Disgraceful Eurovision song: Israel will embarrass itself with 'Hurricane' - opinion

With a boring and uninspiring Eurovision song that doesn't stand out, Israel is planning to embarrass itself on one of the world's biggest stages.

Israel's Eurovision candidate, Eden Golan, courtesy of Kan 11. (photo credit: Ronen Padida)
Israel's Eurovision candidate, Eden Golan, courtesy of Kan 11.
(photo credit: Ronen Padida)

After all the dramas, the saga, and the controversies surrounding Israel's planned participation in Eurovision amid the Swords of Iron war, the song "Hurricane" finally came out, performed by Eden Golan.

The song's lyrics and title were changed after the European Broadcasting Union disqualified the first song "October Rain," claiming it was too political.

The problem with the current song is not that it's political but that it's simply boring. So incredibly mundane (or pardon the expression: flat), it doesn't elevate itself musically, lacking the major element that characterizes a good Eurovision song: something that makes you say "wow."

Why is Israel's Eurovision song so boring?

This song is a half measure –  it might be suitable for the Eurovision format in terms of production and the excellent performance, but it itself is not excellent, not even very good. It's okay. A song more suitable for Army Radio's playlist than for this competition, especially when all eyes will be focused on Israel.

Eurovision 2018. (credit: David Jones/Wikimedia Common)
Eurovision 2018. (credit: David Jones/Wikimedia Common)

Another glaring flaw is that except for a sentence or two in Hebrew that Golan sings, it's all in English. Generally, I understand the need for English, but in a period where Israeli existence is in existential danger, a song that's entirely or mostly in Hebrew carries an explanatory message, and Golan in this competition is here to perform, not to explain to us (she has no chance of winning, not even remotely).

I was hoping for a song that would touch me, make me feel proud as an Israeli, a song that would convey to the world what we are going through in this period, not politically but nationally, and this song is really not going in that direction.

A catchy melody is not always enough for a song to be good. You need something "extra," especially in a competition like Eurovision. This song is not in this category, and it is reasonable to assume that we will forget it like we forgot the songs of Kobi Marimi, Eden Alene, and Michael Ben David. Let's just hope that Golan will not be erased from consciousness and will overcome the planned failure with the song.