Água de Beber was introduced in January 1961 by Vinícius de Moraes on the single Água de Beber b/w Lamento no Morro, later that year included on the compilation album Carnaval da Cidade Maravilhosa – 1961. After several albums, such as Orfeu da Conceiçao, featuring his voice as a narrator, and his singing debut in 1960 on Bossa Nova Mesmo, Água de Beber was de Moraes’ debut single.
In 1960, Jobim and de Moraes were invited by President Kubitschek to spend ten days at the construction site of the new capital Brasília where they should find inspiration to compose a symphony requested for the inauguration ceremony. As it turned out, Brasília was inaugurated without the Sinfonia da Alvorada which premiered in 1961 on record before its first public performance in 1966, but it is said that Água de Beber emerged from this visit: during evening walks on the premises Jobim and de Moraes kept wondering about constant rippling of water near the building they stayed. Asking a watchman they were told that it was a yet unfinished drinking water pipeline.
In March 1961, Elza Laranjeira and Ana Lúcia were the first to pick up Água de Beber, both issueing their versions also as singles. They were followed by Isaura Garcia whose single scored the song’s biggest commercial success reaching number 35 on the year-end charts.
A lurid version of Água de Beber by Marcello Giombini was chosen for the titles of America di Notte, an Italian film released in April 1961, documenting the juicy night life in the Americas. However, an even more dramatic rendition with a quite deconstructing arrangement was recorded by Renato de Oliveira under his alias Cid Gray on the album Só Samba Sabendo Sambar.
Frank Sinatra’s version, sung with the English lyrics by Norman Gimbel introduced by Wanda Sá in 1966, was recorded in February 1969 when he and Jobim joined for a follow-up to their acclaimed album Francis Albert Sinatra & Antônio Carlos Jobim.
This time aranged by Eumir Deodato, the album titled Sinatra–Jobim was finished and some songs were issued on 8-track tape but those were hastily pulled from release and the album was filed in favour of more mainstream releases due to Sinatra’s diminishing sales. In 1971, seven of the recordings were compiled on the first side of Sinatra & Company with Água de Beber as the opening track.
Selected recordings of Água de Beber:
1. Vinícius de Moraes from the single Água de Beber b/w Lamento no Morro (1961, Philips P-61.070-H-a) and the album Carnaval da Cidade Maravilhosa – 1961 (1961, Philips P 630.432 L)
2. Elza Laranjeira from the album Ternura (1961, RGE XRLP 5102)
3. Héctor Costita aka Don Júnior from the album Sambas – Don Júnior e Seu Sax Maravilhoso (1961, RGE XRLP 5131)
4. Ana Lúcia from the album O Encanto e a Voz de Anna Lucia (1961, Philips P 630.443 L)
5. Moacyr Marques ‘Bijú’ from the album Sambas 40 Graus (1961, Pawal P-20.004)
6. Isaura Garcia from the album A Pedida é Samba (1961, Odeon MOFB 3237)
7. Erlon Chaves from the album Em Tempo de Samba (1961, RCA Victor BBL 1157)
8. Walter Wanderley from the album Samba é Samba com Walter Wanderley (1961, Odeon MOFB 3248)
9. Zé Bodega & Severino Araújo from the album Um Sax no Samba (1961, Continental LPP 3183)
Art work for Um Sax no Samba is by Joselito with photograph by Mafra.
10. Renato de Oliveira aka Cid Gray from the album Só Samba Sabendo Sambar (1961, Continental LPP 3160)
11. Maysa from the album Canção do Amor mais Triste (1962, RGE XRLP 5180)
12. Breno Sauer from the album Viva o Ritmo – Sexteto Breno Sauer (1962, Columbia LPCB 37205)
13. Thaís Diane from the single Água de Beber b/w Clopin Clopant (1962, Continental 78-137-a)
14. Turquinho from the album Samba de Bossa (1963, Chantecler CMG 2212)
15. Antônio Carlos Jobim from the album The Composer of Desafinado Plays (1963, Verve Records [USA] V6-8547 aka Antônio Carlos Jobim (1964, Elenco ME-9)
Art work for Antônio Carlos Jobim is by César G. Villela with photograph by Francisco Pereira.
16. Antônio Carlos Jobim & Nelson Riddle from the album The Wonderful World of Antônio Carlos Jobim (1964, Warner Music [USA] WS-1611) aka Antônio Carlos Jobim com Nelson Riddle e Sua Orquestra (1964, Elenco MEV-6)
Artwork for Antônio Carlos Jobim com Nelson Riddle e Sua Orquestra by João Baptista Canto with photographs by Ed Thrasher and Manchete
17. Conjunto 3-D from the album O Trio 3-D Convida (1965, RCA Victor BBL 1332)
18. Astrud Gilberto & Marty Paich from the album The Astrud Gilberto Album (1965, Verve Records [USA] V6-8608 and Elenco MEV-4)
Art work for the Elenco edition of The Astrud Gilberto Album by Eddie Moyna
19. Os Gatos from the album Aquele com dos Gatos (1966, Philips P 632.795 L)
20. Orquestra Os Bossambistas aka Bossa Brass from the album Só Danço Samba (196?, DIMP D-1014) aka Bossa Brass Apresenta a Música Maravilhosa de Antônio Carlos Jobim (1966, Plaza Hi-Fi 13002)
21. Conjunto Jovem Brasa from the album Jovem Braza Apresenta Samba Jovem (1966, RCA Victor BBL 1365)
22. Neco from the album Velvet Bossa Nova (1966, London/Odeon LLB 1006)
23. Zimbo Trio from the album Zimbo Trio Vol. 3 (1966, RGE XRLP 5302)
24. Rosinha de Valença from the album Rosinha de Valença ao Vivo (1966, Forma 103 VDL)
25. Quarteto em Cy & Tamba Trio from the album Som Definitivo (1966, Forma FM-10)
26. Sérgio Mendes & Brasil ‘66 from the album Herb Alpert presents Sergio Mendes & Brazil ‘66 (1966, A&M Records [USA] SP 4116 and Fermata FB 159)
27. Walter Wanderley from the album Chegança (1967, Verve Records [USA] V6-8676 and Verve/Copacabana VMLP 14089)
28. Messias from the album O Melhor de Antônio Carlos Jobim Interpretado por Messias (1968, RCA Camden CALB 5159)
29. Frank Sinatra & Antônio Carlos Jobim from the unissued album Sinatra–Jobim (1969, Reprise), partly issued as Sinatra & Company (1971, Reprise Records [USA] FS-1033 + 1973, Reprise Records/Continental RLLP 2019)
Selected recordings of Água de Beber aka Water to Drink or Drinking Water originally not issued in Brazil:
1. Marcello Giombini from the movie America di Notte (1961)
2. Tito Puente & Guadalupe Victoria Yolí Raymond aka La Lupe from the album Tu y Yo (1965, Tico Records [USA] SLP 1125)
3. Wanda Sá from the album Softly (1966, Capitol [USA] T 2325)
4. Charlie Byrd from the album More Brazilian Byrd (1967, Columbia [USA] CS 9492)
5. Carola Standertskjöld from the single Mohair Sam b/w Água de Beber (1967, Scandia [FIN] SC 3032)
6. Leny Andrade & Bossa Três from the album Gemini V en Mexico – Pery Ribeiro, Leny Andrade e Bossa Três (1967, Odeon [México] LOM 10053)
ÁGUA DE BEBER
Eu sempre tive uma certeza • Que só me deu desilusão • É que o amor é uma tristeza • Muita mágoa demais para um coração
Água de beber • Água de beber, camará • Água de beber • Água de beber, camará
Eu quis amar mas tive medo • E quis salvar meu coração • Mas o amor sabe um segredo • O medo pode matar o seu coração
Água de beber • Água de beber, camará • Água de beber • Água de beber, camará
Eu nunca fiz coisa tão certa • Entrei pra escola do perdão • A minha casa vive aberta • Abri todas as portas do coração
Água de beber • Água de beber, camará • Água de beber •Água de beber, camará
DRINKING WATER (aka WATER TO DRINK)
Your love is rain • My heart the flower • I need your love or I will die • My very life is your power • Will I wither and fade or bloom to the sky
Água de Beber, Give the flower water to drink • Água de Beber, Give the flower water to drink
The rain can fall on distant deserts • The rain can fall upon the sea • The rain can fall upon the flower • Since the rain has to fall let it fall on me
Água de Beber, Give the flower water to drink • Água de Beber, Give the flower water to drink
Brazilliance 