Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Greek singer Maria Elena Kyriakou Ailura

Greece's Eurovision entry sounds like a cry for debt relief

Sure it’s a bit far-fetched, but stay with us on this one.

WHEN GERMANY’S 2013 Eurovision entry was unceremoniously shown the door by judges, the poor performance was blamed on Angela Merkel’s tough approach to debt-laden countries.

This Saturday, when the awards final gets under away for another year, it appears politics will again be bubbling away just under the surface.

Take the entry from Greece, titled One Last Breath, which includes lyrics like:

I’m begging you take me out of this firing hell … Nothing left / All that I have is one last breath / Only one last breath.”

While at first blush it’s a song full of heartfelt yearning, a few commentators have suggested a connection between the plea for help and the country’s ongoing debt crisis.

The Wall Street Journal made the link, noting state broadcaster ERT was backing singer Maria Elena Kyriakou for the competition.

Maria Elena Kyriakou Ailura Ailura

The station was abolished during a cost-cutting drive under the country’s right-wing former administration, before it was recently reinstated by the new, anti-austerity Syriza government.

MarketWatch went even further with the authors citing the song’s “clear echoes of dire economic situation in Greece”:

On the face of it, it’s a ballad about romantic despair. But if you’re listening right, the lyrics couldn’t be a more pointed appeal to citizens of the eurozone — who will be tuning into the contest in their millions — to help end Greece’s financial agony.”

Eurovision Song Contest / YouTube

A sense of timing

It comes amid more bad economic news for the cash-strapped country, which earlier this month slipped back into recession after nearly a year of growth.

The government has warned it could run out of cash in just over two weeks when its next major repayment to the IMF falls due on 5 June.

However it’s not the only song hiding a potential political message.

The entry from Armenia, a country which has been campaigning for the deaths of 1.5 million people under the Ottoman Empire in 1915 to be recognised as genocide, is titled “Don’t Deny” and includes some heavily-loaded lyrics:

Feels like so many times life was unfair / Will you run and forget all the despair? / If it’s breaking you down, remember the power inside / Face every shadow you denied.”

Then there’s the official video clip, which flashes between the modern day performers and what looks suspiciously like families from the early 1900s.

Eurovision Song Contest / YouTube

Both it and the French entry have both been accused of politicising the contest with references to the claimed genocide, which had its centenary commemoration this year.

But so far it doesn’t appear to have done any harm with the Greek and Armenian entries making it through yesterday’s first semi-final unscathed.

Russia Animated GIF Giphy Giphy

READ: Syriza has done another big U-turn on its election promises >

READ: Greek subway stations are showing films demanding World War II reparations >

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
26 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Phil O' Meara
    Favourite Phil O' Meara
    Report
    May 20th 2015, 5:26 PM

    Beware of Greeks bearing gifs……

    130
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jack Dunne
    Favourite Jack Dunne
    Report
    May 20th 2015, 6:21 PM

    “Don’t cry for me Hellasssssss”

    17
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute RonanM
    Favourite RonanM
    Report
    May 20th 2015, 5:43 PM

    The place isn’t that poor if they haven’t pulled out of the Eurovision yet

    66
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mr Phil Officer
    Favourite Mr Phil Officer
    Report
    May 20th 2015, 5:46 PM

    Ireland’s song is called ‘boot me up the hole’

    62
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Lucille Ball
    Favourite Lucille Ball
    Report
    May 20th 2015, 7:09 PM

    @ mr Phil officer.. Flippin brilliant!! Ha! Ha!

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute winding_down
    Favourite winding_down
    Report
    May 20th 2015, 6:43 PM

    I hope Ireland gets into the final – if only to see to what extent the Australians will block vote with us.

    (They’re competing as a once-off to mark Eurovision’s 60th Birthday).

    58
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute MK76
    Favourite MK76
    Report
    May 20th 2015, 5:53 PM

    I take their Eurovision entry more seriously than their economic strategies.

    57
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Kerry Blake
    Favourite Kerry Blake
    Report
    May 20th 2015, 8:26 PM

    Possibly because you have no vision but never mind.

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jake Race
    Favourite Jake Race
    Report
    May 20th 2015, 8:29 PM

    That was uncalled for Kerry. Now apologise to MK!

    9
    See 3 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute MK76
    Favourite MK76
    Report
    May 20th 2015, 8:42 PM

    You have been keeping abreast with what is happening in Greece since their version of the LLA got in, right?

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Kerry Blake
    Favourite Kerry Blake
    Report
    May 20th 2015, 8:57 PM

    Well MK76 I know that greeks are being turned away from hospitals because of austerity and are dying apparently because we “europeans” demand it….

    15
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute MK76
    Favourite MK76
    Report
    May 20th 2015, 9:08 PM

    Right. So no one in the country ever paid any taxes, they had no functioning economy, they borrowed to cover up both those facts, but it’s austerity that put them where they are?

    Hmmmmmm.

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute stephen kavanagh
    Favourite stephen kavanagh
    Report
    May 20th 2015, 5:31 PM

    It really is just a ballad about romantic despair

    44
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute cosmological
    Favourite cosmological
    Report
    May 20th 2015, 5:32 PM

    Eurovision doing politics – don’t be silly.

    43
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Stuart Keogh
    Favourite Stuart Keogh
    Report
    May 20th 2015, 5:59 PM

    Greece doing politics, don’t be silly

    42
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Drew
    Favourite Drew
    Report
    May 20th 2015, 5:33 PM

    One can only hope Greece ‘wins’ the honour of paying to host this next year out of left wing sympathy.

    33
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Cupid Stunt
    Favourite Cupid Stunt
    Report
    May 20th 2015, 5:57 PM

    Your a predictable Muppet drew. I ghess your answer is more guards on the street, bla bla bla,

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jane Ryan
    Favourite Jane Ryan
    Report
    May 20th 2015, 6:22 PM

    Say what you want about the greek entry but you can be assured that the irish entry is pure and utter crap

    24
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gary O'neill
    Favourite Gary O'neill
    Report
    May 20th 2015, 5:26 PM

    As long as the English don’t win the euro vision I’ll be happy. They should be giving us a point for every country they stole off of us.

    22
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Elma Phudd
    Favourite Elma Phudd
    Report
    May 20th 2015, 5:48 PM

    How many countries did they steal off us?

    77
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Deane
    Favourite John Deane
    Report
    May 20th 2015, 6:25 PM

    Country? Lol You mean county

    26
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John S
    Favourite John S
    Report
    May 20th 2015, 5:31 PM

    Feckin Greeks……

    17
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Matthew Donoghue
    Favourite Matthew Donoghue
    Report
    May 20th 2015, 5:59 PM

    A much better deal for greece, something our government would never have the balls to do!
    http://uk.businessinsider.com/report-the-european-commission-just-offered-greece-a-deal-2015-5?r=US

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute B-Egan
    Favourite B-Egan
    Report
    May 21st 2015, 1:52 AM

    More and more fiscal treaty yes voters. Can ye please stop been out of touch by intelligence maybe. Take the piss out of Greeks now they are gone there ahead of the game again as a country. Before they were creating democracy whilst the Irish were Irish. Love Ireland I do thats why i dont rag on Greece . After all ye’d all be paying about 24% extra in youur debt only for them. Keep up catch up . Might learn something ..soon

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Alan Scott
    Favourite Alan Scott
    Report
    May 20th 2015, 9:55 PM

    Such a load of bs

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds