Falsa Baiana is a samba tune written by Geraldo Pereira in 1944 that plays with the idea of a true baiana from Bahia versus a phony dancer who lacks rhythm. The story centerpieces Dona Isaura, the composer’s wife, who inspired the song when she arrived at Carnaval dressed as a baiana but in a sour mood, prompting Pereira to sketch the distinction between an authentic dancer and an impostor. Pereira’s inventive syncopated samba helped influence later bossa nova, and João Gilberto’s famous bossa nova version appears on his 1973 LP João Gilberto. The original recording was Cyro Monteiro with Benedito Lacerda e Seu Regional, recorded in April 1944 and released mid-1944. Gal Costa and João Gilberto are among notable artists who have treated the song, which remains a landmark in Brazilian samba and early bossa nova.
Key facts:
- Original artist and release: Cyro Monteiro with Benedito Lacerda e Seu Regional, 1944
- Year of composition: 1944
- Notable versions: João Gilberto (1973, LP João Gilberto), Gal Costa (1970)
- Genre: samba with influences that helped seed bossa nova
- Theme: contrasts a genuine baiana with a phony one on the samba dance floor
