Malta Song For Europe 2008

So Malta's entry for the Eurovision 2008 has been chosen - it's Vodka, sung by Morena.

I am annoyed because it's the one song I didn't like for its message. As usual, most of the songs had sloppy lyrics, little musical merit, and were further disadvantaged by the singers' over-acted, American-accented-but-still-no-"th"s interpretations.

But besides all that, I didn't like that this song was called Vodka, so I looked up the lyrics (because it's not like you can understand half of the words given the lack of consonant pronunciation), and apparently they go like this:

The hunt is still on
Here in Gorki Park
I'm in a Danger Zone
Everywhere is pitch dark

I'm running away
To a blanket of snow
"Spy 1 to Spy 4
I've deciphered the code"

(CHORUS)
"VODKA"
That's the secret word
"VODKA"
And they want it so bad
"VODKA"
I've deciphered the code
Got a rush in the head
"VODKA"
A transparent word

Cold blood drums within
They breathe down my neck
"Spy 1 to Spy 4
We just have to connect"

Their footsteps are near
Closing in for the kill
My pulse has gone dead
With a heart-racing chill

(CHORUS)

So the song isn't really about vodka the drink (you know, the one that looks and tastes like surgical spirit), but really, if I had to Google to find this out, most people aren't going to know, are they?

I have nothing against vodka as such - I even drink it occasionally (mixed with orange juice please). The reason I'm annoyed is that the Maltese entry for the Eurovision is always memorised by Maltese seven-year-old girls.

Don't ask me why, but every year, without fail, I hear lots of these little girls singing away in playgrounds and balconies, belting out their (invariably misunderstood) variation of the lyrics at the tops of their lungs. They just like singing, I suppose, and have little discrimination.

But all these little girls, when they ask their mummies what vodka is, and she shows them the bottle in the drinks cupboard, are going to walk away with the notion that vodka is cool, and to be honest, I wouldn't want my pre-teen kid thinking that - it's bad enough that there are so many teenagers going out and regularly getting plastered with it in Paceville.

Morena could have chosen any word at all to be her "code word", any word, and there are around a million of them in the English language. So really, why did she choose "vodka"? Because drinking it is cool?

Anyway, enough of that. I'm sure we're all going to get heartily sick of hearing the song by the time May rolls around.

This year, videos of all the songs were available on YouTube. Clever.

But I was really tickled by a user's response - on realising that one of the songs (Go, sung by Klinsmann) sounded very similar to "Air Hostess" by Busted, someone constructed a video mash-up of the two songs, and posted it also on YouTube, which I think is hilarious.

To be fair, when you're writing a song and building progressions from the three major and two minor chords, it's very easy to accidentally sound like a pre-existing song, or to be influenced by one that's already in your head without realising it. The person who posted the mash-up went out of his way to say he wasn't accusing anyone of copying. But really, the two songs do sound very similar.

I don't like Klinsmann as a performer because, as Michael (who plays lead guitar) pointed out, it looks Klinsmann has the magical ability to keep playing the lead line even with both hands in the air... lol...

OK, I'm off, and I will do my best to avoid hearing "Vodka" today, although since I'm going to be riding a couple of buses, it might be difficult.

Comments

[Athena]

You gotta admit it's a hilarious song though... I was literally LOLing at the screen:) Besides, think of it this way, we'll be getting 12 points from this binge drinking nation that is England. I bet we're the new heroes. *giggles*

(But yes on a serious note, you're right re children memorising this etc. I foresee an interesting time for primary school teachers).

[Sandro]

Welcome back Maltagirl.

your latest posts are posted on my blog under : IL-MINJIERA TAL-GURNALISTI HIELSA.

[nathaniel]

i'm just happy to see a new face not the usual *** holes butting in everywhere and as much as possible. you are right though i didnt understand some of the lyrics until i read them on this site. and also on the plus side even though it has no musical talent what so ever its a catchy tune we have to admit.

"etc. I foresee an interesting time for primary school teachers)." - should be down right amusing.

cheers, nat.

[shanna]

thank you so much for posting the lyrics. for the life of me i could not figure out what she was saying - other than "vodka" of course. we had some american friends over and they wanted to know if she was singing in english. although i am not a fan of the song, i do like it better than last year's "vertigo." great posts - it has been fun reading them :)

[Patrick]

First and foremost I must declare that I don't give a poo poo about the song, the singer or the people behind it. The song sounds like a circus song gone in all the wrong places. The lyrics are pathetically early post-secondary school type rhymes, and the singing, well I don't have an opinion on that. Having said that, I must disagree with the jist of your post for a number of reasons. First, you are directing your irritation at the wrong person. Morena is the singer, she is not the author. Your rant must be directed at the lyricist who evidently took the time to carefully choose the words (round about 15min probably). Secondly, i object to your simplistic argument that people, or children for that matter, will listen to the song, ask about the name, and automatically equate it with cool. People are not dimwits. Not even children. And they do not interpret anything in a uniform manner, let alone a song. Finally, if anybody is trying to make Vodka look cool, it's the vodka producers, the smirnoffs, the absoluts, etc etc. They are the ones in the business of making vodka a lifestyle choice. Thus, putting a spotlight on the song, without taking into consideration the wider context, ignoring the whole vodka industry and suggesting that people will automatically grow up to be drunkards because a stupid song will infest the airwaves till may, is in my opinion naive and simplistic. People have the capacity to interpret, misinterpret, distort and destroy the message. Let's not conjure up a moral panic about a song that should not even make it to a compilation cd called 'The definitive Bad Elevator Music Collection'...

[Cory]

And what is wrong with American accented?

[Andre]

LOL I'm DYING to write some criticism on this years festival... maybe after exams

[Leli]

Great comments to everyone. Finally I find a blog that doesnt end up in stupid arguments between bloggers about how stupid one's comment is.

Well, let me start off by reminding everyone that no matter what we do or who ever we send to the Eurovision song contest, we aint gonna win cause its a political (international) game! We didn't win with talent (that is Chiara), nor with sexy clothes and a relatively good song(Ira) nor with a girl band (times three). Results obtained by all the singers that go up are clear. How can a song get 12 points from one country and nil from another?? Makes no sense especially when they mouth the frase "and to our neighbours bla bla 12 ponts" followed by a satisfied grin.

In my humble opinion and as a musician who has played for numerous singers in practically all the styles of music, we DO have talented individuals capable of doing well but for the love of whoever is up there watching us....WRITE YOUR OWN SONGS!!!!

I cannot understand how an individual can read the lyrics to a song like Vodka and not realise he has been ROBBED!!!! Did the lyricist actually GET PAID to write that?!?!?! A singer should at least write his own words to give them meaning, depth and if not capable of writing music, work closely with the person doing it for him/her.

For those that don't know how this, the Malta song Festival works something like this:

1. Someone decides he/she can sing (usually backed up by over eager parents)
2. They call the 'top' lyricist and composer (usually the same 4 ppl we repeatedly hear being mentioned during the festival)
3. They do not get to hear or know anything about the song till post production
4. They listen to it and just because its 'Mr X and Y' writing this song they do not dare say a word if its not good cause it 'might ruin their musical carrear'

On the other hand I think Morena is a very talented singer. I have heard her sing before and was amazed at how good she sounded, unlike some 'famous' Maltese singers who manage to sound bad even in playback! It was just a matter of wrong song for her style. She is better suited for rock or maybe a bit of blues not 80s revival disco heheh

I dont want to go into the moral value of the title although I agree with MaltaGirl. Out of all the words they could and should have chosen a better, more politically correct word...apart from the fact that Vodka has no connection WHATSOEVER with Malta but might win some russian votes.

Malta should follow the Italian and just say no to the Euro Vision and start organising a festival of real Maltese talent, with awards for different genres and open to everyone not the usual selected few.

[Leli]

Great comments to everyone. Finally I find a blog that doesnt end up in stupid arguments between bloggers about how stupid one's comment is.

Well, let me start off by reminding everyone that no matter what we do or who ever we send to the Eurovision song contest, we aint gonna win cause its a political (international) game! We didn't win with talent (that is Chiara), nor with sexy clothes and a relatively good song(Ira) nor with a girl band (times three). Results obtained by all the singers that go up are clear. How can a song get 12 points from one country and nil from another?? Makes no sense especially when they mouth the frase "and to our neighbours bla bla 12 ponts" followed by a satisfied grin.

In my humble opinion and as a musician who has played for numerous singers in practically all the styles of music, we DO have talented individuals capable of doing well but for the love of whoever is up there watching us....WRITE YOUR OWN SONGS!!!!

I cannot understand how an individual can read the lyrics to a song like Vodka and not realise he has been ROBBED!!!! Did the lyricist actually GET PAID to write that?!?!?! A singer should at least write his own words to give them meaning, depth and if not capable of writing music, work closely with the person doing it for him/her.

For those that don't know how this, the Malta song Festival works something like this:

1. Someone decides he/she can sing (usually backed up by over eager parents)
2. They call the 'top' lyricist and composer (usually the same 4 ppl we repeatedly hear being mentioned during the festival)
3. They do not get to hear or know anything about the song till post production
4. They listen to it and just because its 'Mr X and Y' writing this song they do not dare say a word if its not good cause it 'might ruin their musical carrear'

On the other hand I think Morena is a very talented singer. I have heard her sing before and was amazed at how good she sounded, unlike some 'famous' Maltese singers who manage to sound bad even in playback! It was just a matter of wrong song for her style. She is better suited for rock or maybe a bit of blues not 80s revival disco heheh

I dont want to go into the moral value of the title although I agree with MaltaGirl. Out of all the words they could and should have chosen a better, more politically correct word...apart from the fact that Vodka has no connection WHATSOEVER with Malta but might win some russian votes.

Malta should follow the Italian and just say no to the Euro Vision and start organising a festival of real Maltese talent, with awards for different genres and open to everyone not the usual selected few.

[Leli]

wooops sorry i posted twice!

[Gahan]

I listened to the song acidentally a few days after the festival. I made it a point not to go anywhere within hearing range of a local tv transmitting the silly festival, pre-festival, post-festival and anything. The only thing that came to mind was FUEGO. This could very well be a summer song at fuego and probably someone could also come up with the vodka dance and have the black guy djing waving his arms and leading the flock in the vodka dance.

God forbid! but its that bad!

[Super Pasta Tarif]

Our hearts are with Malta