Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War

Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 06 Aug 15 - 10:48 PM

There's another video of this song at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvCJzflGv7M where it's called Young Man from Alcala, and performed by The Almanac Singers. It has two additional verses, and the commenters posted their best take on the lyrics.

Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 06 Aug 15 - 10:39 PM

The first verse of "Lincoln Boys" is reprinted in Cecil D Eby, Comrades and Commisars: The Lincoln Battalion in the Spanish Civil War, on page 111. No title is given. The verse is given as,

Oh, the Lincoln boys fought at Jarama
They made the Fascisti cry "Mama."
They held down the line
For months at a time
And for sport they would play with a bomb-a.

There's an asterisk on "bomb-a", which suggests there's a footnote somewhere in the book, but I don't have the book, I'm just looking at the one page on Google books.

The book may have some other songs of interest. On page 112 there are four verses of a Red River Valley parody starting "There's a valley in Spain called Jarama".

Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 06 Aug 15 - 09:48 PM

Oh The Lincoln Boys Fought at Jarama (THE YOUNG MAN FROM ALCALA )

Below is a link to a YouTube video The Good Fight (VII of XII)   
HERE
The video opens with a song beginning "OH THE LINCOLN BOYS FOUGHT AT JARAMA", which I am using as its title because I don't know the song's given title. Does anyone recognise the song and if so can you tell us about it? I have written the lyrics here below from what I can make out in the video but I have encased some words in brackets because I am unsure about what is being sung. I am unsure how to write down the words for the chorus.In verse 2 I think I can hear the "and" in line 2 but think it would probably not have been sung originally??? Also in verse 2 the final word "bombs"in line 3 does not fit the rhyming pattern ( perhaps "tanks" would be a better fit but I am not sure the Republic had tanks engaged at Brunette?) Any corrections would be gratefully rceived as would any information about its origins and the name of the performer on the video.


1.Oh the Lincoln boys fought at Jarama,
They made the Fascisti cry "Mamma",
They were holding the line,
For months at a time,
And for football they played (?with a bomber?)

CHORUS Yippy, yi, yaddy, yi, yay,
               Yippy, yi, yaddy, yi, yay.

2.It was there on the plains of Brunette,
Midst a hail of steel (and)confetti,
With our planes and our ( ? bombs?),
We would smash Franco's ranks,
Got sick on Italian spaghetti.

CHORUS   

3.Oh the Lincoln Battalion, "By Cracky!"
A bunch of great bastards, but wacky,
They held down the line for months at a time,
'gainst Franco, Il Duce's lackey,

CHORUS

Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 01 Aug 15 - 09:37 AM

On Youtube I have just found Mike Wild singing his song "Our Open Eyes Could see No Other Way".

                        Mike Wild sings Our Open Eyes could See No Other Way on YouTube

For more information about Mike's song go to the SONGLIST at the top of the thread and click on its title.

Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 27 Jul 15 - 02:20 PM

I realise that "No Pasaran" was a sort of slogan (trans "They shall not pass") - but it is also the title track/name of the CD referred to above, as well as the name of the song performed by Gallo Rojo on the CD. Maybe a recipe for some confusion?

Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 27 Jul 15 - 07:15 AM

< NO PASARAN
By Gerry Kearns A song about the eight volunteers from Oldham who went to fight for the Republic in the SCW.

Thank you to Ann Berriman (Willa) who told me about this song which she heard the Oldham Tinkers perform at the recent Saddleworth Festival. John Howarth of the Oldham Tinkers has just rung me in response to my email requesting information about the song. He told me that they have not yet recorded the song which they performed for the first time at Saddleworth. He said that when they record it they will post the lyrics on the Oldham Tinkers' website
HERE

Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War
From: GUEST,Eduardo Freire Canosa
Date: 24 Jun 15 - 04:25 PM

Webpage Title: 11 Songs of the Spanish Civil War

7 songs from the Republican side.

4 songs from the Nationalist side.

Click here

Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 19 May 15 - 11:27 AM

CLEM BECKETT
By Roy Blackman

I have just found the words to another song about speedway rider and SCW volunteer Clem Beckett. It was written and performed by Roy Blackman of Rotherham, UK. The lyrics can be seen with with this link http://royblackman.moonfruit.com/#/roys-lyrics/4586851326

or HERE

Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Jul 14 - 06:37 AM

Rob Garcia and Paul Macnamara rarara

are

na-mara, search/seake and thou shalt fynde

Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Jul 14 - 06:31 AM

Na Maraa folk duo based in St Albans present songs with S C War theme.

One of them had close connections to those times, hence he came to be living in England .

I've attended a gig of theirs and was moved and educated, but then I had read Geurnica

Na Mara, check them out

Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 29 Jul 14 - 06:58 PM

Well done Mike .

Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War
From: mikesamwild
Date: 27 Jul 14 - 12:54 PM

Pleased to report that the song I wrote to celebrate the IBrs being awarded Spanish Citizenship in 2009; Our Open Eyes Could See No Other Way has been translated into Catalan as Obrint els Ulls and sung today at a memorial in Aragon to remember the Battle of The Ebro. More news later.I hear that it may get into Castillian and Asturian and Basque and even Chilean Spanish . I did an unaccompanied 'selfie' recording in the attic by video on iPhone , sent it to YouTube and from there to friends via Facebook and bingo!
It could be an interesting aural/oral process.

Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 29 Oct 13 - 10:32 AM

Here is a blue click link to a Youtube video of the song The Fox Went Out On a chilly night whose tune is the folk tune used for The Rat(Named Franco)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fe13YHhU_9E

Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 29 Oct 13 - 09:53 AM

THE RAT (NAMED FRANCO)

words by Harry Berlow, folk tune " The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night"

A big thank you to Joe Offer for finding this song in Vol 1 Number 10 of the People's Songs Bulletin and for posting it on another Mudcat thread Lyr Req: The Rat (Named Franco) HERE
If anyone can add more information about the song that would be good. It would be interesting to know if it has been recorded and if anyone remembers it being performed.

Geoff

Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War
From: GUEST,Malcolm Rushworth.
Date: 22 Jul 13 - 04:14 PM

My Father, Jack Rushworth, born Oldham 1910 was a very good friend of Clem. Becket and raced with him at the area dirt track arenas, probably about 1925 or so. My dad was not so successfull, and had an underpowered bike. Some years later my Fathers family moved to Hull, and he worked with his Brother in Law at Fred Cook Transport (Hull) Ltd. In the early 1930's Clem arrived at our House in Hull, and asked my father to join him with his Wall of Death which he was going to set-up at Hull Fair a major fair, but as he was not a member of The Showman's Guild he couldn't get perm ission to erect his "wall" anywhere near the fair itself and eventually the project which he had seen when living in Sweden didn't create the income that was needed I have assumed. In about 1936 Clem called again (ususally in a GP racing Bugatti) and asked m y father to accompany him to Spain to be responsible for the ambulance fleet that The Unions and workers had made possible. Dad had, by them family responsibilities and declined. My father was forever upset about the death in Spain of Clem. but as with other things in his life he was very closed lipped in all the years I knew him - he died in 1977. I hope this is of interest, however I have no photos to offer. The family scrapbook went a long time ago. Malcolm Rushworth now 74 years.

Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Jun 13 - 06:43 PM

\here is a blue click link of the Youtube video for The Book club - Death in the Afternoon which mike Wild gA The Book club - Death in the Afternoon

Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 25 Nov 12 - 06:35 PM

More details here:

Scots in Spanish Civil War Concert

Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War
From: mikesamwild
Date: 17 Nov 12 - 07:43 AM

Following the launch of Greentrax CD, Scots in the Spanish Civil War there will be a concert at Celtic Connexions in Glasgow Jauary 2013

Some would sayit is a nationalistic slant on the International Brigades but there are songs in Spanish etc

Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War
From: GUEST,David Francis
Date: 21 Sep 12 - 06:33 PM

Apologies, I thought my previous post would appear next to the one with the info about 'Graves in Spain'.    Eileen Penman made the tune for Graves in Spain, is what I should have said.

Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War
From: GUEST,David Francis
Date: 21 Sep 12 - 06:27 PM

Eileen made the tune for this version of the song herself.

Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War
From: mikesamwild
Date: 09 Sep 12 - 06:49 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f95I7fnrNz8

Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War
From: mikesamwild
Date: 09 Sep 12 - 06:46 AM

Hi Geoff, I have at last found the cassette I made of Bob Cooney at my parent's house in the 80s. I'm trying to get my cassettes digitised.In the meantime I'll send you a cassette copy.

After a tip from my son who saw them in Sheffield I just found a link to a Youtube clip of indie band The Book Club, their album Death in the Afternoon (July 2011), has a first track that is broadly about the struggle in Spain and named after the Hemingway story.

Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 30 Aug 12 - 10:11 AM

Thank you GUEST, David Francis I now have a copy of the CD and as you say the poem is the one written by Bob Cooney. The advance publicity which I saw gave the title as Hasta La Vista but the CD correctly names it Hasta La Vista- Madrid! , Bob Cooney's title.

Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War
From: GUEST,David Francis
Date: 29 Aug 12 - 08:28 PM

It is the Bob Cooney poem.

Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 12 Aug 12 - 03:59 PM

Thank you for posting that link Owen. In the Songlist, at the top of this thread, we have links to all the songs written in English on the record except for Come Comrades, Who Will Fight For Spain which Ian McCalman said he will send.

Does anyone know if the poem on the record , Hasta La Vista is the same as the poem Hasta La Vista Madrid written by Bob Cooney,who was commissar in the British Battalion? It is posted on Dick Gaughan's Song Archive http://www.dickgaughan.co.uk/songs/texts/hastalav.html?

Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War
From: Owen Woodson
Date: 12 Aug 12 - 11:21 AM

New CD of Scots songs about the Spanish civil war

Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 10 Aug 12 - 06:09 AM

Yes Mike. A good song is a good song and Fay's performance is wonderful.

Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War
From: mikesamwild
Date: 09 Aug 12 - 08:49 AM

Turned out nicely, TP should be proud and pleased with the rendition Fay

If we explored the provenance of ballads and 'songs of the people' I'm sure we'd find many creative and inspired individual compositions rather than the 'unsung annals of the poor'. Although I know a lot of poor musicians!!

Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War
From: GUEST,Fay
Date: 01 Aug 12 - 05:08 AM

Nice to hear from Trevor Peacock, and to have a definitive on this. Just to clarify, I never said I believed this to date from the Spanish Civil War, the language is far to contemporary, but it was suggested to me that that is the period in which it was set. This appears to be too specific from the intention of the author, though not contradicting his intentions. It does draw nice new questions about the development of meaning and inherited or associated meanings, a subject of particular relevance for traditional music, the realm of which this pop song has now entered.

Glad the PRS is sorted too, that could have been embarrassing!

All the best,
Fay

Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 31 Jul 12 - 07:59 PM

LITTLE YELLOW ROSES


By Trevor Peacock



I have just received a reply to the letter which I wrote to Trevor Peacock enquiring about the origin of the song Little Yellow Roses I reproduce the letter below, in full.

Dear Geoff,
Re-"Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War"
What a wonderful subject! I hope your searching will lead to a book, or part of a book. I don't think I can help much, but here goes…
Around 56 years ago I was involved writing scripts, and then some songs for BBC TV. The pop world was in its infancy, and I wrote for, amongst others, Joe Brown, The Vernon Girls, Jess Conrad, and Adam Faith. I seem to remember writing Little Yellow Roses for a B side for Adam in about 1962. I wrote the tune and the lyrics, and John Barry did that particular arrangement, as I worked with him a lot. I hadn't heard the song for half a century until your letter arrived. I don't remember writing it for the Spanish Civil War specifically – it was a song for ALL freedom fighters really. So I'm afraid Fay Hield has made the wrong assumption. I'm now wondering if it's registered with PRS, so I'd better check. I hope this clarifies the situation.

Yours, Trevor Peacock

There was a PS written on the back of the envelope which said Yes, fully documented with P.R.S."Little Yellow Roses"

Thank you for giving us the provenance of your song Trevor and thanks to all the Mudcatters who contributed to the chase.
I have now relocated all the posts about this song so that they can be reached using a link in the TOPIC LIST

Subject: Lyr Add: THE SPANISH PEOPLE
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 12 Jul 12 - 09:39 AM

THE SPANISH PEOPLE
words - Anon, music - Samuel Pokrass

The Spanish people defend their right
For freedom and progress and truth they fight,
Now shall we delay while our comrades die
To strengthen our peace and our liberty?

Against the Hitlers, the Mussolinis!
Against the fascist enemy!
For peace and progress, for truth and freedom,
For people's true democracy!

Against the Hitlers, the Mussolinis!
Against the fascist enemy!
For peace and progress, for truth and freedom,
For people's true democracy!



Thank you to Clare Roberts for sending this song to me.
In her email she wrote
This song was taught to us by our mother, Hilda Richardson, who was 16 when the Spanish Civil War started and who was active with her mother, Beatrice Davis, in collecting for the republican cause on the streets of London, throughout the war.

As we travelled to our camping holidays during childhood we would sing it, along with a list of other songs, and thus learnt it off by heart.

The Richardson clan sung it last in public at the unveiling of the mosaic in Portobello Road.

http://www.kcc.ac.uk/news/art-and-design/echoes-spanish-civil-war    
               

Clare and her sister Zoe can be seen singing the chorus of the song in a film on YouTube made by Marshall Mateer of the recent walk across the Pyrenees to commemorate the brigaders who climbed the Pyrenees to cross into Spain. ( 9.05 minutes into the film)
http://www.youtube.com/user/IBMTnews?feature=guide

The song uses the tune of a Russian song from the period of the Russian Civil War called White Army, Black Baron which can be heard in this YouTube video
Here v=jRfYh_0mEdM">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRfYh_0mEdM

There is a Wikipedia entry for the song here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Army,_Black_Baron


As Wikipedia says, the Russian song was adopted by the Chapaev Battalion of the XIII International Brigade in the Spanish Civil War and that version of the song appeared in the International Brigades Songbook, Canciones de las Brigadas Internacionales which you can see entitled Tschapajew - Sturmbatallion if you scroll up to page 34 from this link http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=QONMZ1p4ZJYC&pg=PA135&dq=canciones+de+las+brigadas+internacionales+34&hl=en&sa=X&ei=kBD-T-TXF
Here the tune is called Roter Armeemarsch an alternative name for the tune of White Army, Black Baron and the new words in German were written by the German poet Walter Fuchs, who later died on the Teruel front.

The song was also sung in this translated form by the British Battalion of the 15th Brigade

Many long years into history have passed,
Since red revolt was victorious ,
Then Lenin called and to victory led on,
" Forward Chapaev, the path is set".

CHORUS
And*we will Franco, his ranks demolish,
The great Miaja leads us on,
And on our rifles depends our freedom,
No pasaran, No pasaran.

Hitler and Franco your future is black,
Workers' battalions are driving you back,
Sons of the masses forever we'll be ,
Forward red soldiers to victory.

* On page 63 of his 1981 biographical book No Other Way about his grandfather Jack Russia ( John Roberts), Richard Felsted quotes the first line of the chorus slightly differently,
'Now we will Franco's ranks demolish, '
My words are from a tape I heard of brigaders singing the song.

The American volunteers also used the song as a marching song and the chorus is quoted in Alvah Bessie's 1957 novel The Un-Americans in this passage on page 229:

He recalled the song they used to sing when they were marching:
"And we will Franco ... his ranks demolish . . . the great Miaja
leads us on ... and on our rtfles . . . depends our freedom ... no
pasaran, no pasaran!"

This tune was also used for a Soviet era song called "The Red Army Is The Strongest" which can be heard in a Youtube video HERE

Subject: Lyr Add: THE GHOSTS OF CABLE STREET
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 01 Jul 12 - 11:05 AM

THE GHOSTS OF CABLE STREET


By The Men They Couldn't Hang


England, 1936.
The grip of the Sabbath day
In London town the only sound
Is a whisper in an alleyway
Men put on their gloves and boots
Have a smoke before they go
From the west there is a warning of
A wind about to blow

Like Caesar marching to the East
Marches Mosley with his men
Dressed in their clothes of deepest black
Like a gathering hurricane
This is the British Union
With its flag of black and red
A flag that casts a shadow in
Berlin and in Madrid

So listen to the sound of marching feet
And the voices of the ghosts of Cable Street
Fists and stones and batons and the gun
With courage we shall beat those blackshirts down

So mile by mile they come on down
To a place called Cable Street
And other men are waiting there
Preparations are complete
Mosley comes so close
They now can see his outstretched arm
A hand raised up that way
Never took the future in its palm

Listen to the sound of marching feet
And the voices of the ghosts of Cable Street
Fists and stones and batons and the gun
With courage we shall beat those blackshirts down

The battle broke as the fists and the batons fell
Through the barricades came the sound of the wounded yells
Jack Spot burst through with a chair leg made of lead
Brought down a crashing blow on Mosley's head

And so we learn from history generations have to fight
And those who crave for mastery
Must be faced down on sight
And if that means by words, by fists, by stones or by the gun

Remember those who stood up for
Their daughters and their sons

Listen to the sound of marching feet
And the voices of the ghosts of Cable Street
Fists and stones and batons and the gun
With courage we shall beat those blackshirts down

Listen to the sound of marching feet
And the voices of the ghosts of Cable Street
Fists and stones and batons and the gun
With courage we shall beat those blackshirts down

Thanks to Jim Jump for pointing out that this song refers to the Spanish civil War in the final line of verse two.
   
VIDEOS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzKv5gjOzTA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OunChfGaf3M

FURTHER INFORMATION
WIKIPEDIA on THE MEN THEY COULDN'T HANG

WIKIPEDIA on THE BATTLE OF CABLE STREET

Subject: Lyr Add: GRAVES IN SPAIN
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 28 Jun 12 - 08:37 AM

GRAVES IN SPAIN

By Mary Brooksbank ( words) and Eileen Penman ( tune)
Listen to Graves In Spain by Eileen Penman HERE on YouTube

Tread softly, senoritas, o'er their lonely graves,
Spaniards mute your voices for our dead;
Stars shine steadfast, eternal vigil keep,
Light soft the soil around each valiant head.
No mercenaries they, the world's beloved,
Christ's images by fear and greed betrayed;
No raucous cheers, no tinsel show, no glory,
No blaring bands, no banners o'er them waved.
A future age shall write their selfless story,
Pioneers of progress, the path you paved
The world's marching feet shall tread again
When history's final battle humanity has saved;
Rest ye, the world's best and bravest,
In your lonely graves in Spain

Tread softly, senoritas, o'er their lonely graves,
Spaniards mute your voices for our dead;
Stars shine steadfast, eternal vigil keep,
Light soft the soil around each valiant head.


The words for this song, as they appear above, were written by Mary Brooksbank in the 1930's and the tune was added by by Eileen Penman
The song, performed by Eileen Penman appears on the Cd coming out on 1st August 2012 from Greentrax recordings: No Pasaran (They shall not pass) - Scots in the Spanish Civil War. See http://www.greentrax.com/music/artists/reviews/no-pasaran/

Mary Brooksbank wrote a number of well known songs including The Dundee Lassie which appears above in this thread because it includes a verse referring to the Spanish Civil War thread.cfm?ThreadID=128093#dundee

Here are links to information about Mary Brooksbank: http://www.alternative-perth.co.uk/marybrooksbank.htm

http://www.grahamstevenson.me.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=70:mary-brooksbank&catid=2:b&Itemid=98

Here are a number of recordings of Mary Brooksbank talking to Hamish Henderson
http://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/en/fullrecord/58761/8;jsessionid=79C13B0076EC4D321C440497A0ADC558

Subject: Lyr Add: PICASSO PAINTS GUERNICA
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 22 Jun 12 - 12:38 PM

PICASSO PAINTS GUERNICA

By Robin Laing


They call me Pablo the painter
This land is not my home
But I love my art
So I choose to live
Where the value of art is known


I stand before this canvas
That fills the entire room
And there's a story
I must tell
Of an April afternoon


Far away in the distance
A small speck appears
And like an angry insect
The swelling sound
Of danger death and fear


I close my eyes to remember
Fond images of Spain
Now a tortured
Country tossed
On an endless sea of pain


I see the bulls and the picadors
Blood upon the sand
And my dark-eyed
Senorita with
A candle in her hand


Black bombs come raining
From a silk cerulean sky
And in the smoke, the ash and the flame
The people fall
Scream and choke and cry

   
Guernica calling to the world
Guernica calling to the world
Guernica calling to the world


A newspaper horse is dying
It falls down to the floor
I'll tell this story
In black and white
For sometimes less is more


And I will paint these voices
I hear them in my head
They tell me terror
Stalks the land
And innocence is dead


And all the vibrant colours
As spring returns to Spain
Were blacked out in an instant
And nothing there
Will ever be the same


Guernica calling to the world
Guernica calling to the world
Guernica calling to the world

Listen To Picasso Paints Guernica by Robin Laing on YouTube
Many thanks to Robin Laing for letting us have his lyrics and also the following information which he wrote for the sleeve notes of the Cd coming out on 1st August 2012 from Greentrax recordings: No Pasaran (They shall not pass) - Scots in the Spanish Civil War. http://www.greentrax.com/music/artists/reviews/no-pasaran/


As a student in the 1970's I had a poster of Guernica on my wall but I had no idea that the original painting was about the size of a goal mouth. Much more recently, watching Simon Schama's short BBC film about Picasso and reading Patrick O' Brian's biography of the artist, I came to realise the importance of the painting. Picasso, living in Paris in the spring of 1937, painted it in almost immediate response to an atrocity, in which German aircraft carpet bombed the town of Guernica as a favour to Franco and as a way of testing out Blitzkrieg tactics.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE BONES OF '36
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 22 Jun 12 - 10:54 AM

THE BONES OF '36

By Chris Tymkow

They find them out on Andalucian farms,
Some still have the ropes around their arms,
Jumping from his tractor, the farmer slips and kicks,
The bones of '36.

They find them in the hills above Madrid,
Where the fascist shovels tried to keep them hid,
Mountain walkers see'em as they dig in with their picks,
The bones of '36.

They find them out by ditches walls and sheds,
Dumped in the ground with bullets in their heads,
Then covered up with mud and dirt and bureaucratic tricks,
The bones of '36.

They find them and they'll give them back their names,
Those who rose to fight when Franco's army came,
Factory workers, farmhands, life's ordinary micks
The bones of '36.

They find them and they seem to hear them say,
'This fight continues round the world today,
Wherever truth lies buried, among the stones and sticks,
Like the bones of '36.'

So if you see the people on the street,
Uniting to bring tyrants to defeat,
Then grab your boots and join them, and together we can fix,
The bones of '36.
The bones of '36.

Thank you to Mike Wild who sent me an MP3 of this song.

Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 22 Jun 12 - 10:17 AM

Thanks for that Tattie and to Mike Wild who also sent me the details in an email. Sorry but I was away from the computer at the Beverley Festival and then struck down by a bug so have only just picked up your leads. All of the songsoriginating in English on this forthcoming Cd are listed in the above thread except for
Graves In Spain (Eileen Penman)
Picasso Paints Guernica (Robin Laing)
and Come Comrades, Who Will Fight For Spain

I have emailed Robin Laing and Ian McCalman asking for the words to the last two songs but I do not have an address for Eileen Penman - can anyone help?

Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 17 Jun 12 - 05:08 AM

There's a new album coming out on 1st August from Greentrax recordings: No Pasaran (They shall not pass) - Scots in the Spanish Civil War. See http://www.greentrax.com/music/artists/reviews/no-pasaran/
Track/Artist list as follows:
17 tracks : Jamie Foyers (Dick Gaughan) * Jarama Valley / Bandiera Rosa (The Laggan) * Owt For Nowt (John Watt) * Salud International Brigade (Jim Brown) * Another Valley (Geordie McIntyre) * Viva La 15th Brigada / Viva Nicaragua (Carlos Arredondo) * La Passionara - A Musical Epitaph (Eddie McGuire) * Viva Los Brigadista (Geordie McIntyre) * Hasta La Vista - Poem (Iain Anderson) * Hasta Luego (Frank Rae) * The Peatbog Soldiers (The McCalmans) * Graves In Spain (Eileen Penman) * These Hands (The Wakes) * Picasso Paints Guernica (Robin Laing) * iNo Pasaran! (Gallo Rojo) * If You Want To Write (Christine Kydd) * Come Comrades, Who Will Fight For Spain (A N Other)

Subject: Lyr Add: START!
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 13 Jun 12 - 07:49 PM

START!


By Paul Weller


It's not important for you to know my name -
Nor I to know yours
If we communicate for two minutes only
It will be enough
For knowing that someone in this world
Feels as desperate as me -
And what you give is what you get.

It doesn't matter if we never meet again,
What we have said will always remain.
If we get through for two minutes only,
It will be a start!
For knowing that someone in this life,
Loves with a passion called hate
And what you give is what you get.

If I never ever see you -
If I never ever see you -
If I never ever see you - again.

And what you give is what you get!



Songfacts™ suggests this song is about the Spanish Civil War although it is not self-evident from the lyrics "Paul Weller got the idea for this song from reading George Orwell's book Homage To Catatonia, which is set in the Spanish Civil War. According to 1000 UK #1 Hits by Jon Kutner and Spencer Leigh, Weller said, "There is a lot of talk of an egalitarian society where all people are equal but this was it, actually in existence,which, for me, is something that is very hard to imagine."

Further information about this song can be found at the Songfacts™ site here:
"http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=5675

and this site: http://www.lyricsfreak.com/j/jam/start_20068899.html


START! performed on Youtube by Jam

Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Jun 12 - 07:15 PM

Thanks for that Mike. There is more in the current thread about Ballad for Heroes here thread.cfm?threadid=128093#ballad

I think it was you, Mike, who initiated the discussion of Miles Tomalin and his recorder a couple of years ago and more information about him can be found here

thread.cfm?threadid=128093#miles
I wonder whether his recorder with its inscriptions of the battles in which he fought is still in existence - it would be interesting to know.

GeoffLawes

Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War
From: mikesamwild
Date: 12 Jun 12 - 07:58 AM

In the recwent book about A.L. 'Bert' Lloyd by Dave Arthur, pub Pluto Press (June 2012) there is quite a bit about Lloyd's work on Lorca translations and also on p78 the 1939 first performance of Benjamin Britten's Ballad of Heroes (Opus 14)it was composed to honour the men of the IB and British battalion . Randall Swingler and WH Auden set the music to words.
On p 103 is a mention that Bill Alexander remembered hearing the recorder and spoons as an unlikely accompaniment to Hold the Fort while marching to the cookhouse for meals. (Bert didn't think the recorder was a 'folk' instrument!)

Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War
From: mikesamwild
Date: 30 May 12 - 09:00 AM

Geoff, the Utah song was Eddie's Song thanks. I sent you a recording via email of Bones of 36 by Chris Tymkow

Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 20 May 12 - 10:14 AM

In the latest edition of the Newsletter of the International Brigades Memorial Trust there is an article on page 4 about a variant of Jarama Valley which was written and sung by prisoners in the Palencia prison. The lyrics were recalled and given to the Newsletter by David Loman who at 93 is one of the last surviving members of the British Batallion of the International Brigades.

' These are the words that David and the other prisoners used to sing, as recalled by him...

There's a valley in Spain called Palencia
'Tis a place that we all know too well
It was there that we gave of our manhood
And spent months of misery and hell.

Surrounded one day by Italians
Who with guns bought by Chamberlin's gold
Blown to hell by artillery and avion
That's how our brave comrades were sold. '

The Newsletter of the International Brigades Memorial Trust there is news of a new record on which Billy Bragg has recorded Jarama Valley. The Newsletter asks whether this is the first time that the British Batallion's memorial version has been recorded (as opposed to the frequently recorded Lincoln Batallion memorial version and the original ' soldiers' complaint' version written in 1937 by Alec McDade and recently recorded by Billy Stewart in Scotland.
It seems very unlikely that there is not an earlier recording of this common version of the song but I do not recall one. Did Arthur Johnstone who is listed above as singing it, also record it? And one of the many political choirs which perform the song has surely recorded it? Does anyone know for certain of a recording?

There is also news of a new Billy Bragg recording on which Maxine Peake has recorded the farewell address of La Passionaria to the International Brigades.The Cd can be ordered for £5 plus £1.90 p&p ( cheques payable to IBMT) from: IBMT 6 Stonells Road , London SW11 6HQ or you can pay by credit card or Paypal by ordering on the merchandise page on the IBMT website : http://www.international-brigades.org.uk/

Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 30 Apr 12 - 06:50 AM

OTTO ESTENSEN: BRIGADISTA & MANDOLINISTA

Here is a link to another Mudcat thread which is being used to collect information about Otto Estensen, mandolin player and volunteer in the XVth International Brigade. thread.cfm?threadid=146230
Geoff,
10/08/12

Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War
From: mikesamwild
Date: 24 Apr 12 - 07:46 AM

Geoff
Sorry I've been out of action. Have you got the Utah Philips song that Roy Bailey sang at our Spanish Civil War memorial in Sheffield?

Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 02 Mar 12 - 05:20 PM

Here is a link to the current, Spring 2012 edition of the Newsletter of the International Brigades Memorial Trust which carries a review of the CD From Blantyre to Barcelona featuring the following songs in English.

THE FIGHT FOR SPAIN
WHITE FLAG
VIVA ESPANA; FIGHTING AGAINST FASCISM
A MOTHER'S WISH
FROM BELLSHILL TO BARCELONA
BLOOD AND RAIN
THE GHOSTS OF SPAIN
FIGHTING AGAINST FRANCO
FOUNTAIN OF TEARS
JARAMA VALLEY
Listen to all tracks with this linkFrom Blantyre to Barcelona -Listen Here
Scroll down to Page 11 for Item "Scots Give Voice To The Anti-fascist Volunteers" http://www.albavolunteer.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/IBMT-1-12LoRes.pdf

Subject: Lyr Add: THE FIGHT FOR SPAIN
From: GUEST,Billy Stewart
Date: 14 Feb 12 - 12:52 PM

THE FIGHT FOR SPAIN
                                    G D7                                     G    D7 G
Chorus The fight for Spain has just begun my boys
                                          D7                                    G
The fight for Spain has just begun
                                     C                               G
They're marching to war fae all the country oer
                                             D7                                  G
And the fight for Spain has just begun
             G                                                                   C                         G
1.        They are marching from the factories from farmlands and the mines
                                                                                           D7
They're marching fae the shipyards on the Clyde
                        G                                     C                            G
To Madrid and Barcelona to right the wrongs of Spain
                                                                D7                   G
And to fight with her people side by side

2.        From the city streets of Glasgow, Aberdeen and fae Dundee
From the villages of Blantyre and Newmains
They will fight to hold to their beliefs with comrades by their sides
And some will lie upon the fields of Spain

3.        They left their homes and families and marched away to war
A choice was made by every man and boy
Politicians did not call on them while they stayed safe at home
And each one of them was quite prepared to die

4.        From the valley of Jarama to the mountains high and cold
To battle scarred Belchites ruined walls
The Scottish Brigaders fought bravely for their cause
Salute Camerada was their call

Words and Music Billy Stewart ( Garriongill Music )
HEAR HERE

Subject: Lyr Add: JARAMA VALLEY
From: GUEST,Billy Stewart
Date: 14 Feb 12 - 12:48 PM

JARAMA VALLEY

Chorus There's a valley in Spain called Jarama
That's a place that we all know so well
For tis there that we wasted our manhood
And most of our old age as well

1.        From this valley they tell us we're leaving

But don't hasten to bid us adieu

For e'en though we make our departure

We'll be back in an hour or two

2.        We are proud of our British Battalion

And the marathon record it's made

Please do us this one little favour

And take this last word to Brigade


3.        You will never be happy with strangers

They would not understand you as we

So remember the Jarama Valley

And the old men who wait patiently

Original Words By : Alex McDade
Tune : Red River Valley
HEAR IT HERE

Subject: Lyr Add: FOUNTAIN OF TEARS
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 12 Feb 12 - 07:04 PM

FOUNTAIN OF TEARS

By Robert Armour

Goodbye Joe, I heard your name on the radio; another broken heart goes down.
Don't they know? Folks like us we just come and go, brothers, sisters, lovers, friends and foes.
And when it all comes down; to a traitors kiss, on the edge of town.
When it all comes down to this.....
Before I go, will I sing you a song or a poem of love, of peace and freedom, hope and harmony?
Or will the rains, hammer on these dusty plains, and wash away this town's forgotten shame?
And when it all comes down; to a traitors kiss, on the edge of town.
When it all comes down to this.....
Will it rain, will it rain, will it rain on you?
Will it rain, will it rain, will it rain on me?
Will it rain, will it rain, will it rain on us?

Fountain of Tears' tells the story of Federico García Lorca, the Spanish Poet, who was shot during the Spanish Civil War by anti-communist death squads. Lorca believed he was immune from the reality of the war, but as in all civil wars, there is no room for complacence, and bitterness and vengeance lead people to act in ways that no~one could ever imagine. Lorca was allegedly identified for execution by a 'friend's' kiss at the place known by locals as the 'Fountain of Tears. Liner notes from the CD.
This song is recorded on the CD From Blantyre to Barcelona . Further details of this CD can be found here   thread.cfm?threadid=143174
and HEAR THE SONG HERE
Here is a link to a 9 minute radio programme on the BBC i Player Witness- The death of poet Federico Garcia Lorca It features Ian Gibson who wrote the major book on Lorca's death. http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0092pv9/Witness_The_death_of_poet_Federico_Garcia_Lorca/

Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 12 Feb 12 - 06:57 PM

FIGHTING AGAINST FRANCO


By John Malcolm

This song is recorded on the CD From Blantyre to Barcelona . Further details of this CD can be found here   thread.cfm?threadid=143174
I will try to obtain the words and post them here as soon as I can.

Part of this song can be heard at the end of this Youtube Video (11minutes in )http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsE43DPDTiU
And all of it HEAR HERE

Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 12 Feb 12 - 06:36 PM

THE GHOSTS OF SPAIN


By Gordon Neil

(From the sleeve notes) The Ghosts of Spain was written for George Douglas a close friend of my father. As well as fighting in Spain, George was also the only person to be captain of Wishaw Golf Club twice, in 1945 and 1957. One of his many contributions to the club was when he returned from Spain he said "There's going to be a war so buy as much drink for the club as you can". Wishaw Golf Club took him at his word and purchased a barrel of whisky which was duly installed in their cellar. Consequently they were the only licensed premises in the area to have an abundance of drink during the 2nd World War.All thanks to George. - Gordon Neil.
This song is recorded on the CD From Blantyre to Barcelona . Further details of this CD can be found here   thread.cfm?threadid=143174
I will try to obtain the words and post them here as soon as I can.
HEAR HERE