THIS may make you feel antiquated, but 50 years ago this month, a song was recorded that would drill its way into the eardrums of generations of people.
Even those reading this who were born in the 21st century will surely recognise the crescendo of the piano and the belting out of the chorus to Waterloo.
Yes, indeed, the classic song by ABBA was committed to vinyl on December 17, 1973.
The Swedish band’s first hit would go on to win the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest, put them firmly on the musical map - and deliver a much-needed injection of coolness and modernity to the continent’s then often staid annual music competition.
The song is daft, of course. It is about how a woman ‘surrenders’ herself to her dream man, just like Napoleon ‘surrendered’ at Waterloo - although, as any 19th century history buff knows, the great man didn’t surrender at all after losing that battle, rather he did so weeks later, and some 700km away from the site of the Belgian battlefield.
Excuse my pedantry.
Waterloo is unusual, too, in the sense that it’s a song nominally about war - and if the Eurovision Song Contest is about anything, it is about a world of peace, goodwill and diversity for all, wrapped up in a rainbow flag.
The template for a classic Eurovision winner is A Little Peace - a song that makes John Lennon’s Imagine look like a war cry - which won the 1982 contest for Germany’s Nicole.
Any song that is anything but stridently in favour of a more peaceful world would assuredly bomb before a predominantly young Eurovision audience committed to an idealised world.
Which is why I am a little baffled at the race by many of Ireland’s politicians and social justice warriors to call for Israel to be banned from the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest, owing to that country’s continued bombardment of Gaza.
The Israeli entry for 2024 hasn’t even been chosen yet. Do the likes of Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald think the song will attempt to justify Israel’s appalling actions since early October through the medium of pop music? That it will try to paint Hamas as the real enemy, and use the global stage to portray Israel as the innocent victim, merely retaliating in a just and rational way?
Of course not, that would be ludicrous on several levels.
For a start, political songs are not allowed at the contest; and for another thing, it would win hardly any votes at all.
And for another thing, it would (justifiably) lead to calls from politicians such as Mary Lou McDonald to ban Israel from the contest or lead to a boycott of it.
They would have a point, in that instance.
But we can bet our bottom dollar that Israel’s entry will not relate to the war in Gaza at all, and not only that - we can pretty much guarantee that if it does stray into the territory of war and peace, it will come down heavily on the side of peace at all costs.
That’s the Eurovision vibe, and that’s the vibe of the singers and songwriters who make the contest what it is.
So, what are the likes of Mary Lou afraid of? Because, as far as I can see, any song submitted by Israel will only help to exert pressure on its government to sue for peace and lead to a ceasefire in Gaza. Anything else would be musical suicide.
Of course, many believe banning Israel from Eurovision will be punishment for their actions thus far. In which case, there is another important distinction to be made here.
Not everyone in Israel agrees with its government’s persecution of families and children in Gaza. Many of its citizens are horrified by its actions, and many more will be horrified at the response from much of the rest of the world regarding their army’s campaign.
By kicking Israel out of Eurovision, we are also casting these people, who hold the key for future ceasefires and possible peace treaties, into the wilderness.
Is that what we want?
Better to give them a voice and some encouragement, surely, than to lump them all together with Israel’s hawk-like Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
There are other aspects of Israel’s entry to consider.
What if they select a song by one of the 18% of people in the country who are Muslim? Or what if it’s a song by a Jewish singer who has spoken out against the incessant bombing of Gaza by Israel? What if it’s a banger of a tune that has a potent message of peace for the world?
Imagine the pressure this would exert on Netanyahu. A pressure far, far more effective than his country being banished from Eurovision and him playing the victim card, that’s for sure.
A blanket ban on everything Israeli may appear understandable to those of us who have been horrified by the daily scenes of death and carnage in Gaza perpetrated by Israel, but if it will not bring a ceasefire any closer, it is merely entering the arena of empty gesture, posturing politics.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has also called for Irish shoppers to boycott Israeli goods in shops, a step which will hurt even those people in that country who are opposed to the war Similarly, her criticism of Ireland soccer legend Robbie Keane for continuing to coach an Israeli club side in these dark times is also an unpleasant glimpse of ‘cancel culture’ at work.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has demonstrated he is not afraid to fly against the European consensus of sympathy for Israel, but his opposition to calls to boycott Israeli goods has the ring of truth.
“There are a lot of very good people in Israel who want there to be peace, who want justice for Palestinians, who want there to be a two-state solution,” he said. “I’m not convinced that demonising and ostracising an entire country, an entire nation of people, is actually the best way to achieve what we are trying to achieve.”
He is right. The best way to stop Israel’s attacks is to utilise those in that country who can do the most to stop it. And the Eurovision Song Contest offers them a perfect opportunity to do that.
Read More
The ’70s wasn’t a dark age for kids, it was actually a hip and groovy time to be alive! More in this section
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