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Spain; Flag songs

Last modified: 2016-03-20 by ivan sache
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La Banderita

Folklore music in Spain has a number of examples of flag songs, probably the most notable being a pasodoble titled La Banderita* by Francisco Alonso, part of the score of a 1919 vaudeville titled Las Corsarias. Lyrics below, alongside my translation:

Allá por la tierra mora
allá por tierra africana
un soldadito español
de esta manera cantaba:

Como el vino de Jerez
y el vinillo de Rioja
son los colores que tiene
la banderita española
la banderita española

Cuando estoy en tierra extraña
y contemplo tus colores
y me acuerdo de mi España
mira si yo te querré.

Como el vino de Jerez
y el vinillo de Rioja
son los colores que tiene
la banderita española
la banderita española.
Banderita tu eres roja
banderita tu eres gualda
llevas sangre llevas oro
en el fondo de tu alma.

El día que yo me muera
si estoy lejos de mi Patria
sólo quiero que me cubran
con la Bandera de España

Banderita tu eres roja
banderita tu eres gualda
llevas sangre llevas oro
en el fondo de tu alma.
El día que yo me muera
si estoy lejos de mi Patria
sólo quiero que me cubran
con la Bandera de España.
In Moorish land
in African land
a poor Spanish soldier
sung thus:

Like Sherry wine
and the dear Rioja wine
are the colours of
the Spanish flag
the Spanish flag.

When I am in foreign land
and watch your colours
I remember my Spain
that much I love you.

Like Sherry wine
and Rioja wine
are the colours of
the Spanish flag
the Spanish flag.
Oh, dear flag, you are red
Oh, dear flag, you are golden
you bear blood you bear gold
deep in your soul.

If the day I shall die
I am far away from my Fatherland
my only will is to be covered
with the Flag of Spain.

Oh, dear flag, you are red
Oh, dear flag, you are golden
you bear blood you bear gold
deep in your soul.
If the day I shall die
I am far away from my Fatherland
my only will is to be covered
with the Flag of Spain.

*Spanish diminutive suffixes (-ito and -ita) are very frequently used to convey a sense of affection or pity for the substantive to which they are applied, rather than a sense of reduced size. So in this context banderita is better translated as "Dear Flag" than as "Little Flag", which would be more appropriate when speaking about people waving banderitas in the streets.

Santiago Dotor, 7 May 2003