Here's another version, with a translation for the remaining verses. It's from Mel Bay Presents Songs of Spain, by Jerry Silverman (1996). One question I have is whether "18" can be written "dieciocho." The tunes in this book and the Weavers book are very close to what's in the Digital Tradition. On the booklet for the recent Spain in my Heart CD (Applesseed Recordings, 2003), Ronnie Gilbert says the Weavers probably got the title wrong when they recorded it at Carnegie Hall in 1955. She says it should be "El Quinto Regimiento."

-Joe Offer-

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Venga Jaleo

El dieciocho día de julio
En el patio de un convento
El pueblo madrileño
Fundó el Quinto Regimiento

CHORUS
Venga, jaleo, jaleo
Sueño de una metralladora
Y Franco se va paseo
Y Franco se va paseo

Con el Quinto, Quinto, Quinto,
Con el Quinto Regimiento,
Tengo que marchar al frente
Porque quiero entrar en fuego.
Chorus

Con los cuatro batallones
Que están Madrid defendiendo,
Va toda la for de España,
La flor más roja del pueblo.
Chorus

Madre, madre, madre
Vaya usted mirando,
Nuestro regimiento
Se aleja cantando.
Chorus

It was july the eighteenth,
On the patio of an old convent
In the city of Madrid,
That the Fifth Regiment was founded

CHORUS
Join in the struggle, the struggle!
I dream of a girl and her machine gun
And Franco will be defeated,
and Franco will be defeated.

With the Fifth, the Fifth, the Fifth,
With my regiment I'm leaving.
I must march up to the front line,
For I want to join the battle.
Chorus

With the noble four battallions
That Madrid has to defend her,
Goes the flower of Spanish people,
Yes, the reddest Spanish flower.
Chorus

Mother, mother, mother,
Won't you come and see in wonder,
Just how our regiment
Takes its leave while bravely singing.
Chorus