A pray 6'03'' long that would make Orson Welles jealous
June 2, 2011 4:52 PM   Subscribe

The City's Most Beautiful Band is a brazilian music band which popularity is growing over Internet. Why? Because of its music videoclip, recently uploaded to Youtube and seen over 4.4 million times in just 17 days. The music's called "Oração" (Pray, in portuguese), the clip is 6'03'' long, shot in one take. It would make Orson Welles get jealous with such a good travelling shot. Wonder why? Compare the clip with the opening scene of Touch of Evil.
posted by voferreira (41 comments total) 78 users marked this as a favorite
 
As it happens, one ofe Welles many unfinished projects was a documentary on Carnaval.
posted by Trurl at 4:59 PM on June 2, 2011


Wow. This is just all kinds of wonderful. I'm grinning like a drunken idiot at nine in the morning. And I've fallen in love with every single woman in the video. And my faith in humanity is restored. And I wish they'd had a better drummer and djembe player (cause hey, they're Brazilian, right?) but even that does not diminish my love for this production.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:13 PM on June 2, 2011 [4 favorites]


It's like if Arcade Fire and the Polyphonic Spree sent their love child to be raised in Sao Paolo by a bunch of hippies. I love it.
posted by incessant at 5:17 PM on June 2, 2011 [6 favorites]


Wow. Big smile on my face. Thanks for posting this!

That said, I'm trying really hard to figure out how that lovely music and/or that clever video could possibly have triggered the following comment being posted in the video's comment section:

"damn video! fucking clip! fucking music! quite a waste! go fuck you motherfuckers! Brazil is a fucking shit and you are a leper lazarentos, hooker monkeys that live in that country shit!"
posted by Hairy Lobster at 5:18 PM on June 2, 2011


Here's my quick and dirty English translation. Lyrics from here.


My love, this is the final prayer
To save your heart
(the) heart is not as simple as you think
in it fits that which does not fit in the pantry/cupboard

Chorus:
It fits my love!
It fits three lifetimes
It fits a dressing table (I totally had to look that word up)
It fits us two

It fits even my love, this is the final prayer
To save your heart
(the) heart is not as simple as you think
in it fits that which does not fit in the pantry/cupboard

Chorus:
It fits my love!
It fits three lifetimes (technically "they fit, 3 lives, inside)
It fits a dressing table (I totally had to look that word up)
It fits us two

Repeat the last verse.

Repeat the chorus.

Dance throughout.
posted by Panjandrum at 5:21 PM on June 2, 2011 [11 favorites]




Well this was utterly delightful. Geez, MetaFilter's been on a roll these past few days. Maybe it's summertime?
posted by Rory Marinich at 5:39 PM on June 2, 2011


Since they say in the video description that they love Beirut, I suspect these videos are on point: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ,6 ,7 ,8 ,9 ,10, 11, 12.
posted by Monsieur Caution at 5:52 PM on June 2, 2011 [2 favorites]


Hipsters are Everywhere!
posted by helmutdog at 5:57 PM on June 2, 2011 [1 favorite]


I fucking love this.
posted by naju at 5:57 PM on June 2, 2011


Ignore that note in the last chorus, that was me misreading a word and not fully correcting myself.
posted by Panjandrum at 5:58 PM on June 2, 2011


This is easily the most beautiful video I have seen in a long, long time. The song may be simple but the execution and the heart behind it is amazing. Thank you so much for posting it.
posted by Memo at 5:59 PM on June 2, 2011


Hipsters are Everywhere!

Well, on contrast to the Hipsters I see every day, these people seem so incredibly genuine. Their smiles do not speak the 'Maircan hipster subtext of, "I am so fucking proud of myself just for existing, that I can't hold it in," no os hipsters do Brasil, seem fun, genuine, empathetic, and well accepting in a way that US hipsters, who are really mall rats a bit more grown up, will never be.

OK to learn Portugueuse, which is the most beautiful freakin language ever spoken.
posted by xetere at 6:14 PM on June 2, 2011 [3 favorites]


Portugueuse, which is the most beautiful freakin language ever spoken.

Especially as spoken/sung by the Brazilians.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:21 PM on June 2, 2011


Can you imagine if they moved in next door to you? Noooooooooo! South American Arcade Fire is going to keep me up all night! And then after a couple weeks you'd discover they are very nice and even mow your lawn while you are away. Plus you don't need outdoor speakers on your deck.

Great song.
posted by Keith Talent at 6:36 PM on June 2, 2011 [3 favorites]


My personal experience of Brazilian hipsters is that they are indeed just as annoying as American hipsters.

But I do love ABMBdC.

I like 'Balada da Bailarina Torta' a lot.
posted by winna at 7:19 PM on June 2, 2011


Super-cute, but it totally blows my mind that that could have been seen by 4.4 million people in just over two weeks. What an amazing time we live in.
posted by Alt F4 at 7:33 PM on June 2, 2011


seen by 4.4 million people in just over two weeks

The fact that this is not (by a long shot) a big-name group with an enormous publicity machine behind it, and the fact that it's a live performance (complete with all the glorious imperfections like out-of-tune singing and less-than-perfect instrumental performance) but has nonetheless been seen (and presumably enjoyed) by 4 million-plus viewers times in 2 weeks time is something that bodes particularly well, I think, for the future of music in the internet age.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 8:24 PM on June 2, 2011 [10 favorites]


my comment has one too many times in it.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 8:34 PM on June 2, 2011


I'll balance things out, flapjax: This is a very happy video, and I'm sure I'll watch it many.

Thanks for sharing it, voferreira!
posted by Songdog at 8:38 PM on June 2, 2011


holyshithowdidnoonetripoveramic!?!?? amazing.
posted by mexican at 8:39 PM on June 2, 2011


oooooh that is incredibly lovely. thank you!! I'm a long time fan of brazilian music and that was so charming and gorgeous :)
posted by supermedusa at 8:51 PM on June 2, 2011


That's just beautiful. Thank you.
posted by Ahab at 9:10 PM on June 2, 2011


This has been my homepage for quite a long time. I believe they are the ones who filmed the Beirut series above. They recently changed layouts to something a bit clunky, but the videos are all pretty excellent.
posted by Wyatt at 9:12 PM on June 2, 2011


holyshithowdidnoonetripoveramic!?!??

ohmygodcausetheytapeddownthecablesverythoroughly!?!??
posted by flapjax at midnite at 9:37 PM on June 2, 2011


<3
posted by bayani at 9:47 PM on June 2, 2011


Sooo good. Yay!
posted by neuromodulator at 10:18 PM on June 2, 2011


I can't stop smiling.
posted by 2N2222 at 10:51 PM on June 2, 2011


Okay MeFi: I've already burned my AskMe question, so... where do I get a hold of their album and/or mp3s. I must have.
posted by Mister Fabulous at 11:40 PM on June 2, 2011


I had no fucking clue what they were singing but this made me all happy and teary-eyed. It reminds me how awesome it is to be alive and young and how close that experience is to me no matter how old and bitter I get.

Now, if you'll all excuse me, I'm going to spend my weekend trying to live inside that kind of joy. Be more awesome everybody!
posted by KingEdRa at 11:41 PM on June 2, 2011 [1 favorite]


Simply wonderful, wonderful. Such joy in making music. Ah, magic, magic!
posted by vac2003 at 12:13 AM on June 3, 2011


I'm going to watch this so many times this weekend, you have no idea.
posted by minifigs at 1:51 AM on June 3, 2011


Wow, I do love me large hippie music collectives. The comparison with Polyphonic Spree is a good one as far as the feel of this group goes. (Love Love LOVE the Spree. If you've never seen them live, you really should once before you die.)

This was incredibly excellent and I'm so glad you shared it! Thanks for posting!
posted by hippybear at 3:16 AM on June 3, 2011


Something worth noting is the fact that they use a system called "compensated download" (download remunerado) which is free for the user, but earns money for the bands.

Apparently how it works is that they get sponsors who are into the idea, get them to donate money, then the money is split equally between the bands who had downloads (there is a minimum number, apparently, but it is very small.

This is the specific site to download A banda mais bonita da cidade (signup required), and there are a bunch of other bands.
posted by micayetoca at 6:26 AM on June 3, 2011 [2 favorites]


I wonder if it's actually one long take; I saw two places where there could have quite possibly been multiple takes stitched together - after the camera goes downstairs, twice it points at a white wall for several seconds as the cameraperson walks from one room to another.

Pretty cool either way!
posted by egypturnash at 9:10 AM on June 3, 2011 [1 favorite]


This is lovely but makes me wanna listen to Man Man.
posted by Tom-B at 9:32 AM on June 3, 2011


Nice. But as far as single takes are concerned it would have to be 90 minutes longer to equal the astonishing single take used in Alexander Sokurov's Russian Ark.
posted by Rashomon at 2:06 PM on June 3, 2011 [1 favorite]


The tracking shot has long been a staple of low-budget latino video making. It bring to mind this track by Efecto Mariposa, which while not as long, makes great use of mirrors and hand-held cameras to increase the potential... No me crees - El Efecto Mariposa con Javier Ojeda.
posted by benzo8 at 8:37 AM on June 4, 2011


Okay, so... There's actually a parody of this video already, and it's clever and fun:

A BANDA MAIS BONITA DA INTERNET - ORAÇÃO
posted by hippybear at 8:55 PM on June 5, 2011


There's actually a parody of this video already, and it's clever and fun

Needs more cute gals.

what? it does.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 9:16 PM on June 5, 2011


Play along with the Les Paul Google Doodle!
987 5765357 5765356 676767676797 676767676797 65677 57656567 57653265
posted by minifigs at 12:47 PM on June 9, 2011


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