To The Barricades

"To The Barricades" (A Las Barricadas) was one of the most popular songs of the Spanish anarchists during the Spanish Civil War. 'A las Barricadas' is sung to the tune of Warszawianka 1905. The lyrics were written by Valeriano Orobón Fernández in 1936.

"The Confederation" referred to in the final stanza was CNT (Confederación Nacional del Trabajo - "National Confederation of Labor"), at the time the largest labour union and main Anarchist organization in Spain, and a major force opposing Francisco Franco's military coup against the Spanish Republic from 1936-1939.

Lyrics

Negras tormentas agitan los aires nubes oscuras nos impiden ver Aunque nos espere el dolor y la muerte contra el enemigo nos llama el deber. El bien más preciado es la libertad hay que defenderla con fe y con valor. Alza la bandera revolucionaria que llevará al pueblo a la emancipación Alza la bandera revolucionaria que llevará al pueblo a la emancipación En pie el pueblo obrero a la batalla hay que derrocar a la reacción ¡A las Barricadas! ¡A las Barricadas! por el triunfo de la Confederación. ¡A las Barricadas! ¡A las Barricadas! por el triunfo de la Confederación.

Black storms shake the sky Dark clouds blind us Although death and pain await us Against the enemy we must go The most precious good is freedom And we have to defend it With courage and faith Raise the revolutionary flag Which carries the people to emancipation Raise the revolutionary flag Which carries the people to emancipation Working people march onwards to the battle We have to smash the reaction (or "reactionaries") To the Barricades! To the Barricades! For the triumph of the Confederation To the Barricades! To the Barricades! For the triumph of the Confederation

The third stanza is sometimes sung instead with the line "Alza la bandera revolucionaria, que del triunfo sin cesar nos lleva en pos" ("Raise the revolutionary flag, which is moving us forward with unstoppable triumph").

Artists to cover the song include:

• Ades
• Dandelion Junk Queens
• Los Dolares
• Pascal Comelade
• Serge Utgé-Royo
• Los Muertos De Cristo
• Victor Manuel
• Asto Pituak

External links

• Score
• Himno de la CNT - Hosting mp3s of A Las Barricadas
• http://anarchismus.at/ - Hosting mp3s of A Las Barricadas

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