Elizete Cardoso: Canção do Amor Demais

Elizete Cardoso is widely considered the first popular bossa nova singer in Brazil. She started singing early and was discovered at age 16 in 1936, while her first recording was issued in 1950. Between 1950 and 1958, she recorded more than 35 singles and albums. Then in 1958, lyricist Vinicius de Moraes asked her to record an album of songs he wrote with Antonio Carlos Jobim.

The result was Canção do Amor Demais. Though her voice tended to sound operatic and earnest on the material, the album is credited with giving Brazilian listeners their first taste of the music by the new bossa nova composers. Released on the small Festa label, Canção do Amor Demais only gained traction in Brazil. But it was enough to land Cardoso the opportunity to sing the original version of Manhã de Carnaval on the Black Orpheus soundtrack.

But her album would quickly be forgotten. A year later, in 1959, João Gilberto released Chega de Saudade on the much larger Odeon label. The album became an international pop sensation, promoting the bossa nova worldwide. By comparison, Gilberto's voice was dry, confidential and upbeat. What's more, his sensitive voice was wonderfully supported by his hypnotic acoustic guitar and fresh chord voicings, all framed by Jobim's soaring arrangements.

Elizete Cardoso died in 1990.

Here's Elizete Cardoso's groundbreaking Canção do Amor Demais in 1958...



For more, here are links to the female Brazilian singers I've covered in this ongoing series: Syliva Telles, Beth Carvalho, Nara Leão, Eliana Pittman, Elis Regia, Ana Mazzotti and Maria Creuza.