Jun 27, 2008

Nathalie Cardone - Hasta Siempre



Maybe a touch melodramatic but an excellent interpretation nonetheless of a favorite revolutionary standard in video clip format -- that would suit Rage. It is totally inspiring even if you don't know the lyrics.

Hasta Siempre is a 1965 song by Cuban composer Carlos Puebla. The song's lyrics are a reply to Che Guevara's Farewell Letter[1], at the moment he left Cuba.

The title means always faithful or until always in Spanish.

Spanish lyrics

Aprendimos a quererte
desde la histórica altura
donde el sol de tu bravura
le puso cerco a la muerte.

Chorus:

Aquí se queda la clara,
la entrañable transparencia,
de tu querida presencia
Comandante Che Guevara.

Tu mano gloriosa y fuerte
sobre la historia dispara
cuando todo Santa Clara
se despierta para verte.

Chorus

Vienes quemando la brisa
con soles de primavera
para plantar la bandera
con la luz de tu sonrisa.

Chorus

Tu amor revolucionario
te conduce a nueva empresa
donde esperan la firmeza
de tu brazo libertario.

Chorus

Seguiremos adelante
como junto a ti seguimos
y con Fidel te decimos:
¡Hasta siempre, Comandante!

Chorus

The song has also been covered by Compay Segundo, Buena Vista Social Club , Óscar Chávez , Nathalie Cardone, Robert Wyatt, and Jan Garbarek and Bobo Stenson Quartet among others. My favorite has always been that by Silvio Rodríguez.