With Ciro Monteiro, Roberto Silva was one of the developers of the richly syncopated melodic division of samba singing launched by Luís Reis and Vassourinha. Some of his biggest hits are "Maria Tereza" (Altamiro Carrilho), "Normélia", "Mandei Fazer um Patuá" (both by Raimundo Olavo/Norberto Martins), "Perdi Você" (Raimundo Olavo/Silva Júnior), "Juraci me Deixou" (Raimundo Olavo/Oldemar Magalhães), "Escurinho" (Geraldo Pereira), "Crioulo Sambista" (Nelson Trigueiro/ Sinval Silva), and "O Baile Começa às Nove" (Haroldo Lobo/Milton de Oliveira). Silva was the singer of the first ...