Mas que Nada

"Mas, que Nada!" (Portuguese pronunciation: [mas ki ˈnadɐ]) is a song written and originally performed in 1963 by Jorge Ben on his debut album Samba Esquema Novo, which became Sérgio Mendes' signature song in his 1966 cover version. It was voted by the Brazilian edition of Rolling Stone as the fifth greatest Brazilian song.[1] It was inducted to the Latin Grammy Hall of Fame in 2013.[2]

"Mas, que Nada!"
Song by Jorge Ben
from the album Samba Esquema Novo
Language	Portuguese
Released	January 10, 1963
Recorded	1963
Genre	Samba samba rock bossa nova
Length	2:59
Label	Philips
Songwriter(s)	Jorge Ben
Producer(s)	Armando Pittigliani

Title meaning

Brazilians use Mas que nada (or just que nada) colloquially to disagree with someone. A fitting English translation might be a sarcastic "Yeah, right!".

With many recordings, the title song is incorrectly written Mais que nada (Portuguese for "more than nothing") which would fundamentally alter its meaning. Also it should not be confused with the Spanish más que nada, which means "more than anything", or "above all", and is used in the sense of "mainly" or "principally".

Prates version

In 1958, Brazilian artist José Prates recorded a track called "Nanã Imborô" that appears on his album Tam... Tam... Tam...! (1958, Polydor Brasil – LPNG 4.016), which features the same melody later heard in Jorge Ben Jor's "Mas, que Nada!", especially the Sergio Mendes version.[3][4][5][6]

Sérgio Mendes version

"Mas que Nada"
Single by Sérgio Mendes featuring The Black Eyed Peas
from the album Timeless
Released	10 July 2006
Recorded	2005
Genre	Música popular brasileira hip hop
Length	3:32 (single version) 4:22 (album version)
Label	Concord will.i.am
Songwriter(s)	Jorge Ben Jor
Producer(s)	will.i.am
Sérgio Mendes singles chronology
"Mas que Nada" (2006) "That Heat" (2006)
The Black Eyed Peas singles chronology
"Pump It" (2006) "Mas que Nada" (2006) "Boom Boom Pow" (2009)

Sérgio Mendes covered the song with his band Brasil '66 on their debut album Herb Alpert Presents Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 (1966). In the United States, the single reached number 47 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and number four on the Billboard Easy Listening chart. This 1966 version is the best-known and, to many, the definitive version of the song. In 1989, Mendes re-recorded the song on his album Arara; in Brazil, the song is also well known for being the theme song for the local television channel Globo's Estrelas.

In 2006, Mendes again re-recorded the song, this time with The Black Eyed Peas and additional vocals by Mendes' wife, Gracinha Leporace, for his album Timeless. This version contains a sample of their 2004 hit "Hey Mama". The record performed well on many European charts. On the UK Singles Chart, the song entered at number 29 and peaked at number six on its second week on the chart. The song appeared as part of the EA Sports 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany and NBA Live 07 video games. This version was also included in the 2011 animated film Rio (along with another version recorded in the style of Brasil '66) and its soundtrack, an episode of 90210,[7] in the 2012 video game Just Dance 4, and was also featured in Over Her Dead Body during the opening of the film.

Track listing

1. "Mas Que Nada" (Radio Edit) – 3:33
2. "Mas Que Nada" (Masters at Work Remix) – 8:03
3. "Mas Que Nada" (Original Brazil '66 Version) – 2:41

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2006–2007) Peak position Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[8] 8 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[9] 7 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[10] 12 CIS (Tophit)[11] 11 Czech Republic (Rádio Top 100)[12] 6 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[13] 7 France (SNEP)[14] 40 Germany (Official German Charts)[15] 9 Greece (IFPI)[16] 19 Hungary (Dance Top 40)[17] 2 Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[18] 1 Ireland (IRMA)[19] 14 Italy (FIMI)[20] 37 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[21] 1 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[22] 2 Scotland (Official Charts Company)[23] 6 Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[24] 12 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[25] 4 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[26] 6 UK R&B (Official Charts Company)[27] 2 US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play[28] 13

Year-end charts Chart (2006) Position Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[29] 45 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[30] 23 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[31] 54 CIS (Tophit)[32] 78 Germany (Official German Charts)[33] 57 Hungary (Dance Top 40)[34] 31 Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[35] 7 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[36] 7 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[37] 10 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[38] 19 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[39] 112

Sales and certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[40]	Gold	50,000^*
Germany (BVMI)[41]	Gold	150,000^^
United Kingdom (BPI)[42]		71,750^^
^^shipments figures based on certification alone

Other uses

The song is used in Disney's Animal Kingdom, "Mickey's Jammin Jungle Parade" in Orlando, Florida, and in the films Joe Versus The Volcano, Rio and Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery. The song is also used in a 1998 Nike advertisement, featuring the Brazilian national football team playing football in an airport.

Professional darts player Diogo Portela uses the song as his walk-on music.

Other versions

Other Brazilian artists who recorded the song include Elza Soares and Maria Creuza.

• Hugh Masekela included the song in his 1966 live album The Americanization of Ooga Booga.
• Dizzy Gillespie included a cover version on his albums The Melody Lingers On (1966) and Swing Low, Sweet Cadillac (1967).
• A Moog version is featured on Perrey and Kingsley's album, Kaleidoscopic Vibrations: Spotlight on the Moog (1967).
• Lill Lindfors recorded a Swedish-language version titled Hör min samba for her album Du är den ende (1967).
• Warren Kime recorded a version, track number one, on his Brass Impact album RS 910 SD (LP) and R4T3-910 (Reel Tape) issued in 1967.
• A rumba version is featured on the album Patato & Totico by Patato Valdes and Totico Arango (1968).
• Pink Martini and Saori Yuki released the album 1969 in 2011. "Mas que Nada" is track number eight.
• The Chopsticks, a Hong Kong female duo, covered this song on their first LP The Chopsticks: Sandra and Amina (1970).
• Ella Fitzgerald recorded it on her 1971 album Things Ain't What They Used to Be (And You Better Believe It).
• The Sacramento Freelancers Drum and Bugle Corps performed this song as part of their 1976 show.
• Klaus Wunderlich under the pseudonym Chris Waxman released a spirited version during this period, performed on the Hammond organ, for the opening track on a special phase four stereo album Organized (1968) (London and Decca SP 44119).
• Bossa nova singer Sitti from the Philippines did a remake of this song, which is included on her album, Café Bossa.
• Al Jarreau also did a cover version on his 1994 album Tenderness.
• Miriam Makeba covered the song on Miriam Makeba in Concert! (1967) and Live from Paris & Conakry (1996).
• UK garage singer Colour Girl recorded her version featuring MC PSG in 2001.
• French jazz guitarist Marc Antoine performed an instrumental version on his album Cruisin' (2001).
• Serbian jazz and pop singer Madame Piano also covered it in 2001. and included it on her second studio album Zemlja čuda, while Croatian cellist Walter Despalj did an arrangement of the song for a group of cellos.
• The Idea of North perform "Mas, que Nada!" a cappella, and have recorded a version on The Sum of Us (2001) featuring James Morrison on trombone.
• The Los Angeles Guitar Quartet recorded a version for their 2007 album LAGQ Brazil.
• British singer Ava Leigh covered the song for her debut album, Rollin. It was released as a double A-side with "Mad About the Boy". This version has recently been used in UK television commercials for clothing chain Next (2008).
• Jessy J recorded a cover of this song in her album Tequila Moon (2008).
• Covered by Jane McDonald in her seventh album Jane in 2008.
• The Slovenian XL vocal group Perpetuum Jazzile performed the song in a cappella arrange at Vokal Xtravaganzza (2008).
• Jazztronik has recorded a cover of this song, including the electric jazz and bossa nova instrumentation on its album Vamos la Brasil (2014).
• French girl group Nossa released a cover of this song as a single in 2012.
• Madlib included this song in episode 2 of the Madlib Medicine Show on the track Rio de Janeiro.[43]
• Palo Yuba Orquesta made a salsa cover what published in 2010.

References

1. Azevedo, Zeca (2009). "As 100 Maiores Músicas Brasileiras – "Mas que Nada"". Rolling Stone Brasil (in Portuguese). Spring. Archived from the original on 7 January 2014. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
2. "Latin GRAMMY Hall Of Fame". Latin Grammy Award. Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences. 2013. Retrieved 19 August 2014.
3. "Diggin' For Gold – Gilles Peterson - Latin: On A Different Trip - José Prates "Tam… Tam… Tam…!" (Polydor LPNG 4016, Brazilian LP, 1958) £1,000" (PDF). Record Collector. Trunk Records. 5 August 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
4. "Gilles Peterson - Tam... Tam... Tam...! - C4 News, 2014.05.18". Channel 4 News. YouTube. 18 May 2014. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
5. "More to Brazil than just football and the samba". Channel 4 News. Channel 4. 18 May 2014. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
6. "Tam... Tam... Tam...! (1958)". Acervo Ayom: Música e Espírito (in Portuguese). Blogger. 19 April 2010. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
7. CW Music | Soundtracks | Featured Artists
8. "Austriancharts.at – Sergio Mendes feat. The Black Eyed Peas – Mas que nada" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
9. "Ultratop.be – Sergio Mendes feat. The Black Eyed Peas – Mas que nada" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
10. "Ultratop.be – Sergio Mendes feat. The Black Eyed Peas – Mas que nada" (in French). Ultratop 50.
11. Sergio Mendes feat. The Black Eyed Peas — Mas que nada. Tophit. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
12. "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – RADIO – TOP 100 and insert 200638 into search.
13. "Hits of the World – Eurocharts" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 118 no. 28. 15 July 2006. p. 53. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
14. "Lescharts.com – Sergio Mendes feat. The Black Eyed Peas – Mas que nada" (in French). Les classement single.
15. "Offiziellecharts.de – Sergio Mendes feat. The Black Eyed Peas – Mas que nada". GfK Entertainment Charts.
16. "IFPI archive". Archived from the original on 7 July 2006. Retrieved 7 July 2006.
17. "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Dance Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
18. "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
19. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Mas que nada". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
20. "Italiancharts.com – Sergio Mendes feat. The Black Eyed Peas – Mas que nada". Top Digital Download.
21. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 30, 2006" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved 14 October 2018.
22. "Dutchcharts.nl – Sergio Mendes feat. The Black Eyed Peas – Mas que nada" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
23. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
24. "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 200640 into search. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
25. "Swisscharts.com – Sergio Mendes feat. The Black Eyed Peas – Mas que nada". Swiss Singles Chart.
26. "Sergio Mendes Black Eyed Peas: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
27. "Official R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
28. "Timeless awards on Allmusic". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
29. "Jahreshitparade Singles 2006" (in German). Retrieved 14 October 2018.
30. "Jaaroverzichten 2006" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
31. "Rapports annuels 2006" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
32. "CIS Year-End Radio Hits (2006)". Tophit. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
33. "Top 100 Singles - Jahrescharts 2006" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
34. "Dance Top 100 - 2006". Mahasz. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
35. "Rádiós Top 100 - hallgatottsági adatok alapján - 2006". Mahasz. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
36. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 2006". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
37. "Jaaroverzichten 2006" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
38. "Swiss Year-End Charts 2006" (in German). Retrieved 14 October 2018.
39. "The Official UK Singles Chart 2006" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
40. "Brazilian single certifications – Sergio Mendes – Mas Que Nada" (in Portuguese). Associação Brasileira dos Produtores de Discos.
41. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Sérgio Mendes feat. Black Eyed Peas; 'Mas Que Nada')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
42. "British single certifications – Sérgio Mendes feat. Black Eyed Peas – Mas Que Nada". British Phonographic Industry. Select singles in the Format field. Type Mas Que Nada in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
43. "Medicine Show No. 2: Flight to Brazil - Madlib | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 13 June 2019.