MANHÃ DE CARNAVAL

MANHÃ DE CARNAVAL by Luiz Bonfá.

Instead of giving you something louder and crazier this Friday, as was my original plan, I've been persuaded to offer you something more familiar and more melancholy. It's more appropriate for a chilly end to a long week.

Manhã de Carnaval is one of Brazil's most beautiful songs. This short instrumental version, written and played by Luiz Bonfá, first appeared on the soundtrack to Orfeu Negro.

As I said, this was one of the earliest Brazilian songs to "cross over" to America, and certainly one of the worthiest. Now it's a standard. Over the years, it's been covered by a million people. Here's a pretty good (if a little showy) version by Chet Atkins, George Benson & Earl Klugh.

LISTEN.

Photo: At rest.