Imagine a packed stadium, the roar of the crowd swelling as the national anthem plays. But instead of voices raised in song, all you can hear are hums.
The “Marcha Real”, translated as “Royal March”, has been the anthem for Spain since the 18th century but, unlike other European countries, it lacks lyrics for its people to sing to. Composed in 1761 by Manuel de Espinosa de los Monteros as a military march, it won the Royal seal of approval from King Charles III in the 1770s. Since then, it has always remained an instrumental tune.
This quirk has led to confusing incidents on the international stage, like during the 2018 World Cup when baffled viewers called out Spanish players for not singing their anthem. But what’s behind the silence of Spain’s theme tune?
Over the years, there have been numerous attempts to set lyrics to the “Marcha Real” yet all have ended in failure. Take 1870, for example, when General Juan Prim launched a competition to find suitable words – only to abandon the project after the judges could not agree on a winner.
Fast forward to Francisco Franco’s rule in the mid-20th century when poet José María Pemán added his own fascistic flair with verses: “Long live Spain! Raise your arms, sons of the Spanish people, which rebirths anew. Glory to the Fatherland that knew how to follow, over the ocean blue, the course of the setting sun.”
These were swiftly ditched following Franco’s demise and Spain’s move towards democracy.
In modern times, attempts to find a unifying set of lyrics since then have faced the immense challenge of catering to Spain’s diverse population, including Castilians, Catalans, Basques, and others, each of which have strong regional identities and identify more with those regions than a national Spain. There have been long-standing independence movements in Catalonia and Spain, for example.
The most significant recent attempt emerged in 2007 when Alejandro Blanco, President of the Spanish Olympic Committee (COE), was moved by the fervent renditions of “You’ll Never Walk Alone” at Anfield stadium, and sought to vocalise the “Marcha Real”.
A nationwide contest drew thousands of submissions, culminating in victory for opera singer Paulino Cubero’s entry: “Long live Spain! Let’s all sing together with different voices and one heart. Long live Spain! From the green valleys to the immense sea, a hymn of brotherhood.”
One phrase, though, sparked fierce backlash. Critics argued that “Long live Spain” carried echoes of Franco’s authoritarian regime, reigniting painful associations for many. Merely five days after the anthem’s revelation, the COE retracted the initiative, shelving the project.
Now, Spain remains among the rare nations like Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, and San Marino, whose people either stand in silence or hum along to their instrumental anthems.
