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Flat Earth: Slanted chant

Maryann Bird
Saturday 30 July 1994 23:02 BST
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THE Spanish monks' album of Gregorian chants was the biggest hit in the country. Yuppies bought it by the millions to chill out by. Now it has received the highest honour possible: a parody version, on a cassette entitled First Eurofestival of Corruption, 1994.

'Trinca pro nobis' - roughly 'Nick some for us' - goes the chorus to an austere organ backing. The mock chant, in Spanish slang with Latinised endings, puts the knife into Felipe Gonzalez over the corruption scandals that threaten his political survival.

One 'monk' chants: 'Filipo de Hispalis del capullorum y el bonsai, datis cuenta los mangonis que habemus en la Hispania, los corruptos vayan prontitus Alcala Mecum, o si no te exportaremus a las Galias.'

'Trinca pro nobis.'

Rough translation: 'Felipe of Spain of the roses (his Socialist Party symbol) and the bonsai (his hobby), you realise the crooks we have in Spain, let the corrupt go soon to Alcala Meco (a prison), or else we shall export you to Gaul.'

'Nick some for us.'

(Photograph omitted)

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