Athletic Club Bilbao

Full Name: Athletic Club Bilbao
Full Name in Spanish : Athletic Club
City: Bilbao, Spain
Founded: 1898
Nicknames: Los Leones (The Lions)
Colours: Red, White, Black
Home: San Mamés, Bilbao, Spain map photos
Buy tickets for Athletic Club Bilbao matches.

Anthem of Athletic Club Bilbao

In 1982 Carmelo Bernaola received one most rewarding orders in his life. To write the anthem of Athletic Club, his beloved team.. Bernaola could start from scratch and invent a new song but he decided to use the tradition and the musical heritage that had accompanied the team rojiblancos throughout its history, so decided to fix and combine old songs that already exist: the 'Alirón' Aquinas with Retana passacaglia of 'Altza Gaztiak' of Beobide. Respecting the general structure of the work of Beobide, Bernaola rearranges the old songs wrapped with instrumental versions and incorporating the bars unmistakable 'Alirón' Aquinas and Retana. At the same time Bernaola proposes to Anton Zubikarai to be responsible for the lyrics giving him precise instructions: lyrics in full Basque-based Voices easily identifiable by expression easy and straightforward. On March 30, 1983, Athletic was playing with Barcelona for the quarter finals of Spanish Cup. That was the first time the new anthem was performed.

Composer: Feliciano Beobide, Carmelo Bernaola
Lyrics: Juan Anton Zubikarai
Performer: The choir of ABAO
Music style: March

(Original Version)

(Other Version)
(click to listen)

Lyrics (Euskera)

Athletic, Athletic, Athletic eup!
Athletic, gorri ta zuria
danontzat zara zu geuria
Erritik sortu ziñalako
maite zaitu erriak

Gaztedi gorri-zuria
zelai orlegian
Euskalerriaren erakusgarria.
Zabaldu daigun guztiok
Irrintzi alaia:
Athletic, Athletic
zu zara nagusia
Altza Gaztiak

Athletic, Athletic,
gogoaren Indarra.
Aritz zarraren enborrak
loratu dau orbel barria.

Aupa mutilak!
aurrera gure gaztiak!
Bilbo ta Bizkai guztia
goratu bedi munduan
Aupa mutilak!
gora beti Euskalerria!
Athletic gorri-zuria
geuria.

Bilbo ta Bizkai guztiak gora!
Euskaldun zintzoak aurrera!

Translation (Spanish)

Athletic, Athletic, eup!
Athletic rojo y blanco
para todos eres muy nuestro
porque naciste del pueblo
te ama el pueblo.

Juventud rojiblanca
en verde campo
ejemplo de Euskalerria
Propaguemos nosotros
el exultante irrintzi (grito)
Athletic, Athletic
eres el mejor,
Arriba jóvenes!

Athletic, Athletic
fuerza del espiritu
El tronco del viejo Roble
ha hecho germinar hoja nueva

Arriba muchachos!
Adelante juventud nuestra!
Bilbao y toda Bizkaia
sean enaltecidos en todo el mundo.
Arriba muchachos!
Arriba siempre Euskalerria!
Athletic rojo y blanco,
el nuestro.

Arriba jóvenes de Bilbao y Bizkaia!
Nobles vascos, adelante!

Old Anthem of Athletic Club Bilbao (1950)

In 1950, Nadal & Urrengoetxea published another song for Athletic Club. This song became popular very quickly among the fans of the team. It was the first song that was written as an anthem. It is said that it was written in a paper towel in a restaurant of Bilbao and after a few hours it was performed live in Radio Bilbao by Boby Deglané. It was the unofficial anthem of Athletic until 1982.

Composer: Urrengoetxea
Lyrics: Nadal
Performer: Boby Deglané
Music style: March

Lyrics (Spanish)

Tiene Bilbao
un gran tesoro
que adora y mima
con gran pasión.

Su club de fútbol
de bella historia
lleno de gloria
mil veces campeón.

Athletic, Athletic, club
de limpia tradición,
ninguno más que tú,
lleva mejor blasón.

Del fútbol eres ley
te llaman el león,
y la afición el rey
del fútbol español.

Cantemos pues, los bilbainitos,
a nuestro club, con gran amor,
para animarle, con nuestro himno,
el canto digno del Alirón. (bis)

¡Alirón! ¡Alirón!
el Athletic es campeón.

First anthem of Athletic Bilbao

In 1913, the famous cupletista Teresita Zaza had among his repertoire a song called Alirón, by Alvaro de Retana and Gaspar Aquino, whose original lyrics was:

In Madrid has been in vogue a song called “Aliron”,
And there is nobody in the madriles who doesn’t know this song,
…
Alirón, alirón, alirón POM, POM, POM ...

The artist was surprised when his discovered that the public had changed the chorus to:

Alirón, alirón, Athletic champion ....

The authors of the song decided to accept it and expand it to:

The whole of Spain triumphed in the song of Alirón
And there is no athlete who does not know this song
And the girls are proud today to give you their heart
For any of the eleven Athletic champion
Alirón, alirón, Athletic champion.

Composer: Álvaro de Retana y de Gaspar Aquino
Lyrics: Álvaro de Retana y de Gaspar Aquino
Performer: Teresita Zazá
Music style: Uknown

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