- For a song with a similar title, see We Shall Overcome.
"Venceremos" is a Chilean political movement song that was the anthem for the Popular Unity of Chile. Originally popularized by Chilean groups Inti-Illimani and Quilapayún, it was a song to propagate the nueva canción movement in Chile at the time, and to support Salvador Allende during the 1970 Chilean presidential elections. The original lyrics were written by Claudio Iturra and the music was composed by Sergio Ortega. To further support the left-wing party and Allende in the 1970 elections, the lyrics were rewritten by Víctor Jara – with the mentioning of Allende and the Popular Unity in the lyrics – so thus a second version came about which then became the anthem for the Popular Unity movement in 1970.[1][2]
This song became popular in the 1970s and has been translated into Portuguese, Italian, Russian, German, and Turkish; however, the authors of the former three remains unknown.
Lyrics[]
Original Spanish lyrics[]
Latin script | Cyrillic script | Greek script |
---|---|---|
Desde el hondo crisol de la patria |
Десде эл ондо крисол де ла патрия |
Δέσδε ελ όνδο κρισόλ δε λα πάτρια |
English translation[]
From the deep crucible of the homeland
The people's voice rises up
The new day comes over the horizon
All Chile breaks out in song
In remembrance of the courageous soldier
Whose example has made him immortal
First, we confront death
Our country we'll never betray
Chorus:
𝄆 We shall prevail, we shall prevail,
A thousand chains we'll have to break
We shall prevail, we shall prevail,
We know how to overcome misery 𝄇
Peasants, soldiers, miners,
The women of our country aswell
Students, workers, white-collar and blue
We will do our duty
We'll sow the land with glory
Socialism will be our future
All together, we are the ones who'll make history
To fulfill, to fulfill, to fulfill
Chorus[2]
Chilean electoral campaign lyrics[]
The Spanish lyrics were revised by Victor Jara, and this version has been recorded by Chilean folk music group Quilapayún.
Latin script | Cyrillic script | Greek script |
---|---|---|
Aquí va todo el pueblo de Chile |
Аки ва тодо эл пуэбло де Чиле |
Ακί βα τόδο ελ πουέβλο δε Τζίλε |
English translation[]
Here comes all the people of Chile
Here comes Unidad Popular
Peasant, student, worker
All our comrades join us in song.
Underneath our banner
The women have joined in our call
Victory for the Unidad Popular
Will be the defeat of the Yankee oppressor
Chorus:
𝄆 We shall prevail, we shall prevail
With Allende in September we'll prevail
We shall prevail, we shall prevail
Power to the Unidad Popular 𝄇
With the power that comes from the people
We must make a better homeland
Together and united we must strike
At power, at power, at power.
If the Right wants to ignore
Allende's just victory,
All the people, resolute and courageous
Will rise up as one.
Chorus[2]
Portuguese version[]
Latin script | Cyrillic script | Greek script |
---|---|---|
Em cada recanto da pátria |
Эм када реканто да патрия |
Εμ κάδα ρεκάντο δα πάτρια |
Italian version[]
Latin script | Cyrillic script | Greek script |
---|---|---|
Se tramonta il sol della patria |
Се трамонта ил сол делла патрия |
Σε τραμόντα ιλ σολ δέλλα πάτρια |
German version[]
There have been several versions of the lyrics in German. The most notable one is the version below written by German poet Hans Georg Albig (b. 1944).[6]
Latin script | Cyrillic script | Greek script |
---|---|---|
Als dem Leib der geschundenen Heimat |
Алз дем лайб дер гешунденен хаймат |
Αλς δημ λαιπ δερ γεσχούνδενεν χαίματ |
English translation[]
When the outcry of the people
Fought its way out of the bosom of the defiled homeland
The sun came up over the mountains,
And all of Chile broke out in song.
With the courage of the fearless soldier,
Immortal, tho' young he did die,
We confront death itself,
For our homeland we'll never betray.
Chorus:
𝄆 Venceremos, venceremos!
Break the chains of the people, come on!
Venceremos, venceremos
Free from misery, greatness is ours. 𝄇
We are workers, peasants, and soldiers,
Women, too, stand for the fatherland.
We are miners or we are students,
Our homeland can count on us.
Socialism shall be our future,
History has finally progressed,
Now the harvest of all Chile's fields serves
Everyone, everyone, everyone.
Chorus[2]
Turkish version[]
When the song "Venceremos!" reached its popularity, the lyrics have been translated into Turkish by the Turkish band Grup Yorum (en. 'Commentary Group'), founded in 1984 and are known for the political songwriting.[7]
Latin script | Cyrillic script | Greek script |
---|---|---|
Yırtıyor fırtına sessizliği |
Јыртыјор Фыртына сессизлиғи |
Γιηρτήγιορ φηρτηνά σεσσιζλίγι |
English translation[]
The silence is broken by a storm.
On the horizon the sun's coming up.
The people come out of their shanties,
All Chile breaks out in song.
Chorus:
𝄆 We shall prevail, we shall prevail!
We must break away our chains.
We shall prevail, we shall prevail.
Put and end to deprivation and oppression. 𝄇
The people are struggling in Chile,
With all of their courage and strength,
Damn the murderous junta
Long live the Unidad Popular
Chorus
Crying for the past is in vain
The future surely belongs to socialism
You shall build your tomorrow today
That will be your legacy
Chorus[2]
Russian version[]
Cyrillic script | Latin script | Greek script |
---|---|---|
От Сантьяго до знойной пустыни, |
Ot Santjjago do znojnoj pustyni, |
Οτ Σαντ̌ιάγο δο ζνοίνοι πούστυνι, |
English translation[]
From Santiago to the hot desert
Along the endless sea shores,
Simple people lived happily
Breaking the burden of shackles.
But today we are again in captivity,
The sky darkened over the country.
To fight for a free share -
Get up, working people!
Chorus:
𝄆 Venceremos, cry of freedom,
Flies invitingly over the country.
Venceremos, venceremos –
That means we will win! 𝄇
Stand next to me – worker, peasant,
Stand up for the truth, Chilean people.
The path is not easy before us,
But we believe – victory will come!
The evil force is not afraid of the executioners,
We will not falter in the fatal struggle.
Let it rumble, calling to the scarlet banners,
This song is the tune of battle!
Chorus
Finnish version[]
Laulu syntynyt kärsimyksissä
nousi kätköistä kiusatun maan.
Voitonuskon se loi sydämissä,
veljet yhdisti taistelussaan.
Laulu rohkeiden taistelijoiden,
jotka nousivat päin sortajaa,
nyt jo ukkosen pauhuna soiden
kansan huulilta näin kajahtaa:
Kerto:
Voittakaamme, voittakaamme,
sorron kahleet me pois murretaan.
Voittakaamme, voittakaamme,
maamme nostamme kurjuudestaan.
Miehet ääressä sorvin ja kuokan
heidän laulavat nyt lauluaan.
Kaikki ihmiset työväenluokan
heidän jatkavat taisteluaan.
Uusi maailma luoda on työmme,
sato kultainen pian korjataan.
Riistovallan kun murskaksi lyömme,
kansan huulilta näin kajahtaa:
Kerto[9][10]
Swedish version[]
Ur den smältdegel som heter Chile
höjs nu rösten från ett enat folk.
Det är sången om solen som stiger
över framtiden som skall bli vår.
Vi skall minnas den tappre soldaten
som historien odödliggjort,
och långt hellre vill vi trotsa döden
än förråda det land som är vårt.
Refräng:
𝄆 Vi skall segra, vi skall segra,
tusen kedjor skall vi kasta av.
Vi skall segra, vi skall segra
och besegra den nöd de oss gav. 𝄇
Bönder, arbetare och soldater,
hand i hand både kvinnor och män.
Vi i gruvan och vi som studerar
vet vår plikt och skall uppfylla den.
Ja, en rikare värld skall vi bygga,
socialistisk blir framtiden då,
och tillsammans vi skapar historia,
vi skall nå, vi skall nå till vårt mål.
Refräng[11]
Trivia[]
- Like "Whirlwinds of Danger", the State Anthem of Ukraine, "Katyusha", the State Anthem of the Soviet Union, and "The Internationale", it has been translated into many languages.
References[]
- ↑ Balderston, Daniel, Mike Gonzalez, Ana M. Lopez (eds.), Encyclopaedia of Contemporary Latin American and Caribbean Cultures. p.788
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 Venceremos (2003-09-21). Everything2.com.
- ↑ Venceremos. Lyrics.com.
- ↑ "Venceremos" - Venceremos In Portuguese (2018-11-08). Ingen via YouTube. Original translator unknown.
- ↑ "Venceremos" - Venceremos In Italian (2018-11-08). Ingen via YouTube. Original translator unknown.
- ↑ http://www.lesezeichen-ev.de/impressum.php Hans-Georg Albig. Lese-Zeichen e.V.
- ↑ https://everything2.com/title/Grup+Yorum Grup Yorum. Everything2.
- ↑ Venceremos - Русский (translator unknown) – Sovmusic.ru
- ↑ "Voittakaamme" - Venceremos in Finnish (2021-03-03). Ingen via YouTube.
- ↑ Venceremos (2020-05-21). Kaviaiset - Topic via YouTube.
- ↑ "Vi Skall Segra" - Venceremos In Swedish (2018-11-08). Ingen via YouTube.
Further reading[]
- Trotz Verbots: Bergarbeiter und Studenten sangen „Venceremos“. In: Leipziger Volkszeitung. September 1983. Retrieved 10 January 2009.
- Gabriel San Román: Mein Lied ist ein freies Lied – zum Gedenken an Victor Jara. In: zmag. 17. September 2005. Archiviert vom Original am 30. Oktober 2007. Retrieved 10 January 2009.
- Jörg Rosteck: Venceremos. Leben des Víctor Jara. In: iley.de. Retrieved 10 January 2009.