How Insensitive Explained

Insensatez
Artist:	Antônio Carlos Jobim
Album:	The Composer of Desafinado, Plays
Language:	Portuguese
English Title:	"How Insensitive"
Genre:	Bossa nova
Length:	2:53
Label:	Verve
Composer:	Antônio Carlos Jobim
Lyricist:	Vinícius de Moraes Norman Gimbel (English lyrics)
Producer:	Creed Taylor

"How Insensitive" (Portuguese: Insensatez) is a bossa nova and jazz standard song composed by Brazilian musician Antônio Carlos Jobim. The original lyrics are by Vinícius de Moraes (in Portuguese); an English version was written by Norman Gimbel.^[1] Jobim recorded the song in 1994 with Sting on lead vocals for his album Antônio Brasileiro.

Background

In Brazil the song goes by the title "Insensatez", which translates more accurately to "Foolishness". The song resembles Chopin's prelude in E minor.^[2]

Recorded versions

The song has been performed and recorded often by a diverse group of singers, such as:

• Frank Sinatra
• Peggy Lee (1964)^[3]
• Andy Williams on His Album The Shadow of Your Smile in 1966
• Shirley Bassey
• Telly Savalas
• Olivia Newton-John
  • Petula Clark The Monkees (Recorded in 1968, Released in 1996)
  • Liberace William Shatner
• Iggy Pop
• Judy Garland
• The 5th Dimension
• Sinéad O'Connor (Recorded on her 1992 album Am I Not Your Girl?)
• Robert Wyatt
• Pat MacDonald (Recorded on his "In the Red Room" album)

Musicians who covered the composition in the jazz genre:

• Joao Gilberto
• Laurindo Almeida
• Wes Montgomery
• Stan Getz
• Stacey Kent
• George Shearing
• Diana Krall
• Laura Fygi
• Pat Martino
• Pat Metheny.
• Kat Gang
• Fabrizio Sotti
• Grant Green
• Larry Coryell and Emily Remler

See also

• Jazz standard

Notes and References

1. Web site: Original versions of How Insensitive written by Norman Gimbel. Secondhandsongs.com. 25 December 2021.
2. Book: Gioia. Ted. The Jazz Standards. 2012. Oxford University Press. Oxford. 978-0-19-993739-4. 153.
3. Web site: Peggy Lee – In Love Again! (1964, Vinyl). 25 December 2021. Discogs.com.