Lobo Bobo is a humorous bossa nova tune with music by Carlos Lyra and lyrics by Ronaldo Bôscoli. It was first released by João Gilberto in April 1959, appearing on his early recordings that helped define the bossa nova era. The song is tied to the late 1950s gathering at Nara Leao’s flat, a cradle of the movement where Lyra, Roberto Menescal and other young musicians shaped the sound. For the opening, Menescal borrowed a melody from Laurel and Hardy, while the Portuguese lyrics depict a hungry wolf who ends up defeated, led on a leash by a little hood in a swimming suit. Lobo Bobo is thus linked to the birth of bossa nova and the modern Brazilian popular music revolution, and it has since been covered by several artists. In the broader history, the tune is recognized as a classic example of the genre’s guitar-driven, intimate style.
