History and Origins of The Song
No one knows for sure when the song first began to be sung in the Americas. The main melody is believed to have been in circulation throughout the Americas since the 16th century, having been brought over from Spain during the colonial era. However, the version of the lyrics sung today is widely understood to have been created by a group of Cursillo participants in Majorca, Spain after one of the earliest Cursillo retreats the 1940s.
Today, in addition to being used as the unofficial anthem of the United Farm Workers movement, and as an inspirational song in Cursillo workshops, the song is often taught in schools in the United States—from elementary school to community colleges—as an example of a common American folk song. It frequently appears in collections of children's songs.
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