Pelo Telefone

[6] A collective creation of controversial authorship, the composition is attributed to Ernesto dos Santos, better known as Donga, and to the journalist Mauro de Almeida [pt].

[a][11] The original lyrics of the song were later changed to the version best known today:[12] According to a statement by Donga to Brazil's Museum of Image and Sound, "The chief of police... was a parody created by the journalists of A Noite[b].

In 1913, newspaper reporters had placed a roulette wheel in Largo da Carioca [pt] to demonstrate the police's tolerance of gambling.

Musician and broadcaster Henrique Foréis Domingues, in the February 13, 1972 issue of the newspaper O Dia, confirmed this by saying: "someone in the newsroom of 'A Noite', taking inspiration from the episodes in question, created the famous parody".

[13] The Jornal do Brasil newspaper, on February 4, 1917, published a note from Grêmio Fala Gente announcing that "the true tango 'Pelo Telephone', by composers João da Mata, Germano, Tia Ciata and Hilário, will be sung on Avenida Rio Branco, dedicated to the good and remembered friend Mauro.