Terror and trauma for Tea Packs at Eurovision

Tea Packs, the band chosen to represent Israel at the May competition, presented four new songs at Kibbutz Dorot on Tuesday which were voted on by a professional judging panel and viewers at home.

By MIRIAM SHAVIV
tea packs 88 298 (photo credit: Courtesy photo)
tea packs 88 298
(photo credit: Courtesy photo)
It's an up-tempo, but oddly dreary song that will represent Israel this year at the Eurovision song competition in Helsinki. Tea Packs, the band chosen to represent Israel at the May competition, presented four new songs at Kibbutz Dorot on Tuesday which were voted on by a professional judging panel and viewers at home. The winning song, "Kaftor Adom" (in English "Push the Button") is about life in the shadow of terror and the danger the world may face as the result of someone "pushing a button," Written and composed by lead singer Kobi Oz, the song is sung with bits of Hebrew, English and French. The question is whether such depressing material will be able to redeem Israel one year after one of its worst-ever showings. Part of the song in translation goes like this: "Messages are exploding on me Missiles are flying and also falling me Police and theives are running all over me They jump on me and feed on me My god, my god, give me answer my god, Hashem This nightmare is too long When I'm barely alive and everyone is aiming at me, Perhaps it's too early to sing When I gave you my life Oh Oh - the Police Whoa Whoa - Rescue Unit Here is a song without a scale Red is not just a color, it's more like blood' If Israel bombs again, Tuesday night's voters will only have themselves to blame. Due to Israel's poor performance in 2006 - when the country placed 23rd out of 24 finalists - the band will have to fight just to get into the final. Tea Packs is known for their traditionally Israeli sound and generally danceable beats. They were originally chosen by a panel headed by songwriter and broadcaster Yoav Ginai, who wrote the lyrics to Israel's winning 1998 Eurovision submission, Dana International's "Diva." The decision to send Tea Packs to Eurovision did endure some controversy. Some say teenage pop star Liel lost out on her opportunity to represent the country because of her look. Anastasia Michaeli, a TV presenter on Israel's main Russian-language station, said in January that she urged the committee not to choose a musician who "looks Arab". Her comment engendered immediate condemnation from the ADL and some of her fellow panelists.