1963

Lamartine was born in Rio de Janeiro, into a music loving family who helped him become one of the most important Brazilian composers of all times. He wrote a few operettas and theater plays in his youth, while working as an office boy. In the 20s, he would follow carnival blocos (percussion groups that take the streets only during carnival) and started contributing to humor magazines, thanks to his ability to make puns and jokes. He started performing on the radio in 1929, doing sketches and telling jokes and managing to host his own show the following year. In the 30s, he wrote carnival marches which are still very popular to this day: "O Teu Cabelo Não Nega", "Linda Morena", "Cantores do Rádio" (with João de Barro/ A. Ribeiro), "Marcha do Grande Galo", "A-E-I-O-U" (with Noel Rosa), "Grau Dez" (with Ary Barroso), "Uma Andorinha Não Faz Verão" (with Braguinha), "Canção pra Inglês Ver", "Chegou a Hora da Fogueira", "Hino do Carnaval Brasileiro", "História do Brasil", "Isto É Lá com Santo Antônio", "Noites de Junho". His production is vast, but Lalá (his nickname) also wrote samba masterpieces like "No Rancho Fundo" (with Ary Barroso), "Lua Cor de Prata", "Voltei a Cantar", "A Tua Vida É um Segredo", "Serra da Boa Esperança", "Só Dando com uma Pedra Nela", and even waltzes, such as "Eu Sonhei que Tu Estavas Tão Linda" (with Francisco Mattoso). Lamartine – who pursued a ludicrous fashion of accompany his own singing with a vocal trombone –also wrote the anthems for the main soccer teams in Rio.