The first spring night in March or April, when the temperature hovers at a comfortable 63 degrees, is my favorite time to indulge in a little seasonal romance.  This time around, I decided to throw open the windows in my apartment, invite my girlfriend over for red wine and dinner, and put on a slightly-scratched record by Nelson Ned.

For decades, Nelson Ned was the crowned prince of crooning in Latin America. He was born in Ubá, Brasil in 1947, and throughout the 1960s and 70s, was adored by fans all over Latin America--especially Mexico. He first became famous for his romantic ballads, which in my unpolished opinion, are not unlike the Massimo Ranieri tracks I posted a few weeks back. But Ned wasn't just a star in Latin America. He was also the first Latin artist to sell a million records in the U.S., with his 1974 hit "Happy Birthday My Darling".

This record has its fair share of scratches, and in some places, it's slightly warped. Despite the imperfect recordings, I had a really hard time choosing which songs to post. They're just all so wonderful. So perfect for spinning on a warm spring night. So complimentary with a glass of red wine and low key canoodling.

1. "Si Las Flores Pudieran Hablar" - Nelson Ned
2.  "El Tiempo Borro" - Nelson  Ned
3. "Sera Sera" - Nelson Ned
4. "Nostalgia Del Primer Amor" - Nelson Ned
5. "Daria Todo Si Estuvieras" - Nelson Ned

Googling tells me that, beginning in the 1990s, Ned converted to Evangelical Christianity and started performing only Gospel music. Damn. It's bad enough they have to take Al Green. Now they've gotta take Nelson Ned, too.

-- Jess