(One important source gives Decemas his birthdate.) Growing up in Rio's Northern Zone, he sang in his church choir and participated in carnaval parades. Jorge Duílio Ben Zabella Lima de Menezes was born in Madureira, a working class area of Rio de Janeiro, on March 22, 1942. And I'll play several of the hundreds of recordings that have been made of the tune. During the next three weeks, I'll tell you about the composer and his song.
