Marcha Real

"**Marcha Real**" (, which means "Royal March") is the national anthem of Spain. The music was composed by Manuel de Espinosa de los Monteros in 1761 also in this year the anthem was first published. When Francisco Franco ruled Spain, new lyrics were written for it. Since 1978, those words are no longer official. In 2007, a contest for new lyrics did not result in new lyrics being made official. It is one of only four national anthems in the world with no official words, only music.

## Former lyrics

The lyrics used when Alfonso XIII was king were written by Eduardo Marquina (1879–1946):<poem lang="es" style="margin-right:2em; float:left;">**La bandera de España** (Coro)
Gloria, gloria, corona de la Patria,
soberana luz
que es oro en tu Pendón.
Vida, vida, futuro de la Patria,
que en tus ojos es
abierto corazón...!
Púrpura y oro: bandera inmortal;
en tus colores, juntas, carne y alma están.
Púrpura y oro: querer y lograr;
Tú eres, bandera, el signo del humano afán.

**España guiadora** (Solo)
¡Pide, España! ¡Tu nombre llevaremos
donde quieras tú;
que honrarlo es nuestra ley!
¡Manda, España, y unidos lucharemos,
porque vivas tú,
sin tregua pueblo y rey!
Una bandera gloriosa nos das;
¡nadie, viviendo, España, nos la arrancará!
Para que, un día, nos pueda cubrir,
¡danos, España, el gozo de morir por ti!

**¡Viva España!...** (Coro)
¡Viva España! Del grito de la Patria,
la explosión triunfal
abrió camino al sol;
¡Viva España! repiten veinte pueblos
y al hablar dan fe
del ánimo español...
¡Marquen arado martillo y clarín
su noble ritmo al grito de la Patria fe!
¡Guíe la mente a la mano hasta el fin,
al "Viva España" asista toda España en pie!</poem>
<poem style="float:left;">**Flag of Spain** (Chorus)
Glory, glory, crown of the Fatherland
sovereign light
which in your standard is gold.
Life, life, future of the Fatherland,
in your eyes it is
an open heart
Purple and gold: immortal flag;
in your colors, together, flesh and soul are.
Purple and gold: to want and to achieve;
You are, flag, the sign of human effort.

**Guiding Spain** (Solo)
Ask of us, Spain! Your name we will take
anywhere you want;
because honoring it is our law!
Command us, Spain, and united we will fight,
so that you may live,
relentless people and king!
You give us a glorious flag;
Nobody, who is alive, Spain, will take it from us!
So that, one day, we can be covered by it,
Give us, Spain, the joy of dying for you!

**Long live Spain! ...** (Chorus)
Long live Spain! The cry of the Fatherland,
the triumphant explosion
Has opened the way to the sun;
Long live Spain! repeated twenty peoples
and when they speak they have faith
in the Spanish will ...
Mark plow hammer and bugle
your noble rhythm at the cry of the Fatherland faith!
Guide the mind and the hand until the end,
the "Long Live Spain" Spain attends all standing!</poem>

## Infobox (anthem)

- **sound**: Marcha Real-Royal March by US Navy Band.ogg
- **sound title**: Marcha Real, played by US Navy Band
- **predecessor**: "Himno de Riego"
- **title**: Marcha Real
- **english title**: Royal March
- **country**: Spain
- **alt title**: Marcha Granadera
- **en alt title**: Grenadier March
- **author**: Eduardo Marquina (during Alfonso XIII)
- **published**: 1761
- **composer**: Manuel de Espinosa de los Monteros
- **music date**: 1761