GreenJolly – Orange Revolution 2004 Mastermind

The Eurovision Song Contest entry for Ukraine, the hosts of this year’s show, is being rewritten after a political row over the choice of song.

The anthem of the country’s “orange revolution” by the group Greenjolly won a national vote after being allowed in as a last-minute wildcard entry.

But it is “too political”, Eurovision organisers have ruled.

Greenjolly have until Thursday to submit new lyrics for the song Razom Nas Bagato! (Together We Are Many!)

Organisers will then decide whether the new version is suitable to take part in the event held in the country’s capital, Kiev, in May.

The current song became the theme for mass protests at the end of 2004, leading to Viktor Yushchenko’s victory in a re-run of a disputed presidential election.

It includes the lyrics: “No to falsifications… No to lies. Yushchenko – yes! Yushchenko – yes! This is our president – yes, yes!”

But Eurovision executive supervisor Svante Stockselius said: “It was a political song so we cannot allow this since this is a non-political contest.

“It’s allowed to compete if they change the lyrics, or at least part of the lyrics, and they agreed to do so.

“They will provide us with the new text on Thursday and next Monday is the deadline for the delivery of the songs that will compete.”

‘Late’ wildcard

The changes they made were “up to them”, he said. “They will just give us their new text and then it’s up to us to approve it.”

If the changes are not approved, they must put forward a different song to be accepted by the deadline of 21 March, he said.

He added that bringing wildcards into the national race was “not a new idea”, but had been done “at quite a late stage” on this occasion.

Ukraine won the right to host this year’s competition after their singer Ruslana triumphed at the 2004 contest in Istanbul, Turkey.

news.bbc.co.uk

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The song that became the anthem of Ukraine’s “orange revolution” has been chosen to represent the country at this year’s Eurovision song contest. The hip-hop tune Together we are many! (Razom nas bagato!) by Greenjolly beat 18 other contestants in an interactive vote in a qualifying final in Kiev.

It became an instant hit with many Ukrainians who rallied against last November’s rigged presidential poll.

Ukraine will host Eurovision 2005 in May as it won the contest last year.

The country’s winning entry at the show in Turkey was Wild Dances by Ruslana.

‘Now or never!’

The chants by the thousands of people who took to the streets of Kiev in November and December echoed the famous revolutionary slogan of El pueblo unido jamas sera vencido! (The people, united, will never be defeated!)

Razom nas bagato! was written by the Greenjolly duo in the early days of those mass protests that eventually brought West-leaning President Viktor Yushchenko to power.

“No to falsifications!… No to lies! Yushchenko – yes! Yushchenko – yes! This is our president – yes, yes!” their song says.

“We aren’t cattle!… We are Ukraine’s daughters and sons! Now or never! Enough with the wait! Together we are many! We cannot be defeated,” it says.

Greenjolly won the right to represent Ukraine in a telephone and SMS vote during Sunday’s final shown live on UT1 television channel.

However, some local music experts have criticised the viewers’ choice, saying the Eurovision is not a contest for political songs.

news.bbc.co.uk

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