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‘Peck the bait!’ The political messages hidden in Eurovision songs
As Israel’s 2024 entry is scrutinised, we look at the times when songs got around the contest’s impartiality rules
After allowing Israel to take part in this year’s Eurovision song contest amid calls for them to be boycotted, organisers will be scrutinising the country’s entry for political messaging – particularly whether lines such as “they were all good children” could refer to the current conflict in Gaza or hostage situation. We Don’t Wanna Put In is a disco number about Georgia rejecting a certain Russian leader, while making overtures to join the EU with all the finesse of a 17-year-old boy at closing time: “I like all Europe countries and I love Europe-ah / say: give me sexy, ah!” The title was clankingly obvious and the line “Imma try to shoot in”, coupled with a gun-to-the-head dance move, could be read as an incitement to assassination – it never made it to the final. Photograph: YouTubePerformed in Tel Aviv, Iceland’s Hatari gave us one of the all-time great Eurovision tracks in 2019, the nihilist techno-pantomime evil of Hatrið Mun Sigra – “hatred will prevail” – and its screamed commands: “Universal obfuscation!
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