“I will resist, upright in front of everything, I will turn iron to harden the skin and although the winds of life blow strong, I am like the reed that bends, but always stands,” reads the chorus of the well-known song “Resist I Will”, which since 1988 became famous thanks to thanks to the Dynamic Duo, a band recognized as an icon of Spanish pop.
Since then, the song has been performed by various Spanish-speaking singers and authors, such as Estela Raval and Los Cinco Latinos or El Argentino, David Bolzoni (former AQM), who in 2003 made a punk-rock-based version as the main theme song for the trasandina television series” I’ll resist.” On both occasions, the versions became sales hits and led the music rankings.
In the context of the global coronavirus pandemic, Spain is currently one of the countries most hit by the virus. With several weeks already of total quarantine, 117 thousand 710 confirmed cases and more than 10 thousand dead, the song became an anthem for the Spaniards.
This week a video recorded by 30 Spanish musicians and singers was released with a new version of “Resistiré”, in which They participated – remotely from their homes – Alex Ubago, Carlos Baute, Conchita, David Bisbal and Rosana, among others. The funds raised will be for the benefit of Caritas.
But few know that the lyrics of the iconic song do not belong to the Dynamic Duo, composed by Manuel de la Calva, who did make the musical arrangement, and Ramón Arcusa, but is from a renowned sports journalist specializing in athletics and cycling, Carlos Toro Montero.
In addition to journalism, Toro Montero is a composer, with more than 1,300 songs, such as “Desperate” performed by Marta Sánchez, “I am not that woman” who made Pauina Rubio famous and “Si te vas”, in the voice of Paloa San Basilio.
He is the son of Carlos Toro Gallego, sentenced to death by the dictatorship of Francisco Franco and who spent almost two decades in prison. He was a member of the Communist Party of Spain (PCE).
“I will resist, to continue living, I will endure the blows and I will never give up and even if the dreams break into pieces, I will resist, I will resist,” the iconic song ends.
