I'm not not much given to fits of patriotic outrage - I think there are too many flag wavers in the world already - but this is different. It has been brought to my attention by today's Guardian that Spain stole the Eurovision Song Contest in 1968. Franco sent out emissaries to buy votes around Europe so that Massiel could win over our very own national hero....Sir Cliff Richard. So there they all are with their talk of "el pérfido Albión" and mad cows, hooligans, Gibraltar and all that stuff. It turns out that all along they're travelling all around Europe with nothing more than a "¿Cuanto cuesta el voto?". That's it, there's no trust anymore - there's nothing left to believe in. Chiki chiki!
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1 day ago
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A great story, this, in that it also contains an anti-Catalan angle. Serrat was meant to sing the song but was sacked after saying he'd like to sing it in Catalan.
Yes, I'd heard about that before somewhere. Exactly what is the translation of "La la la la" into Catalan?
"Death to Spain" or something like that.
Joan Serrat refused to take part unless the song was sung in Catalan - the Catalan version is knocking about on YouTube and only the most biased observer could say that all those Las sound better in Castellaño than in Català.
Even though 'Congratulations' was written by an Irish man, from my home town no less, I'm quite glad Cliff didn't win; it would just add a whole new level of smugness to him.
Three words - 'Mistletoe and Wine'
Look at it this way, an embittered Sir Cliff spends years fretting over his defeat. Finally he decides to take revenge on society for his humiliation - maybe "Mistletoe and Wine" was the result of that? It could have all been so different.
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