Comments on: Cloisim an tiún, is tú mo rún

By: Ithaca

Ithaca — Sun, 20 May 2007 21:10:29 +0000

I know that this sounds awfully nerdy, but I have learned from a discussion elsewhere on the web that ‘archipelagic icicles’ has generated the mondegreen ‘Arthur pedals bicycles’! And if you don’t know what a mondegreen is do a google search…

By: Bock the Robber

Bock the Robber — Fri, 18 May 2007 21:35:31 +0000

What competition did John Waters think he was entering?

Has he lived all his life in some parallel existence where the Eurovision is actually any good?

He knew he was entering a ridiculous freak show, which it has always been, and something not to be taken seriously. Come on - last year, the Klingons won it.

That JW believed it was a real competition tells us how connected he is with reality, but hold on. Isn’t this the guy who used to live with Sinead O Connor?

Oh, well then. QED.

By: fústar

fústar — Wed, 16 May 2007 19:51:20 +0000

The tone of the Waters article suggested a man humbled, perplexed but (in fairness) not indignant. I read it twice and apart from the reasonably clear point RE: emerging & coherent “East European” pop sensibilities (mentioned above by Conortje) I found it rather confused and confusing.

It struck me that JW felt mugged, was in mild shock, and was trying to hastily reflect on the incident to meet a tight deadline. Whatever the reason, his explanations/excuses felt a bit forced and muddled to me.

Colm, I’m all for the suggestion, if only to see the anti-geek headlines when Ireland suffers another (inevitable) Eurovision kick in the nuts: “Europe Says ‘Blog off!’ to Nerds” etc.

By: Colm

Colm — Tue, 15 May 2007 22:14:36 +0000

I think Ireland’s next entry should be decided in the blogosphere.

By: Conortje

Conortje — Tue, 15 May 2007 07:47:17 +0000

Well Water’s reaction hasn’t been so bad - This is from the RTE website ‘In his column, Mr Waters dismisses the conspiracy theory of voting pacts and suggests that emerging patterns of voting are less about tribal affinity than cultural, as in musical, recognition.

He suggests that the ‘taste gap between East and West can be addressed in one of only two ways: radical introversion or a more enthusiastic opening up to the new.’ He favours the latter.’

By: Ithaca

Ithaca — Mon, 14 May 2007 21:24:46 +0000

Yes, Twenty Major, I agree that Shirley Temple Bar would have been the best one to sing it!

By: Ithaca

Ithaca — Mon, 14 May 2007 21:14:45 +0000

That I endured the Eurovision Song Contest until the Irish entry which mercifully was only the third or fourth to be performed probably indicates that I have masochistic tendencies, but after that I could take no more. The Irish act was awful - I suppose the only consolation was that John Waters’ pretentious lyrics could not be heard because the young woman who sang the song swallowed them. Presumably, her Bo-Peep outfit, the bodhran and the chaps prancing about with tin whistles were meant to give it an Oirish folksy character, possibly so as to dispel any idea of Sufi mysticism suggested by the name Dervish… What I do not understand is that someone like Waters, who often attempts to affect an Olympian persona would want to have anything to do with something as naff as the Eurovision Song contest.

The British trolley dolly act which I saw on TV a few weeks ago was also embarrassing to watch, but at least there was probably a touch of irony there…

By: Twenty Major

Twenty Major — Mon, 14 May 2007 08:29:38 +0000

They’d have done better if they’d got Shirley Temple Bar to sing it.

Or another drag queen like Anne Doyle.

By: fústar

fústar — Sun, 13 May 2007 17:11:08 +0000

Being Mr. Devil’s Advocate guy for a second, I actually thought Dervish’s extreme lack of polish was reasonably refreshing (even if the song was garbage).

Their incongruity, in a sea of scrubbed, plucked, tanned and bland mediocrity was somehow…er…almost heroic!

By: Twenty Major

Twenty Major — Sun, 13 May 2007 08:58:29 +0000

Quite an achievement to finish last out of such an array of awesome musical talent.

Perhaps getting someone who doesn’t sound like a banshee with her flaps caught in a mousetrap to sing the song might, in hindsight, have been a good idea.