Main content

Spain

Episode 4 of 4

With its several languages and varied musical styles, Spain has an unusually complex relationship with its classic songs. Cerys Matthews travels to Barcelona to investigate.

What makes a song typically Spanish? In a country of autonomous regions and different languages, is there such a thing as a 'Spanish songbook'? Cerys Matthews travels to the capital of Catalonia to meet people who live, breathe and sing some of Spain's complex legacy of popular songs. The discussion ranges from Civil War songs such as 'Ay, Carmela' to Franco-era copla ballads, to Beatles-inspired pop songs. She discovers one Catalan protest song that started life in the Franco era; it was subsequently taken up by protesters in Poland, and then more recently in Tunisia, before returning to the streets of Barcelona amidst protests against austerity. Cerys' guests include veteran rocker and writer Sabino Mendez, musicologist Silvia Martinez, music journalist Nando Cruz and cultural historian Alex Fernandez de Castro.

Available now

30 minutes

Last on

Sun 6 Sep 2015 13:30
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4

More episodes

Previous

Italy

Next

You are at the last episode

See all episodes from The Great Songbook

Music Played

  • Juan Damestoy y su Orquestra

    EL GATO MONTES

    • Fiesta Epanola.
    • Fiesta Epanola.
    • unknown.

  • Alejandro Masso

    Ay Carmela

    • World Cinema Classics.
    • Nascente.
    • NSCD-106.

  • Antonio Molina

    La bien paga

    • Voces Legendarias, Vol.3 (Copla).
    • RI Music.
    • 50865.

  • Concha Piquer

    OJOS VERDES

  • Los Brincos

    Flamenco

    • Cry / Flamenco Novola - No.2.
    • Novla.
    • - No.2.

  • Conchita Velasquez

    Chica Ye Ye

    • Universal 0688312.
    • Universal.
    • 0688312.

  • LLUIS LLACH

    L'Estaca

    • 9808781.
    • Picap.
    • 9808781.

  • EL GATO MONTES

    • Fiesta Epanola.
    • Fiesta Epanola.
    • unknown.

  • XAVIER CUGAT AND HIS ORCHESTRA

    CUANTO LE GUSTA

    • Cuanto Le Gusta / Take It Away.
    • Columbia.
    • DB 2473.

  • Peret

    El Gitano Anton

    • Grandes Exitos.
    • BMG Ariola EspaΓ±a ?.
    • 260711.

  • Los Chunguitos

    Dame Veneno

    • Lo mΓ΅s Grande de la Rumba.
    • EMI Spain.
    • 12274957.

  • Loquillo y Los Trogloditas

    El Ritmo del Garage

  • Alaska y Dinarama

    A Quien Le Importa

    • HISPAVOX7 96408 2.
    • HISPAVOX7.
    • 96408 2.

  • Joan Manuel Serrat

    Mediterraneo

    • ²Ρ±π»εΎ±³Ω±π°ω°ωΓ΅²Τ±π΄Η.
    • Novola.
    • NLX 10311S.

  • Banda de la Real Feria

    Paquito el Chocolatero

    • FST 98023.
    • Fiesta.
    • FST 98023.

Broadcasts

  • Tue 11 Aug 2015 11:30
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4 FM
  • Sun 6 Sep 2015 13:30
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4

Gallery