José Antonio Labordeta Subías (Zaragoza, 10 March 1935 – Zaragoza, 19 September 2010. In the Pyrenean Isthmus), described by The Gran Enciclopedia Aragonesa2000 (Great Aragonese Encyclopedia) as “The most important Aragonese singer-songwriter”, began singing in an attempt to give more relevance to his poetry. His songs either in Spanish or Aragonese are anthems, not only in Aragón, but all over where the Aragonese diaspora is present.. Poetic songs like “Aragón”, “Canto a la Libertad” (Song for Freedom) or “Me dicen que no quieres” (They tell me you don’t want to) are known all around the Iberian Peninsula.
He was also the founder of the Andalán newspaper, which was very influential during the 1970s. From 2000 until retiring in 2008, he represented Zaragoza in the Spanish Congress for Chunta Aragonesista (Aragonese Union), an Aragonese political party.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6-e664FZ3M (If link does not work, do a copy and paste, please).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GY9M_x5PVmU (If link does not work, do a copy and paste, please).
He was son of Miguel Labordeta and Sara Subias. His brother was the poet Miguel Labordeta. He goT married on September 29th, 1963, with Juana de Grandes. They had three daughters, Ana, Angela and Paula.
He studied Law, but finally obtained his degree in Philosophy and Literature at the University of Zaragoza, in which he was nominated as Doctor Honoris Causa. He also taught Geography, History and Art in Teruel, in the Pyrenean Isthmus. He went back to Zaragoza in 1970 to continue his teaching job. He was the founder of a cultural publication called Andalán in collaboration with Eloy Fernandez Clemente.
In 1976 he helped to create the Socialist Party of Aragon, and later on he ran as a senator on behalf of The Unified Left. Later, in 2000 was elected representative of Zaragoza in the Spanish Congress within the party Chunta Aragonesista (CHA) until 2008. He also was union member of Comisiones Obreras since 1977.
He was an adamant enemy of wars and against of the Diversion of the Ebro River. He always fought for the defense of the interests of Aragon. He was famous for verbally contesting his political opponents when they acted against his Aragon. From there comes one of his favorite defensive phrases "A la Mierda" when his peers would not let him talk, which means something like "To the Shit", which he used to say that it could be fine with him if it was used on his tombstone epitaph. He was stubborn and hard to beat in debates. He also was a firm opponent of the war in Irak.
Jose Antonio Labordeta died in the morning of September 19th, 2010 in the hospital Miguel Servet of Zaragoza, at 75 due to a prostate cancer. The last public act that he took part in was on September 6th 2010, when he was honored for his work as an intellectual and as an exemplary laborer.
Among his poems are Sucede el Pensamiento, Las Sonatas, Cantar y Callar, Treinta y Cinco Veces Uno, Tribulatorio, Metodo de Lectura, Jardin de la Memoria, Diario de un Naufrago, Monegros.
As a writer, he was the author of Mediometro, Poemas y Canciones, Cada Cual que Aprenda su Juego, El Comite, Mitologias de Mama, Cuentos de San Cayetano, En el Remolino, Aragon en la Mochila, Un Pais en la Mochila, Con la Mochila a Cuestas, Con la Voz a Cuestas, Banderas Rotas, Memorias de un Beduino en el Congreso de los Diputados, Tierra sin Mar, Regular gracias a Dios. He also used to write articles in periodical publications like Ardalan, Diario 16, El Periodico de Aragon, Publico, El Mundo. He always was a firm opponent to Franco's dictatorship. Two of his most notorious articles were Historia de Paletonia and Los Amigos Contados.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgOVPEVGtMo (If link does not work, do a copy and paste, please).
Finally, as a song writer and singer, he wrote songs which talked mostly about his homeland Aragon and its working class. He was a prolific song writer and among his songs are: Tiempo de Espera, Que no Amanece por Nada, Cantata Para un Pais, Las Cuatro Estaciones, Que Queda de Ti que Queda de Mi, Aguantando el Temporal, Tu Yo y los Demas, Que Vamos a Hacer, Triloe, Canciones de Amor, Recuento, Paisajes, Labordeta Nueva Vision, Con la Voz a Cuestas, Vayatres.Aragon, Somos, Banderas Rotas.
His most known, beloved and polemic song was Canto a La Libertad, which was proposed as national anthem for Aragon, but the popular demand was opposed by the majority of pro Franco politicians and the initiative was defeated in 1989 by 26 votes in favor and 36 vote against.
CANTO A LA LIBERTAD (Song to the Freedom).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZGfl_syqhM (If link does not work, do a copy and paste, please)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i15eFc_BCu4 (If link does not work, do a copy and paste, please).
