Alf Poier, who led more than one eyebrow to raise when he represented Austria at the Eurovision Song Contest 2003 with the comic number Weil der Mensch zählt and is competing for another go in 2005, sure knows how to raise attention. Austrian newspaper Die Presse examined the lyrics of his recent contest contribution – and found that it has controversial qualities.
Alf, who came 6th in 2003, is competing in this year's Austrian preselection Song.Null.Fünf. As his other four competitors, he will sing two songs, Hotel Hotel and Good old Europe is dying, which the singer defines as a “requiem to Europe”.
It is the latter song which raised public attention. Die Presse published parts of the lyrics, which contain lines like: “I am sitting all alone by the Atlantic, I watch the aircraft carriers passing by, in my left hand I hold a flag, in my right a gun” and “Once the Christians wielded swords, once bombs fell on Berlin and because Mohamed bred so well, soon Muezzin will sing in Rome”. The paper pointed out that“with some bad faith”, those lyrics could “be misinterpreted”.
Poier's management rightly pointed out that those lines are taken out of their context and one has to see the complete performance to be able to estimate the song. They added that “it makes no sense to write another jolly love song. We like to affect something.”
Song.Null.Fünf will take place 25 February 2005. Alf Poier competes against pop singer Marquee, former dance project voice Jade Davis and folk bands Mystic Alpin (a shortened version of the very successful Austrian band Die Seer) and Global Kryner. Austria has to compete in the semifinal in Kiev.
