History Reversed: Scots rescue the French over Eurovision
Earlier this week I reported that some of the French are in a tizzy because their entry for the Eurovision song contest is in English. We have a new development.
Reversing the great dramatic acts of British history, where the French helped the Scots against the English - a Glasgow band The Ex-men have translated their song into French and are offering it as an entry for Eurovision.
Here’s the performance. It will be on the WW front page later on.
I wish them every success.
On this one occasion, I am not putting this down to a stunt by the Great Pretender.
Their website is at www.myspace.com/theexmen , but be warned that it eats web browsers for breakfast at present (I had to use Opera to read it). You are better off reading the blurb on Youtube.
The Full Gen
Here’s the full information:
Matt and Jack
The Ex-men
Nous sommes très déçu par la nouvelle cette semaine que Sébastien Tellier va représenter la France à l’Eurovision EN LANGUE ANGLAISE. Nous ne sommes point surpris par le fait que M.Gonnot a voulu soumettre cette scandale à un débat à l’Assemblée.
Nous soutenons l’intervention de la ministre de la Culture Christine Albanel sur le sujet mais malheureusement, nous sommes de l’avis qu’elle n’est pas allée assez loin.
Nous, les Ex-men, sommes des artistes britanniques et Anglophones, mais nous ne pouvons pas accepter que la France soutient une chanson qui, ne serait-ce qu’en partie, soit interprétée en anglais.
Pour cette raison nous avons décidé de soumettre notre chanson Wordcage (Cage de mots) pour la sélection française à l’Eurovision 2008.
Nous avons enregistré la version française de cette chanson en tant que générique pour l’avant-projet d’une émission de télé française mais nous sommes prêts à la donner à la France et même, si le Président et le peuple francais le veut, l’interpréter à l’Eurovision à Belgrade comme sélection française.
Aidez-nous à défendre la musique pop en langue française et contacter Bruno Berberes, le chef de la délégation française à l’Eurovision à bberberes@aol.com en soutenant l’alternatif honorable que nous, les Ex-men, proposons.
So - now you know.
[tags]the ex-men, eurovision song contest, glasgow, sebastien tellier[/tags]
Site works fine in IE7.
Don’t say the french have finally accept the single european language!
Good point. Thanks.
I should have mentioned that I was running Windows 2000 Professional with IE6.
Matt
Hi again Matt.
Thanks for the techy advice. I’ll remove some stuff and see what happens - thing is I never have any problems myself, either in IE6 or Firefox, but other people have told me the same as you…
There’s been a bit of development on the Tellier/Ex-men story.
Tellier has backed down under pressure. The day after we came forward with our song, he has agreed to change his lyrics into French.
Defending the original choice earlier in the week, the head of the French Eurovision delegation, Bruno Berberes, said “French just doesn’t work for this sort of electro”.
If there are any problems with the Tellier translation, we’re still willing to put up the song as the French entry.
We have added English subtitles to the video for our track. Tellier could think about putting in French subtitles.
Just keeping your readers up to date with the campaign Matt - you picked up on it first after all!
We’re proud to say we’ve got the support of The News of the World who are publishing a feature on our song tomorrow (Sunday), as well as various radio stations round the UK.
Cheers.
Matt
Looks like we got pushed out by Monty’s wedding. Arrgh!
i personnaly know the the exmen work, and very attentive to hear , and see them on my radio and tv in france.
I saw them i a french cafe near montparnasse railway station.
they were near the streets belonged by picasso, giacometti, and other artists .
They can be the best representative of a mixed french culture.
I think they must get the way to sing word cage for french people .
Sebastien Tellier said to me: “may be…”
arno
Thnx Arno!
Matt - look what you started!
http://www.mattwardman.com/blog/2008/04/18/history-reversed-scots-rescue-the-french-over-eurovision/#comment-7958
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/entertainment-catch-all/2008/04/22/ex-men-s-divine-intervention-86908-20390838/
http://www.monotoni.se/bass/2008/04/radda-det-franska-spraket/
http://www.metro.co.uk/imetro/blogs/article.html?in_article_id=144011&in_page_id=6#StartComments
I’ve been trying to link these back to you.
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