Marcha Real

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La Marcha Real ("The Royal March") is the national anthem of Spain. It is one of the few national anthems in the world to have no official lyrics.

The origins of the anthem, one of the oldest in Europe, are unknown. The melody was first printed in a document dated 1761 and entitled El Libro de Ordenanza de los toques militares de la Infantería Española (The Spanish Infantry's Book of Military Bugle Calls), by Manuel de Espinosa. Here it is entitled La Marcha Granadera ("March of the Grenadiers"), though no composer's name is given.

In 1770, King Carlos III declared the Marcha Granadera to be the official "Honour March", thereby according it a place at public and ceremonial events. Because it was always played at public events attended by the royal family, Spaniards soon came to regard the Marcha Granadera as their national anthem and called it the Marcha Real, or "Royal March".

Under the Second Spanish Republic (1931–1939), El Himno de Riego replaced La Marcha Real as the national anthem of Spain. At the conclusion of the Civil War, however, dictator Francisco Franco restored La Marcha Real as the country's national anthem, under its old title of La Marcha Granadera.

1 Modern Anthem
2 Lyrics
- 2.1 Alfonso XIII lyrics:
- 2.2 Franco lyrics:
3 Lyric competition
4 External links
5 References

The current version was commissioned to Francisco Grau after the approval of the Spanish Constitution of 1978. In October 1997 a Royal Decree was promulgated regulating the official use of the Marcha Real as the national anthem of Spain.

Though the Marcha Real has no lyrics, words have been written and used for it in the past. One version was used during Alfonso XIII's reign and another during General Franco's dictatorship; however, none of them were ever made official.

Marcha Real, Eduardo Marquina (help·info)

Lyrics by Eduardo Marquina (1879-1946)

Gloria, gloria, corona de la Patria,
soberana luz
que es oro en tu Pendón.

Vida, vida, futuro de la Patria,
que en tus ojos es
abierto corazón.

Púrpura y oro: bandera inmortal;
en tus colores, juntas, carne y alma están.

Púrpura y oro: querer y lograr;
Tú eres, bandera, el signo del humano afán.

Gloria, gloria, corona de la Patria,
soberana luz
que es oro en tu Pendón.

Púrpura y oro: bandera inmortal;
en tus colores, juntas, carne y alma están.

English language version

Glory, glory, crown of the Fatherland
sovereign light
which in your standard is gold.

Life, life, future of the Fatherland,
in your eyes it is
an open heart

Purple and gold: immortal flag;
in your colors, together, flesh and soul are.

Purple and gold: to want and to achieve;
You are, flag, the sign of human effort.

Glory, glory, crown of the Fatherland
sovereign light
which in your standard is gold.

Purple and gold: immortal flag;
in your colors, together, flesh and soul are.

Lyrics by José María Pemán (1897-1981)

Viva España, alzad los brazos, hijos
del pueblo español,
que vuelve a resurgir.

Gloria a la Patria que supo seguir,
sobre el azul del mar el caminar del sol.

¡Triunfa España! Los yunques y las ruedas
cantan al compás
del himno de la fe.

Juntos con ellos cantemos de pie
la vida nueva y fuerte del trabajo y paz.

Viva España, alzad los brazos, hijos
del pueblo español,
que vuelve a resurgir.

Gloria a la Patria que supo seguir,
sobre el azul del mar el caminar del sol.

English language version

Long Live Spain, raise your arms, sons
of the Spanish people,
who are rising again.

Glory to the Fatherland that knew how to follow,
over the blue of the sea the path of the sun.

Spain triumphs! The anvils and wheels
sing to the rhythm
of the hymn of the faith.

Together with them let's stand and sing
the new powerful life of labour and peace.

Long Live Spain, raise your arms, sons
of the Spanish people,
who are arising again.

Glory to the Fatherland that knew how to follow,
over the blue of the sea the path of the sun.

Glory to the Motherland that knew how to follow,
over the blue of the sea the path of the sun.

After witnessing a rousing rendition of You'll Never Walk Alone at Anfield in 2007, the President of the Spanish Olympic Committee, Alejandro Blanco, said he felt inspired to seek lyrics to La Marcha Real ahead of Madrid's bid to host the 2016 Olympic Games.^[1]^[2] Politicians, including the PM Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, steered clear of the issue in order not to alienate some Basques, Catalans, or Galicians who tend to identify with their own regions rather than with the Spanish state.^[3] A number of the Autonomous communities of Spain have their own anthems. See Anthems of the autonomous communities of Spain for details.