Jarama Valley (song)
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[1] and the Lincoln Battalion lost 125 out of 500.[1]
Original four-verse versions
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 on 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]
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[5]
Oh, we're proud of our British Battalion,[6]
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".
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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,[6]
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.
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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 Guthrie and Pete Seeger have recorded it. In addition to this version, other Spanish variants exist.[7][8][9]
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.
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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:
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German version: In dem Tal dort am Rio Jarama (Lincoln-Bataillion)
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 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!
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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 optimistic
Батальон 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!
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Notes and references
- Beevor, Anthony. (2006). The Battle for Spain: The Spanish Civil War 1936-1939. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson. ISBN 978-0297848325
- Jump, Jim (ed) (2006). Poets from Spain: British and Irish International Brigaders on the Spanish Civil War London: Lawrence & Wishart. ISBN 978-1905007394
- Ryan, Frank (ed.) [1938] (1975). The Book of the XV International Brigade Madrid: Commissariat of War [1938]. Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Frank Graham (facsimile edition 1975). ISBN B001A6IG7W
External links