With La Liga on a one-week hiatus to allow for the Spanish national team's forthcoming humiliation of England at Wembley on Saturday, there's not really a lot of Betis news to report. So, let's use the opportunity to get stuck into another verdiblanco song (see here for all the previous entries in this occasional series).
I realised recently we're long overdue a look at the Himno del Centenario (Centenary Anthem), which is only rarely sung spontaneously by fans at games but is usually played over the PA after a home victory and is an important part of the Betis repertoire. I've heard it on CD in bars, blasting out from a mobile disco in the streets outside the stadium and on mobile phone ringtones, and there's a melancholy piano version that's used as a background to any minute's "silence" before a game. The lyrics are also printed on a flag that can be bought outside the stadium.
As I understand it, Olé Betis (written and sung by Rafael Serna) won a competition to become the club's centenary anthem in 2007 - and it's easy to see why. With inspiring words, a great singalong chorus and very evocative flamenco flavour, it was pretty much the perfect song for the occasion.
Please forgive the very rough translation:
Con la arte que te sobra With the magic you have so much of
Con la gente que te quiere With the people that love you
En el tiempo y la memoria In time and memory
Manque pierda tuyo siempre Manque pierda yours forever
Corazón que late fuerte Heart that beats strongly
Sentimiento que desborda Overflowing with feeling
Tradición que desde siempre A tradition that forever
Es motivo de tu gloria Has been the reason for your glory
Ole ole ole ole Beti ole
Ole ole ole ole Beti ole
Ole ole Beti
Ole ole Beti
Ole ole ole Beti ole
Tu corazón ya tiene un siglo Your heart is a century old
Siente el calor Feel the warmth
De la aficion Of the fans
Que es contigo Who are with you
Ole ole ole ole Beti ole
Ole ole ole ole Beti ole
Ole ole Beti
Ole ole Beti
Ole ole ole Beti ole
Mucho más que un sentimiento Much more than a feeling
Que un escudo y una bandera Than a badge or a flag
Mucho más que todo eso Much more than all that
Más allá de la fontera And beyond borders
Siempre hay alguien que diga, There'll always be someone who says
"Viva el Betis manque pierda!" "Viva el Betis manque pierda!"
Y asi sonarán los sones And so the sounds ring out
Al final de la Palmera At the end of [Avenida de] La Palmera
Ole ole ole ole Beti ole etc
For a YouTube rendition, how about this version, one of the many, many times the song was aired at the promotion celebrations back in May. It was sung live by the writer, Rafael Serna, who is currently battling cancer - so let's send all our best wishes to him. (For a recorded version, try here, although this is different - possibly in a good way - from the soft rock version played at games.)
Interestingly, the song got a boost in the last days of the Lopera regime, when stadium officials were obviously ordered to play it at full volume immediately a game finished in order to drown out the inevitable chants of "Lopera vete ya!" (Lopera go now!). The tradition has continued ever since, at least when we win (which means the record is currently gathering dust in a dark corner somewhere).
All in all, I think the best thing you can say about Olé Betis is that it's an anthem worthy of the club, which is obviously high praise.
Thanks goodness we are not challenging in Eurovision as well :D - I think sore voiceboxes might take a few casualties :p
Posted by: Toni | Thursday, 10 November 2011 at 03:39 PM
You're right - it had been a long night by then...
Posted by: Adam | Thursday, 10 November 2011 at 04:26 PM
It was stuck in my head this morning, so it was a funny surprise to find it here! I really like it though. Animo Rafael!
Posted by: Theresa | Friday, 11 November 2011 at 01:14 AM
Oh, and I really like the piano version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbdMFo19plM&feature=related
Posted by: Theresa | Friday, 11 November 2011 at 01:22 AM