thumb|Instrumental recording of the anthem
The "Himno de Riego" ("Riego's Anthem") is a song dating from the Trienio Liberal (1820–1823) of Spain and named in honour of Colonel Rafael del Riego, a figure in the respective uprising, which restored the liberal constitution of 1812. The lyrics were written by Evaristo Fernández de San Miguel, while the music is typically attributed to José Melchor Gomis.
It was declared the national anthem of Spain in 1822, remaining so until the overthrow of the liberal government the next year in 1823, and was also one of the popular anthems used in the First Spanish Republic (1873–1874) and, with much more prominence, the Second Spanish Republic (1931–1939). It continued to be used by the Second Republican government in exile until it was dissolved in 1977 upon the end of the Francoist Spanish State in 1975.
History
The "Himno de Riego" was written between 31 January and 6 February 1820 in the town of Algeciras by Evaristo Fernández de San Miguel, lieutenant colonel of the flying column headed by Rafael del Riego, who had previously rejected another text by Antonio Alcalá Galiano.
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! Spanish
! English
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::Refrain:
::Soldados, la patria nos llama a la lid;
::Juremos por ella vencer o prefiero morir.
:Serenos, alegres, valientes, osados,
:Cantemos, soldados, el himno a la lid.
:Y a nuestros acentos el orbe se admire
:Y en nosotros mire los hijos del Cid.
::Refrain
:Blandamos el hierro que el tímido esclavo
:Del libre, del bravo, la faz no osa ver.
:Sus huestes cual humo veréis disipadas,
:Y a nuestras espadas fugaces correr.
::Refrain
:¿El mundo vio nunca, más noble osadía?
:¿Ni vio nunca un día más grande el valor,
:Que aquel, inflamados, nos vimos del fuego,
:Excitar a Riego de Patria el amor?
::Refrain
:Honor al caudillo, honor al primero
:Que el cívico acero osó fulminar.
:La patria afligida oyó sus acentos
:Y vió sus tormentos en gozo tornar.
::Refrain
:Su voz fué seguida, su voz fué escuchada,
:Tuvimos en nada soldados morir.
:Y osados quisimos romper la cadena
:Que de afrenta llena del bravo el vivir.
::Refrain
:Mas ya la alarma tocan; las armas tan sólo
:El crimen, el dolo, podrán abatir.
:Que tiemblen, que tiemblen, que tiemble el malvado
:Al ver al soldado la lanza esgrimir.
::Refrain
:La trompa guerrera sus ecos al viento,
:Horror al sediento, ya ruge el cañón.
:A Marte sañudo la audacia provoca
:Y el ingenio invoca de nuestra nación.
::Refrain
:Se muestran: volemos, volemos, soldados.
:¿Los veis aterrados, su frente bajar?
:Volemos, que el libre por siempre ha sabido
:del siervo vendido la audacia humillar.
::Refrain
|
::Refrain:
::Soldiers, the homeland calls us to the fight;
::Let us swear for her sake to triumph or I prefer to die.
:Serene and happy, valiant and bold
:Let us sing, soldiers, the battle hymn.
:The world be astonished at our voices
:And in us behold the sons of the Cid.
::Refrain
:We brandish the iron that the timid slave
:Of the free man, of the brave man, the face does not dare to see.
:Like smoke, you will see his host dissipated
:And run to our fleeting swords.
::Refrain
:Has the world ever seen more noble daring?
:Nor has any day seen greater valour,
:Than that, inflamed, we showed at the fire,
:To awaken in Riego the love of his land?
::Refrain
:Honour to the leader, honour to the first
:That the civic sword dared to strike down.
:The afflicted homeland heard their voices
:And saw their torments turn into joy.
::Refrain
:His voice was followed, his voice was heard,
:We had soldiers dying in nothing.
:And we bold ones wanted to break the chain
:That fills the brave man with disgrace to live.
::Refrain
:But the alarm is already sounding; only weapons
:Will be able to bring down crime, fraud.
:Let them tremble, let them tremble, let the wicked man tremble
:At the sight of the soldier wielding the spear.
::Refrain
:The war trumpet echoes to the winds,
:Affrighting the greedy, the cannon now roars.
:The audacity of our nation provokes
:And the genius [of our nation] invokes wrathful Mars.
::Refrain
:They show themselves: let us fly, let us fly, soldiers.
:Do you see them terrified, their head lowering?
:Let us fly, such that the free man has always known
:Of the sold servant, the audacity bowing.
::Refrain
|}
First short version (1931–1939)
The following is the version used during the Second Spanish Republic (1931–1939). It consisted of verses one, three and seven of the original version, with a few minor lyrical changes.
! English
|- style="vertical-align:top; white-space:nowrap;"
|
:Serenos y alegres, valientes y osados,
:Cantemos, soldados, el himno a la lid.
:De nuestros acentos el orbe se admire
:Y en nosotros mire los hijos del Cid.
::Refrain:
::Soldados, la patria nos llama a la lid.
::Juremos por ella vencer o morir.
:El mundo vio nunca, más noble osadía,
:Ni vio nunca un día más grande el valor,
:Que aquel, inflamados, nos vimos del fuego,
:Excitar a Riego de Patria el amor.
::Refrain
:La trompa guerrera sus ecos al viento,
:Horror al sediento, ya ruge el cañón.
:A Marte sañudo la audacia provoca
:Y el ingenio invoca de nuestra nación.
::Refrain
|
:Serene and happy, valiant and bold
:Let us sing, soldiers, the battle hymn.
:The world is astonished at our voices
:And in us it beholds the sons of the Cid.
::Refrain:
::Soldiers, the homeland calls us to the fight.
::Let us swear for her sake to triumph or to die.
:The world never saw more noble daring,
:Nor any day greater valour was shown,
:Than that, inflamed, we showed at the fire,
:To awaken in Riego the love of his land.
::Refrain
:The war trumpet echoes to the winds,
:Affrighting the greedy, the cannon now roars.
:The audacity of our nation provokes
:And the genius [of our nation] invokes wrathful Mars.
::Refrain
|}
Second short version
The following version consists of the first and last verses of the original, with a few minor lyrical changes.
1968 European championship controversy
On October 1, 1967, during the qualifying stage for the European championship in Prague, the "Himno de Riego" was performed by mistake instead of the then official anthem of Spain "Marcha Real".
2003 Davis Cup controversy
At the 2003 Davis Cup finals held in Australia, James Morrison performed "Himno de Riego" instead of Spain's current national anthem, the "Marcha Real" (Royal March). Australian tennis officials claimed there was an error on the CD provided to the musician, but Spanish sport authorities still issued an official protest.
Notes
: 1.Used by the Government in Exile until its dissolution in 1977.