I rediscovered a classic this weekend.  My brother was in town and we watched (a TV version) of The Royal Tenenbaums (it’s a classic, but not the classic I was referring to).  Well, it reminded me of this incredible album (that one is the classic).

If you saw The Life Aquatic (a different Wes Anderson film, also a classic), then maybe you remember the guy singing David Bowie songs in Portuguese.  Turns out he has a whole album.  To call this album unlikely is an understatement: David Bowie classics, reinterpreted and sung in Portuguese by Seu Jorge to the accompaniment of his (awesome) nylon string guitar.  It’s the best.

I think anybody could fall in love with this album.  It’s quirky and beautiful (much like The Life Aquatic, the movie that launched the album).  I dare say, however, that I love it more than you.  Sorry, but I think its true.

Here’s why: 1) I speak Portuguese.  If you don’t speak Portuguese too, well, I think I just won any potential battle we might have over who loves this album more.  Sorry.  If you do, we should conversar a little (I’d love a reason to go to Brazil!).  These songs seem way too personal to just call them translations.  Not sure if its a bias of the different language or if there really is a different meaning to the lyrics, but these songs (at least to me) are about Brazil, and  2) I used to live in Brazil.

Also, I happen to know that Seu Jorge had a tough life, but one that was typical in Brazil (at least when I was there in the late nineties).  Read a fascinating interview with him here, and check out a translation of his version of Life on Mars here.

Okay, I just read the Bowie lyrics.  Yeah, these are different songs.  No disrespect to Mr. Bowie, but I like the Seu Jorge version.

Oh, and not to judge an album by its cover, but…come on, with an album cover like that you know this is going to be good.  Yeah, this is one worth owning.