Biography
With a catalog exceeding 300 works, Marino Pinto secured a lasting place in Brazilian popular music by supplying material for many of the era’s foremost interpreters.
He produced his debut piece, “Ilka,” at age eleven. Two years later he began spending time at Rádio Philips, where contact with his hero Sílvio Caldas helped steer him toward songwriting. Between 1934 and 1938 he earned a living as a journalist for several Rio papers. Turning fully to composition in 1938, he supplied lyrics only at first; set to music by Ataulfo Alves, “Fale Mal… Mas Fale de Mim” became an immediate success in Araci de Almeida’s version that same year. In 1939, again with Alves, he placed “Positivamente Não” and “Continua” with the same singer. From 1939 to 1942 he collaborated regularly with Wilson Batista, yielding such enduring numbers as “Deus No Céu E Ela Na Terra,” cut by Carlos Galhardo in 1940, “N-a-o-til, Não,” recorded by Newton Teixeira in 1941, and “A Morena Que Eu Gosto,” introduced by Deo in 1942. That year he also teamed with Zé da Zilda on “Aos Pés da Cruz,” a major hit for Orlando Silva that later found its way to João Gilberto and others. In 1943 he wrote “50%” with Sílvio Caldas, again recorded by Araci de Almeida with Regional Odeon, and “O Samba Não Morre” with Arlindo Marques Júnior, taken up by Quatro Ases e Um Coringa. Two years afterward, with Claudionor Cruz, he created “Ele Disse Adeus,” which Araci de Almeida cut accompanied by Luís Americano e Seu Conjunto. One of the founding members of SBACEM in 1946, Pinto that year also wrote “Eu, Ele e Você” with Luís Bittencourt for Orlando Silva.
Beginning in 1947 he started composing melodies himself, forming steady partnerships with Herivelto Martins and Mário Rossi. With the latter he produced the classic “Cidade do Interior,” recorded by Araci de Almeida in 1947; with Herivelto he fashioned “Segredo” and “Cabelos Brancos,” the latter again cut by Quatro Ases e Um Coringa. Co-written with Paquito and Romeu Gentil, “Jacarepaguá” dominated the 1949 carnival. In 1950 he supplied the bolero “Que Será?” (lyrics by Mário Rossi), which Dalva de Oliveira turned into a national success, while the Vocalistas Tropicais released his “Diamante Negro” (lyrics by David Nasser). Another 1950 piece, “Rei do Circo” (with José Roy and Mário Rossi), helped launch Getúlio Vargas’s presidential campaign; after the election, Francisco Alves scored a 1951 carnival hit with “O Retrato do Velho” (Marino Pinto/Haroldo Lobo). Vargas then named Pinto national censor. That same year Lúcio Alves scored with “Se o Tempo Entendesse de Amor.” On 23 August 1954, the day before Vargas’s suicide, Pinto was present at the Palácio do Catete and among the first to enter the room after the fatal shot.
In 1958 he completed another landmark, “Prece” (with Vadico), recorded by Helena de Lima. Elizeth Cardoso devoted her 1960 album Magnífica entirely to his songs. His final work, the waltz “Minha Cidade” (with Mário Rossi), dates from 1965.
He produced his debut piece, “Ilka,” at age eleven. Two years later he began spending time at Rádio Philips, where contact with his hero Sílvio Caldas helped steer him toward songwriting. Between 1934 and 1938 he earned a living as a journalist for several Rio papers. Turning fully to composition in 1938, he supplied lyrics only at first; set to music by Ataulfo Alves, “Fale Mal… Mas Fale de Mim” became an immediate success in Araci de Almeida’s version that same year. In 1939, again with Alves, he placed “Positivamente Não” and “Continua” with the same singer. From 1939 to 1942 he collaborated regularly with Wilson Batista, yielding such enduring numbers as “Deus No Céu E Ela Na Terra,” cut by Carlos Galhardo in 1940, “N-a-o-til, Não,” recorded by Newton Teixeira in 1941, and “A Morena Que Eu Gosto,” introduced by Deo in 1942. That year he also teamed with Zé da Zilda on “Aos Pés da Cruz,” a major hit for Orlando Silva that later found its way to João Gilberto and others. In 1943 he wrote “50%” with Sílvio Caldas, again recorded by Araci de Almeida with Regional Odeon, and “O Samba Não Morre” with Arlindo Marques Júnior, taken up by Quatro Ases e Um Coringa. Two years afterward, with Claudionor Cruz, he created “Ele Disse Adeus,” which Araci de Almeida cut accompanied by Luís Americano e Seu Conjunto. One of the founding members of SBACEM in 1946, Pinto that year also wrote “Eu, Ele e Você” with Luís Bittencourt for Orlando Silva.
Beginning in 1947 he started composing melodies himself, forming steady partnerships with Herivelto Martins and Mário Rossi. With the latter he produced the classic “Cidade do Interior,” recorded by Araci de Almeida in 1947; with Herivelto he fashioned “Segredo” and “Cabelos Brancos,” the latter again cut by Quatro Ases e Um Coringa. Co-written with Paquito and Romeu Gentil, “Jacarepaguá” dominated the 1949 carnival. In 1950 he supplied the bolero “Que Será?” (lyrics by Mário Rossi), which Dalva de Oliveira turned into a national success, while the Vocalistas Tropicais released his “Diamante Negro” (lyrics by David Nasser). Another 1950 piece, “Rei do Circo” (with José Roy and Mário Rossi), helped launch Getúlio Vargas’s presidential campaign; after the election, Francisco Alves scored a 1951 carnival hit with “O Retrato do Velho” (Marino Pinto/Haroldo Lobo). Vargas then named Pinto national censor. That same year Lúcio Alves scored with “Se o Tempo Entendesse de Amor.” On 23 August 1954, the day before Vargas’s suicide, Pinto was present at the Palácio do Catete and among the first to enter the room after the fatal shot.
In 1958 he completed another landmark, “Prece” (with Vadico), recorded by Helena de Lima. Elizeth Cardoso devoted her 1960 album Magnífica entirely to his songs. His final work, the waltz “Minha Cidade” (with Mário Rossi), dates from 1965.