Singer/ Songwriter
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
Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/there-s-a-valley-in-spain-called-jarama#ixzz1kB01TMrd
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
Where 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 mem'ry we never will forget
So before we conclude this reunion
Let us stand to our glorious dead
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
Where so many of our brave comrades fell
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 Teges da stehn Campesinos
Als Sieger auf spanischem Feld!
Und das tal dort am Rio Jarama
Wird gehören dem Mann, der's bestellt!
Text: Ernst Busch
Musik: Amerikan. Trad. ("The Red River Valley")
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)
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:
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
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!