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Seven of the best: Spanish one-hit wonders

Spain has brought the world musical greats including Placido Domingo and Paco de Lucía. But it has also been home to a whole lot of lesser lights whose moments on the world stage were a little briefer. Here the Local highlights some of Spain's best-one-hit wonders.

Seven of the best: Spanish one-hit wonders
Los del Rio, the men behind the international mega-hit Macarena. Screen grab: Music☆STSPb/Youtube

Las Ketchup – The Ketchup Song 

The group, a family affair made up of sisters Lucía, Lola and Pilar Muñoz, achieved worldwide success with their 2002 hit The Ketchup Song (the Spanish title was Asereje). The song, complete with accompanying dance routine, topped the UK charts as well as many others across Europe. It went on to sell over seven million copies worldwide, making it one of the biggest selling singles of all time. Unfortunately, the sisters never managed to replicate the success of their first hit; they represented Spain in 2006's Eurovision Song Contest with Un Blodymary, coming in 21st from a field of 24. 

Manu Chao – Me gustas Tú

Born in France to Spanish parents, Manu Chao isn't strictly a one-hit wonder as he continues to have success throughout the world. But he is most famous in the English-speaking world for his 2001 hit Me gustas Tú, which has also proved to be one of his biggest singles worldwide. The singer, who lives in France, is famous for combining a mixture of styles and languages in his songs. Me gustas tú was from his second album Proxima Estación: Esperanza (Next stop: Hope). 

Los del Rio – Macarena 

No list of Spanish one-hit wonders would be complete without Macarena, the staple of many a 90s school disco. The 1995 hit has the dubious honour of being ranked #1 Greatest One-Hit Wonder of All Time by US cable table network channel VH1. The song topped the charts across Europe and in the US but only made it to number two in the UK, being beaten out by a little-known girl band called The Spice Girls with their debut single, Wannabe. Do you still remember the dance routine? 

Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballé – Barcelona

The track, one of the biggest of Mercury's solo career, brought Spanish operatic soprano Montserrat Caballé to the attention of international audiences. Originally released in 1987, it reached number two in the UK, the Netherlands and New Zealand after it became the theme to the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games. Caballé hit the headlines recently when she was charged with tax fraud after keeping an address in Andorra to avoid paying Spanish taxes. 

Massiel – La, la, la 

La, la, la by Spanish singer Massiel, is one of just two Spanish Eurovision Song Contest winners. The song won the contest for Spain in 1968, beating the UK favourite, Congratulations, performed by none other than Cliff Richard. That loss prompted Congratulations' writer, Bill Martin, to label Spain's winning song "a piece of rubbish". This was not the only controversy to hit the song: a 2008 Spanish documentary claimed that dictator General Francisco Franco bought votes so Spain could win the Eurovision Song Contest,  thus improving the country's image abroad. The claims were rubbished by Massiel, who said she won because her song was better. 

Jeanette – Porque te vas

Porque te vas (Because you're leaving) became an international hit after being used in the 1976 film Cría Cuervos (Raise Ravens), which won the top prizes at both the Cannes and Berlin film festivals. The song was particularly popular in German-speaking countries, reaching number four in Switzerland and number one in Germany. The song's singer, Jeanette, was born in London but moved to Spain at aged 12, where she embarked on a career in music. The song has been covered widely and has featured in TV series and adverts all over the world. 

Baccara – Yes sir, I can boogie

This 1977 disco hit was massive, reaching number one in the UK and is currently eighth on the biggest-selling singles of all time, selling over 18 million copies worldwide. Bacarra was made up of two Spanish flamenco dancers and the duo went on to represent, oddly, not Spain, but Luxembourg in 1978's Eurovision Song Contest, coming in at a respectable seventh place. Both women continue to perform under the name Baccara, in two separate groups.

Know any other songs we've missed? Tell us in the comments field below

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Spas, pregnancy and contraceptives: What Austrian healthcare covers – and what it does not

Austria's healthcare system is strong by international standards and has a few surprises in store. Here's what you need to know.

Spas, pregnancy and contraceptives: What Austrian healthcare covers - and what it does not
Unfortunately, a "Kur" or "rehabilitation" prescribed by your doctor will not be as relaxing as a spa break, even if you get to go to one.(Photo by PATRIK STOLLARZ / AFP)

Austria is blessed with a great health care system.

Life expectancy in Austria is one of the highest in the OECD countries, despite high levels of smoking and alcohol consumption.

Austria’s health care system was ranked 9th place by the World Health Organization (WHO) in their  international ranking. Health expenditure in Austria represented 10.4 percent as a share of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2019.

How does the Austrian healthcare system work?

Health cover is compulsory in Austria for residents as well as those travelling in from other EU countries.

Enrolment in the public health care system is generally automatic and is linked to employment, however insurance is also guaranteed to co-insured persons, such as spouses and dependents, as well as pensioners, students, disabled people, and those receiving unemployment benefits.

The cost is linked to income rather than health needs. 

READ MORE: What is Austria’s e-card? Everything you need to know

But there are also some surprising quirks to the Austrian healthcare system, particularly for people from abroad. 

Some surprising things are covered – while some others are not. 

You can be prescribed a break in a spa – but it will be hard work

It is possible to be prescribed a “Kur” which often takes place in an Austrian spa. This differs from a “rehabilitation” which  must be prescribed by a doctor, typically following injury or serious illness.

The Kur is is paid for by the pension insurance company (PV), though it must be at the recommendation of a doctor, and is aimed at keeping people in work. 

This is not a typical chilled out spa break, people are at pains to point out, and may involve an exhausting regime of physio and massage.

Stays normally last about 22 days, but can be even longer, and there is also the possibility to go abroad for treatment.

Contraception is not covered…

Contraception is not covered under the public health insurance scheme.

Whatever your contraception method, whether it is condoms, the pill or the coil, expect to pay for it yourself.

The only exception is if you need to be prescribed the pill for a medical condition, such as acne or endometriosis.

However, people in Austria report they often have to pay even when contraception is needed for medical reasons. 

Austria has been trying to boost birth rates for decades, which is probably why contraception is not covered – but pregnancy treatments are…

…but pregnancy is

Fortunately for anyone becoming a parent (or thinking about it), almost all of the standard costs relating to pregnancy and delivery are covered by statutory health insurance in Austria

This includes ultrasounds, blood work and visits to your midwife and gynecologist or obstetrician.

Hospital stays before and after delivery are also covered, although patients may in some case be required to pay a nominal fee per day. 

The Austrian healthcare system also provides generous leave packages for pregnant women, known as “Mutterschutz” payments.

Parental leave is also generous in Austria. You get paid in full for the eight weeks after childbirth, and up to 12 weeks in case of a C section or multiple birth. 

Painkillers are not covered – and they’re hard to find and expensive 

While many new arrivals won’t be surprised to find that standard non-prescription painkillers are not covered by health insurance, they might be surprised by the cost – and that’s if they find them at all. 

Painkillers such as Paracetamol and Ibuprofen are expensive in Austria, particularly when compared to the United States, United Kingdom or Australia.

They can only bought in a pharmacy, rather than a supermarket or a store such as Bipa or DM.

Consequently, some people are prescribed painkillers by the doctor to bring down the cost.

The store DM has wanted to offer over-the-counter drugs in Austria for years, and says it could sell them cheaper than in a pharmacy.

However, the constitutional court has rejected previous attempts to break the pharmacies’ monopoly on these drugs, Vienna AT newspaper reports. 

The court decided there was a “public interest” justification for why shops and supermarkets should not be allowed to sell painkillers, with pharmacies “subject to numerous public, professional and disciplinary obligations” to ensure public health. 

Controversial homeopathy treatments still occasionally covered

One aspect of Austrian healthcare which people find controversial is homeopathy. 

While in the UK homeopathic medicines can no longer be prescribed at the expense of the National Health Service (NHS), in Austria the costs for homeopathic remedies can be covered in exceptional cases – for example when all conventional medical treatment options have been exhausted and homeopathic therapy can improve the situation.

It is also included in some private health insurance packages.

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