Bim Bom is a bossa nova tune by João Gilberto, recorded in July 1958 and released on Odeon Records alongside his version of Chega de Saudade - often cited as the first recorded bossa nova song. Gilberto composed it around 1956 on the banks of the São Francisco river, inspired by the swaying gait of laundresses balancing loads on their heads, and he translated that rhythm into the tune. The lyrics are minimal, with the core idea that this is all of my song and my heart has asked that it be this way. The release helped launch the movement and is linked to the 1959 Chega de Saudade album. Genre: bossa nova; original artist: João Gilberto; year of release: 1958; label: Odeon Records.
