The Last Lincoln Veteran
Catholics and Protestants, Atheists and Jews, joined together in the trenches to turn back the fascist tide
Hi all,
Thank you for joining me for today’s song, “The Last Lincoln Veteran”, by David Rovics. If you’d like to hear the song before you read about it, I’ve included a YouTube video below the article. For Japanese students, vocabulary words in bold are provided in Japanese below. TOEIC (PBT) 450+, Eiken 2, CEFR B1.
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(676 words)
In 1936, the Spanish Civil War began. On one side were the Republicans, who wanted a new kind of government. On the other side were the Nationalists, who wanted to keep the old ways. The Nationalists won the war, and Franco became the leader of Spain. He was very strict and didn't like people to disagree with him. Many people who didn't agree were put in prison or sent to special camps. Franco ruled Spain until his death in 1975.
This song is about a group of American volunteers who formed the Abraham Lincoln Brigade.
They were old when I was young
Now they’re all but passed away (almost all of them have died)
Now it’s just a secondhand / Memory of the day
When from all around the world / They sailed off to Spain
Where they fought against the fascists / Where so many men were slain
Who will recall the days / When they all stood side by side
Now that the last Lincoln Veteran died
There were volunteers who came from many countries to help the Republicans. They formed the International Brigade units. They believed in the ideals of the republic and wanted to fight fascism. The volunteers in the American Abraham Lincoln Brigade later participated in the civil rights marches and in parades honoring American veterans.
Beside Martin Luther King / Or in a Veterans Parade
You could see the men who made the journey / To join the Fifteenth Brigade
When men of many nations / Of most every creed and hue
A creed can be something like a religion or an ethical or moral belief, something you believe is the right thing to do. Hues are different types of groups.
Catholics and Protestants / Atheists and Jews
Joined together in the trenches / To turn back the fascist tide
Now that the last Lincoln Veteran died
The volunteers came from different parts of the world. There was even one Japanese soldier named Jack Shirai.* They were called brigadistas in Spanish, members of the brigades.
The working class of many countries / Joined in a desperate bid
With what weapons they could find / They fought to save Madrid
From Brussels and Berlin / Galway and London town
Who will recall the Brigadistas / Who tried to take the fascists down
There beside the Spanish people / Even the figs and olives cried
Now that the last Lincoln Veteran died
The Nationalists, led by a general named Franco, started winning battles. Franco had money and the support of Hitler (Der Fuhrer) in Germany, Mussolini (Il Duce) in Italy, and Portugal. The Republicans asked countries in Europe and the U.S. for help, but they refused. Only Mexico and the Soviet Union agreed to help. The American oil company, Texaco, did support Franco, however, by illegally selling him oil on credit.
The Republic had the people / But the fascists had the tanks
Il Duce and Der Fuhrer / Deserve only some of Franco’s thanks
‘Cause the fuel to move the armor / Came from the USA
And the men that they gunned down
Were from New York and Frisco Bay (San Francisco)
Although the U.S. (Uncle Sam) said it would not take sides in the conflict, it turned a blind eye when companies such as General Motors and Texaco supplied the Nationalists with trucks and gasoline.
Uncle Sam said he was neutral / Who will remember how he lied
Now that the last Lincoln Veteran died
Some say people get conservative / The older that they age
They say that being radical / Is just a youthful stage
But the finest communist I’ve known / Lived to 95
And he spent his whole life striving / For humanity to thrive
To forget these fallen heroes / Is something I cannot abide
Now that the last Lincoln Veteran died
The last verse is from the song, “Jarama Valley”, which was sung during the Spanish Civil War. You can read about it below.
There’s a valley in Spain called Jarama
It’s a place that we all know so well
It was there that we gave of our manhood
Where so many of our brave comrades fell
Question
Do you think people become more conservative as they grow older or not? Why do you think so?
Vocabulary
brigade 旅団
slain 殺害 (v.) slay / slayed / slain
recall 思い出す
creed 信条
hue 色相 (pronounced: hyoo)
ethical 倫理的
atheist 無神論者
trench 塹壕
turn back the tide 出来事の流れを逆転させる
desperate bid 必死の試み
figs イチジク
gun down 打ち止める
turn a blind eye 見て見ぬふり
conservative 保守的
strive for 努力する
thrive 繁栄する
abide 従う
comrade 同志
Notes
*Jack Shirai was born in Hokkaido. When he became an adult, he went to the U.S. and ended up working in a Japanese restaurant in New York. From there, he joined friends to go to Spain to fight for the Republic. He was shot and killed in Brunete in Jarama, Spain.
“The Last Lincoln Veteran” originally appeared on the Soundclick album, Ten New Songs (2010). Then it appeared on Troubadour: People’s History in Song (CD, 2010) and the following year on Big Red Sessions (CD, 2011).
For more information, see https://www.davidrovics.com/songbook/the-last-lincoln-veteran/
Sources
A&E Television Networks. 7 things you may not know about the Spanish Civil War. History.com. https://www.history.com/news/7-things-you-may-not-know-about-the-spanish-civil-war
Choi, R. The Cook with a gun. Hyphen. (2015, September 10). https://hyphenmagazine.com/magazine/issue-8-re-emerge-winter-2005/cook-gun
The Spanish Civil War: Foreign Intervention and the American reaction. Digital Collections, McMaster University Library. https://digitalcollections.mcmaster.ca/pw20c/case-study/spanish-civil-war-foreign-intervention-and-american-reaction#:~:text=In%20response%20to%20Italy’s%20aggression,ensued%20during%20World%20War%20II.
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All of the articles about the songs will remain free for students to use. (We are all students, are we not?) However, if you find these articles useful and are in a position to make a small (or large) donation, I would be deeply grateful.
I wonder how many countries have turned a 'blind eye' to their belief when vast amounts of money can be gained, war is always so hypocritical... ☹️