Dean Martin and Caterina Valente displayed plenty of cheeky chemistry in a vintage performance of “One Note Samba” from 1966. The American baritone joined the Italian-French singer for a televised performance of the bossa nova standard, which opened with some charming comedic banter, before Valente took up an acoustic guitar and the pair sang a memorable duet.
The duo engaged in a silly vocal back-and-forth which had the audience rolling before Valente settled into a comfy bossa nova groove. Valente, who can sing in 11 languages, sang the tune in Portuguese and displayed an elegant and charming voice. Martin and Valente played off each other with outlandish vocal tricks during the performance, keeping the whole thing a barrel of laughs.
The combination of Valente’s superb musicianship and the chemistry between the two made the segment a hit online, attracting 19.6 million views. Fans flocked to the video to show their appreciation, adding comments such as “I am Brazilian and this video makes me feel proud of my country’s culture. Also, she is talented and her Portuguese is really good. Their chemistry gives me chills!” and “This woman’s voice makes me melt – she could read the phone book and make it sound good.”
Martin and Valente clearly recognized that they make a good team, as the pair have made a number of television appearances together. They made another playful appearance where they sang a medley based around Martin’s tune “Rain”, which he originally recorded in 1950. The duo really lean into the romantic vibe of the song and aren’t afraid to have a little fun with it.
Valente recorded her own version of “One Note Samba” for her 1968 release, Caterina Valente Live. The song was originally penned as “Samba de uma Nota Só”, with Antônio Carlos Jobim providing the music and Newton Mendonça writing the Portuguese lyrics. There is also a version with English lyrics, which were written by Jon Hendricks. The jazz standard was originally recorded by João Gilberto for his 1960 album, O Amor, o Sorriso e a Flor. The name “One Note Samba” is a reference to the melody, which plays the same note repeatedly over several measures. A who’s who of jazz legends has recorded the song over the years, including Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz, and Duke Ellington.
If you would like to experience more of Caterina Valente’s captivating performances and superb musicianship, head over to her YouTube Channel. To stay up-to-date with her latest ventures, you can also follow her on her official Facebook page. With her ability to sing in 11 languages and her undeniable chemistry with other performers, there’s plenty to explore and to enjoy.