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Lyrics to Spanish anthem axed after controversy erupts

When the proposed new lyrics for the Spanish national anthem were revealed at the end of last week, it looked like a centuries-old quirk of history had finally been resolved.

But the four verses lasted all of five days. They were withdrawn on Wednesday by the people who proposed them amid accusations that they were reminiscent of Spain's rightwing dictatorship and failed to represent the country's regional differences.

The Royal March has been without official lyrics since it was written in 1761 and the Spanish Olympic Committee (COE) was fed up with its athletes having nothing to sing along to.

Although lyrics were written to accompany the anthem under General Francisco Franco, they were dropped after his death and no one could agree on their replacement.

Last year the COE launched a competition to find suitable lyrics, which were whittled down from 7,000 entrants by a committee of six athletes, musicians and academics.

Unfortunately for the COE, the lyrics were leaked to the press last Friday and the ensuing farce has killed off all hope of the anthem getting new words in the near future. Yesterday, the head of the COE, Alejandro Blanco, was forced to concede that the lyrics -- written by Paulino Cubero, 52, an unemployed resident of Madrid -- were being dropped because of a lack of consensus.

"The lyrics have generated controversy and in some cases rejection," said Blanco, though he said that the COE will continue to seek fresh proposals.

The tenor Placido Domingo, who was due to sing the anthem for the first time at a gala concert on Monday, told radio that he supported the idea of finding lyrics, but said they needed the support of parliament.

It was always going to be a difficult job to select lyrics that everyone could sing along to in a country made up of numerous regions with distinct languages and identities and conflicting opinions about the Spanish state.

If the idea of a compromise is something that leaves everyone unhappy, then the COE succeeded in its task.

The four verses, while stunningly banal, managed to offend the left, Catalonians and Basques, as well as those who felt they should actually say something meaningful about the country.

They spoke of "green valleys" and "immense seas," but it was the fact they started with "viva Espana," the rallying call of the late dictator that caused most upset.

Spanish TV programs, radio shows and Web sites were inundated with criticism and many politicians rejected them outright.

Former culture minister Carmen Calvo said they sounded "like an anthem from the past," while Gaspar Llamazares, president of the leftwing IU party, pulled no punches, saying simply that they "stink."
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