"El novio de la muerte" - Spanish Legionary Song (rare fast-paced version)

“El novio de la muerte” (The Broom Death) is a song performed on solemn occasions by the Spanish Legion, although its official anthem is the “Canción del legionario” (Song of the Legionnaire). El novio de la muerte was originally a cuplé sung by Lola Montes with lyrics by Fidel Prado Duque and music by Juan Costa Casals (1882-1942). It was performed for the first time on 20 July 1921 at the Teatro Vital in Malaga. On 30 and 31 July 1921, it was performed at the Kursaal Theatre in Melilla, with great success. Given that its lyrics extolled the military and legionary spirit, it was adopted by the Spanish Legion, which performs it with solemn rhythm on certain occasions, including the transfer of the Cristo de la Buena Muerte during Holy Week in Malaga and in various events during Holy Week in Jerez de los Caballeros, Ronda and Huelva. The lyrics are based on a real event that took place on 7 January 1921 in Beni Hassán. During a military action in the Rif War, Baltasar Queija Vega, corporal of the Legion's first flag, died as a result of war wounds. Apparently, some verses he had just written, moved by the recent death of his girlfriend, were found in his pocket. Shortly before, he had expressed to his comrades his desire to be reunited with her soon in the afterlife. This story was recounted by the founder of the Spanish Legion, Millán Astray, in his book La Legión... Al Tercio. However, given the novelistic nature of the event and the lack of information about Baltasar Queija Vega's poetic activity, some historians have described it as a legend. The writer Arturo Barea, in his book La Ruta, claims to have known a legionnaire who enlisted after losing a great woman to an incurable disease. According to the Madrid-born author, the soldier wanted to find death within the Tercio, but his commanders took a liking to him and kept him away from destinations where his life might be in danger. The same legionnaire also appears in the television series La forja de un rebelde (The Forging of a Rebel), produced by Televisión Española. This version belongs to the album entitled "Marchas e Himnos" (Marches and Hymns) performed by the Cornetas y Tambores Band of the Auxiliary Military Academy, conducted by Ricardo Dorado. Sources:    • El Novio de la Muerte (with Ricardo Dorado)   es.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_novio_de_la_muerte Lyrics: «Soy un hombre a quien la suerte hirió con zarpa de fiera, soy un novio de la muerte que va a unirse en lazo fuerte con tal leal compañera». Cuando al fin le recogieron, entre su pecho encontraron una carta y el retrato de una divina mujer. Aquella carta decía: «…si Dios un día te llama, para mí un puesto reclama que a buscarte pronto iré». Y en el último beso que le enviaba, su postrer despedida le consagraba: «Por ir a tu lado a verte, mi más leal compañera, me hice novio de la muerte, la estreché con lazo fuerte y su amor fue mi bandera».