I don’t like The Beatles. I actually think they are the most over-rated band in the history of music. However, I do like 2 of their songs “Eleanor Rigby” and “Come Together“. Given their immense popularity, there are hundreds of Beatles cover songs/albums floating around. Some are good, some are terrible, and some are amazing. Bossa Rio’s version of “Eleanor Rigby” is one of those amazing covers.
Bossa Rio is a Brazilian Jazz/Bossa Nova group on Blue Thumb records. Blue Thumb dabbled in several genres, but many of the releases were Jazz-oriented. The overall sound of Bossa Rio is extremely similiar to Brasil 66 so it shouldn’t be a surprise that the group was produced by the oft-sampled Sergio Mendes and recorded in A&M‘s studio.
Bossa’s version of “Eleanor Rigby” is given a laid-back, lounge feel by changing the whole groove to a bossa nova beat. The female/male vocal harmonies, guitar, organ, and strings make for a super relaxing track, perfect for sitting on a beach sipping a Corona – if you can get past their Porteguese accents. Check it out.