61 Versions of Tico Tico

MP3s: 61 versions of Tico Tico below the jump

Maybe the reason I keep playing single-chord songs on my show lately is because at one time, I couldn't get enough of the song Tico Tico, the tune that packs in more notes per measure than a scat singer on Dexedrine. I stumbled onto my cassette cache of Tico Tico's the other day, and without someone nearby to slap some sense into me, I ripped all of them. Then I came to the station and proceeded to find even more versions. Then I stupidly searched online and.. and...and... just go below the jump for all 61 versions.

Tico Tico was written in 1917 by Zequinha de Abreu. The song's first title was actually Tico Tico no Farelo, and in the 40's it became Tico Tico no Fuba. The song was imported to the US by Disney via their animated piece of World War Two-era Happy Latinos propaganda, "Saludos Amigos," in which Donald Duck introduces the song. That version is below. Do I want more versions? No. Unless you have the Captain Beefheart version. I gave up my Tico Tico obsession on the air years ago because I quickly discovered it was a bottomless pit of wants, desires and notes. Lots of notes. Three hour's worth (note to Kenny G: don't do it!)

Next song to get this treatement, The Internationale. It has fewer notes.

Xavier Cugat  |  Ruben Calzado  |  Jensen Publication Marching Band |

Andre Verchuren  |  Ethel Smith and The Bando Carioca  |  Palm Court Project |

Xavier Cugat #2  | Don Amore Orchestra  |  101 Strings  |  Johan Dalgas Frisch |

Bob Sobodon Vicicevic  |  Henry Mancini  |  The Andrews Sisters |

Eddie Layton  |  Disney Version from Saludos Amigos  | Henry King Orchestra  |  Al Stephano Trio  | 

Lenny Herman  |  George Feyer  |   George Feyer # 2  |  Les Baxter  | 
Esy Morales and Roberto Gomez  | 

Les Baxter Trio  |   Riviera Orchestra  |  Esquivel  |  Liberace  |  Bloomfield College Band  |  Ferrante & Teicher #1  |

Jo Anne Castle  |  Paco DeLucia  |  Lucien Jeunesse  |  Ferrante & Teicher #2  |  Shooby Taylor  |

The Harmonicats  |  Bonnie Pruden  |  Mickey Katz  |  Les Paul and Mary Ford  |  Microscopic Septet  |

Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra  |  Nestor Amaral  |  Raymond Scott & Dorothy Collins  |

James Moody  |  Don Swan Orchestra  |  Bajan  |  Banda Black Trio  | 
Baraban Notenarchiv  |

Boots Musulli Quartet  |  Charlie Parker  |  Desi Arnez  |  Ebony and Ivory  |  Enric Madriguera  |

Familia Lima  |  James Booker  |  James Last  |  Jorge Vega  |  Laura Villasol Quinteto  |

Korean Mandolin Orchestra  |  Paula Green  |  Perez Prado  |  Philharmonic Jazz  |  SHS Jazz Choir  |

Comments

[Ape Module]

Gnargh! I couldn't get these to work...they load, then the timer says it will take longer and longer to download, then they stop at abuot the 2 minute mark. ???

[Gerd]

Great Post thanks a lot

[Princess Wendy]

Great post, Ken. When I was living in VT and had just gotten the internet (in 2002 - stop laughing!) and had nothing better to do, I was zipping through file-sharing sites, searching for versions of Hawaiian War Chant, Caravan, Peanut Vendor, The Theme From The Third Man, and Wichita Lineman. I had some vinyl versions, too. I couldn't find too many Wichita Lineman, unfortunately - I love that song. Anyway, I gave up after a spell, because I needed to leave the house once in awhile. If anyone is thinking of posting any of the above, or providing a link, I cast my vote to encourage you to do so. Thanks!

[Vroni]

this is great, thanks. i play tico tico, dont have a downloadable version, but check out www.streetpiano.com for some crazy piano passion, taking the piano to the streets.
when playing tico tico in the pub - the Royal Oak in Edinburgh - the whole place erupts and everybody joins in. It's just a great tune...

[IDbandguy]

An amazing version of Tico Tico: London Horn Sound! A ton of french horn players tearing it up. Crazy.

[Carlos Ricci]

Encantandor!!! Esta cancion la recuerdo de niño, siempre la he buscado, gracias a Uds. por mostrarme la variedad de estilos.

[Tommy E]

Hey, this site rocks. I love this song, and it's really awesome to be able to listen to so many different versions so easily. THANK YOU!

[SGA]

Where's the David Grisman version??

[LiLith]

There's 2 others version of Tico Tico made by Alys Robi and Pascale Bussières, quebecers.

[Jesse]

What about the best version of all, by Shooby Taylor??

http://www.shooby.com/mp3/index.html

[CoonAzz]

This is fantastic! I am jealous that you get to hear all the versions of a song and I am glad that you were nice enuf to share it all with us! What about the idea of compiling a group of mp3s for other songs that have dozens of versions?

[Jim in Sunny Florida]

Listen to Retaw Boyce's excellent violin version of Tico Tico at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kbGe33DfjA
(Pardon his shirtless performance)

[R Ribeiro]

There must be a milion versions of Tico Tico... Just want to say that there are two repeated versions in the list... the one saying Henri Mancini is equal to the Bloomfield College Band... the funny thing is that the second has a better sound quality... :)

[R Ribeiro]

Oh, and just another add to the 1 milion versions: the Berliner Philarmonic conducted by Daniel Baremboim, great one! The version from Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra in the list is also excellent!

[Devon E Levins]

The best one of them is all is Grant Green's version!

[Cynde]

I heard a vocal version of Tico Tico about 40-45 years ago on a 78 record. It was sung in Spanish and part English and the refrain sounded like " I Tico YOU,YOU TIco Me I Tico You You Tico Me a Cuchi Cuchi Cuchi Cuchi Pogona. The Part I remember that was sung in English went "You look so nice a Tico Tico Spice. Not necasarily that correct words but similar. Please contact me if you know of this version.

[LeboviciAB84]

Just to confirm that the same version is attributed both to Mancini and to the Bloomfield College Band. Mancini's is higher-quality but two seconds shorter, apparently.

These are wonderful, though. I'm only here because Malcolm Laycock played a brilliant version* by Roberto Inglez on Radio 2 last night. Apparently it's on a CD called 'Come Closer To Me' on the Vocalion label (catalogue number: CDEA 6062).

*Not James-Booker-brilliant, obviously, but still great.

[LeboviciAB84]

Incidentally, I bumped into these three versions of 'Tico Tico' on the Internets.

The Aura Wind Quartet:
http://www.musicforlondon.com/MFLwma/Aura%20Wind%20Quartet/Tico%20Tico%20No%20Fuba.mp3

Klaus Wunderlich:
http://www.maxkupran.com/Tico%20Tico2.mp3

And this from the Crying Monkeys' 2005 album, 'Little Pieces Of The Sky':
http://www.darinlayne.com/stuff/PiecesMp3s/06%20Tico%20Tico.mp3

If any of these expire, e-mail me and I'll gladly put them on SendSpace or something.

[nightS]

thanks for the share..I linked to you in my guitar blog..

[Sarah]

WOW It is so nice to know I am not alone. LOL This is Amazing. I have a collection of Tico Tico's that I have had for years, but one I noticed that you don't have here is by a French Singer from Quebec City called, "Alys Robi" and also "Isabelle Boulay" did Tico Tico for the Bio on Alys Robi. Isabelle Boulay Link if interested... http://www.filelodge.com/files/room22/588253/Isabelle Boulay (Alys Roby) - Tico Tico.mp3. Keep up the great work.

[jim]

i've been looking for the version from the movie "thousands cheer" it has a slow section in the middle. a documentary about maxine barrat is going to be filmed, and my partner and i need to dance to the version from that movie.

does anyone know where i could find this version. herbert stothart was the music coordinator for the movie. zequinha abreu, of course, wrote the song, but i have no idea what band did the version in the movie.

please help

jim

[Mike]

The movie credits the MGM Studio Orchestra.

[lefty kongalides]

THERE IS ALSO ANOTHER VERSION BY THE GERMAN SISTER-BROTHER ACT CATERINA VALENTE AND SYLVIO FRANCESCO PLAYING GUITARS.

[Lydia]

There is also a version by Freddie Rich that's only available on a live Abbott & Costello broadcast in November of 1944. If someone was able to find that, I'd be eternally grateful.

[Todd Hallawell]

Would you like another version or two of Tico-tico?