinho (), is a Brazilian singer and guitarist. He is well known for his collaborations, as composer and performer, with Vinicius de Moraes. Childhood and musical studies Toquinho was b ...

– ''Tributo à Bossa Nova'' (2005) *

Milton Nascimento Milton Nascimento (; born October 26, 1942), also known as Bituca, is a Brazilian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He has toured across the world. Nascimento has won five Grammy Awards, including Best World Music Album for his al ...

– ''Novas Bossas'' (2008) * Lisa Ono and

'' - The Music of Antônio Carlos Jobim "Ipanema"'' (2007)

References

External links

Lyrical Brazil: Samba do Avião
– Includes additional information about the song. {{DEFAULTSORT:Samba do Aviao 1962 songs Tony Bennett songs Songs with music by Antônio Carlos Jobim Bossa nova songs Brazilian songs Portuguese-language songs Songs about Rio de Janeiro (city)