"¡Ay Carmela!" is one of the most famous songs of the Spanish Republican troops during the Spanish Civil War. It had originally been a nineteenth century folk song, El Paso del Ebro, commemorating the routing of Napoleonic troops across the river Ebro in 1807, during the War of Independence. During the Spanish Civil War, in common with many older folk songs, the melody was reused with new lyrics by the Republican side, in various versions (El Ejército del Ebro, El paso del Ebro, ¡Ay, Carmela!, ¡Ay, Manuela!, Rumba la Rumba, and Viva la XV Brigada). A less well-known version was also coined by Nationalists (El Rîo del Nervión).

Variants

The most popular lyrics to this Republican song have two variants known as El Paso del Ebro and Viva la XV Brigada. The first one is related to the Battle of the Ebro and the second mentions the Battle of Jarama, two of the main confrontations of the Civil War. The sentence Luchamos contra los moros (We fight against the Moors) refers to the Regulares, the feared Moroccan units fighting as the shock troops of the Nationalists. A Croatian singer and songwriter Darko Rundek released a version of the song with anti-fascist and anti-oppressor lyrics in his 2000 album U širokom svijetu. The song enjoyed widespread support among populations in the Serbian capital of Belgrade, especially during the 2018–2020 Serbian protests.

Lyrics

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El Ejército del Ebro

El Ejército del Ebro, rumba la rumba la rumba la. El Ejército del Ebro, rumba la rumba la rumba la Y a las tropas invasoras, rumba la rumba la rumba la. Y a las tropas invasoras, rumba la rumba la rumba la El furor de los traidores, rumba la rumba la rumba la. El furor de los traidores, rumba la rumba la rumba la Pero nada pueden bombas, rumba la rumba la rumba la. Pero nada pueden bombas, rumba la rumba la rumba la Contraataques muy rabiosos, rumba la rumba la rumba la. Contraataques muy rabiosos, rumba la rumba la rumba la Pero igual que combatimos, rumba la rumba la rumba la. Pero igual que combatimos, rumba la rumba la rumba la

Translation

The Army of the Ebro, Rumba la rumba la rumba la! The Army of the Ebro, Rumba la rumba la rumba la! And to the invading troops, Rumba la rumba la rumba la! And to the invading troops, Rumba la rumba la rumba la! The furor [(fury)] of the traitors, Rumba la rumba la rumba la! The furor [(fury)] of the traitors, Rumba la rumba la rumba la! But bombs can do nothing, Rumba la rumba la rumba la! But bombs can do nothing, Rumba la rumba la rumba la! Very rabid counterattacks, Rumba la rumba la rumba la! Very rabid counterattacks, Rumba la rumba la rumba la! But in the same way as we fight, Rumba la rumba la rumba la! But in the same way as we fight, Rumba la rumba la rumba la!

Viva la Quince Brigada

{| Viva la Quince Brigada, Rúmbala, rúmbala, rúm-ba-la, Viva la Quince Brigada, Rúmbala, rúmbala, rúm-ba-la. Que se ha cubierta de gloria, Ay Mañuela, ay Mañuela! Que se ha cubierta de gloria, Ay Mañuela, ay Mañuela! Luchamos contra los Moros, Rúmbala, rúmbala, rúm-ba-la, Luchamos contra los Moros, Rúmbala, rúmbala, rúm-ba-la. Mercenarios y fascistas, Ay Mañuela, ay Mañuela! Mercenarios y fascistas, Ay Mañuela, ay Mañuela! Solo es nuestro deseo, Rúmbala, rúmbala, rúm-ba-la, Solo es nuestro deseo, Rúmbala, rúmbala, rúm-ba-la. Acabar con el fascismo, Ay Mañuela, ay Mañuela! Acabar con el fascismo, Ay Mañuela, ay Mañuela! En los frentes de Jarama, Rúmbala, rúmbala, rúm-ba-la, En los frentes de Jarama, Rúmbala, rúmbala, rum-ba-la. No tenemos ni aviones, Ni tanques, ni cañones, ay Mañuela! No tenemos ni aviones, Ni tanques, ni cañones, ay Mañuela! Ya salimos de España, Rúmbala, rúmbala, rúm-ba-la, Ya salimos de España, Rúmbala, rúmbala, rüm-ba-la. Para Luchar en otros frentes, Ay Mañuela, ay Mañuela! Para Luchar en otros frentes, Ay Mañuela, ay Mañuela!

Literal Translation

(Long) Live the Fifteenth Brigade, Rumba la rumba la rumba la! (Long) Live the Fifteenth Brigade, Rumba la rumba la rumba la! We fight against the Moors, Rumba la rumba la rumba la; We fight against the Moors, Rumba la rumba la rumba la, It is only our wish, Rumba la rumba la rumba la! It is only our wish, Rumba la rumba la rumba la! On the fronts of Jarama, Rumba la rumba la rumba la! On the fronts of Jarama, Rumba la rumba la rumba la! We're now leaving Spain, Rumba la rumba la rumba la! We're now leaving Spain, Rumba la rumba la rumba la!