Charlie Brown (Benito di Paula song) explained

Charlie Brown
Type:single
Artist:Benito di Paula
Recorded:1974
Studio:Estúdio Reunidos, São Paulo
Genre:Samba
Label:Copacabana, Vogue, Carnaby, Telefunken, Eleven
Composer:Benito di Paula
Lyricist:Benito di Paula
Prev Title:Além de tudo
Prev Year:1974
Next Title:Beleza Que Você é Mulher
Next Year:1975

"Charlie Brown" is a 1974 samba single by Brazilian singer Benito di Paula, who composed and wrote the lyrics. It became a major hit song and a signature song for Di Paula.[1] In 1975, he released the song "Charlie Brown" abroad, which became very successful internationally, to the point that it was covered by international artists in Portuguese, as well as in their languages.[2] The title refers to the character Charlie Brown from the cartoon series Peanuts.

Composition and lyrics

This song took 5 years to compose, starting in 1969, the year Di Paula was living in an Italian boarding house in Santos, where he saw the other residents reading Peanuts comics. When Di Paula asked what was going on in the comics, he asked for the drawings to be translated, and with that, he became enchanted with the character Charlie Brown, and decided to write a song about him, inviting the fictional character to Brazil.[1]

The song's lyrics are full of references to Brazil, its diverse relief and culture, and its famous people.[3]

In the second verse of the song, Di Paula mentions his fellow musicians Vinícius de MoraesJorge Ben Jor and Luiz Gonzaga, who were part of the Brazilian political opposition to the ruling Brazilian military junta at the time, and the Rio de Janeiro football team CR Flamengo, which has the biggest national fan base.[3]

In its fourth verse, he makes a reference to São Paulo by its nickname "Terra da garoa" ("Land of drizzle"), he mentions a quote from the musician Caetano Veloso, the state of Bahia, the artist Carlos Imperial, and the verse ends citing the Rio Carnival, idealizing the Brazil in his heart.[3]

Release

It was first recorded in 1974 at Estúdio Reunidos in São Paulo by the record label Copacabana, being his fourth album for the same label and was released on October 1, 1974, which became his most popular and most played song.[1]

The song was very well received in Brazil, becoming the biggest hit in the national music charts in 1975. Soon after being released, Di Paula was invited to be part of the Brazilian delegation that participated at Midem (International Record and Music Publishing Market) in Cannes, France, where he was given three minutes to present some music, and he chose " Charlie Brown". It was very well received by European audiences as well.[4] The song became even more popular in Europe, after the Belgian trio Two Man Sound, covered it in Portuguese in a disco-samba version in 1975.[5] [6]

Track listings

7" (Copacabana)[7]

  1. "Charlie Brown" – 4:17

7" (Vogue/Carnaby)[8]

  1. "Charlie Brown" – 4:17
  2. "Beleza que é você mulher" – 4:43

7" (Telefunken)[9]

  1. "Charlie Brown" – 4:15
  2. "Pare, olhe e viva" – 3:55

7" (Eleven)[10]

  1. "Charlie Brown" – 4:17
  2. "Na casa de sinha" – 3:35

Other recordings

Charlie Brown
Type:single
Artist:Two Man Sound
Genre:Samba, disco
Label:Durium, Pink Elephant, Warner Music Group, Vogue
Composer:Benito di Paula
Lyricist:Benito di Paula
Producer:Roland Kluger
Prev Title:Vini Vini
Prev Year:1973
Next Title:Oye Come Va
Next Year:1976

Adaptations in other languages

Cover versions of Charlie Brown in other languages[11] !Artist!Album!Details
Ton van KluyveMijn Hoempapa
  • Released: 1975
  • Dutch-language adaptation
  • Format: 7"
BennyAmigo Charly Brown/Wir Sind Nicht Mehr Zu Jung
  • Released: 1975
  • German-language adaptation
  • Format: 7"
Guy MardelPrends Des Vacances Charlie
  • Released: 1975
  • French-language adaptation
  • Format: 7"
Sylvia VrethammarSylvia
  • Released: 1976
  • English-language adaptation
  • Format: 7"
VikingarnaKramgoa Låtar 3
  • Released: 1976
  • Swedish-language adaptation
  • Format: LP
Virve RostiTuolta Saapuu Charlie Brown
  • Released: 1976
  • Finnish-language adaptation
  • Format: 7"
Emmanouil Iordanopoulos Tzorntanélli
  • Released: 1976
  • Greek-language adaptation
  • Format: LP
Pavel LiškaGong 3
  • Released: 1977
  • Czech-language adaptation
  • Format: LP
Trio ExpressExpress
  • Released: 1983
  • Romanian-language adaptation
  • Format: LP
Bjørn & OkayHej Med Dig
  • Released: 1997
  • Danish-language adaptation
  • Format: LP
Kuldsed LindidKaua
  • Released: 2001
  • Estonian-language adaptation
  • Format: LP

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Top 20 mais tocadas de Benito di Paula. Maistocadas.mus.br. 2024-06-24. pt-br.
  2. Web site: Cover versions of Charlie Brown written by Benito di Paula SecondHandSongs. Secondhandsongs.com. 2024-06-24.
  3. Web site: Charlie Brown (Benito di Paula). Letras.mus.br. 2024-06-24. pt-br.
  4. Web site: Dados Artíticos. Dicionário Cravo Albin da Música Popular Brasileira. 2024-06-24. pt-br.
  5. Web site: Two Man Sound - Charlie Brown. Discogs. 2024-06-24.
  6. Web site: Two Man Sound - Hitsparade. Hitsparade.ch. 2024-06-24. de.
  7. Web site: Benito Di Paula - Charlie Brown (Copacabana). Discogs. 2024-06-24.
  8. Web site: Benito Di Paula - Charlie Brown (Carnaby). Discogs. 2024-06-24.
  9. Web site: Benito Di Paula - Charlie Brown (Telefunken). Discogs. 2024-06-24.
  10. Web site: Benito Di Paula - Charlie Brown (Eleven). Discogs. 2024-06-24.
  11. Web site: Credits: Writing & Arrangement. Discogs. 2014-06-24.