pühapäev, veebruar 03, 2008

leto svet



This is the Estonian Eurovision entry this year. I decided not to vote, but "Leto Svet" by Kreisiraadio still got 20,000 more votes than "Ice Cold Story" by Iiris Vesik. The song is in Serbo-Croatian, German, and Finnish, and is a mockery of Eurovision multilingualism, choreography, et cetera. Estonia did quite well in Eurovision in the past and won in 2001, bringing the contest to Tallinn in 2002, which was a big deal locally.

But since then they've moved to a two-round contest to accommodate all of the countries that wish to partake in the festival, including non-European countries like Israel, and Estonia has usually not made it to the second round because it has sent, in my opinion, generic pop songs that do not distinguish it from other countries.

That's why, in a way, this song is refreshing. I have a feeling though that some Eurovision viewers might not get the joke.

21 kommentaari:

LPR ütles ...

Our ugri-mugri absurdist humour is often so self-referential that it impossible for outsiders to grasp. Being born Estonian means to be counterculture and non mainstream.

Who knows, maybe a day will dawn when others will start to envy us?

Until then we just collectively fart at the world with our hapyy-go-lucky Leto Svet!

Never mind nobody understands it. It's enough that we do.

Bäckman ütles ...

Serbo-Croatian? You're right, but I had no idea.

I thought I got it -- I took the language for Russian. I figured Leto Svet must have been an old late Soviet pop tune that was popular here too.

I was wondering why the hell they were waving Estonian flags to Russian lyrics.

Crazy World ütles ...

Well this is also a bit marking the Eurovision as these guys comment it on radio and are giving quite critical and funny observations. Therefore I am happy that they are moving into direction, not seing this as music anyway. Most of Estonians don't consider Eurovision music as good music anyway. And anyway, all vote for neighbours and Balkans have lot of neighbours ;) Estonia always votes well for Sweden, Finland is friendly to Estonia. Minorities of one country are the greates voters (Turkish people in Germany, Serbians in Bosnia, Russians in Estonia...). Who would see this originally (maybe) a nice idea something serious? ;)
Leto svet!!! I can't wait to see the serbian reaction :D "What is Estonia? Where is it? Baltic? Balcan???"

Frank ütles ...

Hipp Hipp Hurra! Estonia rules the waves of making fun of oneself and others ...

The concept might be quite clever. German comedian Stefan Raab scored the fifth place with "Waddehaddedudeda" - nearly nonsensical baby talk.

space_maze ütles ...

This song comes a bit .. late.

Sending an absurdist/bad song for the sake of sending something non-mainstream was new and fancy a few years ago. Stefan Raab was probably the first. Though his song was not even funny for those that DID get it (like me), it did quite well.

Austria's entry in 2003 - Alf Poier's Weil der Mensch zählt was completely absurd, and VERY hard to get for anyone outside of Austria. Nevertheless, it was more memorable than most pointless euroballads and europop songs, and got Austria its proportionately best placing since the 1966.

However, these last few years, EVERYONE has been sending "let's-flip-one-to-the-songcontest" songs. It's become .. mainstream.

.. Leto Svet will probably do okay though. 12 points from Finland are guaranteed, and it IS more stupid than previous intentionally stupid songs. I can't get the bloody thing out of my head.

I just wish they had sent the one actual song in the running - Ice Cold Story - as Eurovision was more fun when occasionally, there was a song which was decent. Everyone being bad makes it less fun to point and laugh at those that are REALLY bad.

space_maze ütles ...

Oh, I also heard that this is about Nordstream. Whatever.

I also think this song will be funnier in countries where the lyrics are either understood, or where Eurovision comes with subtitles.

"Kes ma olen?
Arve palun.
Mu kämpingus
sai gaas otsa.

mu gaas otsa

Kaks topelttükki
šokolaaditorti.
Rohelistest ubadest
on kõrini.

kõrini"

I've got to admit, those lyrics are kind of cool.

Giustino ütles ...

I feel that Iiris Vesik will have more opportunities in the future. This time it's Tarmo, Peeter, and Hannes' turn.

Unknown ütles ...

I was reading Leto Svet comments in Postimees just now. It´s just hillarious ,a lot people there write that they are ashamed to be estonians now and will never admit that to strangers any more :D! Really seems that some people live only because of E-vision, without it is life not worth living :DD!
I voted for LS and I think that we owed that song to win this time, as if we don´t make it to finals then there will be no regrets and feeling sorry for ouselves like every year and if we do get to finals then it will be excellent proof that no-one votes actually for songs.

Kristiina ütles ...

I think the song reflects right what eurovision has become... a big joke. However, you have to see the version on youtube with what I thought is an absolutely hilarious video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuVwVBKR9kM&feature=related

space_maze ütles ...

I feel that Iiris Vesik will have more opportunities in the future. This time it's Tarmo, Peeter, and Hannes' turn.

That's basically how I feel about Birgit Õigemeel and Kristjan Kasearu. I just hope Estonia doesn't overburden itself with talented young people to send at some unspecified point in the future.

(though not sending Kristjan Kasearu this year was the right choice, as his song sucked ... they should have sent Romeo ja Julia last year. It was such a good song for showing of how pretty-pretty-pretty Estonian is)

Giustino ütles ...

I think Peeter Oja has Eurovision written all over him. Hell, I even mistook him for last year's winner the first time I saw 'Leto Svet'.

Colm ütles ...

I was a tad bit disappointed that Ice cold story didn't win. I felt sorry for the 16 year old because it was a decent enough song and she sang it well...However now it's likely that Ireland's entry of Dustin the Turkey http://www.eurovision.tv/page/news?id=429 won't look so bad! :D

At any rate the whole Eurovision thing is a big bit of a joke and anyone who complains about the silly songs has lost the joke.

To see a proper European song contest watch:
http://www.laulun-laulut.eu/

Funky Nationalist ütles ...

Our ugri-mugri absurdist humour is often so self-referential that it impossible for outsiders to grasp. Being born Estonian means to be counterculture and non mainstream.

Who knows, maybe a day will dawn when others will start to envy us?
Until then we just collectively fart at the world with our hapyy-go-lucky Leto Svet!
Never mind nobody understands it. It's enough that we do.



By definition, being counter-cultural and non-mainstream requires at least some degree of critical thinking, independent decision-making, even contrarian impulse.

Being born into something -- in this case, a nationality -- is an accident of timing and mammalian impulse that demanded nothing of us.

I'm not sure I get or care for the snotty attitude about nobody understanding we Estos.

A true counter-cultural approach would be ignoring Euro-cheese altogether. The very fact that it continues to get as much attention in the Baltic as it does embarrasses me mightily. To take part and mock (so lamely) seems churlish and base. Not counter-cultural, but certainly self-referential in the worst sense.

Giustino ütles ...

I think that the reason Eurovision gets so much attention is because there actually is little news in Estonia at this time of the year.

Consider that the front page of Postimees a few days ago concerned some aspen trees on the island of Vormsi and a dispute over whether or not they will be cut down -- yeah, "Leto Svet" is pretty friggin' exciting.

Not to mention the Leto Svet Dancers. My only question is whether Ilves will have them behind him when he gives his address in Pärnu on Feb. 24.

Unknown ütles ...

Change locale enough, you’ll be relaxed
when you come back to work Monday.

It’s great vacation, that’s why I do this.

Let’s go ahead and wake up the patient.

They’re waking up the patient. Lad,
you’re fine, you’re fine, you’re fine.
You’ll be fine, you’re not gonna die, lad.

- Are you a dancer, lad?
- Aye, sir.

Not anymore.

As the sun sets, the smell of chloroform
gives way to the aromas of the campfire.

Kristopher ütles ...

I also took the language for Russian at first (eta leta svyet). Though I guess should know better.

Then again, I don't really watch Eurovision and was unaware of any Balkan bloc -- I thought the trend was towards primal ethno-folk songs (the Esto entry from a year or two ago, the Ukrainian winner)...

What do I know...

Kristopher ütles ...

If it makes US laugh (and isn't insulting to others), then it's the right thing.

Unknown ütles ...

Hi, as a hungarian, i realized the words 'dobosh torta' in Leto svet. I think it's funny enough, i can't understand the reason. Anyway, József C. Dobos was the hungarian confectioner, who made this fancy cake. Torta means this type of cake. So this is where the two words come. Would please somebody translate this song to english for me? At least the estonian words, please.

space_maze ütles ...
Autor on selle kommentaari eemaldanud.
space_maze ütles ...

Szia Marton :-)

Copied from another thread:

Summer lights.
Who I am? Check please.
My hostel ran out of gas.
My gas ran out.
Two double piece of chocolate cake.
Enough of green beans!
Enough (sick)!
Summer light, that is summer light.
Summer light, that is summer light
Summer light, that is summer light.
Summer light ,that is summer light.
Potatoes,beans,onions,lobster -
I am enough of these.
Summer light ,that is summer light.
Summer light, that is summer light.
Summer light, that is summer light.
Summer light, that is summer light.
(solo)
Potatoes, beans, onions, lobster-
I am enough of these.
Enough of sausage.
What now? Summer light now,
What now? Summer light now.
what now? Summer light now.
what now? Summer light now.
Summer light, that is summer light.
Summer light, that is summer light.
Summer light, that is summer light.
Summer light, that is summer light.

Unknown ütles ...

Tere Space!

Thanks for the translation. So the reason this song was to get votes from Serbia, Croatia, Germany, etc., and even from Hungary, and also having fun, I guess. :o) Well, go Estonia! I like your culture and language which I'd like to speak one day. Is there any estonian who would like to get in connection with me sometimes? Ps.: I'm a blogger too. :o)