| El Valle del Jarama | |
| Language: | Spanish |
| English Title: | Jarama Valley |
| Published: | 1938 |
| Composer: | Traditional (music from "Red River Valley") |
| Lyricist: | Alex McDade |
"Jarama Valley" also known as "El Valle del Jarama" is a song from the Second Spanish Republic. Referring to the Spanish Civil War Battle of Jarama, the song uses the tune of Red River Valley.
The battle was fought from 6–27 February 1937, in the Jarama river valley a few kilometres east of Madrid. The seasoned troops of Franco's Army of Africa assaulted positions held by the inexperienced volunteers of the International Brigades, in particular the British and the Dimitrov battalions. It ended in stalemate, with both sides entrenching. At the end of three weeks, in particular after a counter-attack on what became known as "Suicide Hill", the death count was high. The British Battalion lost 225 of its 600 men[1] and the Lincoln Battalion lost 125 out of 500.[1]
The earliest known version of the lyrics was written by Alex McDade, of the British Battalion, XV International Brigade and published in 1938 in The Book of the XV International Brigade by the Commissariat of War, Madrid, 1938.[2] It is squarely a soldier's song; grumbling about the boredom, lack of leave and lack of female company. McDade was a labourer from Glasgow who became a political commissar in the XV International Brigade, responsible for the men's welfare.[3] He was wounded at Jarama and died in hospital in Glasgow of wounds sustained 6 July 1937 at the Battle of Brunete.[3] Perhaps McDade wrote the song to focus his comrades' minds on something other than the casualties, but "its humorous cynicism made it popular in all battalions".[2] [4] Although the provenance of the other early version is unknown it was probably written for (or evolved at) post-war veterans reunions. According to scholar Jim Jump, it was first published on 8 January 1939 in London in a booklet for a British Battalion reunion and "has continued to be sung at International Brigade commemorative events".[4]
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. From this valley they tell us we're leavingBut don't hasten to bid us adieuFor e'en though we make our departureWe'll be back in an hour or two[5] Oh, we're proud of our British Battalion,[6] And the marathon record it's made,Please do us this one little favourAnd take this last word to Brigade: "You will never be happy with strangers,They would not understand you as we,So remember the Jarama ValleyAnd the old men who wait patiently". | There’s a Valley in Spain called Jarama,It’s a place that we all know so well,It is there that we gave of our manhood,And so many of our brave comrades fell. We are proud of the British Battalion,And the stand for Madrid that they made,For they fought like true sons of the soil.As part of the Fifteenth Brigade. With the rest of the international column,In the stand for the freedom of SpainWe swore in the valley of JaramaThat fascism never will reign. Now we’ve left that dark valley of sorrowAnd its memories of regret,So before we continue this reunionLet us stand to our glorious dead. |
Lyrics:
This shorter (three-verse) version of the song—with variant versions, are something of an anthem for veterans, particularly those from the Abraham Lincoln Battalion. Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger have recorded it. In addition to this version, other Spanish variants exist.[7] [8] [9]
There's a valley in Spain called JaramaIt's a place that we all know so wellIt was there that we gave of our manhoodAnd so many of our brave comrades fell. We are proud of the Lincoln BattalionAnd the fight for Madrid that it madeThere we fought like true sons of the peopleAs part of the Fifteenth Brigade. Now we're far from that valley of sorrowBut its memory we ne'er will forgetSo before we conclude this reunionLet us stand to our glorious dead. | Hay un valle en España llamado Jaramaun lugar que conocemos muy bien,allí es donde dimos nuestro valory donde muchos de nuestros valientes camaradas cayeron. Estamos orgullosos del Batallón Lincolny de la lucha por Madrid que hicieronlucharon como verdaderos hijos del pueblocomo parte de la Quinta Brigada. Ahora estamos lejos de ese valle del dolorpero su memoria nunca la olvidaremosAsí que antes de que concluya esta reuniónPongámonos en pie por nuestros gloriosos muertos. |
Ernst Busch, the famous communist actor, singer and participant in the Spanish Civil War, wrote and sang a German text for this song, which is known under the title "In dem Tal dort am Rio Jarama" (In that valley there at Rio Jarama") or as "Lied des Lincoln Bataillions" (Song of Lincoln Battalion)
In dem Tal dort am Rio JaramaSchlugen wir unsre blutigste Schlacht.Doch wir haben, auf Tod und VerderbenDie Faschisten zum Stehen gebracht. Zeigt uns wie man mit alten GewehrenEinen Panzer-Angriff heil übersteht | Zeigt uns wie man in offner FeldschlachtEinem Tiefflieger-Angriff entgeht. Ja, wir haben die Stellung verlassen;Denn es half auch kein: Oh, Herr – mon Dieu!Kameraden der Inter-BrigadenUnsern Toten ein letztes Adieu | Eines Tages da stehn CampesinosAls die Sieger auf spanischem Feld!Und das Tal dort am Rio JaramaWird gehören dem Mann, der’s bestellt |
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There is a Russian version of "Jarama Valley" too. It is actually a poetical translation of Ernst Buch's text by Tatiana Vladimirskaya with another arrangement for music. The Russian variant is not very similar to the "canonical" text and is much more optimistic
Там, где бурные воды ХарамыМы докажем рабочую твердьИ подняв наше красное знамяПобедим и страданья и смерть | Пусть враги ухмыльнутся довольноЧто у нас артиллерии нет,Но штыки батальона ЛинкОльнаНе уступят фашистской броне! Там, где бурные воды ХарамыМы докажем рабочую твердьИ подняв наше красное знамяПобедим и страданья и смерть | Мы позиций своих не оставим,Неприступным наш будет форпостЗа победу стеною мы встанем,Даже смерти мы скажем Адьёс! Там, где бурные воды ХарамыМы докажем рабочую твердьИ подняв наше красное знамяПобедим и страданья и смерть | Здесь когда-нибудь вспомнят крестьяне,Тех, кто доблестно шёл на врагаНа далёкой испанской ХарамеО бойцах добровольных бригад! |
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