José Carlos Ary dos Santos

José Carlos Pereira Ary dos Santos , better known as José Carlos Ary dos Santos, or simply Ary dos Santos (Lisbon, 7 December 1937 – Lisbon, 18 January 1984) was a Portuguese poet, lyricist, and poetry reader. He published his first book, A liturgia do sangue, in 1963, although his family had already published a book of his poems, Asas, against his will, when he was just 15.

Despite already being a published poet by the time he started writing lyrics, it is through his poetic contribution to popular music that he became well known to the Portuguese public.

When he was only 15, his family published a book of his poetry, Asas, against his will. In 1954, some of his poems were selected for Almeida Garrett Prize Anthology. As he rejected his earlier book, he would consider this his literary debut. At the age of 16, he left his family home. To make ends meet he worked odd jobs, including salesman, errand boy at the Sociedade Nacional de Fósforos, and clerk at the Casino Estoril, until he started his career in advertising. He continued writing poetry, and in 1963, he published the book he would consider his first, A liturgia do sangue.

While Ary dos Santos continued writing and publishing poetry his whole life, it was through his work as a lyricist, especially for satirical songs and for fado, he became well known to the Portuguese public.

Ary dos Santos died on 18 January 1984 of cirrhosis, as a result of his regular heavy drinking. Father Gonçalo Portocarrero de Almada, who claims to be his cousin from the "firstborn branch of the family", also writes that he was born on 7 December 1936, and not 1937 "as you can find written on Wikipedia among other places". Another account, published pseudonymously in Diário de Notícias supports the same date of birth. Whenever there is disagreement among the sources cited, the date indicated in the Obra Poética prevails.