Lost for words
The difficult search for a new anthem
THE naughty ditty that generations of Spanish schoolchildren have sung to one another to the tune of the national anthem is hardly respectful. The words refer, among other things, to the former dictator, General Francisco Franco, his mother and his buttocks.
That today's schoolchildren still giggle over this is due, in part, to the fact that Spain's national anthem no longer has any lyrics. A Francoist paean to the fatherland was dropped after the death of the Generalísimo in 1975 and was never replaced. So Spanish sportsmen and women have nothing to sing when they take to the field in their country's colours or win international competitions. Whereas others belt out their anthems, Spaniards can only tap their toes or hum along.
This article appeared in the Europe section of the print edition under the headline “Lost for words”
From the July 28th 2007 edition
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