San Martiño (Saint Martin)

Lyrics: Antón Tovar

Adaptation of the lyrics: Carlos e Fran Amil

Music: Fran e Carlos Amil

Born in Pereira, Rairiz de Veiga, in the A Limia region of Ourense, Antón Tovar was a bilingual poet who in 1962 published “Arredores (Surroundings)” in the Galaxia publishing house. Even though his poetry used to be framed within the current called “existentialism” and characterized by a trace of pessimism, we chose a poem with a strong irony charge in the Galician humanization of the saint.

Fran in San Martiño street in Pontevedra

San Martiño, magosto (fall party), girls and wine. Funky flavor and rhythm: bagpipes, trumpet and sax blowing divinely. If you are able to keep your feet still, you are not of this world. Who can resist a band like this?: Paco Cerdeira on electric guitar, Antón Fernández “Torroncho” on bass, Ricardo Casás “Richi” on tenor and alto saxes, Manu Payno on trumpet, Fernando Román on bagpipes, Álex Salgueiro on keyboards, and Ángeles Dorrio and Carmen Rey on backing vocals, as well as myself on lead vocals, backing vocals, electronic bass, percussion and drums.

Fran delivering a copy of “Popsia Vol. I” to Enrique Tovar López-Cuevillas, nephew of Antón Tovar

Here we leave you the song so you can read it while you listen to it.

  1. San Martino Fran Amil 3:42

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¡Ai!, San Martiño. ¡Ai!, San Martiño (x2)¡Oh!, San Martiño. ¡Oh!, San Martiño (x2)
¡Ai!-¡Oh!
Na festa dos magostosAt the feast of the magostos
do San Martiño,of San Martiño,
cando a castaña estourawhen the chestnut bursts
e canta o viño,and the wine sings,
baixou do monte bébedo.he came down from the mountain drunk.
O santo ven a Ourense,The saint comes to Ourense,
de vagariño,slowly,
para alcender a alegríato ignite the joy
como un meniño.like a kid.
Con meia capa ó lombo,With half cape on his back,
anda nas roldas de padriño.he goes on the godfather rounds.
Anda collendo a leña,He is gathering the firewood,
soprando lumes no camiñoblowing fires on the road
de Montealegrefrom Montealegre
a Ceboliño.to Ceboliño.
¡Ai!, San Martiño¡Oh!, San Martiño
¡Ai!, San Martiño,¡Oh!, San Martiño,
que anduvo na borrallawho walked in the swamp
i emporcou o fuciño. (x3)and messed up the snout. (x3)
¡Ai!, San Martiño. ¡Ai!, San Martiño (x2)¡Oh!, San Martiño¡Oh!, San Martiño. (x2)
Ai!, San Martiño,¡Oh!, San Martiño,
que anda a bicar ás mozas coma un homiño;who goes around kissing girls like a little man;
Ai!, San Martiño,¡Oh!, San Martiño,
que ten unha noiva no Ribeiriño;who has a girlfriend in the Ribeiriño;
Ai!, San Martiño,¡Oh!, San Martiño,
que se deitou con ela;who slept with her;
Ai!, San Martiño.¡Oh!, San Martiño.
Ai!, San Martiño¡Oh!, San Martiño.
Ai!, San Martiño¡Oh!, San Martiño
que anduvo na borrallawho walked in the swamp
i emporcou o fuciño. (x4)and messed up the snout. (x4)

If you want to see more lyrics from the album “Popsia Vol. I” click HERE.