Bossa Nova

" The Girl from Ipanema" may be the most familar Bossa Nova song to most Americans. Vintage 60's Brazilian Bossa Nova and Samba music, great for Lounge Lizards, Swinging Bachelor Pads and mood music at the Playboy Club.

But there there was a deeper side to this insipid musical genre than most NordAmericanos realize.

Here are a few links to start your exploration:
From Wikipedia

Bossa Nova and Politics

Tropical Truth': Beyond the Bossa Nova

By GERALD MARZORATI

...Leaders of the orthodox Brazilian left, condescending defenders of the nation's ''authentic'' folkloric culture, hated tropicalismo (Bossa Nova). The military government didn't like loud music or being made fun of by long-haired freaks -- and, like all authoritarians, they were made as nervous by the specter of an inchoate liberationist youth movement as by better organized ideological oppositionists or armed rebels (both of which Brazil's dictatorship faced). On Dec. 13, 1968, the regime enacted a series of new laws and began what amounted to a police-state clampdown. On Christmas Day, 1968, Caetano went on TV and sang a sentimental Brazilian Christmas song while holding a gun to his head. Two days later, he and Gil were arrested and, after two months of frightening imprisonment (Caetano was never tortured, but he could hear the screams of those who were), they were ''invited'' by the military to go into exile and flown to Lisbon. Tropicalismo was history. (more...)

Summary of Topics

Powerpoint on Atomic Weapons aka Nukes
Powerpoint on Lifestyles, including fashions, hairstyles, architecture, music, etc
Powerpoint of Socail fabriic of 50's, including disquieting facts and factors.

Assignment: find an under-reported 60's personality suitable for a bio.