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Correio newspaper | Antonio Cicero was an intellectual in popular music

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Antonio Cicero was an intellectual in popular music

poet and philosopher who died this Wednesday (23) was also a lyricist for Fullgás and O Último Romântico

  • Foto do(a) author(a) Roberto Midlej

Published on October 24, 2024 at 05:00

Chico Cerchiaro/Companhia das Letras

Chico Cerchiaro/Companhia das Letras Credit: Chico Cerchiaro/Companhia das Letras

“Homelands, families, religions/ And prejudices/ There’s no way around it anymore.” The verses – simple, direct and without fuss – are part of a classic by singer Marina Lima, Pra Começar, which opened the soap opera Roda de Fogo (1986). The lyrics were written by her brother, Antonio Cicero, who died this Wednesday (23), aged 78. Although he was an intellectual, philosopher and member of the Brazilian Academy of Letters (ABL), he knew how to navigate popular music very well.

The lyrics for Fullgás are also by Antonio Cicero, whose richness begins in the pun in the title, a play between the word “fugaz”, from the Portuguese language, with the English, which means something like “full of gas”. Marina has already revealed the importance of the song, which was decisive for her rise as an artist: “It’s something honest, there’s something bold about it. It was with this song that my original work took flight, I have a huge affection for this song.”

Cicero, who was a poet, became a song lyricist involuntarily, when Marina, still unknown in the mid-1970s, decided, without her brother’s knowledge, to turn the poem Alma Caiada, which he had written, into music. Maria Bethânia even recorded it in 1976 for the album Pássaro Proibido, but censorship excluded it. In 1979, Zizi Possi recorded the song on the album Pedaço de Mim. Cicero ended up surrendering and started composing songs for his sister and other partners, such as João Bosco, Adriana Calcanhotto and Lulu Santos. With the latter, he shared the authorship of another national pop classic, O Último Romântico.

Among Cicero’s books of poems, the most notable are Guardar (Editora Record), from 1996, and A Cidade e os Livros (Editora Record), from 2002. Cicero also had the poem Guardar included in the anthology Os Cem Melhores Poems Brasileiros do Século (Editora Objetiva) in 2001 and was a finalist for the Jabuti Prize for his philosophical essays collected in Finalidades sem Fim (Companhia das Letras) in 2005.

Cicero joined the ABL on August 10, 2017, when he began to occupy seat number 27, which was previously occupied by Eduardo Portella. “What is an immortal poem? An immortal poem is a poem whose value does not depend on factors external to it: a poem, therefore, that is worth in itself”, he declared in his inauguration speech.

Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, Cicero opted for assisted death. The writer was in Switzerland, where the practice is permitted, accompanied by his husband, costume designer Marcelo Pies. Last week, the couple had gone to Paris, and from there, to Zurich, Switzerland. Marcelo revealed to friends that Cicero had been planning to go to Switzerland for some time, sending documents and information to the clinic – and he didn’t want anyone to know. “We spent a few days in Paris so he could say goodbye to the city he admired so much,” said Marcelo, who sent his farewell letter to his friends.

On social media, friends spoke out. Caetano Veloso wrote: “Cicero was my best friend, the most correct person I knew. The clearest affection of friendship imaginable. And a luminous intelligence.” “The most intelligent, righteous, noble and beautiful. The freest man I have ever met”, stated Adriana Calcanhotto. Sister Marina Lima only published an illustration symbolizing mourning, but did not write about what happened.

The Ministry of Culture distributed a press release: “Fundamental figure of Brazilian culture, Cicero left an immeasurable legacy of verses, reflections and melodies that crossed generations, consecrating him as one of the most brilliant minds in national literature and music”.

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Michelle Williams

I'm Michelle Williams, an enthusiastic author specializing in captivating entertainment content on Rwcglobally.com. With a passion for storytelling and a keen eye for the latest trends, I aim to engage readers with compelling narratives that reflect the dynamic landscape of the entertainment industry. Join me on Rwcglobally.com to explore the world of film, television, music, and more, as we uncover the stories that define contemporary culture.

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