Due to the huge popularity achieved in the United States, it received an English version by songwriter Bob Russell.
After that, the song became known not only in Brazil, but worldwide, becoming the first Brazilian song to be played over a million times on American radio. The song only became famous after it was included in Walt Disney’s 1942 animated film Saludos Amigos. The two men would only speak to each other again fifteen years later, when both received the National Order of Merit. The president of the jury was Heitor Villa-Lobos, and Barroso, offended that his masterpiece was not on the list, ended his relationship with him. In 1940, it was not among the top three songs of that year's Carnival in Rio. "Aquarela do Brasil" took a while to succeed. It was then recorded by Francisco Alves, arranged by Radamés Gnattali and his orchestra, and released by Odeon Records on August 1939. A month later, it was performed by the baritone Cândido Botelho on Joujoux e Balangandans, a benefit concert sponsored by Darcy Vargas, then First Lady of Brazil. Despite Cortes' huge popularity at the time, the song flopped, perhaps for not adjusting well to her voice. "Aquarela do Brasil" was first performed by Aracy Cortes on June 10, 1939, at the premiere of the musical play Entra na Faixa, by Barroso and Luís Iglesias. He declared to have felt like another person after writing the song. According to him, "the rest came naturally, music and lyrics at once". The original beat "sang on imagination, highlighting the sound of the rain, on syncope beats of fantastic tambourins". Initially, he wrote the first chords, which he defined as "vibrant", and a "plangent of emotions".
According to the composer, he "felt all the greatness, the value and the wealth of our land", reliving "the tradition of the national panels". ĭescribing the song in an interview to Marisa Lira, of the newspaper Diário de Notícias, Barroso said that he wanted to "free the samba away from the tragedies of life, of the sensual scenario already so explored". He also wrote "Três Lágrimas" (English: Three teardrops) on that same night, before the rain ended. Its title, a reference to watercolor painting, is a clear reference to the rain. Ary Barroso wrote "Aquarela do Brasil" in early 1939, when he was prevented from leaving his home one night due to a heavy storm.
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