Spanish Anthem to Get Words - (I had no idea it was wordless)

“Victory is always glorious, but it has a singular sting for Spanish athletes who stand up to receive their gold medals and championship trophies: their national anthem has no lyrics. “For years we’ve been hearing from athletes that they feel a little lame up there on the podium,” says Alejandro Blanco, president of Spain’s Olympics Committee. “All they can do is sing along with ‘la la la.’” In an attempt to rectify the situation, the Committee, working with the Society of Authors and Writers, has opened a contest to put words to the Spanish national anthem. The winning entry will be presented before Parliament on Dec. 19, in the hope that the legislators will decide to make it official. But in today’s Spain, with its fierce regional identities and sharply conflicting political ideologies, the idea that members of the contest’s jury — let alone a bunch of politicians — could agree on a single set of lyrics seems a bit, well, quixotic.”*

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