"Alibis" by Sergio Mendes

Song#:  1915
Date:  05/26/1984
Debut:  83
Peak:  29
Weeks:  19
Genre:  Pop, Adult Contemporary



Pop Bits:  Mendes' second album of more commercial-leaning modern pop, Confetti, got off to a shaky start when the Olympic Games tie-in tune "Olympia" stalled at a low #58 on the Pop chart. For the second single, this more straight-ahead pop/AC tune was selected and the results were much better. The tune got to #5 at AC while just getting inside the Top 30 at Pop. Once again, as with Mendes' previous few singles, the vocals were handled by Joe Pizzulo. Unfortunately, it would be Mendes' last significant hit on the charts. He would grab a couple of minor AC Top 20 songs later in the decade, but by then Pop had no interest in his music. Mendes would continue to record albums for various labels over the years.

ReduxReview:  Hit songwriter Tom Snow ("Don't Cry Out Loud," "He's So Shy," "You Should Hear How She Talks About You") was co-writer on this tune and it was another terrific entry in his catalog. Once again, Joe Pizzulo provides a nice vocal, but barely gets any credit for it. Mendes gets the name recognition, but really this song could have been by anyone. I'm sure many younger folks back in the day bought this single thinking Mendes was the singer. Frankly, besides a couple solid songs like this one, this commercial pop era of Mendes was terrible. I'm a big fan of his Brazil '66 output. Mendes did some great work directing, producing and arranging his group and the results were fantastic. But this updating to something not even remotely associated with his signature sound just was not good. However, at least Pizzulo got the lead on a couple of good tunes.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  With his Pop days on the wane, Mendes started to give hints that he wanted to return to the Brazilian style of music that originally made him famous. He left A&M after 1989's Arara album and three years later he signed on with Elektra for his return-to-roots LP Brasileiro. Not only was the album well-received by critics and fans, but the Grammy folks took note as well and awarded Mendes his first Grammy for Best World Music Album.

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