Hermes Fontes Biography

Hermes Fontes was an illustrious poet but also became part of Brazilian popular music when he wrote the lyrics to the tango-fado “Luar de Paquetá” (music by Freire Júnior), a classic Brazilian song, recorded by Baiano in 1921. He collaborated in major newspaper and literary magazines of Rio de Janeiro and wrote the books Apoteoses (1908), Gênese (1913), Ciclo da Perfeição (1914), Mundo em Chamas (1914), Juízos Efêmeros (1916), Miragem do Deserto (1916), Epopéia da Vida (1917), Microcosmo (1919), Lâmpada Velada (1922), and Fonte da Mata. He also wrote lyrics for the tango-fado “À Beira-Mar” (music by Freire Júnior), recorded by Vicente Celestino in 1922; “Iara” (by Anacleto de Medeiros); “Solidão” (by Candinho Silva); “Camponesa” (by Juca Kalut); “Entre Asas” (by Mário Álvares); and “Só Por Amor” (by Irineu de Almeida).