Spain's 1968 Eurovision win was Franco's loss
by editors@theworld.org (Gerry Hadden) from The World: Latest Stories on (#6XBB1)
The late dictator Francisco Franco desperately wanted to project an image of Spain to the world as modern and open while maintaining iron-fisted control at home. His idea: to win the annual Eurovision song contest. He ordered his government to make it happen - and through luck and grit, Spain pulled it off, with "La La La" performed by a young singer named Massiel. But Massiel refused to playing along with the regime afterward. The World's Gerry Hadden reports from Barcelona.