Comments on: Pushing The Wrong Buttons http://www.israellycool.com/2007/03/02/pushing-the-wrong-buttons/ Down Under Punditry in the Middle East Thu, 08 Jan 2009 19:09:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1-alpha-10188 hourly 1 By: Anonymous http://www.israellycool.com/2007/03/02/pushing-the-wrong-buttons/comment-page-1/#comment-8788 Anonymous Sat, 23 Jun 2007 04:52:18 +0000 http://www.israellycool.com/2007/03/02/pushing-the-wrong-buttons/#comment-8788 I’m not familiar with the specific rules of the competition, but it does seem to me that there are some problems with prohibiting a song just because they don’t like the lyrics or message. There are, to begin with, plenty of critical reasons not to get caught up in the message – as the formalists argued one hundred years ago, the value of a work of art must be separated from personal feelings about the messages, and for many reasons, including the general subjectivity of art, the possibility of irony in lyrics, and the essential benefit of taking political arguments out of the sphere of criticism. Beyond this argument, though, there are the essential roots of rock music in the first place. Its very purpose (and for that matter the purpose of most authentic “art”) has always been to challenge accepted ideas and ideology. To ban a song because it may seem to have a questionable message is to admit that the contest itself is not interested in actual art. There have been plenty of governments in the past that insisted all art be about the task of promoting a certain ideology; surely none of these governments would be a system to aspire to. I’m not familiar with the specific rules of the competition, but it does seem to me that there are some problems with prohibiting a song just because they don’t like the lyrics or message. There are, to begin with, plenty of critical reasons not to get caught up in the message – as the formalists argued one hundred years ago, the value of a work of art must be separated from personal feelings about the messages, and for many reasons, including the general subjectivity of art, the possibility of irony in lyrics, and the essential benefit of taking political arguments out of the sphere of criticism. Beyond this argument, though, there are the essential roots of rock music in the first place. Its very purpose (and for that matter the purpose of most authentic “art”) has always been to challenge accepted ideas and ideology. To ban a song because it may seem to have a questionable message is to admit that the contest itself is not interested in actual art. There have been plenty of governments in the past that insisted all art be about the task of promoting a certain ideology; surely none of these governments would be a system to aspire to.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.israellycool.com/2007/03/02/pushing-the-wrong-buttons/comment-page-1/#comment-8787 Anonymous Wed, 21 Mar 2007 02:39:38 +0000 http://www.israellycool.com/2007/03/02/pushing-the-wrong-buttons/#comment-8787 No one seemed to mind the the highly political song "Razom Nas Bahato" from <a href="http://www.yourovision.net/song.php?year=2004&song=10" rel="nofollow">Ukraine 2005</a>. As stated, it's all about the "right" politics. No one seemed to mind the the highly political song “Razom Nas Bahato” from Ukraine 2005. As stated, it’s all about the “right” politics.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.israellycool.com/2007/03/02/pushing-the-wrong-buttons/comment-page-1/#comment-8786 Anonymous Thu, 08 Mar 2007 00:08:23 +0000 http://www.israellycool.com/2007/03/02/pushing-the-wrong-buttons/#comment-8786 I don't think Eurovision is anti-Israel. I had the good fortune to be studying in Europe at the time Israel *won* the contest with this song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQ-THgyCVvw I don’t think Eurovision is anti-Israel. I had the good fortune to be studying in Europe at the time Israel *won* the contest with this song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQ-THgyCVvw

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.israellycool.com/2007/03/02/pushing-the-wrong-buttons/comment-page-1/#comment-8785 Anonymous Mon, 05 Mar 2007 19:53:17 +0000 http://www.israellycool.com/2007/03/02/pushing-the-wrong-buttons/#comment-8785 In 1982 the Finnish entry was a very political song solely about bombs, and nobody had a problem with that. Maybe because the bombs they feared weren't Iranian but American. Yet again Israel is singled out. Please expose this hypocrisy. Enclosed is a link to the (very poorly translated) words to the Finnish entry back in 1982. The song title literally means "Sleep while bombs are falling" ie to be unaware of imminent danger and/or oversleep. http://www.diggiloo.net/?1982fi And here's the hilariously inept video for the song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8HdS0ukSwk In 1982 the Finnish entry was a very political song solely about bombs, and nobody had a problem with that. Maybe because the bombs they feared weren’t Iranian but American.

Yet again Israel is singled out.

Please expose this hypocrisy.

Enclosed is a link to the (very poorly translated) words to the Finnish entry back in 1982.

The song title literally means “Sleep while bombs are falling” ie to be unaware of imminent danger and/or oversleep.

http://www.diggiloo.net/?1982fi

And here’s the hilariously inept video for the song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8HdS0ukSwk

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.israellycool.com/2007/03/02/pushing-the-wrong-buttons/comment-page-1/#comment-8784 Anonymous Mon, 05 Mar 2007 14:11:07 +0000 http://www.israellycool.com/2007/03/02/pushing-the-wrong-buttons/#comment-8784 The Eurovision song contest is the John Edwards of musical competitions. Nobody really watches and nobdy really listens. The Eurovision song contest is the John Edwards of musical competitions. Nobody really watches and nobdy really listens.

]]> By: Pajamas Media http://www.israellycool.com/2007/03/02/pushing-the-wrong-buttons/comment-page-1/#comment-8789 Pajamas Media Mon, 05 Mar 2007 13:30:10 +0000 http://www.israellycool.com/2007/03/02/pushing-the-wrong-buttons/#comment-8789 <strong>Pushing Da Wrong Buttons:</strong> Israel's entry in the Eurovision Song Contest is causing a stir for it's allegedly "inappropriate political message." (Israellycool) Judith Weiss @ Kesher Talk has more videos of the same band, The Teapacks, and remembers that political-themed songs co... Pushing Da Wrong Buttons:

Israel’s entry in the Eurovision Song Contest is causing a stir for it’s allegedly “inappropriate political message.” (Israellycool) Judith Weiss @ Kesher Talk has more videos of the same band, The Teapacks, and remembers that political-themed songs co…

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.israellycool.com/2007/03/02/pushing-the-wrong-buttons/comment-page-1/#comment-8783 Anonymous Fri, 02 Mar 2007 16:37:32 +0000 http://www.israellycool.com/2007/03/02/pushing-the-wrong-buttons/#comment-8783 Well actually, they did have that same discussion as now when Pingpong was selected as Israel's entry to the Eurovision. The entry was even more in danger when the Israeli brroadcasting company withdrew its support of the entry because of the flags and something with cucumbers Well actually, they did have that same discussion as now when Pingpong was selected as Israel’s entry to the Eurovision.

The entry was even more in danger when the Israeli brroadcasting company withdrew its support of the entry because of the flags and something with cucumbers

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.israellycool.com/2007/03/02/pushing-the-wrong-buttons/comment-page-1/#comment-8782 Anonymous Fri, 02 Mar 2007 11:28:06 +0000 http://www.israellycool.com/2007/03/02/pushing-the-wrong-buttons/#comment-8782 They've allowed political songs before- as long as they had the "right" politics. When the ultra-lame Israeli band Ping Pong went on Eurovision with a song about peace between Syria and Israel, they were actually waving Syrian flags on stage, and no one said a word. They’ve allowed political songs before- as long as they had the “right” politics. When the ultra-lame Israeli band Ping Pong went on Eurovision with a song about peace between Syria and Israel, they were actually waving Syrian flags on stage, and no one said a word.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.israellycool.com/2007/03/02/pushing-the-wrong-buttons/comment-page-1/#comment-8781 Anonymous Fri, 02 Mar 2007 10:22:50 +0000 http://www.israellycool.com/2007/03/02/pushing-the-wrong-buttons/#comment-8781 Well, Eurovision-rules clearly state that political songs or songs with references to politics aren't allowed. Mainly to observe the peace within the contest (imagine how it would be if Serbia sends in a song about the glory days of Milosevic and Yugoslavia. Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro etc would go on a Eurovision killing spree) The song isn't that good, but at least better than Eddie Butler (Israel's entry of last year) But I don't think they will disqualify this song. Maybe they'll edit it a bit. (like singing in hebrew when the "nuclear-war lyrics" come up) Well, Eurovision-rules clearly state that political songs or songs with references to politics aren’t allowed. Mainly to observe the peace within the contest (imagine how it would be if Serbia sends in a song about the glory days of Milosevic and Yugoslavia. Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro etc would go on a Eurovision killing spree)
The song isn’t that good, but at least better than Eddie Butler (Israel’s entry of last year)
But I don’t think they will disqualify this song. Maybe they’ll edit it a bit. (like singing in hebrew when the “nuclear-war lyrics” come up)

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.israellycool.com/2007/03/02/pushing-the-wrong-buttons/comment-page-1/#comment-8780 Anonymous Fri, 02 Mar 2007 09:30:52 +0000 http://www.israellycool.com/2007/03/02/pushing-the-wrong-buttons/#comment-8780 The MySpace pae of the band is here: http://www.myspace.com/teapacks Not the greatest song in my opinion music wise but it says a lot about what free speech means in Europe is someone is pushing for this to be disallowed. The MySpace pae of the band is here: http://www.myspace.com/teapacks

Not the greatest song in my opinion music wise but it says a lot about what free speech means in Europe is someone is pushing for this to be disallowed.

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