Celso Emilio Ferreiro Míguez is an important poet and renovator of Galician language and poetry. Born 1912, he was a follower of Curros Enríquez' poetry. His first book was released in 1936; his second book, at 1941, was his only work in Spanish: Al aire de tu vuelo (At your flight's air). But his great book, at least the most famous, is Longa noite de pedra (Long night of stone). The poem is as symbolic of those darkyears that many people, especially Galician, still refers to the francoist ages as the long night of stone. He died in 1979, in Vigo.

Celso Emilio Ferreiro's poetry is one of the strongest and purest of the poetry against Franco's regime not only in Galician, but in all the Spanish lands. As the poems of contemporary as Blas de Otero, Gabriel Celaya, Jesús López Pacheco or the Basque Gabriel Aresti, among others, Celso Emilio's poetry talks about justice, about the man, the people; he talks about Galicia, about the Galician people, about the Galician language. Most of the Galician songwriters made songs with his poems. For this reasons, Celso Emilio Ferreiro is not only one of the best Galician poets, but one of the best of the Universal poetry.

Xulio Formoso is an emigrant Galician songwriter from Venezuela. From Venezuela, like his Galician countrymen in Spain, Xulio sings in Galician Celso Emilio Ferreiro and other's poems. Although his career is not very known, is really intense. In Venezuela, he reocrded the LP Galicia canta ("Galicia sings"), with his own songs, but also with other Galician songwriters' song. Celso Emilio colaborated in this record, giving him this poem, but also playing the pandeiro in "Pandeirada ao Che" ("Pandeirada to the "Che"; a pandeiro is a large tambourine from Galicia, and pandeirada is a kind of popular dance, rythm and music). Actually, Xulio is still in active. You can hear a fragment clicking here.

Not as other Celso Emilio Ferreiro's poems that later became songs, this poems was writen for Xulio Formoso could sing it.

O dedo na chaga

Estas palabras que digo
abróllanme dende o fondo
porque eu endexamáis escondo
a canción que vai conmigo.

Cos meus cantares consigo
ser coma o vento lixeiro,
ninguén me marca o sendeiro,
ninguén me dicta a canción,
teño limpo o corazón
pra vivir ceibe e senlleiro.

Meu canto rudo e sinceiro
co badoco non se avén.
Desprezo a todo o que ten
alma servil de logreiro
sen outro Deus que o diñeiro.

Meu canto a ninguén falaga,
ninguén por cantar me paga,
soio o povo, meu irmán,
aplaude o meu canto chan,
se poño o dedo na chaga.

The finger on the sore spot

These words I say/ bloom from my depth/ because I never hide/ the song that comes with me.// With my songs I get/ to be as the light wind,/ no-one marks me the road,/ no-one dictates me the song,/ I have the heart clean/ for living free and alone.// My abrupt and true song/ does not reconcile with the blockhead./ I despise everyone who has/ usurer servile soul/ without another God but the money.// My song flatters to nobody,/ no-one pays me for singing,/ only the People, my brother,/ acclaims my straight forward song,/ if I put a finger ont the sore spot.

Celso Emilio Ferreiro

music by Xulio Formoso

You can read the Spanish translation by clicking here

Xerardo Moscoso was one of the first members of the Galician songwriters colective Voces Ceibes. Born in Mexico, being son of Galician emigrants, came to Galicia to study and there he became in a significative member of Voces Ceibes. Between 1968 and 1970, he recorded two EPs, with own writings. Due to politicals troubles, Xerardo leave Galicia and goes to Switzerland, and due to his Mexican nationality, even in 1976 Spanish authorities denied him permision for living in Spain. Between 1976 and 1977, he recorded in France his only LP, Acción Galega ("Galician Action", a name of a nationalist poet Ramón Cabanillas' poem), in which was included a version from this Celso Emilio and Xulio song.

The Nova Canción Galega (New Galician Song) was a literary-musical movement of young people who were against Franco's regime and wanted to rescue culture and language of Galicia. In this movement are the collective Voces Ceibes and the Venezuelan Xulio Formoso. In the 70's decade, the movement get folklorist attitude, instead many of them rejected it in the beginnings.

Voces Ceibes (Free Voices) was the first collective of the Nova Canción Galega. Their objectives were make an opposition to Franco's regime with music and poems of the great all of times Galician poets and make a vindication of Galician culture, language and literature. But they rejected to use Galician folklore due to the illegitimacy use that Franco's regime make of it as an instrument of cohesion of all the Spanish lands.  Despite of this, in the 70's, they adopted finally the Galician folk-music for making art and vindications.

Pablo Guerrero is one of the most tender and sweeter. Born in Esparragosa de Lares, a village of Badajoz, Extremadura, in 1946. In 1969 comes to Madrid for singing; his first songs are influenced by Extremadura's traditional songs, but soon he'll sing also songs with Dylan, Paco Ibáñez, Georges Brassens, Moustaki and Jose Afonso influences. His great song is "A cántaros" ("It's pouring"), that became in a song of solidarity. Pablo's poetry is one of the most beautiful: talking about friendship, solidarity, humanity, brotherhood, his land and, of course, love. He also recorded songs with Africans influence, and today, without the previous power of voice, his songs are more literary than musicals. Some of his best LPs are A cántaros (Pours) and Porque amamos el fuego (Because we love fire).

This is one of his first songs, and talks about the peasant from Extremadura

Son hombres que se mueren sin haber visto la mar

Los siglos de silencio, que tanto pesan,
te duelen más, amigo, que la tristeza,             
que la tristeza, que la tristeza
de ver que es  para el amo lo que tú siembras.

Por ahí van, por ahí van,
son hombres que se mueren sin haber visto la mar.

Por ahí van, por ahí van,
son hombres que se mueren sin haber visto la mar.

They are men that die without ever seen the sea

The centuries of silence,/ that weigh on so,/ hurt you more, my friend,/ than sadness,/ than sadness, than the sadness/ of seeing is for the owner that you seed.// There they go, there they go,/ they are men that die without ever seen the sea.// They worked for a hundred years, what did they get?/ the shadow of an oak when they died,/ when they died, when they died/ in the end the soil  covered all their dreams.// There they go… // The peasant's voice, that was hidden,/ between hills and valleys,/ field and fatigue,/ field and fatigue, field and fatigue/ they were voices without an echoe along all their life.// There they go… // But your voice it's not forever asleeping,/ you can sing now, cry louder,/ cry louder, cry louder,/ don't ask for please what they owe you.

Pablo Guerrero

Rosalía de Castro (Santiago de Compostela, 1837-Padrón, 1885), poet and novelist, was the great renewer of the Galician literature. Indispensable author in the Spanish romantic literary movement, Rosalía wrote as in Spanish (Castillian) as in Galician; existencialist themes, but also compromised poems with the Galicians migraters. Most of her poems were influenced by the Galician folk-songs; but, in some cases, Galician folklore feed of her poems.

This is the case of this song: “Negra sombra”, with music of Juan Montes Capón

Negra sombra

Cando penso que te fuches,
negra sombra que m’asombras,
o pe d’os teus cabezales
tornas facéndome mofa.
Cando maximo qu’es ida
n’o mesmo sol te m’amostras
y eres á estrela que brila
y eres ó vento que zoa.
Si cantan, es ti que cantas.
Si choran, es ti que choras.
y es ó marmurio d’o rio
y es á noite y es á aurora.
En todo estás e ti es todo,
pra min y en min mesma moras,
nin me deixarás nunca
sombra que sempre m’asombras.

Black shadow

When I realize that you're gone,/ black shadow that amazes me,/ at the feet of your pillows/ you back taunting me.// When I consider you're gone,/ in the same sun you are shown to me/ and you are the star that shine,/ and you are the wind that hoots.// If anybody sings, it's you who is singing,/ if anybody cries, it's you who is crying,/ and it's the murmur of the river/ and it's the night and it's the dawn.// You are in all and you are all/ for me and inside myself you dwell/ neither you ever leave me/ shadow that always amazes me.

Many Galician singers and groups made their own version: Amancio Prada, Milladoiro, Luz Casal… And Bibiano, which 1980’s album version scandalize to the purists:

The Nova Canción Galega (New Galician Song) was a literary-musical movement of young people who were against Franco's regime and wanted to rescue culture and language of Galicia. In this movement are the collective Voces Ceibes and the Venezuelan Xulio Formoso. In the 70's decade, the movement get folklorist attitude, instead many of them rejected it in the beginnings.

Voces Ceibes (Free Voices) was the first collective of the Nova Canción Galega. Their objectives were make an opposition to Franco's regime with music and poems of the great all of times Galician poets and make a vindication of Galician culture, language and literature. But they rejected to use Galician folklore due to the illegitimacy use that Franco's regime make of it as an instrument of cohesion of all the Spanish lands.  Despite of this, in the 70's, they adopted finally the Galician folk-music for making art and vindications.

“Los campanilleros” is an Andalussian dearest song. Originally, “Los campanilleros” was a Christmass song, but soon it had other connotations due to some lines of the song. A campanillero (maybe could be translated as bell-player) is a person who plays with others religious songs with guitars, bells and other instruments.

This is one of the most known versions:

En los pueblos de mi Andalucía
los campanilleros por la "madrugá"
me despiertan con sus campanillas
y con sus guitarras me hacen llorar.
Yo empiezo a cantar, ...
y al oírme todos los pajarillos
que están en las ramas se echan a volar.

Pajarillos que vais por el campo,
seguid a la estrella, volad a Belén,
que os espera un niño chiquito
que el Rey de los Cielos y la Tierra es.
Volad a Belén, ...
que os espera un niño chiquito,
que el Rey de los Cielos y la Tierra es.

En la noche de la Nochebuena,
bajo las estrellas y por la "madrugá"
los pastores, con sus campanillas,
adoran al Niño que ha nacido ya.
Y con devoción, ...
van tocando zambombas, panderos,
cantando las coplas al Niño de Dios.

A la puerta de un rico avariento
llegó Jesucristo y limosna pidió,
y en lugar de darle una limosna
los perros que había se los azuzó.
Pero quiso Dios, ...
que al momento los perros murieran
y el rico avariento pobre se quedó.

Si supieras la entrada que tuvo
el Rey de los cielos en Jerusalén
no quiso ni coches ni calesas,
sino un jumentito que "alquilao" fue.
Quiso demostrar, ...
que las puertas divinas del cielo
tan solo las abre la Santa humildad.

In the villages of my Andalusia/ the campanilleros awake me/ at dawn/ and with their guitars make me cry./ I start to sing,/ and hearing me/ all the little birds/ that are in the branches go flying.// Little birds that go by the fields,/ follow the star, fly to Betlehem,/ for a little kid is waiting for you/ for he is the king of Heaven and earth.// In Christmass Eve/ under the stars and at dawn/ the sheepherds with their bells/ worship the now born Kid./ And with devotion.../ they go playing zambombas, tambourines,/ singing couples to God's Child.// To an old miser man's door/ came Jesuschrist and asked alms,/ and instead of give him alms, he bait the dogs he had./ But God wanted/ the dogs die at that moment/ and the old miser became poor.// If you knew the kind entry/ the King of Heaven had in Jerusalem,/ he didn't want cars nor buggy,/ but a rented little donkey./ He wanted to prove/ that the Heaven Holy Gates/ only can be open by the Holy Humility.

Many singers, like the great “Niña de la Puebla”, and groups made a version of this folk-song. Between them I choose two.

Jarcha (that is the name of a mozarabian poetic form) was an Andalussian folk group from Huelva. Was formed in 1972 by María Isabel Martín, Lola Bon, Antonio A. Ligero, Ángel Corpa, Crisanto Martín, Gabi Travé and Rafael Castizo, although many members were changing. Jarcha's music is Andalussian traditional songs, but with pop arranges. Jarcha also sung poems of Federico García Lorca, Rafael Alberti, Salvador Távora and Miguel Hernández. In his 1975 álbum, Andalucía vive (Andalusia is alive), Jarcha included this version of "Los campanilleros".

En la puerta de un rico avariento

To an old miser man's door/ came Jesuschrist and asked alms,/ and instead of give him alms, he bait the dogs he had./ But God wanted/ the dogs die at that moment/ and the old miser became poor.// Little birds that are at the branches/ looking for love and freedom,/ run and go to tell the man that I want/ him to come to my fence door at dawn./ And when I saw him,/ I cut a colorful rose from its stalk/ and I gave it to him.// In the fields of my Andalusia/ the campanilleros at dawn/ they awake me with their little bells/ and with their guitars make me cry./ They make me cry.../ And when all the little birds that are in the branches hear it/ take a fly.

Nuestro Pequeño Mundo (Our Little World) was a folk group born in 1968 under the auspiciuos of great folklorist and folksinger Joaquín Díaz. Its original members were Pilar Alonso "Pat", Laura Muñoz, Ignacio Sáenz de Tejada, Juan Alberto Arteche, Juan Ignacio Cuadrado, Chema Martínez, Jaime Ramiro y Gabriel Arteche: many of them were also musician in the recordings and recitals of many songwriters. NPM was one of the first group of that which is name is World Music: a band of interpreters of folk music from all around the world: Pete Seeger, Dubliners, Nina Simone, Kingston Trio; Peter, Paul & Mary; of Spanish songwriters like Lluís Llach, Serrat and Pablo Guerrero; and, of course, Spanish folk-songs. In his 1975’s album, Al amanecer (At dawn), included this wonderful version, with words of Jiménez Montesinos:

En los campos de mi Andalucía
los campanilleros en la madrugá
me despiertan con sus campanillas
y con sus guitarras me pongo a llorar.

Los gitanos que van por el monte,
cantando y bailando al amanecer
de mil soles que maduran el trigo
pudriendo el quejido de un viejo rabel,

suplicando al amor,
con las manos al cielo mirando
la frialdad del rocío
de un sabio cantor.

En la historia del mundo no ha habido
los gritos tan claros de una nación,
santiguando con agua bendita
las manos rojizas de un santo patrón

que reza al andar a las flores
de un campo marchito
cargadito de espinos
de amargo aguijón.

In the fields of my Andalusia/ the campanilleros at dawn/ they awake me with their little bells/ and with their guitars I start to cry.// The gypsys that go by the mount/ singing and dancing at dawn/ of a thousand suns that make mature the wheat/ rotting the mourn of an old rebec// begging to love/ with the hands to the sky looking/ the coldness of the dew/ from a wise singer.// In the history of world hasn't been/ a nation's so clear cries,/ making the sign of cross with holy water/ the red hands of a patron saint//  that pray as he walks to the flowers/ of a withered field/ loaded of hawthorns/ with bitter sting.

José Antonio Labordeta is one of the most passionated Spanish songwriters. Born in Zaragoza, in 1935, his brother is the notorious poet Miguel Labordeta. Labordeta is a versatile man: he has been teacher, poet, singer, cultural TV program presenter ("Un país en la mochila" -"A country in the bag"-, a program in which Labordeta was running several Spanish village as a backpacker), politician... In Zaragoza, he met the Georges's Brassens genial music, and decide to record his poetic songs. He mixed Brassens's style with traditional music from Aragón. His words are powerful, faithful and compromised with his time and with the Humanity; sometimes he had sung his brothers' poems. His discography is very large: his 1st EP comes in 1969, under the name of Cantar y callar ("Singing and shutting"), but due the student and workers riots of this years, government get off the record. In 1973 he recorded in Barcelona his 1st LP, Cantar i callar (the same title, but in Catalan, although the album is in Spanish). To this shall follow others as Tiempo de espera -"Time for waiting"- (1975), or Cantata para un país (Ballad for a country).

This beautiful song, of his 1st LP, talks about the problem of migration, very usual in Aragón’s rural world, during the 50, 60 and 70s. This old woman still is the typicall ancient lady in the Spanish rural lands.

La vieja

Siempre te recuerdo vieja
sentada junto al hogar,
acariciando la lumbre,
la cadiera y el pozal.

La tristeza de tus ojos
de tanto mirar,
hijos que van hacia Francia
otros hacia la ciudad.
Miguel dice que va bueno
y parió la del Julián.
Tú te quedas con tus muertos
rezándoles sin parar,
pensando que en esta vida
sólo se puede llorar.

Siempre te recuerdo vieja
sentada frente al portal,
repasando antiguas mudas
que ya nadie se pondrá.

Al cierzo de los otoños
vas a buscar
palabras desde la Francia
o desde la ciudad.
Miguel cayó del andamio
y parió la del Julián.
Tú, tus mitos y tus penas
cubren barbecho y erial,
cubren los viejos olivos
con tu densa soledad.

Siempre te recuerdo vieja
zurciendo la eternidad
con tus palabras menudas
ocultando la verdad.

Siempre te recuerdo vieja
nunca te podré olvidar,
eternamente paciente,
sufriendo sin más ni más.

The old woman

I always remember you old,/ sat by the fireside,/ caressing the fire,/ the bank and the buckets.// Sadness in your eyes/ of so looking/ your children going to France,/ others to town./ Miguel says it's ok/ and Julián's wife gave birth./ You stay with your deaths/ nonstop praying for them,/ thinking that in this life/ only it can crying.// I always remember you old,/ sat by the doorway,/ reviewing old moults/ nobody shall wear again.// At the autumns' Cierzo (1)/ you go looking/ words from France/ or from town./ Miguel fell from the scaffold/ and Julián's wife gave birth./ You, your myths and your sorrows/ cover fallow and wasteland,/ cover the old olive-trees/ with your dense lonelyness.// I always remember you old/ mending the eternity/ with your doited words/ hidding the truth.// Miguel died by the scaffold/ and Julián's kids/ at that summer's ending/ get bak to town./ We buried you poor,/ as it should be,/ beside your husband,/ your parents and the sacristan,/ who crazy about the bells,/ scraped in front of the altar.// I always remeber you old,/ I’ll never can forget you,/ eternally patient,/ suffering without more ado.

José Antonio Labordeta

(1) A kind of wind that blows in Aragón and Navarra which is originated in the valley of the Ebro.

Joan Manuel Serrat is the most popular Catalan songwriter, singing as in Catalan as in Castilian. Also is the most known Spanish songwriter abroad. In 1965 he came to take part of the Catalan songwriters collective Els Setze Jutges (The Sixteen Judges), being one of the firsts and younger members of the group, singing only in Catalan. In 1968 decides to sing also in Castilian, which makes that most companions criticize him for consider that a kind of treason. Serrat's case is very curious, because get a position in the middle of being a compromised songwriter and a successful star singer; but that complex situation don't let him to get lost by success, so he always has known which was his place in the music. Serrat's music is very gentle and sweet; his words use to be very romantics, but also compromised with his time and reality, making pictures of workers, peasants, lonely people. etc. He also has made songs with poems of Catalan poets as Salvat-Papasseit, and Castilian poets' as Antonio Machado and Miguel Hernández (all of them, as Catalans as Castilians, forbidden by Franco's regime). Although he never has made songs which could be considerated as anthems, his personal and political positions made of him a non-grata person for regime, to the point of not to let him back to his country by his critics to the last Franco's executions. Joan Manuel Serrat keeps recording LPs and making tours, being one of the Spanish songwriters most admired on Latin-America.

 La mort de l’avi

No hi ha rialles, sols hi ha plors.
No hi ha cançons, sols hi ha gemecs.
Sembla que tot vagi de dol
en aquest racó mariner.
A la taverna, els pescadors
estan tots muts, no diuen res,
i les comares, a l'església,
preguen per l'avi.
Tothom anirà a l'enterrament,
tothom dirà: "que bo què era!"
Tothom sabrà parlar-ne bé,
potser algú plorarà de pena.
Però no d'amor, perquè, al vell,
d'amor, tan sols li'n van donar
la barca, el vent, els aparells,
la xarxa, el sol i el blau del mar.
Però l'endemà tot ha canviat,
car ningú no pensa en el vell.
Els pescadors són a la mar,
els minyons juguen pel carrer.
Però a la platja, plena ahir,
sols una barca hi ha restat,
amb una xarxa que mai més
no tornarà a besar la mar.
No tornarà a besar la mar,
mai més.

Death of grandfather

There's no laughters, there is only cryings./ There is no songs, there is only moanings./ It seems everything is in bereaved in this seafaring place.// In the tabern, the fishermen/ are all voiceless, the say nothing,/ and the wives at the church/ are praying for grandfather.// Everybody will go to the burial,/ everybody shall say: "How good he was!"./ Everyone shall know to talk well about him,/ maybe someone shall mourn with grief.// But no with love,/ because, to the old man,/ love was given only by/ the boat, the wind, the gears,/ the net, the sun and the blue of sea.// But in the morning everything is changed,/ no-one thinks of the elder now./ Fishermen are on the sea,/ the kids are playing at the street.// But on the beach, yesterday full,/ just left a boat/ with a net that never more/ shall kiss again the sea./ It won't kiss the sea,/ never more.

Joan Manuel Serrat

Benedicto (Benedicto García Villar) is one of the best songwriters in Galician language on Spain at he last 60's and swinging 70's. He was one of the founders of the collective Voces Ceibes (Free Voices), a collective of Galician songwriters, leaded by poet Manuel María Fernández, which objective was the vindication of Galician as language, and the culture and literature of Galicia (North-West of Spain). His style, instead his "French-Catalan" beginnings, has a root in Galician folklore. His 1st work was a EP with four songs at the fall of 60s decade, also recitals and concerts by Galicia and Madrid and other places. At the beginning of the 70s decade, he went to Portugal for meeting the great Portuguese songwriter José Afonso; since that moment, Benedicto accompany with guitar to Jose Afonso in his tours around Portugal, Paris, Galicia and some other places. In 1974, Benedicto back to Galicia and records his 1st album with the production of Argentine songwriter Alberto Gambino: Pola unión (For the union) released in 1977. To this, will follows Os nomes das cousas (The things names). But later he won't record no more albums, although his career  was very intense. He alternates his own writings with the writings of the greater poets of Galicia as Celso Emilio Ferreiro, Manuel Curros Enríquez or Manuel Cabada Vázquez; also he alternates in the 70's his own music with traditional Galicians ballads.

This is one of his firts songs, recorded in 1968. The words are of Gregorio Fernández, actually teacher on the Cervantes Institute of Lisboa.

O arte de amar

Eu podía cantar azures do ceo,
verdes pretos do mar,
unha frol,
a rapaza,
o banquete
das horas que non pasan,
o anceio que non ten mañán.
Eu podía cantar as cousas pequenas,
as follas, as pedras, o arbre senlleiro,
o berro do ar.
Eu podia cantar as cousas dos nenos,
o fútbol, as loitas, os contos dos pais.
Pero hai algo eiquí dentro que berra:
canta soio o arte de amar,
a forza que peta no soño xigante
do rapaz que non é home,
do home que se sinte rapaz.
Por iso cantando adeprendo
o difícil que é o arte de amar.
(bis)
A forza que peta no soño xigante:
o arte de amar.

The art of loving

I could sing the blue of the sky,/ dark greens of sea,/ a flower,/ the girl,/ the banquet/ of the hours that don't go by,/ the old man without tomorrow./ I could sing the little things,/ the leaves, the stones, the lonely tree,/ the cry of wind./ I could sing the things of the children,/ football, the fights, the parents' tales./ But there's something here inside that cries:/ just sing the art of loving,/ the strenght that fill the giant dream/ of the child who is not a man,/ of the man who feels like a child./ By that singing I learn/ how difficult is the art of loving./ The strenght that fill the giant dream:/ the art of loving.

words by Gregorio Fernández

music by Benedicto

You can read the Spanish translation by clicking here

The Nova Canción Galega (New Galician Song) was a literary-musical movement of young people who were against Franco's regime and wanted to rescue culture and language of Galicia. In this movement are the collective Voces Ceibes. In the 70's decade, the movement get folklorist attitude, instead many of them rejected it in the beginnings.

Voces Ceibes (Free Voices) was the first collective of the Nova Canción Galega. Their objectives were make an opposition to Franco's regime with music and poems of the great all of times Galician poets and make a vindication of Galician culture, language and literature. But they rejected to use Galician folklore due to the illegitimacy use that Franco's regime was making of it as an instrument of cohesion of all the Spanish lands.  Despite of this, in the 70's, they adopted finally the Galician folk-music for making art and vindications.

Víctor Jara (Víctor Lidio Jara Martínez; San Ignacio, 28 de Septiembre de 1932-Santiago de Chile, 16 de Septiembre de 1973), Chilean musician, songwriter and theater director. Son of peasants, he became in the great referent of the New Chilean song and in a standard of the revolutionary and solidary international song. Víctor’s songs talks about the Chilean workers and peasants unfair way of life, about the revolution and about love. He colaborated with others great Chilean songwriters and groups as the Parras (children and relatives of Violeta Parra) or Quilapayún. He supported  the campaign of Salvador Allende for president. During bloody Pinochet’s coup-d’etat, he was arested, tortured and killed, only for sing songs of hope and justice. Some of his records: Canto libre –Free song- (1970), El derecho de vivir en paz –The right of living in peace- (1971), La Población –The population- (1972) and many others.

This is Víctor’s last poem, writen during his arest in the Chile Stadium (where years before he won a prize) and a little moment before he was killed. He gave it to a companion, who could get it off one he was released. The poem has been sung by Isabel and Ángel Parra, and an amazing recitated version by Pete Seeger in the concert with Arlo Guthrie. I offer you Pete’s translation, but first mine, because Pete didin’t translated the entire poem.

(Víctor Jara in Wikipedia)

Estadio de Chile

Somos cinco mil
en esta pequeña parte de la ciudad.
Somos cinco mil.
¿Cuántos seremos en total
en las ciudades y en todo el país?
Solo aquí,
diez mil manos siembran
y hacen andar las fábricas.
¡Cuánta humanidad
con hambre, frío, pánico, dolor,
presión moral, terror y locura!
Seis de los nuestros se perdieron
en el espacio de las estrellas.
Un muerto, un golpeado como jamás creí
se podría golpear a un ser humano.
Los otros cuatro quisieron quitarse todos los temores,
uno saltó al vacío,
otro golpeándose la cabeza contra el muro,
pero todos con la mirada fija de la muerte.
¡Qué espanto causa el rostro del fascismo!
Llevan a cabo sus planes con precisión artera
Sin importarles nada.
La sangre para ellos son medallas.
La matanza es acto de heroísmo
¿Es este el mundo que creaste, dios mío?
¿Para esto tus siete días de asombro y trabajo?
En estas cuatro murallas solo existe un número
que no progresa,
que lentamente querrá más muerte.
Pero de pronto me golpea la conciencia
y veo esta marea sin latido,
pero con el pulso de las máquinas
y los militares mostrando su rostro de matrona
llena de dulzura.
¿Y México, Cuba y el mundo?
¡Que griten esta ignominia!
Somos diez mil manos menos
que no producen.
¿Cuántos somos en toda la Patria?
La sangre del compañero Presidente
golpea más fuerte que bombas y metrallas
Así golpeará nuestro puño nuevamente
¡Canto que mal me sales
cuando tengo que cantar espanto!
Espanto como el que vivo
como el que muero, espanto.
De verme entre tanto y tantos
momentos del infinito
en que el silencio y el grito
son las metas de este canto.
Lo que veo nunca vi,
lo que he sentido y que siento
hará brotar el momento...

Chile Stadium

We are five thousand/ in this little part of the city./ We are five thousand./ How many more shall we be/ in the cities and in the whole country?/ Just here,/ ten thousand hands seeds/ and make grown the factories./ How much humanity/ with hunger, cold, panic, pain,/ moral presion, terror and madness!/ Six of us get lost/ in the space of the stars./ One dead, one beaten like I never knew/ a human being could be beaten./ The other four wanted to deliver out all their fears,/ one jumped into the void,/ other beating his head against the wall,/ but all of the death’s stare./ What horror causes the fascism’s face!/ They carry on their plannings with wily precision/ caring about nothing./ Blood is medals for them,/ slaughter is an act of heroism./ Is this the world you created, my God?/ For this were your seven days of amaze and work?/ Inside this four walls only exists a number/ that doesn’t progress,/ that slowly shall want more death./ But suddenly my conscience is beating/ and I see this beatless tide,/ but with the pulse of machines/ and the militaries showing their faces like midwifes/ full of sweetness./ And Mexico, Cuba and the world?/ May they shout this ignominy!/ We are ten thousand hands less/ that don’t produce./ How many are we in the whole Fatherland?/ The blood of companion president/ beats stronger than bombs and shrapnel./ So our fist again shall beat./ Song, how badly you come out from me/ when I must to sing about terror!/ A terror like that I am living,/ like that in what I’m dying,/ terror./ Of seeing me among so many and so many/ moments of the infinite/ in which the silence and the scream/ are the goal of this song./ What I’m seeing I’ve never saw,/ what I’ve felt and what I’m feeling/ will make sprout the moment…

Chile Stadium (Pete Seeger’s version)

We are five thousand/ here in this little part of the city./ We are five thousand,/ how many more shall we be/ in the whole cities,/ in the whole country?/ Ten thousand hands/ which can seed the fields,/ make grown the factories./ How much humanity/ with hunger now, cold, panic, pain and terror!/ Six of us are now lost in space/ among the stars./ One dead, one beaten like I never knew/ a human being could be beaten./ The other four wanted to die/ want to deliver of the terror,/ beating their heads against the wall./ The militaries carry out their plannings with precision,/ the blood is like medals for them,/ slaughter is the act for his heroism./ Is this the world you created, oh my God,/ in seven days?/  The blood of compañero presidente,/ is stronger than bombs./ Oh you, song/ you come out so badly/ when I must to sing/ the terror what I see./ I never saw, but I’ve felt what I feel./ ¡Ay canto, que mal me sales!

Víctor Jara

Bibiano Morón is a progressive Galician songwriter. He was the last to get in Voces Ceibes. Bibiano, more than a lyricist, is a musician: Bibiano's music is a mixed of Galician folk, Celtic music and progressive rock, being, in many ways, the great renewer of the Galician songwriting. His three LPs are Estamos chegando ó mar -We are arriving to the sea- (1976), Alcabre (1977) and Aluminio -Aluminium- (1979).

This is one of his most compromissed songs, is dedicated to Paco Filgueiras (1920-1976), one of the founders of the section of Galicia of the communist worker union Comisiones Obreras (Workers Comissions). Paco Filgueiras (whose full name was Francisco Fernández Filgueiras) was an admirable man, almost an adventurer and a real fighter for the working class hero and against Farnco's dictatorship.

During his exile, Paco get sick; and while he was coming back to Spain in 1976, due to Franco's dead, he die due to his sickness.

Bibiano made for him this homage, included on Alcabre. You can download and listen the song here.

(letra: Bibiano Morón,
música: Bibiano Morón)

Somente morren
Aqueles que non deixan semente
Aqueles que non deixan semente
Aqueles que non deixan semente

E vós deixastedes o millor
De tódolos sangues
Sangue, o voso sangue
Sangue da terra e da lus
Sangue de lus, de futuro e libertade
Semente de homes novos
Como vosoutros

Somente morren
Aqueles que non deixan semente
Aqueles que non deixan semente
Aqueles que non deixan semente

E vós deixastedes o millor
De tódolos sangues
Sangue, o voso sangue
Sangue da terra e da lus
Sangue de lus, de futuro e libertade
Semente de homes novos
Como vosoutros

Songs for thoswe who never die

To Paco Filgueiras

(about a Fernando Cuervo's idea)

Only die those who/ don't leave seeds.// And you left the best/ of all the bloods,/ blood, your blood./ Blood of the soil and light/ Blood of light, of future and freedom/ seed of new men/ like you.//...

Spanish translation here

The Nova Canción Galega (New Galician Song) was a literary-musical movement of young people who were against Franco's regime and wanted to rescue culture and language of Galicia. In this movement are the collective Voces Ceibes and the Venezuelan Xulio Formoso. In the 70's decade, the movement get folklorist attitude, instead many of them rejected it in the beginnings.

Voces Ceibes (Free Voices) was the first collective of the Nova Canción Galega. Their objectives were make an opposition to Franco's regime with music and poems of the great all of times Galician poets and make a vindication of Galician culture, language and literature. But they rejected to use Galician folklore due to the illegitimacy use that Franco's regime make of it as an instrument of cohesion of all the Spanish lands.  Despite of this, in the 70's, they adopted finally the Galician folk-music for making art and vindications.

Pablo Milanés is one of the most valued artists of the Cuban Nueva Trova. His songs use to be a mix of themes of love, solidarity and revolution.  In his 1976’ album La vida no vale nada (Life has no worth at all), made a song in homage to represaliated of Pinochet’s coup-d’etat, as Víctor Jara, songwriter, and Salvador Allende, Republic of Chile’s president:

Yo pisaré las calles nuevamente

Yo pisaré las calles nuevamente
de lo que fue Santiago ensangrentada,
y en una hermosa plaza liberada
me detendré a llorar por los ausentes.
Yo vendré del desierto calcinante
y saldré de los bosques y los lagos,
y evocaré en un cerro de Santiago
a mis hermanos que murieron antes.
Yo unido al que hizo mucho y poco
al que quiere la patria liberada
dispararé las primeras balas
más temprano que tarde, sin reposo.
Retornarán los libros, las canciones
que quemaron las manos asesinas.
Renacerá mi pueblo de su ruina
y pagarán su culpa los traidores.
Un niño jugará en una alameda
y cantará con sus amigos nuevos,
y ese canto será el canto del suelo
a una vida segada en La Moneda.
Yo pisaré las calles nuevamente
de lo que fue Santiago ensangrentada,
y en una hermosa plaza liberada
me detendré a llorar por los ausentes.

I shall step on the streets again

I shall step again on the streets/ of that was bloodstained Santiago,/ and in a beautiful released square/ I will stop to cry for the absentees.// I will come from the scorching desert/ and I will leave the woods and the lakes,/ and I shall recalled on a hill of Santiago/ to my brothers that died before.// I, joined to who made a lot and a little,/ to who wants his homeland released,/ shall shoot the first bullets/ sooner than later, without a break.// Shall come back the books, the songs/ that were burned by killing hands./ My people shall reborn of his ruin/ and the betrayers.// A kid shall play in a tree-lined avenue/ and shall sing with his new friends,/ and that song will be the song of the soil/ to a mowed life on La Moneda (1).// I shall step again on the streets/ of that was bloodstained Santiago,/ and in a beautiful released square/ I will stop to cry for the absentees.

Pablo Milanés

(1) Palace of La Moneda: the Chilean presidential palace.

Spanish text from www.trovadores.net

Víctor Jara (Víctor Lidio Jara Martínez; San Ignacio, 28 de Septiembre de 1932-Santiago de Chile, 16 de Septiembre de 1973), Chilean musician, songwriter and theater director. Son of peasants, he became in the great referent of the New Chilean song and in a standard of the revolutionary and solidary international song. Víctor’s songs talks about the Chilean workers and peasants unfair way of life, about the revolution and about love. He colaborated with others great Chilean songwriters and groups as the Parras (children and relatives of Violeta Parra) or Quilapayún. He supported  the campaign of Salvador Allende for president. During bloody Pinochet’s coup-d’etat, he was arested, tortured and killed, only for sing songs of hope and justice. Some of his records: Canto libre –Free song- (1970), El derecho de vivir en paz –The right of living in peace- (1971), La Población –The population- (1972) and many others.

(Víctor Jara in Wikipedia)

This song was dedicated to the memory of Argentinan revolutionary Ernesto “Che” Guevara. But, in some way, is almost prophetic about his life.

El aparecido (1)

Abre sendas por los cerros,
deja su huella en el viento,
el águila le da el vuelo
y lo cobija el silencio.
Nunca se quejó del frío,
nunca se quejó del sueño,
el pobre siente su paso
y lo sigue como ciego.
Correlé, correlé, correlá (2)
por aquí, por allí, por allá,
correlé, correlé, correlá,
correlé que te van a matar,
correlé, correlé, correlá.
Su cabeza es rematada
por cuervos con garra de oro
como lo ha crucificado
la furia del poderoso.
Hijo de la rebeldía
lo siguen veinte más veinte,
porque regala su vida
ellos le quieren dar muerte.

The Spirit

He opens paths by the hills,/ leaves his step on the wind,/ the eagle gives him the flight/ and the silence shelters him./ He never complained of cold,/ he never complained of sleepy,/ the poor one feels his pass/ and he follow it as if he were blind./ Run, run, run,/ by here, by there, by yonder,/ run, run, run,/ run for they are going to kill you,/ run, run, run./ His head is crowned/ by golden talons crows/ how he has been crucified/ by the powerful one’s fury./ Son of rebellion,/ twenty plus twenty pursue him,/ because he give away his life/ they want to kill him.

Víctor Jara

(1) This is an antique use of the participle “aparecido” (“aparecer”: “to appear”), that means “spirit”, “ghost”. Other name is “aparición”.

(2) A recurse that uses to appear in children’s game songs, which literal English translation were “run it –or- run him, run her”.

Quilapayún is the great songwriter and folk group from Chile. The group was founded in 1965 by Julio Numhauser, Eduardo and Julio Carrasco: for that the name of the group: Quilapayún, that means "three beards" ("quila"= three; "payún"= beard) on mapuche's language. The group was one of the standards of the Nueva Canción Chilena, under the direction of great Víctor Jara. On the group there were many members, as Patricio Castillo (another great songwriter from Chile). Some of their records are Quilapayún (1965), Por Vietnam -For Vietnam- (1968), Cantata de Santa María de Iquique -Ballad of Saint Mary of Iquique- (1970, one of their best), Basta -Enough! (1969) or El pueblo unido jamás será vencido (The people united will never be defeated) (1975) and many others, because the group is still in active. In 1973, standing in Paris, Pinochet's bloody coup d'etat happens, so they, members and suporters of Salvador Allende's Unidad Popular (People Union), were forced to a large exile. Precisely, on the first years of the exile, they recorded, with Segio Ortega's music, this song.

This song is an homage to the President of Chile Salvador Allende, killed savagely by the Pinochet’s soldiers during his coup d’etat, because he wanted a Chile in which all people could have the same oportunities:

Compañero presidente

Por tu vida cantaremos
por tu muerte una canción
cantaremos por tu sangre
Compañero, Salvador.
Por tu vida Presidente
por tu muerte Compañero
nos dejaste tus banderas
Salvador de los obreros
Por las amplias alamedas
Compañero Presidente
volverá a marchar el pueblo
con su grito combatiente.
Por tu vida lucharemos
por tu muerte con valor
lucharemos por tu ejemplo
compañero, Salvador.
Que terminen los martirios
de tu tierra traicionada
que renazcan las espigas
de la patria liberada
La unidad del pueblo entero
es la fuerza libertaria
cumpliremos tu palabra
Salvador de la victoria
Vinieron los soldados
muerte en la población
se llevan al obrero
lo meten en prisión
Todos los campesinos
bajo el yugo del patrón
y los trabajadores
todos al paredón
El pan arrebatado
miseria y destrucción,
hambre, tortura, y grillos,
armas de la opresión
Contra el pueblo chileno
se ha alzado la traición
pero la venceremos
no habrá resignación.
En el alma minera
nace la insurrección
se alza su puño altivo
contra la represión
Por Chile venceremos
por su liberación
por una nueva patria
por la revolución.

Companion President

For your life we shall sing/ for your death a song/ we shall sing for your blood/ companion, Savador.// For your life president/ for your death companion/ you left us your flags/ Saviour (1) of the workers.// By the wide alamedas (2)/ partner president/ people shall march again/ with his fighter shout.// For your life we shall fight/ for your death with courage/ we shall fight for your example/ Salvador, partner.// May the martyrdoms get over/ in your betrayed land/ may be born again the ears/ of the released land.// The unity of the whole people/ is the libertarian strenght/ we will deliver your word/ Salvador (1) of the victory.// The soldiers came/ death on the population/ they took the worker/ they put him in prison.// All the peasants/ under the landlord's yoke/ and all the workers/ to the wall.// The snatched bread/ misery and destruction/ hunger, torture and fetters,/ guns of the opression.// Against the Chilean People/ the treason has risen/ but we shall defeat it/ there won't be resignation.// In the miner soul/ borns the insurrection/ its haughty fist rises/ against represion.// For Chile we shall overcome/ for its liberation/ for a new homeland/ for the revolution.

Eduardo Carrasco-Quilapayún

(1) Untraslatable game of words: “salvador” –saviour- is also a proper name in Spanish.

(2) A reference to the last Allende’s discourse: a retoric figure that means “freedom”.

Isabel Parra is great Chilean songwriter Violeta Parra’s daughter, and, like her mother, one of the greatest voices of the Nueva Canción Chilena (New Chilean Song). She begun to sing with her mother popular tunes on several places of Santiago de Chile, but her discographic career begun as duo with her brother Ángel in Paris. Both founded the Peña de los Parra. After Pinochet’s coup-d’etat (March, 1973), Isabel lives in France, occassionally in duo with other Chilean songwriter, Patricio Castillo. In 1987, she get back to Chile (a resume from this Wikipedia article).

In 1976, a bunch of Chilean songwriters recorded an LP with Chilean musician Eduardo Yáñez named Desde Chile resistimos (From Chile we resist) as a denunce against dictatorship. Isabel Parra sung this beautiful song:

En la playa, el amor

A Marta Ugarte Román

Los diarios traen noticias de que un crimen ocurrió,
hallaron a un ser humano sin aliento, sin calor,
brutalmente maltratado el cuerpo de una mujer,
¿cuál era su gran delito para esa suerte correr?
En la playa descansaba el cuerpo de una mujer.
Estuvo una noche entera, sólo el frío la cubrió,
su piel era un manto blanco que la luna acarició,
el mar le trajo un recuerdo pero el cuerpo no le oyó.
La muerte reinaba altiva dentro de aquel corazón.
Su piel era un manto blanco que la luna acarició.
El mar envuelto en tinieblas vio llegar al criminal,
lo vio llegar con su moda de terror y de crueldad,
el rastro del asesino el mar lo quiere encontrar,
también el cielo y las nubes y el viento de aquel lugar.
El mar envuelto en tinieblas vio llegar al criminal.
A esa mujer la conozco, una voz se oyó decir,
esa mujer es la vida que no se puede morir,
esa mujer es la tierra que hace brotar al maíz,
esa mujer no está muerta, pero se tuvo que ir.
A esa mujer la conozco, una voz se oyó decir.

On the beach, the love

To Marta Ugarte Román

The newspapers bring news about a crime that happened,/ they found a breathless, warmless human being,/ a brutally mistreated woman's body,/ which was her big crime for having that fate?/ On the beach was resting a woman's body.// She was there a whole night, just cold sheet her,/ her skin was a white cloak that moon caressed,/ the sea brought her a memory but body didn't hear it./ Death lordy reigned in that heart./ Her skin was a white cloak that moon caressed.// The sea covered in darkness saw the criminal coming,/ he saw him coming with his fashion of terror and cruelty,/ the sea wants to find the killer's trail,/ sky, clouds and the wind of that place too./ The sea covered in darkness saw the criminal coming.// I know that woman, a voice was heard,/ that woman is life that can't die,/ that woman is soil that makes to sprout the corn,/ that woman is not dead, but she had to go out./ I know that woman, a voice was heard.

Eduardo Yáñez

Bibiano Morón is a progressive Galician songwriter. He was the last to get in Voces Ceibes. Bibiano, more than a lyricist, is a musician: Bibiano's music is a mixed of Galician folk, Celtic music and progressive rock, being, in many ways, the great renewer of the Galician songwriting. His three LPs are Estamos chegando ó mar -We are arriving to the sea- (1976), Alcabre (1977) and Aluminio -Aluminium- (1979).

This song, “O can”, is one of his best: is a satyrical song about old dictator general Franco. Bibiano made the refrain thinking, making a pun, that when he sings “Abaixo a dentadura” (down with denture) it sounds like “abaixo a dictadura” (down with dictatorship). You can hear the studio version, in a Galician folk style, by clicking here (also download the whole LP, estamos chegando ó mar (1976), here). One of the first time he sung the song on stage, was in this recital, with his partner Benedicto, in Santiago de Compostela, being for the benefit of Santiago Álvarez, communist leader in prison: on that ocasion, the song was named “Can de palleiro” (mongrel dog): you can hear by clicking here, so you’ll apreciate the inmense atmosphere (you also can download the whole recital clicking here).

O can (Can de palleiro)

¡Ai!, rabioso e vello
Can de palleiro
¡Ai!, rabioso e vello
Can de palleiro
Daste conta de
Que vas morrer
E non poderás pegar
E non poderás morder
Os teus podridos dentes
Xa ves caer
Os teus podridos dentes
Xa ves caer
Caer un tras doutro
Xa ves caer
Está caendo toda
A túa dentadura
Está caendo toda
A túa dentadura
Túa forte dentadura
Virase abaixo
Abaixo a dentadura
Abaixo a dentadura
Vello can de palleiro
Xa vas morrer
E non poderás pegar
E non poderás morder
Os teus podridos dentes
Xa ves caer
Os teus podridos dentes
Xa ves caer
Caer un tras doutro
Xa ves caer
Está caendo toda
A túa dentadura
Está caendo toda
A túa dentadura
Túa forte dentadura
Virase abaixo
Abaixo a dentadura
Abaixo a dentadura

The dog (Mongrel dog)

Oh, rabid and old/ mongrel dog// Realize you're going to die/ and you could not beat/ and you could not bite// You're already seeing/ your rotten teeth falling// Falling one after one/ already you are seeing// All your denture/ is falling// Your strong denture/ is falling down// Down with the denture!// Old mongrel dog/ you are already going to die....

Bibiano Morón

Bibiano's web

The Nova Canción Galega (New Galician Song) was a literary-musical movement of young people who were against Franco's regime and wanted to rescue culture and language of Galicia. In this movement are the collective Voces Ceibes and the Venezuelan Xulio Formoso. In the 70's decade, the movement get folklorist attitude, instead many of them rejected it in the beginnings.

Voces Ceibes (Free Voices) was the first collective of the Nova Canción Galega. Their objectives were make an opposition to Franco's regime with music and poems of the great all of times Galician poets and make a vindication of Galician culture, language and literature. But they rejected to use Galician folklore due to the illegitimacy use that Franco's regime make of it as an instrument of cohesion of all the Spanish lands.  Despite of this, in the 70's, they adopted finally the Galician folk-music for making art and vindications.

Rafael Alberti (Puerto de Santa María, Cádiz, 1902-Madrid, 1999) was one between the greatest Spanish poets. He was a member of the great Generación del 27 (27's Generation), with García Lorca, Gerardo Diego, etc. His poetry has five stages: new popularism, gongorism (relative to great clasic poet Luis de Góngora), political poetry and poetry from the exile. Member of the Spanish Comunist Party, Alberti was one of the poet more actives in the social report. During Spanish Civil War, was very active in the Republican side inside the movement Anti-Fascist Intellectuals Alliance, till Franco's victory, when he is forced to exile. Rafael begun to write poems vindicating humanism and against Francoist regime, becoming in a symbol to an all inconformist generation. He get back to Spain in 1977, two years after Franco's dead, thanks to an amnisty. (Photo: February, 1936; Alberti reading to the V Regiment).

In this poetry, Alberti compares Pinochet with Franco.

Al presidente de Chile, Salvador Allende

No los creais
cubría su rostro
la misma máscara
la lealtad en la boca
pero en la mano una bala...
Al fin los mismos en Chile
los mismos en Chile que en España

Todo acabó mas la muerte
la muerte no acaba nada
mirad: han matado a un hombre
ciega la mano que mata
cayó ayer, pero su sangre
hoy ya mismo se levanta
hoy ya mismi se levanta...

No los creais
cubría su rostro
a misma máscara
la lealtad en la boca
pero en la mano una bala...
Al fin los mismos en Chile
los mismos en Chile que en España

To the president of Chile, Salvador Allende

Don't you believe them/  a mask covered their face/  the same mask/  loyalty on the mouth/  but a bullet in the hand...// At the end the same in Chile/ the same in Chile than in Spain./ All was over but death/ death doesn't finish nothing/ look: they killed a man/ the killing hand blind/ fell yesterday, but his blood/ already today is rising.

Rafael Alberti

Víctor Manuel (Víctor Manuel San José) is a famous Asturian songwriter since the swinginng 60's. Member of the Spanish Comunist Party, made a lot of critical songs against Franco's regime. Víctor Manuel's style is a kind of pop music, sometimes mixed with Asturian traditional tunes. Víctor Manuel sings his own words, or poems by others, as Blas de Otero or this by Alberti. (Photo: Víctor Manuel, second by the right, with -from left to right- Galician songwriters Bibiano and Benedicto, Rosa León -playing guitar- and singer Ana Belén, his wife)

Inti-Illimani (Illimani's Sun: "inti", a quechua word that means "sun"; Illimani: aimara name of a mountain in La Paz, Bolivia) is one of the greater New Chilean Song folk and songwriting group, founded in 1967 by a group of students. They were supporters of Salvador Allende's party and goubernment. In 1973, due to killer Pinochet's coup d'etat, they were forced to exile: they live in Rome till 1988; during their exile, with the other memebers of the Chilean song, made the artistic and politic opposition to dictatorship.

Sergio Ortega (Antofagasta, 1938-París, 2003) was an important Chilean musician and composer. Ortega was member of the Chilean Communist Party, and compossed the anthem of Allende's party. He was an important figure in Chilean New Song, making songs to singer and groups as Quilapayún or Inti-Illimani. Since 1973, after Pinochet's coup d'etat, he lived in France till his dead.

This song, "Venceremos", was compossed to be the anthem of Unidad Popular (People Union), Allende's party. Inti-Illimani were the first in recording.

But, specially during their exile, was sung by Quilapayún, Isabel Parra (Violeta's daughter) and Patricio Castillo too. And even US ex-rock'n'roll singer-became in songwriter Dean Reed:

Venceremos

Desde el hondo crisol de la patria
se levanta el clamor popular,
ya se anuncia la nueva alborada,
todo Chile comienza a cantar.
Recordando al soldado valiente
cuyo ejemplo lo hiciera inmortal,
enfrentemos primero a la muerte,
traicionar a la patria jamás.
Venceremos, venceremos,
mil cadenas habrá que romper,
venceremos, venceremos,
la miseria (al fascismo) sabremos vencer.
Campesinos, soldados, mineros,
la mujer de la patria también,
estudiantes, empleados y obreros,
cumpliremos con nuestro deber.
Sembraremos las tierras de gloria,
socialista será el porvenir,
todos juntos haremos la historia,
a cumplir, a cumplir, a cumplir.

Lyric: Claudio Iturra

Music: Sergio Ortega

Inti-Illimani

We shall prevail

From the deep crucible of the homeland/ The people's voices rise up./ The new day comes over the horizon./ All Chile breaks out in song./  In remembrance of the courageous soldier/  Whose example has made him immortal/ First, we confront death,/  Our country we'll never betray./ We shall prevail, we shall prevail/ A thousand chains we'll have to break,/ We shall prevail, we shall prevail/ We know how to overcome misery/ fascism./ Peasants, soldiers, miners,/ And the women of our country, as well,/ Students, workers, white-collar and blue,/ We will do our duty./ We'll sow the land with glory./ Socialism will be our future./ All together, we will be history's completion./ We shall prevail, we shall prevail/ A thousand chains we'll have to break,/ We shall prevail, we shall prevail/ We know how to overcome misery.

 Source: http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node=Venceremos

Another version of the song, was writen by Víctor Jara (translation coming soon)

NOTE: these songs I compiled two years ago, when general Pinochet, killer of his own people, was dying on his bed.

Quilapayún is the great songwriter and folk group from Chile. The group was founded in 1965 by Julio Numhauser, Eduardo and Julio Carrasco: for that the name of the group: Quilapayún, that means "three beards" ("quila"= three; "payún"= beard) on mapuche's language. The group was one of the standards of the Nueva Canción Chilena, under the direction of great Víctor Jara. On the group there were many members, as Patricio Castillo (another great songwriter from Chile). Some of their records are Quilapayún (1965), Por Vietnam -For Vietnam- (1968), Cantata de Santa María de Iquique -Ballad of Saint Mary of Iquique- (1970, one of their best), Basta -Enough! (1969) or El pueblo unido jamás será vencido (The people united will never be defeated) (1975) and many others, because the group is still in active. In 1973, standing in Paris, Pinochet's bloody coup d'etat happens, so they, members and suporters of Salvador Allende's Unidad Popular (People Union), were forced to a large exile. Precisely, on the first years of the exile, they recorded, with Segio Ortega's music, this song.

Sergio Ortega (Antofagasta, 1938-París, 2003) was an important Chilean musician and composer. Ortega was member of the Chilean Communist Party, and compossed the anthem of Allende's party. He was an important figure in Chilean New Song, making songs to singer and groups as Quilapayún or Inti-Illimani. Since 1973, after Pinochet's coup d'etat, he lived in France till his dead.

"El pueblo unido jamás será vencido" is a song compossed by Ortega and with Quilapayún's word, based on the famous shout of struggle from all the Spanish-speaking world. Was compossed during the most intense years of Allende's chairmanship, 1973, when Chilean rich men and church was making a boycot to gobernment, and groups of extreme-right wing were bombing. After Pinochet's coup d'etat and during the cruel dictatorship, the song became in an anthem of the resistance. The song was recorded by many Chilean songwriters and groups, as Inti-Illimani (1974), Isabel Parra and Patricio Castillo, and, of course, by Quilapayún, that also took the title as the name of their record of 1975. Since then, the song became in an anthem there where are opression: so, in Spain was versioned by the folk group Nuestro Pequeño Mundo -Our Little World-, under the name of Coro Popular Jabalón (Jabalón People Chorus), and in Portugal, was Luis Cilia who translated the song to Portuguese.

El pueblo unido jamás será vencido

El pueblo unido, jamás será vencido,
El pueblo unido jamás será vencido...
De pie, cantar
Que vamos a triunfar.
Avanzan ya
Banderas de unidad.
Y tú vendrás
Marchando junto a mí
Y así verás
Tu canto y tu bandera florecer,
La luz
De un rojo amanecer
Anuncia ya
La vida que vendrá.
De pie, luchar
El pueblo va a triunfar.
Será mejor
La vida que vendrá
A conquistar
Nuestra felicidad
Y en un clamor
Mil voces de combate se alzarán
Dirán
Canción de libertad
Con decisión
La patria vencerá.
Y ahora el pueblo
Que se alza en la lucha
Con voz de gigante
Gritando: ¡adelante!
El pueblo unido, jamás será vencido,
El pueblo unido jamás será vencido...
La patria está
Forjando la unidad
De norte a sur
Se movilizará
Desde el salar
Ardiente y mineral
Al bosque austral
Unidos en la lucha y el trabajo
Irán
La patria cubrirán,
Su paso ya
Anuncia el porvenir.
De pie, cantar
El pueblo va a triunfar
Millones ya,
Imponen la verdad,
De acero son
Ardiente batallón
Sus manos van
Llevando la justicia y la razón
Mujer
Con fuego y con valor
Ya estás aquí
Junto al trabajador.

 The people united will never be defeated

The people united will never be defeated,/ The people united will never be defeated...// Arise, sing/ We are going to win./ Flags of unity/ are now advancing./ And you will come/ marching together with me,/ and so you'll see/ your song and your flag blossom./ The light/ of a red dawn/ already announces/ the life to come.// Arise, fight/ the people are going to win./ The life to come/ will be better./ To conquer/ our happiness./ and a clamor/ of a thousand fighting voices will rise,/ speaking/ a song of freedom./ With determination/ the fatherland will win.// And now the people,/ who are rising in struggle/ with a giant voice/ crying out: Forward!// The people united will never be defeated,/ The people united will never be defeated...// The fatherland is/ forging unity,/ from north to south/ they're mobilizing./ From the salt mines/ burning and mineral/ to the southern forests./ united in struggle and labor/ They go/ covering the fatherland./ Their steps already/ Announce the future.// Arise, sing/ the people are going to win/ millions now/ are imposing the truth/ Their steel battalions/ are on fire,/ taking in their hands/ justice and reason./ Woman/ with fire and courage/ is already here/ Along side the worker.

Music by Sergio Ortega

Words by Quilapayún

Translation from marxists.org

Quilapayún's web page: http://www.quilapayun.com/

About Sergio Ortega

Manuel Gerena (born in Puebla de Cazalla, Sevilla) is two things: a flamenco cantaor (singer) and a songwriter too. Manuel Gerena was member of the Spanish Communist Party, and he started to sing flamenco for vindicating his ideals: his land, Andalusia; the peasants and the working class, the justice. He belongs to the movement called Nuevo Flamenco (New Flamenco), a collective of cantaores that made songwriting with flamenco music. Due to his songs, Manuel was forbidden in many flamenco events: they even said Gerena was a bad cantaor; that made of Gerena a symbol, like Paco Ibáñez and Raimon. Some of his LPs are Cantes andaluces de ahora (Andalusians songs from now), Cantando a la libertad (Singing to freedom), La verdad de Manuel Gerena (The truth of Manuel Gerena) and Alianza del Pueblo Nuevo (New People Alliance) -live.-

This song belongs to Alianza del Pueblo Nuevo, recorded on 1976, and is a vindication and a homage to great songwriter from Chile Víctor Jara, killed by Pinochet's homicidal regime.

Por Víctor Jara y su justa venganza

(Romance por tientos)

Compañero Víctor Jara,
¡ay! como yo te llamo
y el pueblo te aclama,
tu grito ya no se calla,
¡ay! compañero mío,
y el pueblo te aclama.
Como no ha muerto tu escrito
ni se ha muerto tu palabra,
comañero, compañero,
hoy queremos recordarla.
Y a golpes de un asesino
¡ay! así se rompió tu pueblo
y p'a vengarlo vivimos.
Te metieron en la tierra
¡ay! fueron cobardes los asesinos;
y gritando ¡Hasta la muerte!
¡ay! la libertad era tu trino;
y a mí me entró escalofríos
cuando me dijeron tu muerte,
porque no pude yo librarte
pero intento devolverte.
Y un día entrar en tu pueblo
pa hablarte compañero
y entraré para cortarle
los dientes al perro fiero.
Y seguiremos hablando
hasta verte tranquilo,
p'a que duermas tranquilo;
y al despertar quiero verte
y andar con tu libre trino.
¡Ay!, al camino volveremos,
como andamos el mismo camino
lucharemos compañero
porque nos une el destino.

For Víctor Jara and his just revenge

(Romance by Tientos)

Partner Víctor Jara/ ay! as I call you/ and the people acclaims you,/ your cry doesn't shut up,/ ay! partner of mine/ and the people acclaims you./ As your writing hasn't dead/ nor your word has dead,/ partner, partner,/ today we want to remind it./ By a killer's beats/ ay! so your people was broken/ and for avenge it we're living./ They get you into the ground/ ay! the killers were cowards;/ and shouting "Till death!"/ freedom was your trill;/ and I had chills/ when they told me about your death,/ because I couldn't set you free,/ but I'm trying to return you./ And a day get into your people/ for speak to you, partner,/ and I'll get into for cut/ the fierce dog's teeths./ And we shall keep on talking/ till we see you quite,/ for you quiet sleep;/ and when you awake I want to see you/ and walk with your free trill./ Ay! We shall back to the road,/ as we walk the same road/ we shall fight, partner,/ because destiny unites us./ Ay! We shall fight partner/ because destiny unites us.

Manuel Gerena

Traditional

Nuevo Flamenco (New Flamenco) was an Andalusian popular music movement. His principal worry was to recover flamenco music for the people, because flamenco was used by the regime and the rich classes. They were songwriters too. Some of his members were José Menese, Enrique Morente, Manuel Gerena and Vicente Soto "Sordera", with friends guitarrist as Pepe Carmona "el habichuela".

Miguel Hernández Gilabert (Orihuela 1910-Alicante 1942) is one of the most important Spanish poets. Son of a humble rancher and working as sheepherd of the family's goats, Miguel begun to be interested on poetry since very young, reading the greatest Spanish classics poets (Luis de Góngora, Garcilaso de la Vega...). Comes to Madrid for releasing his poetry and get some success among the 27's Generation poets. He is a declared compromissed poet: republican and communist. His verses, some of the best of Spanish social poetry, talks about the poor men's misery and about the thirst of justice, but also beautiful love poetry, dedicated to his wife Josefina Manresa. Miguel's poetry is pasionated, humanist and fierce, born of the compromisse of the poet with his People. For that, during Spanish Civil War, he writes for the Spanish Republic. But when the Republic is defeated, Miguel is jailed and sentenced to death; death never came, but Miguel kept on jail. In prison he contracts tuberculosis, and finally die in 1942. Miguel's books are these: Perito en lunas -Experienced in moons- (1933), El rayo que no cesa -Lighting that doesn't stop- (1936), Viento del Pueblo. Poesía en la guerra -Wind of the People. Poetry at the war- (1937), Cancionero y romancero de ausencias -Song and ballad book of absences- (1938-1941) and El hombre acecha -The man is stalking- (1939). The art and example of Miguel made of him an icon of the anti-francoist resistance, and many songwriters as Serrat, Adolfo Celdrán or Elisa Serna, made wonderful songs with his poems.

This poem is one of his most reminded and celebrated, wrote for the Spanish loyal army is a song for the Spain people: the peasants and workiers. Great songwriter from Chile, Víctor Jara, made a song in base to some of these verses.

Vientos del Pueblo me llevan

Vientos del pueblo me llevan,
vientos del pueblo me arrastran,
me esparcen el corazón
y me aventan la garganta.

Los bueyes doblan la frente,
impotentemente mansa,
delante de los castigos:
los leones la levantan
y al mismo tiempo castigan
con su clamorosa zarpa.

No soy un de pueblo de bueyes,
que soy de un pueblo que embargan
yacimientos de leones,
desfiladeros de águilas
y cordilleras de toros
con el orgullo en el asta.
Nunca medraron los bueyes
en los páramos de España.

¿Quién habló de echar un yugo
sobre el cuello de esta raza?
¿Quién ha puesto al huracán
jamás ni yugos ni trabas,
ni quién al rayo detuvo
prisionero en una jaula?

Asturianos de braveza,
vascos de piedra blindada,
valencianos de alegría
y castellanos de alma,
labrados como la tierra
y airosos como las alas;
andaluces de relámpagos,
nacidos entre guitarras
y forjados en los yunques
torrenciales de las lágrimas;
extremeños de centeno,
gallegos de lluvia y calma,
catalanes de firmeza,
aragoneses de casta,
murcianos de dinamita
frutalmente propagada,
leoneses, navarros, dueños
del hambre, el sudor y el hacha,
reyes de la minería,
señores de la labranza,
hombres que entre las raíces,
como raíces gallardas,
vais de la vida a la muerte,
vais de la nada a la nada:
yugos os quieren poner
gentes de la hierba mala,
yugos que habéis de dejar
rotos sobre sus espaldas.

Crepúsculo de los bueyes
está despuntando el alba.

Los bueyes mueren vestidos
de humildad y olor de cuadra;
las águilas, los leones
y los toros de arrogancia,
y detrás de ellos, el cielo
ni se enturbia ni se acaba.
La agonía de los bueyes
tiene pequeña la cara,
la del animal varón
toda la creación agranda.

Si me muero, que me muera
con la cabeza muy alta.
Muerto y veinte veces muerto,
la boca contra la grama,
tendré apretados los dientes
y decidida la barba.

Cantando espero a la muerte,
que hay ruiseñores que cantan
encima de los fusiles
y en medio de las batallas.

Miguel Hernández

Winds of the People carries me

The winds of the people carry me,/ the winds of the people blow me on,/ scattering this heart of mine/ and readying my throat./ Oxen bow their heads,/ impotently weak,/ at their punishment:/ lions lift theirs/ and at the same time punish/ with their clamorous claws./ I am not from a race of oxen,/ I am from a race that holds/ the mines of lions,/ the passes of eagles,/ and the ridges of bulls/ with pride in the horn./ Oxen never prospered/ in the wastes of Spain./ Who spoke of throwing a yoke/ over the neck of this race?/ Who ever yoked/ or hobbled a hurricane?/ or kept a lightning bolt/ a prisoner in a jail?/ Asturians of courage,/ Basques of armoured stone,/ Valencians of happiness/ and Castilians of soul,/ labouring like the earth/ graceful as wings;/ Andalusians of lightning/ born among the guitars/ and forged on torrential/ anvils of tears;/ Estremadurans of rye,/ Galicians of rain and calm,/ Catalans of firmness/ Aragonese of lime,/ Murcians of dynamite/ fruitfully multiplied,/ Leonese, Navarrese, masters/ of hunger, sweat and the axe,/ kings of minerals,/ lords of the tilled soil,/ men who among the roots,/ like elegant roots,/ go from life to death,/ go from void to void:/ people of ill descent/ want to put yokes on you,/ yoke you must leave/ broken across their backs./ The twilight of the oxen/ is the point of daybreak./ Oxen die humble,/  clothed in the stink of stables;/ the eagles, the lions,/ the bulls, die with pride,/ and behind them the sky/ is un-darkened and endless./ The agony of the oxen/ makes the spirit small,/ that of the wild creature/ enhances all creation./ If I am dying, let me die/ with my head held high./ Dead and twenty times dead,/ my mouth in the grass,/ I’ll keep my teeth clenched/ and my chin resolute./ Singing I wait for death,/ for there are nightingales that sing/ above the fusillades/ and in the midst of battle.

Translation by A. S. Kline

Many songwriters made versions of this poem, as in Spain as in Latin America. Jorge Cafrune (Jujuy, 1937-Tigre, 1978), one of the beginers of the Argentinan folklorist songwriting, was one of them:

In Spain, at least, two groups made it: Los Juglares (The Minstrels) and Los Lobos (The Wolves) (not to confuse with the great US Mexicain band), with music of Sergio Aschero:

Celso Emilio Ferreiro Míguez is an important poet and renovator of Galician language and poetry. Born 1912, he was a follower of Curros Enríquez' poetry. His first book was released in 1936; his second book, at 1941, was his only work in Spanish: Al aire de tu vuelo (At your flight's air). But his great book, at least the most famous, is Longa noite de pedra (Long night of stone). The poem is as symbolic of those darkyears that many people, especially Galician, still refers to the francoist ages as the long night of stone. He died in 1979, in Vigo.

Celso Emilio Ferreiro's poetry is one of the strongest and purest of the poetry against Franco's regime not only in Galician, but in all the Spanish lands. As the poems of contemporary as Blas de Otero, Gabriel Celaya, Jesús López Pacheco or the Basque Gabriel Aresti, among others, Celso Emilio's poetry talks about justice, about the man, the people; he talks about Galicia, about the Galician people, about the Galician language. Most of the Galician songwriters made songs with his poems. For this reasons, Celso Emilio Ferreiro is not only one of the best Galician poets, but one of the best of the Universal poetry.

Prá mocedade

Temos que alcender un facho
de baril inconformismo.
Non, non, diredes decote
ós profesores de mitos
que queren de contrabando
pasar falsos paradisos.
Non, non, diredes arreo
ós que van no seu machiño
cabalgando moi contentos
entre nubes de outimismo.
Non, non, debedes decir
ós que sinten por oficio.
A verdá, sóio a verdá
da terra na que vivimos,
labrada en berros de lume,
nacida en berce cativo.
A verdá, sóio a verdá
da terra na que vivimos.

To youth

We have to lamp,/ a lamp of manly disagreement./ No, no, you shall daily say/ to teachers of myths/ that want smuggling/ with fake paradise./ No, no, you shall constantly say/ to those who go on their horse/ riding so glad/ between clouds of optimism./ No, no, you must say/ to those who feel by their occupation./ The truth, just the truth/ of the land where we're living,/ carved with shouts of fire,/ born in captive craddle./ The truth, just the truth/ of the land where we're living.

Celso Emilio Ferreiro

Bibiano Morón is a progressive Galician songwriter. He was the last to get in Voces Ceibes. Bibiano, more than a lyricist, is a musician: Bibiano's music is a mixed of Galician folk, Celtic music and progressive rock, being, in many ways, the great renewer of the Galician songwriting. His three LPs are Estamos chegando ó mar -We are arriving to the sea- (1976), Alcabre (1977) and Aluminio -Aluminium- (1979). But the musicalization of this Celso Emilio's poem is not in any of these, but in a clandestine live record, of a recital with partner Benedicto. You can hear here this "Samba prá mocedade" .

Bibiano's web

The Nova Canción Galega (New Galician Song) was a literary-musical movement of young people who were against Franco's regime and wanted to rescue culture and language of Galicia. In this movement are the collective Voces Ceibes and the Venezuelan Xulio Formoso. In the 70's decade, the movement get folklorist attitude, instead many of them rejected it in the beginnings.

Voces Ceibes (Free Voices) was the first collective of the Nova Canción Galega. Their objectives were make an opposition to Franco's regime with music and poems of the great all of times Galician poets and make a vindication of Galician culture, language and literature. But they rejected to use Galician folklore due to the illegitimacy use that Franco's regime make of it as an instrument of cohesion of all the Spanish lands.  Despite of this, in the 70's, they adopted finally the Galician folk-music for making art and vindications.