THE SONG OF THE LINCOLN BATTALION


Composed by 4 Americans on the way to Spain, Feb14th 1937


Tune: Over There

Published in Canciones de Guerra de Las Brigadas Internacionales, Madrid 1937


We march, we Americans,
To defend our working class-
To defend democracy.and
Mow the fascists down like grass-
We're marching to victory-
Our hearts are set, our fists are clenched
A cause like ours can't fail but win-
The fascist steel will bend like tin
We give our word, they shall not pass!
No Pasaran!
We give our word they shall not pass!


Over here,over here,
Hear us cheer ,hear us cheer, over here!
Oh - the Yanks are coming, the Yanks are coming,
To fight the fascists over here.
Over here,over here,
Hear us cheer ,hear us cheer, over here!
The Yanks are coming to fight the fascist,
And we won't go back till we beat them over here!

This Song of the Lincoln Battalion was collected by Ernst Busch for inclusion in the multi-language International Brigades songbook, Canciones de las Brigadas Internationales, which he produced while he was in Spain. It does not get mentioned in books about the Spanish Civil War and probably was not taken up by the volunteers themselves.In fact it was not included in the final edition of the songbook when it was produced in 1938. It should not be confused with the song usually associated with the title, The Song of the Lincoln Battalion, which is an adaptation of Alec McDade's Jarama.
For the tune you can listen to Over there -the original WWI U.S. song on YouTube