5090 by FAWM: "Miramar"

Miramar

5 days ago by @berni1954

Skirmish: Mountain (@atornberg) Challenge: Andalusian Cadence

Miramar

berni1954

00:00

Liner Notes

A late entry for the "Mountain" skirmish

The 11th September has been a day of ill omen for the US, for Chile and, in 1714, for Catalunya. That was the day Barcelona fell to the absolutist Spanish Monarch who proceeded to annex Catalunya and abolish all its laws and privileges.

Strangely enough, that date was chosen as Catalunya's National Day and is commemorated here every year.

This song is about the mountain above the town of Capellades and a ritual we carry out every year. I no longer live there, but I try to get up for this every year.

I hope I have captured some of the ambivalence the mountain evokes for me between optimism and despair

To give you a flavour of the events in the song below are three photos - They show (in order) the flag on top of the cross; the town itself as seen from the mountain and some of the folk gathered on the top.

Instrument: 3/4 Spanish Guitar

Lyrics

(G) Miramar is a mountain
From which they (Am) say you can see the sea
But I've (F) hiked up it a (G) hundred times
And it's (Am) never appeared to me

(Am) Every year on 9/11
We (G) clamber up its side
Loose (F) rocks and unstable pebbles
Un(E)settling our every stride
It's (Am) not to remember Twin Towers
Or the (G) day Allende fell
It's (F) simply that it's Catalunya's
(E) National Day as (Am) well

CHORUS

We (Am) gather beneath the cross
As the inde(G)pendence flag is hoist
We (F) sing the National Anthem
That's the (E) part I like the most
We'd (Am) love to see the freedom
Promised (G) in the song we sing
But we (F) know it's just a pipe dream
While Spain's (E) ruled by the Right-(Am)Wing

CHORUS

(Am) Flasks come out and breakfast is had
Over(G)looking our beloved town
(F) Gossip is shared between neighbours
Before it's (E) time to go on down
The de(Am)scent increases the danger
It's (G) such a slippery slope
But we (F) all take it very easy
Now our (E) hearts are full of (Am) hope

CHORUS

On the (Am) way down we pass the quarry
Which threatens to (G) haul the mountain away
At this (F) rate it will disappear
On some (E) not too distant day
From the (Am) valley we gaze up at the flag
Flying (G) proudly from up on the peak
But we (F) know some local fascist
Will tear it (E) down within a (Am) week

REPEAT LAST TWO LINES

Comments

@coolparadisoMod 4d

Still topical! And always will be! You bring the passion of it out! Very well written and delivered,

@catmisgivings 4d

really enjoying getting to learn about Catalunya through your stories and songs. when i was in high school i developed a fascination with Catalunya. i've hardly spent time there at all, other than a quick jaunt to Barcelona for Primavera years ago (with the flu -- greatly curtailing my explorations) but i'd love to venture beyond the city one day.

@musicsongwriter 5d

Spanish feel here. Very nice take on the prompt. Big subject and cool delivery, Berni.

@lyricslinger 5d

Nice Spanish guitar and great storytelling! And educational as well, as I didn't know about Chile or Catalunya's 9/11 moments.

@headfirstonlyMod 5d

The idea of the sea appearing, like a manifestation, rather than being visible, is a nice device, particularly as "it appears to me" is also being used as a statement of enlightenment yet to be attained. The song is so full of sadness. There's hope in the verses, but those last two lines of the final chorus are a depressingly familiar comment on the state of things these days.

@hmstreetteam 5d

I like the somber air in the music that fits the subject matter well. Not being able to see the sea is a potent metaphor for the situation.

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Miramar

Liner Notes

Lyrics

Comments

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