Exorcising the Song for Europe Demons
Every person with a modicum of musical nous accepts the fact that the annual Song for Europe is a celebration of gloss over substance. There is among the musically minded a certain fatalism about the whole affair; we dream of the day when contestants send populism to the blazes, and regale us with a cornucopia of clever song structures, biting lyrics and, why not, minblowing harmonica solos played over enio morricono inflected jazz vamps, but we know it won't happen. The earth rotates, eurovision stinks.
Still, I find it incredibly hard to accept that Fabrizio Faniello's inane 'I Do' could be voted 'best song' by the Maltese public, or any other conglomeration of sentient beings for that matter. It is not that I am a geek who finds solace only in 60's space jazz (I can groove to 'Rasputin' with the best), it's just that Faniello's number, even by the standards of bubble-gum pop, does not pass muster. Quite how the popster managed to manufacture a song that grows tiresome in the space of one hundred and eighty seconds is beyond me. I understand Ellingtonian harmonic sophistication and fusion-style virtuosity is not necessary in order to craft a pop-tune, but, for god's sake, even the most fecal of pop jingles needs an effective hook somewhere!
Of course the rest of the fare on show was not extraordinarily engaging either. Yet again the contest was replete with disco ditties and faceless ballads that excited the musical imagination as much as boiled water excites the taste buds. It is depressing to know that for the greater part of the population this dross represents the pinnacle of musical achievement.
Perhaps the Maltese listenership does not deserve any better than Fabrizio's inane ditty. The people were, after all, ruthless in their castigation of any song that made the slightest attempt at being any good. Pamela's outstanding, Enya inflected number was ignored, while Nadine Axisa's Waves was left to linger in the darkness of the lower reaches of the standings (proof if any was ever needed, that the Maltese public does not just scorn harmonic and melodic sophistication of any sort, but that it actually despises it). The shame.
Still, I find it incredibly hard to accept that Fabrizio Faniello's inane 'I Do' could be voted 'best song' by the Maltese public, or any other conglomeration of sentient beings for that matter. It is not that I am a geek who finds solace only in 60's space jazz (I can groove to 'Rasputin' with the best), it's just that Faniello's number, even by the standards of bubble-gum pop, does not pass muster. Quite how the popster managed to manufacture a song that grows tiresome in the space of one hundred and eighty seconds is beyond me. I understand Ellingtonian harmonic sophistication and fusion-style virtuosity is not necessary in order to craft a pop-tune, but, for god's sake, even the most fecal of pop jingles needs an effective hook somewhere!
Of course the rest of the fare on show was not extraordinarily engaging either. Yet again the contest was replete with disco ditties and faceless ballads that excited the musical imagination as much as boiled water excites the taste buds. It is depressing to know that for the greater part of the population this dross represents the pinnacle of musical achievement.
Perhaps the Maltese listenership does not deserve any better than Fabrizio's inane ditty. The people were, after all, ruthless in their castigation of any song that made the slightest attempt at being any good. Pamela's outstanding, Enya inflected number was ignored, while Nadine Axisa's Waves was left to linger in the darkness of the lower reaches of the standings (proof if any was ever needed, that the Maltese public does not just scorn harmonic and melodic sophistication of any sort, but that it actually despises it). The shame.
posted by Chalee | 5:17 AM
9 Comments:
I still cannot fathom how you can write about the Song for Europe Festival without even mentioning Lou Bondi's impeccable virtuosity.
May I also take this opportunity to welcome you aboard.
Giving the vote to the Maltese Lumpenproletariat has always resulted in such fallacious results. It is the same social class which has elected a socialist government 3 times in a row and more recently chosen an Italian art piece showing no connection to Malta as our euro-coin symbol. If they were in the right circumstances, the Maltese Zeza and Bubollu would would have elected Hamas, supported the holocaust and woven the Iron Curtain.
welcome to the blogosphere...
Is Lou your relative ? :p
U hallina mill-Ingliz, ahna Maltin, haqqna nippromuovu din il-lingwa rikka taghna... ghaldaqstant jien bil-Malti se nikkummenta, min ma jifhimx jiddispjacini..
Mela ha nara min fejn se nibda.. LE, CHALEE! Minix se naqa' ghal dak il-livell baxx illi nghajrek illi dak kollu li edt hazin ghax inti rocker li jdoqq mal-band b'isem tan-nejk, u tbati min-nuqqas ta' varieta` fil-kords, u ghaldaqtant mintix ta' livell, ta' kalibru gust illi tiggudika, ghalkemm ma nichadx illi dan kollu huwa vera...
Minn naha l-ohra jien nahseb li avolja l-kummenti tieghek, illi bil-mod gharrieq ta' l-ilsien mahlul tieghek ma' l-ewwel daqqa t'ghajn jidhru vera dicenti u makakki (jew bl-ingliz.. witty,) dan mhuwiex minnu. Kif jinghad bl-Ingliz.. if you can't dazzle them with brilliance, you baffle them with bullshit. Din il-frazi li tenfasizza il-bluff tremend tal-persuna insibha bhala wahda xierqa biex tiddeskrivi l-banalita` li ghadha kemm inkitbet.
Min-naha l-ohra, ijwa ghaziz Chalee, ghadek hero u idolu u ta' inspirazzjoni kbira ghalija, dunque, ghadni kemm waqqajt l-argument kollu tieghi.
:D
PS: Jekk tridu taraw naqa' kumment suret in-nies idhlu fil-blog tieghi, ghandi nippostjhom daqt...
Matthias, agħmel pjaċir lill-umanita' int ukoll issa u segwi l-passi taċ-Chalee. Ħallik mill-MSN Spaces u rreġistra mal-Blogger, imqar.
The Earth Rotates, Eurivision stinks. I coudlnt have put it better myself. But than again, have i ever dreamt even in my deepest solitude, when the force is strong, to challange in some way Chalee...or Magnus, as i like to call him.
Faniellos number, should i comment? No, even though my love and passion in life is to submerge in useless and aimless critical reviews of foreign affairs and politics in general, i abstain from passing my non opinionated and diplomaticaly overtoned regard on the winner. Yet the point at issue here is the eurovision itself. Is it really regarded as the pinnacle of maltese musical achievement? Well i do have a limited degree of respect for the composers and authors, and have nothing agasint pop gum gum music. It is diplomaticlay incorrect tio despise such music, yes challee, even if you dont catch one note to hook with in 3/4 minutes.
Well Chalee...why dont you go and present the eurovision yourself? Weve seen Lou Bondie's hard bound principles, he 'hijacked' the 'tebut tal kanzuneta maltija' *actual quote*. Life has its own ways and is unpredictable. Especially when you live on a tiny island and entertain yourself with 'Stejjer ta qabel jidlam'.
Leaving the voting decision in the hands of the well educated and cultured ppl such as the maltese youre bound to get great results. Many in the maltese diplomatic core were surley less impressed by the victory of Hamas in Palestine than the brilliant speach of that brilliant minister. Whats his name again?
Malta for Europe. Faniello make them proud.
Mark Ciscaldi
aw chalee... good subject to start your blog with lol looking forward to reading something about what you're doing musically...
Antonio
Thank you everloyal readership for your comments. It's reassuring to see that the eurovision does not quite hold the whole maltese populace in thrall.
With regards to my musical doings, Antonio will be pleased to hear that I am now a member of the geriatric (and unfortunately named) cock-rock band 'Fire', as well as the Funk/insanity crossover 4-piece 'Zizza Ensemble'. A more detailed update on the subject of my muscial meanderings will be forthcoming sooner rather than later.
Welcome chalee, hope you remember the undersigned ;)
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