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We don't wanna Putin?
Georgian Eurovision entry sparks news frenzy
French news channel, France 24 is today, reporting that the Georgian entry in the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest, has political and derogatory meanings towards the Russian Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin.
France 24, stated that instead of boycotting the 2009 contest in Moscow, Georgia have decided "to use Eurovision to make a light-hearted political statement." If this is found to be true, Georgia may be in breach of the Eurovision Song Contest Rules, which state "No lyrics, speeches, gestures of a political or similar nature shall be permitted during the Eurovision Song Contest." and therefore would have to rewrite the lyrics for the song or select another song to represent the nation in May.
The chorus contains the Lyrics "We don't wanna put in/The negative move/It's killin' the groove" which could be construed as politically motivated. Due to the Russia/Georgia political situation regarding South Ossetia and Abkhazia, and the involvement of Russian Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin.
esctoday.com spoke to the EBU about the situation. We asked:
Will the EBU be investigating the Georgian entry for the 2009 Eurvision Song Contest selected last night?
"The EBU evaluates all of the participating songs after they are officially presented at the Eurovision Song Contests Head of Delegation meeting on 16 March. Until then, the EBU cannot comment on the songs because they are not officially submitted until that point and until that point, all participating broadcasters have the chance to make changes to the songs that have been selected."
The EBU cannot comment on this situation as yet, as the song has not officially been submitted to them.
Having heard the song, can you comment on whether you think the song will have to be changed or may be disqualified if it is not changed?
"I cannot speculate on the decision making process of the reference group".
You can watch the winning performance of Stephanie and 3G here:
In 2008 Diana Gurtskaya reached 11th place last year with Peace will come. in 2009 Georgia will part will take part in the first semi final on 12th May, in Moscow, Russia.
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I love this songggg give me sexy ahhh put in... jajaja!
To be honest I would have more respect had Georgia boycotted the event. When you neighbour moves his fences on to your property you don't go round there for a game of cards and a sherry afterwards. I was also disappointed with Latvia and Lithuania but can only assume Svante has deep pockets.
Its daft. Eurovision has always had a Eurofederal agenda. The winner in 1990 was all about European integration which is highly political.
I think it is really drug song, but Russia is always looking something political and something Anti-Russian. The same was this the Ukrainian song in 2007. Some of the Russian politicians heard in the lyrics Russia Good Bye, but in reality there was Lasha-Tumbay. So Georgia is not the first country who suffered from this. And even earlier Russia always looked for countries which were guilty when it failed. For exapmle with Alsu Latvia was guilty etc. With Serebro - Maria from Serbia. Even in her bed tried to look and said that Maria tried to rape one girld from Serebro... I think Russia take this contest too seriuosly...
Greece entry is also political because they use the word"Yes, we can" and "change"
That's Obama's slogan.
they'll get no scores from russia, but a lot from the west ...
Some ideas for 2010 ESC entries with a slight (?) political hint:
UK
" Love blue, hate brown"
Germany
"Just write your will, Angela de Vil "
France
A song performed by a group called "Carla's husBAND"
Georgia
"You're such a Jackass Willy"
etc etc....
WHY GEORGIANS NEED TO HANG ON PUTIN's NAME TO CATCH SOME ATTENTION? That is really stupid and unfriendlyfrom the Georgian side. In 2005 Ukrainian lyrics had to be changed. That was not the first time in ESC. This time Gerogians can not pretend to ignore their real intentions.
I am sure that they will need to change the lyrics. Unfair! But what other we could expect from Georgians?
IF GEORGIAN COMPOSERS AND SINGERS WANTED TO FIGHT AGAINST RUSSIA THEY COULD DO IT IN AUGUST 2008 IN OSETIA BUT NOT IN ESC 2009.
@ Lina
I'm sorry, but you have misunderstood me. I have no problem with your English at all. My Spanish and Portuguese is pretty awful at times, so I can't call anyone for "bad" English (yours isn't so bad!). My point was that you have claimed some posters in this specific topic have broken the rules. You have broken the rules in other topics by writing in Greek (usually against Turks).
I do not believe the UK as a government is innocent, but I think it is quite bad of you to say that there are 5 ESC countries that lock up and kill journalists and it's own citizens. As we all know the UK went to war with the USA and you imply (you don't say it directly, but it is clear who you mean) in your post that we are one of these 5 countries that are worse than Russia. Why not just tell us who these 5 are? If Russia is so great, let us compare it to your demon 5 and see how far we get.
The UK government is guilty, but I personally feel no guilt. I personally did not vote for the Labour government that went to war; I voted for the one party in the UK that stood against the war.
All countries that do wrong, in my eyes deserve all the criticism that it gets, either with a song in the ESC or in the UN! This includes Russia that can sometimes be a bully to many of our East European neighbours (for example Gas and Ukraine).
I was not annoyed by your English (it's fine), I was annoyed by your point that "Russia is 'pure' in front of some countries that go to war in the name of 'peace'". I'm sorry, but you clearly mean the UK... Russia is not pure, and might not have started some wars recently, but it notorious on the world stage for being a menace, a troublemaker and severely restrictive against people's human rights.
Art is about expression, and music is art. I say good on Georgia, and good on Verka for what she did a couple of years back!
Please understand me Lina, I don't have any problem with you at all - you make good comments! It is just this comment that you've made this time that has angered me!
Georgian ppl were not voting this awfull song.
nothing will happen....ukraine 2005 had a political song and nothing happened
Let's be honest this flash-in-the-pan "news frenzy"(?!) will be forgotten by the end of May...if you look at the history of Eurovision there have been plenty of so-called "protest" songs which the EBU turned a blind eye to, mainly I imagine cause most of them were in the country's national language and probably wouldn't have "offended"the rest of Europe's ears..the ones that come to mind are:
Portugal 1974 (even sparked off a peaceful revolution!)
Portugal 1977 (about the previous situation in Portugal)
Spain 1968 (Serrat refused to sing the song other than in his native Catalan, banned!)
Norway 1980 (about the situation of the Lapp community)
Finland 1982 (a protest against nuclear weapons)
Israel 1987 (some "hidden meaning" about Israeli workers, even the Israeli culture minister wanted to ban it)
From a dying communist regime point of view one could argue that the majority of songs in 1990 had a political bias..or
UK 1990 (Ecological issues)
UK 1991 (despite the miniskirts!)..world poverty etc
am sure my Euro fan friends can help me to find more..!!
so my point is that, yes the Put In lyric has caused a "frenzy" but what's new in that? did those songs above cause such a frenzy at the time, please let me know...
ps looking "deeply" into song lyrics (politically) here's a few reflecting the Bush presidency:
I'm never giving up (UK 83)/The Party's over (Neth 76)/ and Kloden drejer (Den 83!)
The worrying fact about this is that it could create a fashion about songs with this slight political messages based on childish combination of words, in the line of lasha tumbais and so.
Maybe some entries for 2010 could be:
- France: "Escaping from the shark of sea"
- Germany: "Angel, a demon really"
- UK: "Brown is a sad colour"
Very sad!
wow i didn't realise people are getting so wet over this whole georgia song issue. its a song..putin is a prime minister of the largest country in the world-i doubt he cares. i can see what ppl mean in the sense they are kinda spitting in russia's face a bit but seriously what did you expect? and to say politics doesnt come with eurovision is like saying a happy meal doesnt come with fries
@ Lina
@My vision do u know how many ESC countreys killing journalists and put their OWN people in jail who speaks their mind up against them? is comeing to my mind 5 now but i dont want to say it , each countrey have they r own rules , good or bad we have to accept that rules, also that site have rules and u speak more u r going to be banned , so we have to accept ESC rules 
we are no United Nations we are just ESC fans
and
i dont understand that fanatic against Russia, Russia is pure is front of some others europian countreys who make wars around the world in the name of "peace" but in reality they make wars for they r interests..
Sorry Lina, but there's also a rule on ESCtoday about speaking in other languages than English, and you have been guilty of this (speaking in Greek on the Cyprus discussion) to please do not hold yourself on a plinth above the rest of us. I myself speak Spanish and Portuguese as well as English, and althought I would love to, I do not write in these languages on here because it is forbidden.
Furthermore, you have alluded to the fact that my own country (UK) is one of these 5 'demon' states that create wars on people. I find this offensive that you would bracket 5 European countries (although you have not named UK, but you clearly mean UK as one of these countries) in being in a group of nations that would include North Korea in murdering journalists.
I do like some of your comments Lina, and I enjoy reading them, but sometimes you cross the line. How are you so certain that Russia is any better than any of these 5 demon states? Where is your proof that Russia is clean?
My vision - should be online. Was so funny.
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If they changed it to "I don't want to rush in" would that be acceptable? [That's a rhetorical question, btw - anyone caught answering it will be fined $50] Then they would be referring (although not) to the country and they can do what Verka did with "lasha tumbai"? Equally politically wrong, and yet Verka had (and still has) a lot of fans of that song. Roger Cicero referred directly to Clinton about how women can "overthrow" him, which you could read into quite easily, given the mans history, yet I didn't hear anyone having a moan about that (although granted, a bit more vague than this - although "put in" means to make an effort in slang - I thought the song was about someone lazy who just wanted to spend all their time dancing!).
And for the last time, hold me now...no no no...for the last time, I will state my position - for me, it is about a double standard regarding political songs, and the way in which they have been dealt with in the past. This has led the EBU to a problem, and I'm keen to know how they will sort it. Like I said, even if the song is forced out...it will be too late, it's already hit the headlines and Georgia has made it's point. And this - *sadly* - is my last ever post on this topic (probably); I have stated my position enough times to bore an accountant...
Why should Georgia be punished for having political messages, whereas many many many countries in the past have gotten away with it !?
@La Mark: Which part of "I think those songs of the past violated the rules too, and I think the EBU was lax not to react" did you not understand?
I still remember when the Russian person giving the points said, "And to our new prime Minister we love you, we believe in you". Priceless!
Georgia should just boycot the Moscow 2009 Eurovision Song Contest, if they hate Russia and Putin so much. They could easily chose not to go. So simple. Nobody would blame them for this.
Instead of that, they chose to provoke the hosting country.
I think that their stance is primarily disrespectful to the country they visit (wether Russia and Putin deserves it or not - this is not the issue here). If i dont like someone, i simply don't go to his own party. But i deffinitely dont go there to provoke the host. It is mean and rude.
Don't forget that Cyprus did go to Turkey 2004 Eurovision with a very decent song, despite the illegal Turkish occupation of Cypriot territories. If they didnt want, they just wouldn't go. But they would never go to provoke the hosting nation.
I think those songs of the past violated the rules too, and I think the EBU was lax not to react. Every parent knows that his or her children will always keep pushing the limit until one day they cross it. And then there will be a reaction. Georgia is acting like a little kid testing the limits of an event that was never meant to be political and forces the EBU to act like a bad parent. That's hopelessly juvenile of Georgia, and I hope the EBU does draw the line here and that they also give us new guidelines and a more specific definition of what a political song is.
Speaking of repeating myself...repeating myself...
lol, well, Keith, it is after 1 in the morning here! I understand that's what people think - but they aren't correct. They aren't saying that at all. You cannot censor a song because it's misheard (didn't happen to Verka). If they deliberately alter the words to say something else, then I would agree with you that it should be withdrawn.
This is not the first song to make political inferences - therein lies the problem for me - what makes this song "so special" that they will take action, when the EBU has failed to do so previously in other cases? The EBU - if they choose to decide to disqualify or order changes to this song - can justify why they have decided to take action this time, and not previously, with a good answer, then that's OK with me. Right now, all this is just free publicity. If the song is DQ'd that will create perhaps just as much uproar as the song itself. Even if it is withdrawn - it'll be too late - it's already "done it's job".
I agree with My Vision on this point - if Georgia want to enter this, they need to suffer the consequences of their choice.
So, should EBU make the political move or should it be left to the Georgian entry to make it?
You're asking me? I think it's simple. The rules don't allow political songs. When the whole world considers it a blatant political protest, I think it's reasonable to deem it a political song. Georgia deliberately chose to send a political insult, and by doing so started a debate on where to draw the line. The protocol so far has been that the EBU would urge the country in question (in this case Georgia) to modify the lyrics or face expulsion. In most cases the country doesn't want to pull out, so slight modifications in the lyrics are made and the song is approved. I'm sure that will happen in this case too, but I think the Eurovision board will come together some time after the contest and formulate a new policy for political songs. The big climax Georgia is hoping for won't happen, I'm afraid.
If the "Europan etiquette", as you call it, is to suck up to dictatorships...
It seems very typically Nordic to follow convention, don't you think? 
The EBU do have the correct answer. if you look beyond the home page you will find it. The facst are found in the newspapers and meeting papers from the EBU at the start. Look for them and you will fidn the facts.
This si a matter of histoprical fact. You don't need to work for the EBU to achieve that.
@ChrisP: Yes, they're actually saying We don't wanna put in the negative move and We just wanna shoot in some disco tonight, but since you apparently still haven't got it: People are upset not because of the actual lyrics but because it sounds like they're saying something else. What it sounds like they're singing is: We don't want no Putin and We just wanna shoot him. And that's the reason people are getting upset. Of all people I didn't expect I'd have to explain this to you!! *shocked*
Let me point out that I take no issue with the political statements. It's perfectly understandable that Georgians want to kill Putin. What I object to is this outrageous lack of manners. This is so impolite, childish, tactless and uncouth; it certainly has no place in a European celebration of different people and diverse music styles. I don't mind political songs, but I do think it's horrendously stupid of the Georgians who aspire to become accepted by Europe and the EU to show such total disregard for European etiquette.
But Mina the point of Eurovision is not to bring countries together. The idea that 9 hours of television could unite a continent does not hold water.
I very much appreciate that you want to bring countries together. i also agree with you that this is a very silly form of gesture politics from the Georgians.
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