Mamãe eu quero

"Mamãe eu quero" (English: lit. 'Mommy I wanna', referring to suckling) is a 1937 Brazilian song, composed by Vicente Paiva and Jararaca, frolicsomely sung in the voice and point of view of a baby telling its mother that it wants to be nursed, and asking for a pacifier to avoid crying. It is one of the most famous Brazilian songs of the 20th century and of all time.^[1] The original recording was made by one of the composers, Jararaca, in 1937 and recorded on Odeon Records.

The song, however, won worldwide visibility by Carmen Miranda's adaptation, titled "I Want My Mama" (which in Portuguese would have been Quero Minha Mamãe, a near-reversal of the original title). The "carnival marchlet" (that is, a march-like joyful folkish song made as a theme for the Brazilian carnival) was included in her debut on Broadway and then in the film Down Argentine Way (1940).^[2] The song was also recorded by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters. It was featured in the 1943 Tom & Jerry short Baby Puss, as performed by a trio of cartoon cats.^[3]

The song was performed in the 2016 Summer Olympics closing ceremony at the Maracanã Stadium on August 21, 2016, among other Mirandesque songs performed in tribute by the Brazilian singer Roberta Sá, who portrayed her in garb and voice.^[4]