Germany is getting a lot of undeserved stick this year.
Sure, when I watched their National Final, I thought that the German public had opted for the least exciting choice. I know that many in the Eurovision fandom were rooting for the sad Oh Boy or the schlagerish Naiv. (My personal favourite was Galant’s Katze, a nod to Berlin’s techno movement, which has been added to the register of UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage around the world.)
In the end, though, Isaak was tapped to go to Eurovision with his middle-of-the road dad rock anthem Always On The Run.
And you know what? It’s not a bad song! The lyrics (which Isaak helped write) are relatable, about always feeling like something is missing and that we need to be doing more to be good enough. Isaak sings it well, making the song believable. It’s also quite refreshing to have someone who looks like a regular person on the Eurovision stage, as if they’ve gotten there because they have performed their song the best they can, not because they’re the shiniest person a broadcaster thinks could have performed the song. In fact, the only thing I’d change about the song is the ridiculous elephant horns that have been added in the background.
The problem with Always On The Run is that it’s just pleasant. Radio-friendly, yes. I don’t skip it on my playlists. But is it a song that’s going to get me to vote for it? No. Eurovision is a family show watched by millions on the night, and Isaak’s song might be like the music that these families listen to the most on the regular. But it may fade into the memory compared to the likes of Joost or Baby Lasagna or Bambie Thug growling down the television cameras.
I don’t want Isaak to get tarred with the brush of failure for his Eurovision placement (which is likely to be low), when the contest isn’t set up to reward songs like his. And yet I’m afraid that he’s going to face post-mortems the day after the contest blaming Germany’s result on him, when in truth, the issue is that the German people selected a radio-friendly track rather than going for something that would cause a reaction in others. I hope Isaak knows that he’s already succeeded in winning his national final, and being chosen as the favourite out of so many tracks. German broadcasters who chose him because this song is radio friendly should follow through and make this a radio hit.
However, I can’t be too mad at Germany, because at least their overall trajectory shows that they are trying new things. Sending acts like Jendrik and Lord of the Lost is not the act of a broadcaster that is trying to play it safe. Those were big swings that just didn’t connect with voters – and for every year Germany has taken a big swings, they’ve also taken a step back the following year. So the nice Isaak perhaps presages something far more daring next year.
Indeed, German broadcaster might be wise to pay attention to the reaction that the mere rumour of this song engendered on social media earlier this year:
Grossstadtgeflüster’s Ich Kundige seized the imaginations of Eurofans in January and Feburary, to the point where I could not open my Twitter feed without seeing the lovingly dubbed “Hammer lady” appearing at least once every three posts. This is not a complaint, by the way – I too was swept up in the delusion, hoping beyond hope that Germany would send a stern woman methodically destroying a desk while shouting “I QUIT.” That too, is a relatable message, and one that might be far more cathartic to see on stage. Sadly, Grossstadtgeflüster released a statement denying the rumours – but the buzz they created with this single song might inspire Germany to select a similar group for next year’s Eurovision.
dudepoints.fun 