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"Samba de Janeiro"
Original version cover
Single by Bellini
from the album Samba de Janeiro
Released	5 May 1997 (1997-05-05)
Genre	Eurodance Latin house
Length	2:49
Label	Orbit Virgin
Songwriter(s)	Gottfried Engels Ramon Zenker Airto Moreira Hugo Fattoruso
Producer(s)	Gottfried Engels Ramon Zenker
Bellini singles chronology
"Samba de Janeiro" (1997) "Carnaval" (1997)
Music video
"Samba de Janeiro" on YouTube

"Samba de Janeiro" (Brazilian Portuguese: [ˈsɐ̃bɐ dʒi ʒɐˈnejɾu]) is a song by German pop group Bellini. It was released on 5 May 1997 in Germany as the lead single from their debut album of the same name (1997). The song was a hit throughout Europe, reaching number-one in Hungary and the top 10 in at least 12 countries. It interpolates the chorus of Airto Moreira's 1972 song "Tombo in 7/4", as well as samples the drum rhythm from Moreira's "Celebration Suite". "Samba de Janeiro" won the award for best dance single at the 7th annual Echo Awards.

In 2014, the group released a new version with additional lyrics, titled "Samba do Brasil", to celebrate the 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympics, both held in Brazil. In 2022, a new arrangement of this song was created by YouNotUs and Louis III, entitled simply "Samba".

Critical reception

Alan Jones from Music Week wrote, "Fitting in with the current vogue for all things Latin, Bellini's Samba De Janeiro is maddeningly familiar from first hearing — probably because fellow Virgin recording act The Heartists' single 'Belo Horizonti' is essentially the same song. Bright, breezy, commercial and a hit whose time has come."

Chart performance

"Samba de Janeiro" was very successful on the charts in Europe, peaking at number-one in Hungary and it was a number two hit in both Germany and Switzerland. It made it to the top 10 also in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Scotland and the United Kingdom, as well as on the Eurochart Hot 100, where the single reached number three. In the UK, it peaked at number eight in its first week at the UK Singles Chart, on September 21, 1997. It charted also on the UK Dance Chart, peaking at number 12. Additionally, "Samba de Janeiro" was a top 20 hit in Norway and a top 30 hit in Sweden.

Music video

A music video was produced to promote the single. It was later published on YouTube in August 2017. As of October 2024, it has more than 60 million views.

Legacy

The melody of "Samba de Janeiro" was played during the 2008 UEFA European Football Championship after every goal. It was also used as goal music for Norwich City F.C. from 1998–2013 and from 2018–present, featuring as the club's official goal music in the video game FIFA 23.

The song was also featured in the 1999 arcade video game Samba de Amigo, which was later released for the Dreamcast in 2000 and the Wii in 2008.

Track listings

Charts

Certifications

Release history

References

1. "Echo '98 winners" (PDF). Music & Media. 21 March 1998. p. 20. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
2. Montefeltro, Michel (12 July 2014). "Brasileira faz sucesso em girl band alemã com hit da Copa do Mundo". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). Grupo Globo. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
3. The Heartists - Belo Horizonti, 1996, retrieved 6 June 2023
4. Jones, Alan (13 September 1997). "Talking Music" (PDF). Music Week. p. 14. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
5. "Official Singles Chart Top 100 21 September 1997 - 27 September 1997". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
6. "Bellini - Samba De Janeiro". YouTube. 11 August 2017. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
7. Dean, Will (18 June 2012). "Trending: The Euro 2012 chant that a Seven Nation Army couldn't hold back". The Independent. Retrieved 11 April 2017.
8. "Norwich City goal celebration music features in FIFA 23". 29 September 2022.
9. "Bellini – Samba de Janeiro" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
10. "Bellini – Samba de Janeiro" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
11. "Bellini – Samba de Janeiro" (in French). Ultratop 50.
12. "Ultratop Dance 09/08/1997". ultratop.be. Retrieved 17 May 2018.
13. "Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 107. Prometheus Global Media. 13 September 1995. p. 73. ISSN 0006-2510.
14. "Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 107. Prometheus Global Media. 27 September 1995. p. 65. ISSN 0006-2510.
15. "Bellini: Samba de Janeiro" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat.
16. "Bellini – Samba de Janeiro" (in French). Les classement single.
17. ^ "Bellini – Samba de Janeiro" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
18. "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. 20 September 1997. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
19. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (18.09.1997 - 25.09.1997)" (PDF) (in Icelandic). Dagblaðið Vísir - Tónlist. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
20. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Samba de Janeiro". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
21. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Bellini" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
22. "Bellini – Samba de Janeiro" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
23. "Bellini – Samba de Janeiro". VG-lista.
24. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
25. "Bellini – Samba de Janeiro". Singles Top 100.
26. "Bellini – Samba de Janeiro". Swiss Singles Chart.
27. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
28. "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
29. "Jahreshitparade Singles 1997". austriancharts.at. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
30. "Jaaroverzichten 1997". Ultratop. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
31. "Rapports Annuels 1997". Ultratop. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
32. "1997 Year-End Sales Charts: Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
33. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
34. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1997". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
35. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1997". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
36. "Romanian Top 100: Top of the Year 1997". Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on 22 September 2005.
37. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1997 – hitparade.ch". Retrieved 4 March 2020.
38. "Austrian single certifications – Bellini – Samba de Janeiro" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
39. "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – singles 1997". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
40. "French single certifications – Bellini – Samba de Janeiro" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
41. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Bellini; 'Samba de Janeiro')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
42. "Italian single certifications – Bellini – Samba do Brasil" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 2 December 2024. Select "2024" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Type "Samba do Brasil" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
43. "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Samba de Janeiro')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
44. "British single certifications – Bellini – Samba de Janeiro". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
45. "サンバ・DE・ジャネイロ | ベリーニ" [Samba de Janeiro | Bellini] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 22 January 2024.

• 1997 songs
• 1997 singles
• Eurodance songs
• Latin house songs
• Number-one singles in Hungary
• Songs in Portuguese
• Songs about dancing
• Songs about Rio de Janeiro (city)
• Virgin Records singles