A Swede who lives in Finland and who is lost in Euroland - the wonderful world of Eurovision
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Thursday, June 9, 2011

Notable lyrics: Ireland 1984

Linda Martin would come back with a vengeance in 1992 and win the whole shebang in Malmö with the classical ballad "Why Me?".

In Luxembourg 1984, she behaved a lot less like your typical Eurovision lady. She came in, dressed to kill in her white outfit and her screamingly red hair, offering a dramatic little pop symphony with a most non-Irish sound.



Linda Martin - Terminal 3 (Ireland 1984)

The lyrics seem plain and ordinary: a woman is about to reunite with her lost lover, and in accordance with the official Irish stance on relationships and divorce this should constitute a very happy ending.

But there is more drama than that in the picture.

It's not all that easy to forgive and forget once you have been stood up. "Another time and place / can never quite erase / the way he turned his back and walked away."

And what says she won't be stood up again? The lyrics end before the guy shows up. Will he be there? Or did he change his mind again?

And does it even matter? Is there any love to be saved? "I told him nothing's changed / and I still feel the same / he's been away too long." It doesn't mean that it's true, just because she told him so.

Maybe she is just trying to convince herself everything will be fine.

And I love lyrics like these, that will paint a tiny scene from somebody's life and leave more questions than answers. Just like real life.

Maybe Johnny Logan wrote better songs than this one, but never a better lyric.

2 comments:

  1. Your analysis of Terminal 3 reminds me of Edith Piaf's Télégramme (song by Michel Émer) about an old lady waiting for his old love from 20 years ago. They meet at the airport but he does not recognize her because she doesn't look as "élégante et très belle" as she did back then.

    What an dramatic text and song. (Lyrics can be found http://www.musikiwi.com/paroles/edith-piaf-telegramme,28713.html). There are similarities, don't you agree?

    Mikko

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  2. Very interesting analysis! I remember, as a school girl in 'holy Ireland' in 1984 - being very impressed with La Martin's style back then. Sure, the song was 'new romantic - lite, very lite' but the image was cool. The whole nation was willing her to win, just like those twins this year, ie, national broadcaster at the airport when she left for Luxembourg, articles about her hair, white leather suit etc. Ah those were the days!

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