Marcus Vinicius da Cruz e Mello Moraes[1] (October 19, 1913 – July 9, 1980), also known as Vinícius de Moraes[2] (Portuguese pronunciation: [viˈnisjus dʒi ˈmoɾajs]) and nicknamed O Poetinha ("The little poet"), was a Brazilian poet, lyricist, essayist and playwright who wrote the lyrics for many now-classic Brazilian songs and became a seminal figure in modern Brazilian music. He also wrote a number of plays, served as a national diplomat, composed his own bossa nova music and, as an interpreter of his own lyrics, recorded several significant albums. He was born in Rio de Janeiro as the son of Lydia Cruz de Moraes and Clodoaldo Pereira da Silva Moraes.