"Venceremos" (pronounced [ben.seɾˈe.mos]) (translated as "We will prevail") was the anthem of the Popular Unity, a left-wing political bloc that brought socialist Salvador Allende to the presidency of Chile in 1970.
The lyrics were written by Claudio Iturra and the music composed by Sergio Ortega.[1] It was originally popularized by the Chilean groups Inti-Illimani and Quilapayún. A second version for the 1970 presidential campaign was written by Víctor Jara, on the same Ortega music.[2]
'Venceremos' is an example of the Nueva canción movement of Chilean protest music, which had been gaining momentum for much of the previous decade. This song marks a significant recognition of the political thrust of this movement in its use as a tool of propaganda for the Unidad Popular coalition. Following the success of 'Venceremos', Allende famously stated "there can be no revolution without song".[3]
Versions
editThis song has appeared on various official albums, being performed by multiple musical artists.
By Inti Illimani
- 1970 - Song to the program
- 1972 - Chile town (collective)
- 1973 - We will win / The people united (single)
- 1973 - Viva Chile!
- 1973 - Politische lieder (collective, live)
- 1980 - Zehnkampf - Festival des politischen Liedes 1970-1980 (compilation, collective)
- From Quilapayún
- 1970 - Venceremos / UP (EP, 1st and 2nd version)
- 1971 - We Will Win (single)
- 1971 - Live like him
- 1974 - Vorwärts lieder (collective)
- 1977 - Public Registry (live)
- 1977 - The march and the drapeau (compilation)
- 2006 - The force of history (compilation)
Others
- 1970 - Canto libre, by Víctor Jara (musicalized by Víctor and Patricio Castillo)
- 1974 - Konzert für Chile, by various artists (collective, live)
- 1977 - Song to the October Revolution, by the Soviet Army Choir (collective)
- 1985 - Vorwärts, nicht vergessen solidarität!, by Quilapayún or Inti-Illimani (compilation, collective)
- 2003 - We will win - Tribute to Salvatore Allende, by Ventiscka (collective)
This song has been used as a ``second´´ international song, since it is in several languages, among these are: German, Italian, Japanese, Russian, Portuguese, Finnish. etc.
Lyrics
editLyrics in original language (Spanish)
- Desde el hondo crisol de la patria
- se levanta el clamor popular;
- ya se anuncia la nueva alborada,
- todo Chile comienza a cantar.
- Recordando al soldado valiente
- cuyo ejemplo lo hiciera inmortal
- enfrentemos primero a la muerte:
- traicionar a la patria jamás.
- Venceremos, venceremos
- mil cadenas habrá que romper
- venceremos, venceremos,
- al fascismo sabremos vencer!
- Venceremos, venceremos
- mil cadenas habrá que romper
- venceremos, venceremos,
- al fascismo sabremos vencer!
- Campesinos, soldados y obreros,
- la mujer de la patria también,
- estudiantes, empleados, mineros
- cumpliremos con nuestro deber.
- Sembraremos la tierra de gloria;
- socialista será el porvenir,
- todos juntos seremos la historia,
- a cumplir, a cumplir, a cumplir.
- Venceremos, venceremos
- mil cadenas habrá que romper
- venceremos, venceremos,
- al fascismo sabremos vencer!
Lyrics in English
- From the deep crucible of the homeland
- the peoples voices rises up;
- The new dawn is announced,
- all of Chile starts singing.
- Remembering the brave soldier
- whose example made him immortal
- first we confront death:
- our homeland we´ll never betray.
- We shall prevail, We shall prevail[2]
- a thousand chains we´ll have to break
- We shall prevail, We shall prevail,
- We can overcome fascism[1]!
- We shall prevail, We shall prevail
- a thousand chains we´ll have to break
- We shall prevail, We shall prevail,
- We can overcome fascism[1]!
- Peasants, soldiers and miners[3]
- the woman of the homeland as well,
- students, employees, workers[3]
- We will fulfil our duty.
- We will sow the land of glory;
- socialist will be our future,
- all together we will be the history ,
- to fulfill, to fulfill, to fulfill.
- We shall prevail, We shall prevail[2]
- a thousand chains we´ll have to break
- We shall prevail, We shall prevail,
- We can overcome fascism[1]!
- We shall prevail, We shall prevail
- a thousand chains we´ll have to break
- We shall prevail, We shall prevail,
- We can overcome fascism[1]!
- 1: There are variations that instead of fascism say misery
- 2: there are variations in which the chorus is not repeated
- 3: there are variations in which they change workers for miners
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Morris, Nancy E. (1984). Canto Porque Es Necesario Cantar: The New Song Movement in Chile, 1973-1983. Latin American Institute, University of New Mexico.
- ^ Milos, Pedro (2013). Chile 1970: El país en que triunfa Salvador Allende (in Spanish). Ediciones Universidad Alberto Hurtado. ISBN 978-956-9320-43-9.
- ^ Balderston, Daniel, Mike Gonzalez, Ana M. Lopez (eds.), Encyclopaedia of Contemporary Latin American and Caribbean Cultures. p.788
External links
edit- Lyrics and song of the original version
- Electoral campaign version (lyrics by Victor Jara) on YouTube
- Instrumental version on YouTube
- Lyrics with alternative versions
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