The song was first popularized by the Walter Wanderley Trio in 1966 — the album Rain Forest on which it was issued reached platinum status in 1970— also reaching the U.S.”Easy Listening” chart in versions by Johnny Mathis, Vikki Carr, and Connie Francis during that same year. In fact, at least one source claims that three different versions were on the Billboard charts at the same time in 1966.  Allmusic has said of Wanderley’s version, “His recording … is regarded as perhaps a more definitive bossa tune than “Girl From Ipanema.”  Wanderley’s version was the biggest seller in the U.S., reaching #26 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1966, (#3 on the Easy Listening chart) , and is still a favourite on Adult Standards radio stations.

Andy Williams released a version in 1966 on his album, In the Arms of Love. The Angels released a version of the song in 1967 entitled “So Nice” as the B-side to their “Merry Go Round”. Other notable versions include those by Astrud Gilberto and by Bebel Gilberto, both of which have been used in several television programs and in widely broadcast TV advertisements. Some think the very best version was by Brasil ’65 with Wanda de Sah and Sergio Mendes; slower and languid, it imparts the feeling of a lazy day on the beach in a similar way to “Girl from Ipanema”. In 1965 it was the fist to be released As of the year 2000, the song had been recorded by more than 180 different artists worldwide.

The song was covered by Emma Bunton in 2004 and was released as a b-side on the commercial CD single to her single “Crickets Sing For Anamaria” (also written by Marcos Valle), taken from her critically acclaimed second album, Free Me. This song features the Hammond B-3 organ, a staple of the sixties in the recording studio.

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