Marcus Vinicius da Cruz e Mello Moraes (October 19, 1913 – July 9, 1980), also known as Vinicius de Moraes (Portuguese pronunciation: [vi’nisius dZi mo’rajs]) and nicknamed O Poetinha (the little poet), was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He was the son of Clodoaldo Pereira de Silva Moraes (Lydia Cruz de Moraes) and was a pivotal figure in Brazilian contemporary music. He was a poet and wrote lyrics to many songs that were all-time greats. He was also a bossa nova composer, a playwright and diplomat. His interpretations of his songs were a major part of several important albums. Wikipedia
