the singer-songwriter Joan Manuel Serrat declared himself “happy and excited”, after receiving today the Grand Cross of the Civil Order of Alfonso X the Wise from the hands of the President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, who defined him as “the eternal child, whom from now on we will call Most excellent, most excellent musician, poet.”
The decoration that the Spanish Executive has awarded him is “for his brilliant career and his contribution to Spanish culture and art”.
“I am excited to receive this distinction with my children, who, beyond seeing a human being in underpants at home, let them know that there is a person who has worked who has done other things,” Serrat said at an event held in Madrid in the Palacio de la Moncloa, seat of the Spanish Government.
“When the minister told me that they were granting me this distinction, I told my wife, Yute, and she said: ‘and to you, why?'”, said the singer-songwriter, who laughed. He acknowledged that he quickly turned to Google to see who had been given this decoration “and I discovered that it was Álvaro Mutis, Concha Velasco or José Luis Cuerda, all friends, I felt comforted.”
His songs are part of sentimental memory since it started in 1965. “The only thing I’ve done in my life is do what I wanted, how I wanted to do it and in the way I should have done it,” said Serrat, who was accompanied at the ceremony by friends and family.
An award that rewards people who have distinguished themselves for their merits in the fields of education, science, culture, teaching, “in short, all those who do essential work to make society better,” he stressed. Peter Sanchez.
“The cross that we impose today is for an eternal child whom we will call from now on, most excellent, most excellent poet, writer, lyricist, musician, citizen,” he added.
final tour
After 56 years of career, Serrat announced a few months ago his intention to leave the stage with one last tour that will begin on April 27 in New York and will end in his native Barcelona in December 2022.
“In some way, we want to accompany you on this journey, and this medal is the symbol of the immense affection that we profess for you,” said Sánchez, who stressed that his songs appeal to tolerance within society, “each of his lyrics has been inspired by values that we must now claim, such as coexistence, freedom and love for culture”.
“The value of your contribution is to have gone beyond what is purely literary or artistic and demonstrate, as Gabriel Celaya wrote and Paco Ibáñez sang, that poetry is a weapon loaded with the future,” according to Sánchez.
In the throes of Francoism, Serrat gave the Spanish hymns to freedom and hope through his music and the verses of Antonio Machado and Miguel Hernández. “You have managed to get millions of people to hum Hernandez’s ‘Nanas de las onions’,” added Sánchez.
He stated that his songs are part of memory, he has managed to combine an exquisite sensitivity with lyrics that reach us all. “You have been a standard bearer of our culture, you have brought culture closer to the homes of hundreds of people who perhaps would not have access to it,” she assured.
“Our history has been sung by you,” stressed Sánchez, who considered that some pictures of the past are remembered through the protagonists of his songs such as Merceditas, Curro, Penelope, the puppeteer, those crazy little ones or the Christ of the gypsies.
This award is added to the Gold Medal for Merit at Work, National Music Award or the Legion of Honor of the French Republic, awards that confirm his brilliant career.
“Guys, let’s go, these gentlemen have to govern and they will have many things to do,” concluded Serrat with humor, who was accompanied by his family and friends, including the singers Sabina, Miguel Ríos, Víctor Manuel and Ana Belén or the poet Luis Garcia Montero. (AND)
Source: Eluniverso
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