Antônio Carlos Jobim, music · Vinícius de Moraes, Portuguese lyrics · Norman Gimbel, English lyrics · Water to Drink
Água de Beber
Água de Beber (Water to Drink) is a 1961 by Jobim and Vinícius de Moraes. Its swaying rhythm and singable tune suit voices and instruments alike. Hear it from Astrud Gilberto, Sérgio Mendes, Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald.
Listen in this order
Eight versions follow the song out of Brazil: a 1962 Brazilian record, Jobim's own band in New York, then singers and groups through to a 2004 debut album. Each step gives one thing to listen for and one thing to try.
Astrud Gilberto, with Antônio Carlos Jobim1965 · Bossa nova
Sérgio Mendes & Brasil '661966 · Latin jazz
Frank Sinatra, with Antônio Carlos Jobim1969 · Bossa nova
1970sAl Jarreau1976 · Contemporary jazz
1980sElla Fitzgerald1981 · Bossa nova
1990s
2000sSophie Milman2004 · Vocal
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Hear the song in Brazil
Maysa · 1962
Canção do Amor Mais Triste
Maysa recorded it for the Brazilian label RGE, on her 1962 album Canção do Amor Mais Triste. According to Wikipedia, only a 1961 disc by Vinícius de Moraes is listed earlier.
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Listen for
Maysa's voice leads from start to finish, and the whole song fits in under three minutes.
Try it on your instrument
Play the melody slowly on its own until you can sing it back. Then put the first four of the from the chart under it, one per bar: , A7alt, , .
“Agua de Beber”, The Composer of Desafinado, Plays
Jobim recorded it on 9 and 10 May 1963 at A&R Studios in New York, for his first album, produced by Creed Taylor for Verve. Claus Ogerman arranged the album.
Led by the composer · Instrumental, no singer
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Listen for
The band plays alone, with no voice on top. A trombone joins in, and this track has no string section, unlike most of the album.
Try it on your instrument
Keep a steady two-beat pulse in your left hand under the , root on beat one and fifth on beat three, while your right hand plays the melody. Smaller version: play only the roots of 3 to 8 (D, G, G, C, F, F).
Astrud Gilberto, with Antônio Carlos Jobim · 1965 · Bossa nova
The Astrud Gilberto Album
Astrud Gilberto recorded it on 27 and 28 January 1965 at RCA Studios in Hollywood, for her first album, with Marty Paich arranging. Jobim plays guitar on the album and sings on this track.
The composer sings too
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Listen for
Astrud Gilberto sings the lead, and in this track the composer adds his own voice. The whole version lasts barely two minutes.
Try it on your instrument
Play the , , , , , then G7, Gm7, Dm7, , one per bar, and hum the melody over it.
“Drinking Water (Agua de Beber)”, Sinatra & Company
Sinatra recorded it at Western Recorders in Los Angeles, in sessions on 11 to 13 February 1969 with Eumir Deodato arranging. The album planned for those sessions was shelved, and the track came out on Sinatra & Company in 1971.
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Listen for
Sinatra sings over a busy rhythm, and Jobim's voice chants quietly in the background.
Try it on your instrument
Play the whole once at a medium pace: A for 16 bars, B for 8, C for 8, one per bar except where two share a bar. Smaller version: play only the 16-bar twice.
“Water to Drink (Água de Beber)”, Ella Abraça Jobim
Ella Fitzgerald recorded it for her album of Jobim songs at Group IV Studios in Hollywood, in sessions in September 1980 and March 1981. Norman Granz produced, and Erich Bulling arranged and conducted.
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Listen for
Ella Fitzgerald sings it under its English title, Water to Drink. The track runs 2 minutes 42 seconds.
Try it on your instrument
Sing the melody along with the chart's , picking a that sits comfortably in your voice, then compare your phrasing with hers.
Sophie Milman, a Russian-born Canadian jazz singer, put it on her self-titled debut album, released in Canada on 12 October 2004 by Linus Entertainment.
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Listen for
Milman sings it on a debut album from 2004. At 3 minutes 56 seconds it is longer than the versions from the 1960s.
Try it on your instrument
Play the whole , A then B then C, and end by holding the last for a full . Smaller version: play only the last four bars of C, Dm7, , Dm7, Dm7.
Jobim and Vinícius de Moraes write the song in 1961. Maysa records it in Brazil in 1962, and Jobim, Astrud Gilberto and Frank Sinatra record it in the United States before the decade ends.
1970s
Frank Sinatra's 1969 recording appears on Sinatra & Company in 1971. Al Jarreau records the song for his 1976 album Glow, with electric piano, guitar, bass, drums and percussion behind him.
1980s
Ella Fitzgerald's album of Jobim songs comes out in 1981, with the song under its English title. In December 1989 Eliane Elias records it with Eddie Gómez and Jack DeJohnette.
1990s
The Quarteto Jobim Morelenbaum includes the song on its 1999 album, released on the Velas label.
2000s
Sophie Milman, a Russian-born Canadian jazz singer, includes it on her debut album, released in 2004 by Linus Entertainment.
More great versions
3 more, from 1967 to 1999. Tap a cover to play it here.
“Waters of March / Agua de Beber”, Eliane Elias Plays Jobim
Eliane Elias joins it to Jobim's Waters of March in one track on Eliane Elias Plays Jobim, recorded in December 1989 with Eddie Gómez, Jack DeJohnette and Naná Vasconcelos.
The tune's layout, its keys and the chord chart, for anyone who wants to play along.
Show the form and chords
How the tune works
D minorusual key
32 barsA · B · C form
D m → F → D mkey centers
A16 bars
B8 bars
C8 bars
D m
F
D m
The runs 32 in three sections: A (16 bars), B (8) and C (8). A opens on and A7alt, which pull toward . Dm7 and then land on for two bars, so bars 3 to 8 sit in . The second half of A walks back to : , Dm7 , , , E7♭9, , Dm7 and . B runs G7, Gm7, Dm7 and D7♭9, then repeats with in the last bar. C is Dm7, A7♭13, Dm7, E7♯9 A7♭13, Dm7, , Dm7 and Dm7. iReal Pro's chart opens with an 8-bar intro that has the same as C.