Moldovan Eurovision song about a rail line

[Snow1964]

Bit wacky, but the Moldovan entry to Eurovision (last nights semi-final, which went through to Saturdays final) is a song about the rail link between the Moldovan capital, Chișinău, and Bucharest in Romania

Moldovan act Zdob și Zdub and Advahov Brothers, whose song Trenulețul was one of 10 countries out of 17 to progress to Saturday. There is another semi-final Thursday. The UK is one of 5 big countries that due to European Broadcasting Union funding goes straight into the final

Eurovision 2022: Ukraine presumed favourites after qualifying for final

Kalush Orchestra, who are tipped to win the song contest, secured an easy victory in the first semi-final.

www.bbc.co.uk

Equally in keeping with Eurovision's comical side were Moldovan act Zdob și Zdub and Advahov Brothers, whose song Trenulețul is about the rail link between the Moldovan capital, Chișinău, and Bucharest in Romania. (No, really.)
The folk-punk curio was another surprise qualifier for Saturday's final, although it's worth bearing in mind that Zdob și Zdu

 

[70014IronDuke]

Bit wacky, but the Moldovan entry to Eurovision (last nights semi-final, which went through to Saturdays final) is a song about the rail link between the Moldovan capital, Chișinău, and Bucharest in Romania

Moldovan act Zdob și Zdub and Advahov Brothers, whose song Trenulețul was one of 10 countries out of 17 to progress to Saturday.

It may sound "a bit wacky" to you (and me), but I've been informed by a source in Moldova that there is more to this song than meets the normal W European eye. In fact, it's very political/symbolic, and something of an allegory, with the direction of the line being, in a general sense, to the 'west' and more specifically to Romania.

Put another way, they are not singing about a train from Chișinău to Moscow, and that's not by chance.

 

[Howardh]

I thought "political" songs, or songs with political undertones, weren't allowed?

 

[kristiang85]

A very good line it is too (I rode it back in 2011).

 

[Bletchleyite]

I thought "political" songs, or songs with political undertones, weren't allowed?

I think this has a good enough level of plausible deniability! It's just about a train, innit

A very good line it is too (I rode it back in 2011).

A proper Soviet theme park (if we're allowed to say that now) - wood panelled interiors, curtains, lots of heavyweight steel and coal fired samovars!

 

[gordonthemoron]

Cheers, the official video is very entertaining

 

[McRhu]

All Zdob si Zdub's Eurovision entries sound a bit similar to me jaundiced Euro-ear. But I do have a soft spot for their performances.

 

[DanNCL]

They originally wanted to have a train carriage on the stage for their performance!

Eurovision requires the stage to be set up for the next song within just 1 minute, so sadly we didn’t get to see what Zdob Si Zdub originally had in mind for their performance.

I thought "political" songs, or songs with political undertones, weren't allowed?

Ukraine won in 2016 with a song about the forced deportation of Crimean Tatars (who’d have thought back then that six years later Russia would be forcibly deporting Ukrainians again…). A level of political meaning seems to be tolerated. Anything overly political however, such as the attempted Belarusian entry last year ‘Ya Nauchu Tebya’ and the Georgian entry in 2009 ‘We Don’t Wanna Put In’ aren’t allowed to participate.

 

[Snow1964]

Update after the results : The Moldovan song about a rail line got 239 public votes (second highest public vote), but only 14 jury votes, came seventh overall with 253 votes

Other top 7 are :
Ukraine got 439 public and 192 jury (first with 631)
UK got 183 public and 283 jury (second with 466)
Spain got 228 public and 231 jury (third with 459)
Sweden got 180 public and 258 jury (fourth with 438)
Serbia got 225 public and 87 jury (fifth with 312)
Italy got 110 public and 158 jury (sixth with 268)

The full voting breakdown is available on link by clicking on each countries flag

Eurovision 2022 Results: Voting & Points

Eurovision 2022 results: All the voting and points from the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 in Turin. Ukraine won with the song "Stefania" by Kalush Orchestra with 631 points

eurovisionworld.com

 

[Howardh]

I gave up by song 5 and turned to youtube to watch Tim Traveller's latest videos. Turned the TV back on just before midnight and they were still voting...and very...slowly....

Jeux Sans Frontieres was over and done with in 80 minutes and was far more fun!