Spain in My Heart: Songs of the Spanish Civil War

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Spain in My Heart: Civil War
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  1. Audio CD: Release Date 2003-09-23
  2. Publisher: Appleseed Records
  3. Artist: Songs of the Spanish Civil War
  4. Sales Rank in Music: #23148

Product Review

The idealistic appeal of "fighting the good fight" against the fascist troops of General Francisco Franco as he warred against Spain’s democratically elected government drew more than 45,000 volunteer soldiers from over 50 countries during the Spanish Civil War (1936-39). This influx created a canon of war-related songs sung by the freedom fighters and revived during the American folk boom of the Fifties.

SPAIN IN MY HEART presents new recordings of vintage and recent songs inspired by the conflict and performed by an international roster of musicians. The United States is represented by folk’s activist icon, Pete Seeger, Arlo Guthrie, master instrumentalist/vocalist John McCutcheon, bluegrass singer/fiddler Laurie Lewis, East L.A.’s Quetzal, multicultural singer/songwriter/actress Michele Greene, and Joel and Jamaica Rafael of the Joel Rafael Band. From Mexico and Nicaragua come vocalist Lila Downs and Duo Guardabarranco, respectively. The Irish volunteers are solo artist Aoife Clancy, formerly of Cherish the Ladies, and Shay Black of The Black Family. Spain itself is represented by two of its leading contemporary singers, Eliseo Parra and Uxía.

The songs here, acoustic-based and many in Spanish, form a surprisingly delicate mosaic. Rather than emulating the strident chaos of battle, the CD conveys more subtle aspects of the conflict – yearning for simpler times ("Asturias," "En La Plaza De Mi Pueblo"); longing for distant loved ones ("The Bantry Girls’ Lament"); the equal significance of life, love and death ("Llegó Con Tres Heridas"). The war and the bravery of the anti-fascist forces are addressed in such songs as "Jarama Valley," "El Quinto Regimiento," "Taste of Ashes," and "The Abraham Lincoln Brigade."

No matter in what language the songs are performed, the bravery, pain and loss felt by soldiers and civilians alike are rendered with a conviction and feeling that transcends words and forges an aching link with the listener.
Title Tracks for Spain in My Heart: Songs of the Spanish Civil War

Customer Reviews

Average Customer Review
4.3 out of 5 stars (3 customer reviews)

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Keeps Alive the Spirit of Justice and Freedom, August 5, 2004
Heather Rose Bridger (California, USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Spain in My Heart: Songs of the Spanish Civil War (Audio CD)
(written by Jim Jump) As the son of a British International Brigade veteran and a Spanish Republican refugee,I grew up with the pain of betrayal, defeat, and exile. Songs helped to sustain us during the long dark years of Franco's dictatorship. This record captures the emotion, joy, and beauty of many of those songs, as well as some new ones, and keeps alive the spirit which took thousands of volunteers from around the world to fight for justice and freedom in Spain.


15 of 18 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars La música bien, la letra no tanto, May 2, 2005
Rodrigo de Oyarzabal (México, D.F.) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Spain in My Heart: Songs of the Spanish Civil War (Audio CD)
Como hijo de exiliado español agradezco con el corazón que la música de la Guerra Civil Española siga viva dentro del canto del siglo XXI. Musicalmente me parece un trabajo muy completo, con conocimiento y aventura musicales, sin embargo, en lo que se refiere a las letras (lyrics) encuentro el punto débil del CD. Por lo que he podido investigar los textos utilizados son los llegados a los Estados Unidos, pero no los que se cantaban en España y, en ocasiones, la continuidad de las letras es inconexa.

Pongo un ejemplo: Joel & Jamaica Rafael cantan: 'Los cuatro generales, mamita mía, que se han alzado' y en seguida: 'Madrid que bien resistes, mamita mía, los bombardeos'. Esto, en el idioma español no tiene sentido. La letra original dice: 'Los cuatro generales, mamita mía, que se han alzado, para las navidades serán colgados' y la segunda parte: 'Madrid que bien resistes, mamita, los bombardeos,...Read more


2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Viva los republicanos!, August 13, 2011
"love to cook" (NJ) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Spain in My Heart: Songs of the Spanish Civil War (Audio CD)
A moving tribute to the brave people of Spain and to the brave men & women who went to Spain to fight alongside them. Bravo!

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