Bossa nova the singing voice. Prior to bossa nova, Brazilian singers employed brassy, almost operatic styles. Now, the characteristic nasal vocal production of bossa nova is a peculiar trait of the caboclo folk tradition of northeastern Brazil. The lyrical themes found in bossa nova include women, love, longing, homesickness, nature. Bossa Nova was often apolitical. The musical lyrics of the late 1950s depicted the easy life of the middle to upper-class Brazilians, though the majority of the population was in the working class. However, in conjunction with political developments of the early 1960s (especially the 1964 military coup d'état), the popularity of
Bossa Nova U.S.A. the title track was released as a single (Columbia 42651) the last week of 1962, with "This Can't Be Love" as the B-side. This met with moderate success, peaking at #69 on the "Billboard" Hot 100. The album followed soon in early 1963. On release, "Billboard" called the album "first-class Brubeck." While noting the number of bossa tracks, it particularly singled out a re-working of "The Trolley Song" as a standout track. "The Age" expected the record to be popular with the general public, but noted "purists will wince." The album found more success with the public than the single,