Eurovision edit

In late 1967, Televisión Española (TVE) addressed several record labels requesting original songs to participate in the 13th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest to be held in London. Zafiro-Novola sent them a tape with three songs: "Nos falta fe" by Juan y Junior, “Tirititero” by Joan Manuel Serrat, and "La, la, la" by Dúo Dinámico. TVE internally selected "La, la, la" but preferred Serrat as performer. In January 1968, Serrat agreed to be their representative singing "La, la, la" written by Manuel de la Calva [es] and Ramón Arcusa [es]. In addition to the Spanish language version produced by Juan Carlos Calderón, he recorded the song in Catalan –with lyrics by Serrat himself–, English –with lyrics by Michael Julien–, Portuguese, and Italian, and promoted it throughout Europe.^[1][2]

Serrat was under pressure from a small group of Catalanists who called him a traitor if he did not sing the entire song in Catalan –language repressed under the Francoist dictatorship until recently–. On 25 March 1968, he demanded TVE in an open letter to sing the song in Catalan at the contest as he considering himself above all a Catalan singer, and that, in the event that this was not possible, required TVE to accept his irrevocable resignation.^[a] TVE released a answering press note denying any discrimination against Catalan in the network, considering Serrat decision incorrect and inadmissible since he sought to give a political meaning to his participation, and removing him as their representative.^[1][2][4]

Therefore, Massiel, who was on tour in Mexico, was brought in as a late replacement. In just a few days, she had to rush back to Spain, learn the song, record it in several languages –Spanish, English, French, and German–, travel to several European cities for promotion –starting in Paris–, and go to London for the contest rehearsals. During her short stay in Paris she bought at Courrèges the dress she wore in the contest.^[5][6]

On 6 April 1968, the Eurovision Song Contest was held at the Royal Albert Hall in London hosted by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), and broadcast live throughout the continent.^[7] Massiel performed "La, la, la" fifteenth on the night accompanied by Trío La La La [es] –María Jesús Aguirre, María Dolores Arenas, and Mercedes Valimaña Macaria– as backing singers,^[8] following Ireland's "Chance of a Lifetime" by Pat McGeegan and preceding Germany's "Ein Hoch der Liebe" by Wencke Myhre. Rafael Ibarbia made the orchestral arrangement of the Spanish entry and conducted the event's orchestra in its performance. The arrangement he made was totally right as it accelerated the pace of the song gaining strength.^[9]

At the close of voting, the song had received 29 points winning the competition, beating the favorite, the United Kingdom's "Congratulations" by Cliff Richard, by just one point. Bill Martin –cowriter of the British entry– called the Spanish song "a piece of rubbish".^[10][11] In Spain, Massiel's triumph against the British was compared to that of Agustina de Aragón against the French Army.^[2] This triumph was the first of Spain's two Eurovision wins to date. In her winning reprise, Massiel performed part of the song in English, in addition to the original version, becoming the first winner to do so.^[12][13] "La, la, la" was succeeded as a Spanish entry at the 1969 contest by "Vivo cantando" by Salomé.^[14]

Aftermath edit

Immediately after her victory, Massiel went on tour to several European television and radio stations where she sang the song. It was not until two weeks later that she arrived in Madrid where a large crowd welcomed her in Madrid–Barajas Airport. TVE honored her at Prado del Rey where she gave a crowded press conference with the authors of the song and appeared on several shows on the network.^[15] The regime awarded her the Ribbon of Dame of the Order of Isabella the Catholic, but she refused to be decorated by Franco himself, so they sent it to her by mail.^[16]

As the winning broadcaster, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) gave TVE the responsibility to host the following edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. TVE hosted the 14th edition at the Teatro Real in Madrid on 29 March 1969. The show opened with an orchestral performance of "La, la, la" conducted by Augusto Algueró. Massiel gave the medals to the winning performers.^[14]

Massiel performed her song in the Eurovision twenty-fifth anniversary show Songs of Europe held on 22 August 1981 in Mysen.^[17] In the Eurovision fiftieth anniversary competition Congratulations: 50 Years of the Eurovision Song Contest, held on 22 October 2005 in Copenhagen, she presented one of the contestants.^[18] Rosa López performed the song in the Eurovision sixtieth anniversary show Eurovision Song Contest's Greatest Hits held on 31 March 2015 in London.^[b][19]

Serrat recorded the song in Spanish, Catalan, Portuguese, Italian, –all as "La, la, la"– and English –as "He Gives Me Love (La, la, la)"–. Massiel recorded the song in Spanish, English, French, and German. Juan Carlos Calderón was the producer and conductor of the recordings.

Massiel edit

Cover versions edit

The song was covered by Italian singer Mina in Radiotelevisione Italiana's 1968 variety series Canzonissima and by Finnish singer Carola. American singer Lesley Gore also recorded a version of the song that year, becoming a minor hit in the United States and Canada. The band Saint Etienne recorded another cover version, featured on the 1998 album A Song for Eurotrash with English lyrics that differ from the original, referring to the man she is dating instead of the things she is thankful for. The biggest-selling cover of the song, however, was the version performed in Spanish by Portuguese fado star Amália Rodrigues. It was also sung by Turkish singer Alpay, in Turkish language as "La, la, la Şarkı Sözü" and released as the B side of his 1969 single "Sen Gidince".^[29] Heidi Brühl covered it in German and Marcela Laiferová in Slovak.^[30]

Lesley Gore edit

Other performances edit

• Rosa López performed the song in the show Europasión, aired on La 1 of Televisión Española on 21 May 2008 to choose by popular vote the best song that Spain has sent to Eurovision.^[32]
• In the show La mejor canción jamás cantada [es] aired on La 1 of Televisión Española to choose by popular vote the best Spanish song ever sung, María Villalón performed "La, la, la" in the episode dedicated to the 1960s, aired on 22 February 2019, placing second in the episode competition.^[33]

Impersonations edit

Massiel performances singing "La, la, la" were recreated several times in different talent shows:

• In the second episode of the first season of Tu cara me suena aired on 5 October 2011 on Antena 3, Toñi Salazar [es] impersonated Massiel singing "La, la, la" replicating her performance at Eurovision.^[34]
• In the sixteenth episode of the sixth season of Tu cara me suena aired on 2 February 2018 on Antena 3, La Terremoto de Alcorcón impersonated Massiel singing "La, la, la" replicating her performance at Eurovision.^[35]

In other media edit

Massiel's Eurovision performance is featured in the first episode of the television period series Cuéntame cómo pasó aired on La 1 of Televisión Española on 13 September 2001 with all the protagonist family watching her victory on their brand new first television set.^[36]

• Official Eurovision Song Contest 1968 site
• Spain - 1968, The Diggiloo Thrush
• History of the song, as narrated by the members of Dúo Dinámico (in Spanish)
• Massiel: "La, la, la" at Discogs (list of releases)
• Massiel: "He Gives Me Love (La, la, la)" at Discogs (list of releases)
• Serrat: "La, la, la" at Discogs (list of releases)