Adapted from de song “American Land” by Bruce Springsteen

Dear Mr.Springsteen,

As maybe you know, in Catalonia we're having at the moment an outstanding democratic processus towards the celebration of a referendum. The votation is going to take place next year, in 2014, in order to ask the people wo live in our country, wether Catalonia should remain as a region of Spain, or if Catalonia should have its own state, within the UE.

For some catalans it's a question of dignity, for others it's a matter of financial survival, for others it's about the building of a better place where to grow our children. In any case, it's a democratic right we want to exercise.

This is a common people debate, it comes from the bottom of the society up to the political class.

Recently we had popular polls all along the country about that question. They started in September 2009 in Arenys de Munt and finished in April 2011 in Barcelona.

Now, it's time to be an official referendum. It's a similar processus as in Scotland they have.

For that occasion , we  have adapted the lyrics of your song “American Land” into “Catalan Land”.

Your anthem has great lyrics and powerful music.

We would ask you for a permission to play our version, with your music, in social and political meetings, o events concerning the processus we are working in.

Thanks for your attention, your kindness,...and for your music.

Sincerely yours,

Jaume Vall

Llavaneres, Catalonia 

Adapted from de song “American Land” by Bruce Springsteen

 

This is our loving soil, this Catalonia land,

it exists to become free, and free the citizens,

it has been a crossroads of greeks, romans and gauls,

sometimes welcoming ones, sometimes a deal of blood.

The sixties, promised land, and waiting for 75,

amnesty, freedom, and some loses through the way,

in the fields, in the scaffold, in Seat and Nissan,

succes like in “castellers”, the strength of many hands.

“See you no more, señoritos”, and the big wish to emigrate,

bundle, simple cases , and the hurry for job and dignity,

crowded trains flowing to Cornellà and Hospitalet,

new people to get to know, a new land to work and love.

A new land with three crests, four plains , and five ports,

with the stgrength of the García, the Fuentes, and Llauradós,

of the Xiulong, the Bergamasco, the Ahmed , the Stoickov,

for their wisdom, their sweat, their accent, and their work.

The China, the Indostan, open shops until the night,

there's risk on the scaffold, there are men from the Magrib,

to support aunt Carmetes, it's the arms from Equador,

and so many good salads, with Subsaharian colour.

You the ones with loyal heart, and callousity on the hands

enjoy prosperity , be happy , and share the spring with us,

and take part in the fight when the matter it's dignity,

language, history and laws, the resources and the flag.

We are about the crossroads, pedagogy it's over,

a brand new century for all , a full-blown nation for us;

And to the ones who prefer us be failed, and be fallen,

we'll wave -free- the senyera, we're going to stand up.

Bye-bye “España una y grande, adiós toritos bravos”,

now let's open every window , it's time to breathe it deep,

never again we want tutelages, we are sensible and wise,

we'll risk in fully freedom, we'll succeed and it will be great.

This is our loving soil, this Catalonia land,

it exists to become free and free the citizens,

we won't accept tutelage, no more, we have sense, and we've grown,

freedom is what we want, for our Catalonia land.