In cooperation with our partners songfestival.web-log.nl, we present to you a different 2006 Eurovision Song Contest participant each day. Today: Lithuania!

Semifinal, spot 18 in the running order
Performer: LT United
Song: We are the winners
Lyrics: Andrius Mamontovas & Viktoras Diawara
Music: Andrius Mamontovas & Saulius Urbonavicius
Official website: www.ltunited.com
Best result: : 13th in 2001
Broadcaster: LTV
Multimedia: video/audio

Lithuania and the Eurovision Song Contest
Lithuania was one of seven new countries to join the Eurovision Song Contest back in 1994, although on their debut managed to score a last place with the dreaded nil points. The country waited until 1999 to return to the contest, and although participation has been more regular since then, results have been poor and only popular band Skamp could manage to come close to the top ten with a 13th place in 2001. So far, Lithuania has failed to make it through the qualifier round introduced in 2004. Last year, despite lots of support and positive criticism, Laura and the Lovers came last in the qualifier with Little by little.

To select a participant for the 2006 contest, Lithuania organised a somewhat complicated national selection process. Three pools of newcomers competed for places to join well-known performers already selected for two semifinals. The songs voted top in these rounds then continued to the national final on 4th March. After years of sending mainstream, 'serious' entries that bombed at the contest, the public overwhelmingly opted to send something a little different to Athens this year!

LT United
The band was put together specially for the Eurovision Song Contest entry, and consists of six popular Lithuanian faces. One of them, Mali-born Viktoras 'Vee' Diawara, is responsible for Lithuania's highest placed entry You got style as part of Skamp. Successful rock singer Andrius Mamontovas and TV host Marijus Mikutavicius join him, Saulius �Samas� Urbonavicius, Arnoldas Lukosius and Eimantas Belickas to form the force that is LT United.

We are the winners
We are the winners
We are, we are!
We are the winners
We are, we are!

We are the winners of Eurovision
We are, we are! We are, we are!
We are the winners of Eurovision
We are, we are! We are, we are!

So, you gotta vote,
Vote, vote for the winners
Vote, vote, vote for the winners

We are the winners of Eurovision (de Vilnius city a Paris) (LT United ici)
We are the winners of Eurovision (chantons la meme chanson) ('cos we got it goin' on)

Everyday you hear us on the radio (that's right)
And everyday you see us on the news (yeah)
It doesn't matter in mono or in stereo (it's better in stereo)
'cos we are here to represent the truth that

We are the winners of Eurovision
We are, we are! We are, we are!
We are the winners of Eurovision
We are, we are! We are, we are!
Go baby!

We are the winners of Eurovision
We are, we are! We are, we are!
We are the winners of Eurovision
We are, we are! We are, we are!

We are the winners of Eurovision
We are the winners of Eurovision
We are the winners of Eurovision
We are the winners of Eurovision

You gotta vote, vote, vote for the winners
Vote, vote, vote for the winners
'coz we are the winners of Eurovision
Vote!

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