.gif)
Jarama Valley (song)
Encyclopedia
This song from the Second Spanish Republic
is also known as Jarama Valley and El Valle del Jarama. The tune is Red River Valley
.
It refers to the Battle of Jarama
, a Spanish Civil War
battle. 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 and the Lincoln Battalion lost 125 out of 500.
, 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. 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. He was wounded at Jarama
and died on 6 July 1937 at the Battle of Brunete
. 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". 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".
and Pete Seeger
have recorded it. In addition to this version, other Spanish variants exist.
, 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)
Second Spanish Republic
The Second Spanish Republic was the government of Spain between April 14 1931, and its destruction by a military rebellion, led by General Francisco Franco....
is also known as Jarama Valley and El Valle del Jarama. The tune is Red River Valley
Red River Valley (song)
Red River Valley is a folk song and cowboy music standard of controversial origins that has gone by different names—e.g., "Cowboy Love Song", "Bright Sherman Valley", "Bright Laurel Valley", "In the Bright Mohawk Valley", and "Bright Little Valley"—depending on where it has been sung. ...
.
It refers to the Battle of Jarama
Battle of Jarama
The Battle of Jarama was an attempt by General Franco's Nationalists to dislodge the Republican lines along the river Jarama, just east of Madrid, during the Spanish Civil War...
, a Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
battle. The battle was fought from 6–27 February 1937, in the Jarama river valley a few kilometres east of Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
. The seasoned troops of Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
's Army of Africa
Spanish Army of Africa
The Army of Africa was a Spanish field army that garrisoned Spanish Morocco from the early 20th century until Morocco's independence in 1956....
assaulted positions held by the inexperienced volunteers of the International Brigades
International Brigades
The International Brigades were military units made up of volunteers from different countries, who traveled to Spain to defend the Second Spanish Republic in the Spanish Civil War between 1936 and 1939....
, in particular the British
British Battalion
The British Battalion was the 16th battalion of the International Brigades during the Spanish Civil War.- Early volunteers :A number of British volunteers, including Tom Wintringham and Nat Cohen, arrived in Spain during August-September 1936 and formed the Tom Mann Centuria - a rifle company in...
and the Dimitrov
Dimitrov Battalion
The Dimitrov Battalion was part of the International Brigades during the Spanish Civil War. It was the 18th battalion formed, and was named after Georgi Dimitrov, a Bulgarian communist and General Secretary of the Comintern in that period....
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
British Battalion
The British Battalion was the 16th battalion of the International Brigades during the Spanish Civil War.- Early volunteers :A number of British volunteers, including Tom Wintringham and Nat Cohen, arrived in Spain during August-September 1936 and formed the Tom Mann Centuria - a rifle company in...
lost 225 of its 600 men and the Lincoln Battalion lost 125 out of 500.
Original four-verse versions
The earliest known version of the lyrics was written by Alex McDadeAlex McDade
Alex McDade was a Glasgow labourer who went to Spain to fight with XV International Brigade in the Spanish Civil War He was a political commissar with the British Battalion and wounded at the Battle of Jarama in February 1937. He was killed on the first day of the Battle of Brunete at Villanueva...
, of the British Battalion
British Battalion
The British Battalion was the 16th battalion of the International Brigades during the Spanish Civil War.- Early volunteers :A number of British volunteers, including Tom Wintringham and Nat Cohen, arrived in Spain during August-September 1936 and formed the Tom Mann Centuria - a rifle company in...
, XV International Brigade
XV International Brigade
The XV International Brigade fought for the Spanish Second Republic in the Spanish Civil War as a part of the International Brigades. It was mustered at Albacete in Spain, in January 1937, comprising many English-speaking volunteers - arranged into a mostly British British Battalion and a mostly...
and published in 1938 in The Book of the XV International Brigade by the Commissariat of War, Madrid, 1938. 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
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
who became a political commissar
Political commissar
The political commissar is the supervisory political officer responsible for the political education and organisation, and loyalty to the government of the military...
in the XV International Brigade, responsible for the men's welfare. He was wounded at Jarama
Jarama
Jarama is a river in central Spain. It flows north to south, and passes east of Madrid when El Atazar Dam is built on a tributary, the Lozoya River. It flows into the river Tagus in Aranjuez...
and died on 6 July 1937 at the Battle of Brunete
Battle of Brunete
The Battle of Brunete , fought 15 miles west of Madrid, was a Republican attempt to alleviate the pressure exerted by the Nationalists on the capital and on the north during the Spanish Civil War...
. 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". 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".
Early version 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 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 Oh, we're proud of our British Battalion British Battalion The British Battalion was the 16th battalion of the International Brigades during the Spanish Civil War.- Early volunteers :A number of British volunteers, including Tom Wintringham and Nat Cohen, arrived in Spain during August-September 1936 and formed the Tom Mann Centuria - a rifle company in... , And the marathon record it's made, Please do us this one little favour And take this last word to Brigade: "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". |
Reunion version 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 British Battalion The British Battalion was the 16th battalion of the International Brigades during the Spanish Civil War.- Early volunteers :A number of British volunteers, including Tom Wintringham and Nat Cohen, arrived in Spain during August-September 1936 and formed the Tom Mann Centuria - a rifle company in... , 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 Spain We swore in the valley of Jarama That fascism never will reign. Now we’ve left that dark valley of sorrow And its memories of regret, So before we continue this reunion Let us stand to our glorious dead. |
Three-verse versions: Jarama Valley / El Valle del Jarama
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 GuthrieWoody Guthrie
Woodrow Wilson "Woody" Guthrie is best known as an American singer-songwriter and folk musician, whose musical legacy includes hundreds of political, traditional and children's songs, ballads and improvised works. He frequently performed with the slogan This Machine Kills Fascists displayed on his...
and Pete Seeger
Pete Seeger
Peter "Pete" Seeger is an American folk singer and was an iconic figure in the mid-twentieth century American folk music revival. A fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s, he also had a string of hit records during the early 1950s as a member of The Weavers, most notably their recording of Lead...
have recorded it. In addition to this version, other Spanish variants exist.
Jarama Valley There's a valley in Spain called Jarama It's a place that we all know so well It was there that we gave of our manhood And so many of our brave comrades fell. We are proud of the Lincoln Battalion And the fight for Madrid that it made There we fought like true sons of the people As part of the Fifteenth Brigade. Now we're far from that valley of sorrow But its memory we ne'er will forget So before we conclude this reunion Let us stand to our glorious dead. |
El Valle del Jarama Hay un valle en España llamado Jarama un lugar que conocemos muy bien, ya que en él desperdiciamos nuestra juventud y la mayor parte de nuestra vejez, también. Dicen que van a sacarnos de este valle, pero no os apresuréis en decirnos adiós, puesto que aunque nos marchemos, nuestra ausencia será muy breve. ¡Oh! Estamos orgullosos de nuestro batallón Lincoln hemos batido la marca de resistencia. Os pedimos un pequeño favor, el que difundáis esto por la brigada: |
German version: In dem Tal dort am Rio Jarama (Lincoln-Bataillion)
Ernst BuschErnst Busch (actor)
Ernst Busch was a German singer and actor.Busch first rose to prominence as an interpreter of political songs, particularly those of Kurt Tucholsky, in the Berlin Kabarett scene of the 1920s...
, 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 Jarama In dem Tal dort am Rio Jarama Schlugen wir unsre blutigste Schlacht. Doch wir haben, auf Tod und Verderben Die Faschisten zum Stehen gebracht. Zeigt uns wie man mit alten Gewehren Einen Panzer-Angriff heil übersteht! Zeigt uns wie man in offner Feldschlacht Einem Tiefflieger-Angriff entgeht. Ja, wir haben die Stellung verlassen; Denn es half auch kein: Oh, Herr – mon Dieu! Kameraden der Inter-Brigaden Unsern Toten ein letztes Adieu! Eines Tages da stehn Campesinos Als Sieger auf spanischem Feld! Und das Tal dort am Rio Jarama Wird gehören dem Mann, der’s bestellt! |
Russian version: Jarama valley (Батальон Линкольна)
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 optimisticБатальон Линкольна Там, где бурные воды Харамы Мы докажем рабочую твердь И подняв наше красное знамя Победим и страданья и смерть! Пусть враги ухмыльнутся довольно Что у нас артиллерии нет, Но штыки батальона ЛинкОльна Не уступят фашистской броне! Там, где бурные воды Харамы Мы докажем рабочую твердь И подняв наше красное знамя Победим и страданья и смерть! Мы позиций своих не оставим, Неприступным наш будет форпост За победу стеною мы встанем, Даже смерти мы скажем Адьёс! Там, где бурные воды Харамы Мы докажем рабочую твердь И подняв наше красное знамя Победим и страданья и смерть! Здесь когда-нибудь вспомнят крестьяне, Тех, кто доблестно шёл на врага На далёкой испанской Хараме О бойцах добровольных бригад! |