Ben
Jorge Ben Jor
1972
Rankings
Why This Album Matters
Released in 1972, the album Ben is a landmark in Jorge Ben's discography, consolidating his unmistakable style that blends samba, funk, and rock with unique energy. This work represents the maturity of his sound, where the percussive acoustic guitar and contagious rhythms create an atmosphere that is both festive and reflective. The album stands out for its authenticity and for reinforcing the musical identity of one of the greatest innovators in Brazilian music.
Context
After a period of intense production and experimentation, which included the acclaimed album Jorge Ben in 1969 and Negro É Lindo in 1971, Jorge Ben returned to Philips Records, the label through which he had already released significant works at the start of his career. By this time, he had already developed and refined his musical signature, moving away from the conventions of bossa nova and jovem guarda to create his own genre, samba rock.
Recording
The album Ben was recorded in 1972 and produced by Paulinho Tapajós. The record features the artist's characteristic sound of the era, with Jorge Ben's acoustic guitar at the centre and band accompaniment that highlighted the elements of samba and rock.
Songs
Ben is replete with tracks that became instant classics. Among them, "Taj Mahal" stands out, a song with a hypnotic chorus and striking melody, as does "Fio Maravilha", a vibrant tribute to Flamengo's iconic striker. Jorge Ben's lyrics frequently address themes of everyday life, romance, football, and Afro-Brazilian identity, always with a touch of humour and repetitions that become an intrinsic part of the musicality.
Legacy
Ben solidified Jorge Ben's reputation as a singular and influential artist. The song "Taj Mahal" gained international notoriety when Jorge Ben filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Rod Stewart, alleging that his 1978 song, "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?", had been derived from "Taj Mahal". The case was amicably resolved, with Stewart admitting to "unconscious plagiarism" in his autobiography. The album was recognised on lists of musical relevance, ranking 414th in a poll of 162 music specialists conducted by the podcast Discoteca Básica, one of six of the singer's works mentioned on the list.
Tracks
Credits
José Briamonte, Rogério Duprat
Manoel Barenbein
Jorge Ben
Ary Carvalhaes, Célio Martins, João Kibelkstis, Oswaldo Cruz Vidal, Stelio Carlini
Albery
Lincoln
Armando Pittigliani
Johnny Salles
Podcasts
Discoteca Básica Podcast · Parasol Storytelling
BABULINA BATE NAS PORTAS DA PERCEPÇÃO. Depois de uma visão na casa de um alquimista francês, Jorge Ben Jor criou um dos dez maiores álbuns brasileiros da história. Convidado do episódio: Fred Zero Quatro (Mundo Livre S/A) Assinante do Clube Discoteca Básica tem conteúdo complementar. Nesta semana, a gente preparou dois episódios exclusivos: a íntegra do depoimento de Fred Zero Quatro falando sob
Show do Rádio · Paulo Francisco
Neste episódio você vai acompanhar toda a história da música que fez sucesso no Festival Internacional da Canção no Maracanazinho em 1972. Paulo Francisco participando do programa do comunicador Marco Aurélio na Rádio MEC AM do Rio de Janeiro apresenta o gol narrado por Waldir Amaral na Rádio Globo pelo jogador FIO do Flamengo em partida no Maracanã. A composição que virou sucesso e polêmica. Toda
Videos
Jorge Ben - Jorge Ben (1969) | ALBUM REVIEW
Som de Peso
JORGE BEN - SAMBA ESQUEMA NOVO (1963) | ALBUM REVIEW
Vinilteca
Michael Jackson - Ben (1972) Album Review/Reaction
JBird akaMrCoolGuy
Michael Jackson - ‘Ben’ (Album) | Reaction/Review
An Actor Reacts
JORGE BEN 1972 VINYL RECORD WITH ERROR PRESSING !! quick Review ! CRAZY RARE COLLECTIBLE
BRAZIL RECORDS REVIEW
J5LOVER REVIEWS THE MICHAEL JACKSON BEN ALBUM!!!!
J5LOVER
Books
Os 500 Maiores Álbuns Brasileiros de Todos os Tempos
Ricardo Alexandre · 2022
The largest Brazilian music election ever conducted: 162 specialists, spanning journalists, critics, musicians, producers and podcasters, each nominated 50 essential albums, supported by a masterlist of more than 2,000 works. Led by Ricardo Alexandre with tabulation by Sérgio Jomori, it was published in December 2022 as a 200-page hardcover book with graphic design by Fernando Pires.
África Brasil
Kamille Viola · 2021
This book focuses on the album 'África Brasil' (1976) as a milestone in Jorge Ben Jor's career, where he definitively migrated from acoustic guitar to electric guitar. The work narrates Jorge Ben Jor's trajectory album by album, leading up to 'África Brasil', the 14th studio LP of his career, which implies an in-depth analysis of his previous works, including the 1972 album 'Ben'.
