The great vocalist Elis Regina recorded a vivacious version of this song on her 1965 album Samba Eu Canto Assim. But the song’s composer, Théo de Barros, released a pretty swinging version 15 years later on his album Primeiro Disco. The composer both played guitar and sang. Both the lyrics and the changes are slightly different from Elis’s version. (Joyce also does a really nice version on her tribute album to Elis.)
The tune is about an impoverished young boy who must sell oranges in the street to help support his single mother. It’s amazing how de Barros transforms such a sobering topic into such beautiful music.
