Biography
Antônio Moreira da Silva, widely known as Moreira da Silva or by his nickname Kid Morengueira, was a pioneering Brazilian samba singer, songwriter and guitarist, born on 1 April 1902 in Rio de Janeiro and passing away in the same city on 6 June 2000.[5][6][4] He grew up in deep poverty and only began his professional musical life around the age of 20, entering the world of samba and composition in the 1920s.[3] Early on, he absorbed the rhythms and language of Rio’s popular neighborhoods, which would shape his lifelong identification with the malandro (streetwise hustler) figure common in urban Brazilian culture.[3][4]
From the 1930s onward, Moreira da Silva became one of the most distinctive voices in samba, particularly associated with the subgenre later called samba‑de‑breque, characterized by comic or dramatic spoken interjections that interrupt the sung narrative.[3][4] His persona as Kid Morengueira, a witty, roguish character who talked his way in and out of trouble, turned his recordings and stage performances into theatrical monologues over syncopated samba grooves, influencing how narrative and humor were integrated into popular Brazilian song.[3][4] Over several decades he recorded widely, remained active into old age, and came to be regarded as an iconic representative of Rio’s traditional samba culture, bridging the early 20th‑century roots of the genre with later generations of sambistas.[5][6]
His legacy rests not only on his longevity but on his role in codifying a style that mixed storytelling, spoken word, and samba rhythm in a uniquely Brazilian form. Later historians and musicians frequently cite him as a central figure in the development of narrative samba, and his recordings continue to be referenced as classics of the genre in discographic and musicological sources.[3][5][6] Through his work, the image of the sambista-malandro, half comic and half critical social observer, became a lasting archetype in Brazilian popular music.[3][4]
Fun Facts
- He was widely known by the colorful nickname Kid Morengueira, reinforcing his musical persona as a witty, streetwise character.[3][4]
- Despite becoming an emblematic figure of Rio samba, he came from an extremely poor background and only started his professional samba and composing career around age 20.[3]
- He lived to be 98 years old, remaining associated with samba across virtually the entire 20th century and dying in his birthplace of Rio de Janeiro in 2000.[5][6]
Associated Acts
- Moreira, Bezerra e Dicró
Musical Connections
Mentors/Influences
- Rio de Janeiro urban samba tradition - His style was shaped by the early 20th‑century samba scene of Rio’s popular neighborhoods, whose rhythms, language, and malandro imagery he absorbed from older sambistas and local cultural life. (Early samba compositions and performances in Rio (1920s–1930s)) [1920s–1930s]
Key Collaborators
- Various Rio de Janeiro samba musicians and ensembles - Recorded and performed with accompanying samba groups and studio ensembles documented in discographies of Brazilian popular music, supporting his role as singer and storyteller. (Numerous samba recordings listed in historical discographies of Antônio Moreira da Silva) [1930s–1960s]
Artists Influenced
- Later samba-de-breque and narrative samba artists - Subsequent sambistas adopted and developed his blend of spoken monologue, humor, and samba rhythm, treating his style as a model for the malandro narrative in song. (Later narrative sambas that use spoken interjections and malandro characters, inspired by his established style of samba-de-breque) [1950s onward]
Connection Network
Discography
Albums
| Title | Release Date | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Os 3 Malandros In Concert | 1995-07-01 | Album |
| O Rei Do Gatilho | 1985-03-02 | Album |
| Conversa De Botequim | 1965-01-10 | Album |
| 50 Anos de Samba de Breque | 1991-01-01 | Album |
| 50 Anos de Samba de Breque | 1991-01-01 | Album |
| O Samba Malandro de Bezerra da Silva | 2005-01-01 | Album |
| O Jovem Moreira | 1979-08-21 | Album |
| Na Subida do Morro | 2012-01-01 | Album |
| Nova Bis - Moreira da Silva | 2005-01-01 | Album |
| Cheguei e Vou Dar Trabalho | 1986-08-28 | Album |
| Mo "Ringo" Eira | 1970 | Album |
Top Tracks
- 3 Malandros in Concert (Os 3 Malandros In Concert)
- Ressucita Ele (Os 3 Malandros In Concert)
- Conversa De Botequim (Conversa De Botequim)
- Rei Do Gatilho (O Rei Do Gatilho)
- Ópera do Morro (Os 3 Malandros In Concert)
- Piston De Gafieira (Conversa De Botequim)
- Acertei No Milhar (O Rei Do Gatilho)
- Os Três Pagodeiros do Rio (Os 3 Malandros In Concert)
- O Recital (Os 3 Malandros In Concert)
- Um Gago Apaixonado (O Jovem Moreira)
External Links
Tags: #samba, #samba-de-breque, #samba-canção
References
Heard on WWOZ
Moreira da Silva has been played 1 time on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.
| Date | Time | Title | Show | Spotify |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 20, 2025 | 14:46 | Acertei no Milhar | Tudo Bem (Brazilian)w/ Dean Ellis |