Here is Woody Guthrie singing ‘Jarama Valley’- one of the most famous battles of the Spanish Civil War, which commenced on February 6th, and lasted in February 27th 1937. The British Battalion lost 225 of its 600 men and the US Lincoln Battalion lost 125 out of 500. Woody recorded ‘Jarama Valley’ as part of the legendary Asch Recordings in 1944 and 1945. It is a powerful reminder of the young men and women who fought and died in the battle against Fascism in Spain 75 years ago.
There’s a valley in Spain called Jarama
its a place that we all know so well
it was there that we fought against the Fascists
we saw a peacful valey turn to hell
From this valley they say we are going
but dont hasten to bid us adue
even though we lost the battle at Jarama
we’ll set this valley free before we’re through
We were men of a Lincoln Battelion
we’re proud of the fight that we made
we know that you people love the valley
we’re remember a Lincoln Brigade
From this valley they say we are going
but dont hasten to bid us adue
even though we lost the battle at Jarama
we’ll set this valley free before we’re through
You will never find peace with these fascists
you’ll never find friends such as we
so remember that valley of Jarama
and the people that’ll set that valley free
From this valley they say we are going
but dont hasten to bid us adue
even though we lost the battle at Jarama
we’ll set this valley free before we’re through
All this world is like this valley called Jarama
so green and so bright and so fair
no fascists can dwell in our valley
nor breathe in our new freedoms air
From this valley they say we are going
but dont hasten to bid us adue
even though we lost the battle at Jarama
we’ll set this valley free before we’re through
At the Marx Memorial Library in Clerkenwell, London you can visit the memorial to the print and media workers who went to Spain, fought and died to defend democracy.
