Mas que nada

---

title: "Mas que nada" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1963-songs", "1966-songs", "2006-singles", "a&m-records-singles", "black-eyed-peas-songs", "bossa-nova-songs", "brazilian-songs", "concord-records-singles", "dutch-top-40-number-one-singles", "jorge-ben-songs", "latin-grammy-hall-of-fame-award-recipients", "number-one-singles-in-hungary", "philips-records-singles", "samba-songs", "sérgio-mendes-songs", "songs-in-portuguese"] description: "1963 song by Jorge Ben" topic_path: "arts/music" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mas_que_nada" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary 1963 song by Jorge Ben ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox song"]

Field	Value
name	Mas que nada
type	single
artist	Jorge Ben
album	Samba esquema novo
language	Portuguese
released	10 January 1963
recorded	1963
genre
length	2:59
label	Philips
writer	Jorge Ben
producer	Armando Pittigliani
::

| name = Mas que nada | cover = | alt = | type = single | artist = Jorge Ben | album = Samba esquema novo | language = Portuguese | released = 10 January 1963 | recorded = 1963 | studio = | venue = | genre = | length = 2:59 | label = Philips | writer = Jorge Ben | producer = Armando Pittigliani "Mas que nada" () is a Brazilian song written by Jorge Ben (currently known as Jorge Ben Jor) and originally recorded in 1962 by Carioca Bossa Nova musician & bandleader Zé Maria on the album Tudo Azul - Bossa E Balanço, with Jorge Ben singing lead vocals across the album. Jorge Ben recorded his own version the following year on his debut album Samba esquema novo, which was also released as a single. The song was covered first by several other prominent Brazilian artists in the following years, including by Tamba Trio in 1963 and Luis Carlos Vinhas in 1964. It was voted by the Brazilian edition of Rolling Stone as the fifth-greatest Brazilian song. It was inducted to the Latin Grammy Hall of Fame in 2013.

José Prates song

In 1958, Brazilian artist José Prates recorded a track called "Nanã Imborô" that appears on his album Tam... Tam... Tam...! (1958, Polydor Brasil – LPNG 4.016), which features the underlying melody and vocalizations later used by Jorge Ben in "Mas que nada"; these motifs would be further highlighted by Sergio Mendes’ arrangement in his version of the song in 1966.

Sérgio Mendes versions

Sérgio Mendes covered the song with his band Brasil '66 on their debut album, Herb Alpert Presents Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 (1966). In the United States, the single reached number 47 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and number four on the Billboard Easy Listening chart. In Canada it reached number 54. Outside of Brazil this 1966 version is better known than Jorge Ben's original and, to many, the definitive version of the song. In 1989, Mendes re-recorded the song on his album Arara.

With the Black Eyed Peas

| name = Mas que Nada | cover = Sergio_&BEP-_Más_que_nada.jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = Sérgio Mendes featuring the Black Eyed Peas | album = Timeless | released = | recorded = | studio = | venue = | length = | label = | writer = Jorge Ben Jor | producer = will.i.am | chronology = Sérgio Mendes | prev_title = All My Loving | prev_year = 2006 | title = Mas que Nada | year = 2006 | next_title = Day Tripper | next_year = 2006 | misc = {{Extra chronology | artist = The Black Eyed Peas | type = single | prev_title = Pump It | prev_year = 2006 | title = Mas que Nada | year = 2006 | next_title = Boom Boom Pow | next_year = 2009

In 2006, Mendes again re-recorded the song, this time with American musical group the Black Eyed Peas and additional vocals by Mendes' wife, Gracinha Leporace, for his album Timeless. This version contains a sample of the Black Eyed Peas' 2004 single "Hey Mama". The song topped the charts of Hungary and the Netherlands and peaked at number six on the UK Singles Chart. This version was included in the 2011 animated film Rio (along with another version recorded in the style of Brasil '66 and also coincidentally featured one of the members, will.i.am, with a voice role in the film as Pedro the red-crested cardinal, one of the main characters of the film) and its soundtrack.

Track listings

US 12-inch single :A1. "Mas que Nada" (The Masters at Work remix) – 8:03 :B1. "Mas que Nada" (radio edit featuring the Black Eyed Peas) – 3:32 :B2. "Mais que nada" (original Sérgio Mendes & Brasil '66 version) – 2:41

European CD single

1. "Mas que Nada" (radio edit featuring the Black Eyed Peas) – 3:32
2. "Mais que nada" (original Sérgio Mendes & Brasil '66 version) – 2:41

European 12-inch single :A1. "Mas que Nada" (Masters at Work remix) – 8:03 :B1. "Mas que Nada" (Full Phat remix) – 4:27 :B2. "Mas que Nada" (Masters at Work dub remix) – 5:20

German maxi-CD single

1. "Mas que Nada" (radio edit featuring the Black Eyed Peas) – 3:32
2. "Mas que Nada" (The Masters at Work remix) – 8:03
3. "Mais que nada" (original Sérgio Mendes & Brasil '66 version) – 2:41

Charts

::data[format=table title="{{sronly|Weekly chart performance}}"] | Chart (2006–2007) | Peak position | Croatia (HRT) | Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) | Greece (IFPI) | US Dance Club Play (Billboard) | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | 3 | | | | | | | 7 | | | | | | | 19 | | | | | | | 13 | | | | | | ::

::data[format=table title="{{sronly|Year-end chart performance}}"]

Chart (2006)	Position	Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)	Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)	Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)	CIS Airplay (TopHit)	Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)	Germany (Media Control GfK)	Hungary (Dance Top 40)	Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)	Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)	Netherlands (Single Top 100)	Russia Airplay (TopHit)	Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)	UK Singles (OCC)
45
23
54
128
89
57
31
7
7
10
120
19
112
::

Certifications

References

References

1. Azevedo, Zeca. (2009). "As 100 Maiores Músicas Brasileiras – "Mas que Nada"". Spring.
2. (2013). "Latin Grammy Hall Of Fame". [[Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences]].
3. (5 August 2014). "Diggin' For Gold – Gilles Peterson - Latin: On A Different Trip - José Prates "Tam… Tam… Tam…!" (Polydor LPNG 4016, Brazilian LP, 1958) £1,000". [[Trunk Records]].
4. (18 May 2014). "Gilles Peterson - Tam... Tam... Tam...! - C4 News, 2014.05.18". [[YouTube]].
5. (18 May 2014). "More to Brazil than just football and the samba". [[Channel 4]].
6. (19 April 2010). "Tam... Tam... Tam...! (1958)". [[Blogger (service).
7. "RPM Magazine - October 31, 1966 - Page 9".
8. Exposito, Suzy. (29 September 2018). "Flashback: See Eartha Kitt Introduce Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66 Performance of 'Mas Que Nada'".
9. (2 February 2021). "Sérgio Mendes: The Genius Who Changed Music".
10. (24 June 2006). "Mendes on menu at Starbucks".
11. Simpson, Dave. (22 April 2019). "will.i.am and Sérgio Mendes: how we made Mas Que Nada". The Guardian.
12. "Various Artists: ''Rio [Music From the Motion Picture]''". [[AllMusic]].
13. (2006). "Mas que Nada". [[Concord Records]], [[Hear Music]], [[will.i.am Music Group]].
14. (2006). "Mas que Nada". Concord Records, Hear Music, will.i.am Music Group.
15. (2006). "Mas que Nada". Concord Records, Hear Music, will.i.am Music Group.
16. (2006). "Mas que Nada". Concord Records, Hear Music, will.i.am Music Group.
17. "Top Lista Hrvatskog Radija". [[Croatian Radiotelevision]].
18. (15 July 2006). "Hits of the World – Eurocharts".
19. "Top 50 Singles Eβδομάδα 27/8– 2/9/2006". [[IFPI Greece.
20. (16 September 2006). "Dance Club Songs".
21. "Jahreshitparade Singles 2006".
22. "Jaaroverzichten 2006". [[Ultratop]].
23. "Rapports annuels 2006". [[Ultratop]].
24. "Top Radio Hits Global Annual Chart: 2006". [[TopHit]].
25. "European Hot 100 Songs".
26. "Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 2006". [[GfK Entertainment]].
27. "Dance Top 100 – 2006". [[Mahasz]].
28. "Rádiós Top 100 – hallgatottsági adatok alapján – 2006". [[Mahasz]].
29. "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 2006". [[Dutch Top 40]].
30. "Jaaroverzichten 2006". [[MegaCharts]].
31. "Top Radio Hits Russia Annual Chart: 2006". [[TopHit]].
32. "Swiss Year-End Charts 2006".
33. "The Official UK Singles Chart 2006". [[UKChartsPlus]].

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::