Eurovision 'Armageddon' in Israel

[Taxloss]

Israelis have voted overwhelmingly for a song about nuclear annihilation as their country's entry in this year's Eurovision Song contest.

Push the Button is widely thought to be a response to Iran's nuclear ambitions and the Islamic republic's fiery president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Teapacks, the song's performers, say it is their role to stir up controversy.

Mr Ahmadinejad has called for an end to the Israeli state, though Iran insists its nuclear programme is peaceful.

More:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/6405457.stm

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Ian David]

2. This looks interesting...

<snip>

Not only does Oz sing about "demonic" and "crazy rulers" and the threat of being "blown to kingdom come", but he continues with the lyrics:

"And I don't wanna die, I wanna see the flowers bloom, don't wanna go kaput-kaboom."

"The world is full of terror, if someone makes an error, he's gonna blow us up to kingdom come.

"There are some crazy rulers, they hide and try to fool us, with demonic, technologic willingness to harm"

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/6405457.stm

I'm gonna go a-googling and see if I can find a download.

[Ian David]

3. I found where you can download these

The 4 songs the band Teapacks will present this Tuesday in the Israeli national final are available for listening on IBA's Eurovision website, Eurovil.

The 4 songs the band Teapcaks will present this Tuesday in the Israeli national final are available for listening on IBA's Eurovision website, Eurovil. All the songs can be described as quite unusual, in comparison to most of the Israeli entries in the past. Two of the songs have a political statement. Another song's theme is... the Eurovision Song Contest itself. The 4 songs are:
1. Push the button
2. Salam Salami
3. 12 Points
4. Voulez vous?

In order to listen to the songs, enter Eurovil at http://eurovil.iba.org.il. At the left hand side of the frontpage you will find 4 round icons with the numbers 1-4- press on them to listen.

The Israeli national final will be held on Tuesday in Kibbutz Dorot. Teapacks will perform the winning song in the Eurovision Song Contest's semifinal in Helsinki, on May 10th.

More:
http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/7768?PHPSESSID=34c

So, you can download them here:
http://eurovil.iba.org.il

[Ian David]

4. In the grand tradition of...

Christmas At Ground Zero
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Christmas At Ground Zero is an original song by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It is done in the style of a Christmas carol, with bells and a saxophone section, but the lyrics describe a situation where a nuclear war is breaking out and humanity is about to end. It is one of the darker songs in Yankovic's output.

The song contains numerous references familiar to those who were children during the early atomic age ("I'll duck and cover / With my Yuletide lover / Underneath the 'missile'-toe").
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_at_Ground_Zero


Political Science, by Randy Newman (Flash Animation)
http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/political.php


ARTIST: Tom Lehrer
TITLE: So Long, Mom (A Song for World War III)
Lyrics and Chords
http://www.guntheranderson.com/v/data/solongmo.htm

We'll All Go Together When We Go: Tom Lehrer, 1959
http://www.atomicplatters.com/more.php?id=70_0_1_0_M


See also:

Atomic Platters: Cold War Era Music From The Golden Age of Homeland Security
http://www.atomicplatters.com/index.php

[MrPrax]

7. "Are you ready for that great atomic power?"

The Great Atomic Power

Do you fear this man's invention that they call atomic power?
Are we all in great confusion, do we know the time or hour
When a terrible explosion may ring down upon our land
Leaving horrible destruction blotting out the works of man

Chorus:

Are you ready for that great atomic power?
Will you rise and meet your Savior in the end?
Will you shout or will you cry when the fire rains from on high?
Are you ready for that great atomic power?


Verse Two:
There is one way to escape and be prepared to meet the Lord
Give your heart and soul to Jesus, He will be your shield and sword
He will surely stand beside and you'll never taste of death
For your soul will fly to safety and eternal peace and rest

(repeat chorus)

Verse Three:
There's an army who can conquer all the enemy's great bands
It's a regiment of Christians guided by the Savior's hand
When the mushroom of destruction falls and all it's fury great
God will surely save His children from this awful, awful fate

(repeat chorus)

Are you ready for that great atomic power?

I'll stick with Fishbone

[rlev1223]

20. Don''t Drop the Bomb on My Boyfriend

Original 1983 version.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JT_F0NonAnE

(Later version was in National Lampoon's Class of '86 Revue and can also be heard
at the sig site below..look through "previous issues" - February 2005)

[Howardx]

5. why is it "controversial"

to not want to die in a nuclear blast? seems reasonable to me.

[breakaleg]

6. This is a grab for attention along the "poor me" line. n/t

[pelsar]

8. a bit off topic..

but i do love your remarks.....if ever i wonder about why israel needs to be strong and stay strong...your remarks are a constant reminder for me.....

sort of a moral clarity.......

[breakaleg]

10. And your moral clarity is equally amusing.

If nothing else, it goes to show that people who hold your beliefs have come to emulate their aggressors.

[pelsar]

11. but your "beliefs"...

dont seem to have much basis in simple knowledge........I find your comments on israeli society rather amusing.....your knowledge is rather nil, but that doesnt stop you from making any and all negative comments

the song for instance....i doubt you speak hebrew and hence no little of what its about, but that i noticed didnt stop you from making a comment.....

[breakaleg]

12. What do I need to know about Israeli society before forming the belief that what Israel

is doing to the Palestinians is wrong?

Two wrongs don't make a right. It's really as simple as that.

[pelsar]

13. simplistic beliefs....

keeping things black and white are always easy.....understanding the problems in the mideast conflict are far more complex than mere "headlines".....

but to do that means understanding the motivations behind the societies involved their cultures and why they do what they do.....and i've noticed in your posts that you have little understanding of that.

but whats more interesting is that, as in your above post, you seem to think that any additional knowledge is not necessary.....and the condemnations of israel and its society is a constant.....

it doesnt take much to understand that.....(and no i'm not calling you an anti semite...)

[breakaleg]

15. This way, you can write off anyone who disagrees with you as being too stupid to see the light.

I get it. But what you said is completely false. I don't need to know all the history to know whether something is right or wrong. Perhaps that's where you are in error. Finding excuses for the inexcusable. There has to come a time when the past is no longer and excuse to give a group of people carte blanch to destroy another group. I think that time has come.

[Shaktimaan]

21. So in other words, "What do I need to learn about your history before judging you?"

At least now I understand why you think the conflict is so straightforward.

Two wrongs don't make a right. It's really as simple as that.

But don't you support the right of resistance for Palestinians? If the Nakba was wrong, (and I believe it was), is the resulting Palestinian terrorism which targeted civilians not a second wrong? (Or is THAT wrong a "right?")

Besides, you are incorrect. It isn't the second wrong. After adding it up for both sides, we are now exactly at the 498th wrong. And everyone knows that 500 wrongs DO make a right. So just relax, it's coming any day now.

[Taxloss]

9. It was selected by popular vote.

So unless the Israeli public was acting with a single mind, your theory wouldn't make much sense.

[cali]

16. LOL!

Your armchair analysis is hilarious. Maybe it's just a catchy tune. And maybe it's a sucky idea to make this kind of generalization.

[Violet_Crumble]

14. That's all fine and good, but will they be wearing monster costumes?

Now, monster costumes are what's controversial. To assure themselves of success, Israel's entry should do a Lordi with the costumes, and also consider giving their song a new and more serious made-for-Eurovision title like 'Bam Bam Kapow'.

Of course Eurovision's stature as a serious competition full of credibility took a battering when Morrissey revealed that he wasn't serious about entering a song after all :(

[Violet_Crumble]

17. Eurovision may ban Israeli entry due to lyrics on nuclear war

HELSINKI, Finland - Eurovision Song Contest organizers said Thursday they might ban this year's Israeli entry, Teapacks' Push the Button, because of what they termed its inappropriate political message.

The song, to be performed at the contest in Helsinki in May, overwhelmingly won Israel's competition Wednesday.

It is sung in English, French and Hebrew and seemingly refers indirectly to Iran's nuclear ambitions and its hard-line leader, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

"It's absolutely clear that this kind of message is not appropriate for the competition," said Kjell Ekholm, an organizer of the contest. "We'll have all the delegation leaders here in Helsinki next week, and I'm sure we'll talk about this case within the EBU group."

The song warns about the dangers of nuclear war, and the lyrics of the song refer to demonic and crazy rulers, and say that he's gonna blow us up to ... kingdom come.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/832315.html

[Scurrilous]

18. Palestinians Seek Eurovision Debut

<snip>

"The Palestinian Authority is seeking representation in next year’s Eurovision Song Contest.

A Palestinian contestant in the 2008 contest would require the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) to fall in line with European broadcasting standards.

PBC officials confirmed that contacts have been made with the organizers regarding Palestinian participation.

The contest is held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union. Each country submits a song to the contest, which is broadcast simultaneously on live television. All countries then cast their votes for the most popular song. The winning country hosts the following year’s competition.

But the measure also has political undertones regarding the body that will elect the chosen song – there are internal disputes whether it will be chosen by the PBC, which is dominated by Fatah, or the Ministry of Culture, controlled by Hamas, according to Israeli news reports.

There appear to be no geographical obstructions to the Palestinians taking part in the annual song contest. The P.A.’s neighbor, Israel has been a regular participant in the contest since 1973."

http://www.themedialine.org/news/news_detail.asp?NewsID=16990

[rlev1223]

19. Sheesh

I wrote something called "Winner of the Mideast War almost 20 years ago!
just put it on the live CD...Maybe should have sent it to eurovision........except my singing is pretty lousy.


click the sig to find it....