Eurovision 1977 - Austria

Schmetterlinge performing "Boom Boom Boomerang", a satirical jab at the music industry, at the 1977 Eurovision Song Contest.

[@Salzburgerstiegl]

I remember watching this live on TV. Just imagine - a protest song against the music-money-making-industry at a contest where money making is all about. In that case one of the most bravest entries in ESC history !!

[@ArbeiterInnenlieder]

THE most berave ever.

[@garydosgdg7969]

Klaus Bergmaier The 2nd one is probably Push the button

[@vigulfmusicproduct]

Ja, det er det som er hele deres greie!

[@Kat-lq6jp]

Regarding this entry people have to know the context to understand it: The band - a political folk band that wanted to educate and challange listeners - didn't really want to be there, they just did the ESC as a trade to get their passion project "Proletenpassion" financed so of course they didn't take it seriously and made fun of the whole thing as much as they could. They never intended to win they wanted to piss the jury off, being practically forced to perfom to get their other work published. It should also be noted that the lyrics were written by Lukas Resetarits an austrian comedian and brother of one of the performers. And the dancing was a parody of Brotherhood of Man an entry from the year before.

[@eurovisionpersonmandude4755]

This whole song is a huge middle finger to the juries and the sellout corporate-product-made-only-for-money type of songs and I love it for that

[@aliarslan3490]

Austria has very creative entries. This is one of them, both music and stage performances are attractive...

[@neuron73]

Awesome song. Definitely one of the best Austrian ESC performances ever.

[@alexandervonbumb1424]

Guten Arbeit! Schon war! One more like from Russia. I like listen it.

[@ESCsince1968]

I think you all miss the point of this song, not normally the song or routine I'd go for. But I think on one level they captured the time (I think most of you dont know what it was like in the 70s - sorry if that is dammning!). to this day I fins something charming about song & routine. Never going to be a winner, esp in a very strong year.

[@TheSexybeastish]

The chorus are mind blowing. Where have I heard this before?????

[@0x777]

In every effin' bland, vanilla song.

[@MrPander67]

Mother F. This is one of my favorites of all times. Exuse me my language. Go Austria./ Torslanda Schweden- P-W

[@Vinterfrid]

One of the top entries of all times in the ESC. The lyrics are good and the chorus - it's just so beautiful!

[@AccordionManiac]

After reading the translation of the lyrics, this is most fascinating! Original indeed!

[@vigulfmusicproduct]

I still have contact with this beutiful Lady:)

[@goldheartbadge]

One of the best performances ever, yet it came second from last. I don't think they got many votes from Sweden - remember Abba's "Bang-A-Boomerang"?

[@IzayoiArwena]

Maybe its a referance

[@nikolaus2688]

It was, they were normally a really subversive leftie band, and they took the piss out of the Song Contest as hard as they dared.

[@Jojoseahorse]

And the UK's "Boom Bang A Bang"? I think they were just sending up the whole thing.

[@Merseymike]

Clever stuff, but people were either too daft to realise - or were uncomfortable, after all, the jury members were the people they were having a go at!

[@kilomekilome]

lovely song and performers

[@LarzGustafsson]

Top tune.

[@dawidjan1993]

great! WEIRD but great

[@mig0171]

1:15 yeah!!!

[@jean-louisdimeglio2661]

The girl is beautiful and wonderful. My favorite eurovision song of all.

[@thecsu1]

very funny. a true classic. i would say top 3!

[@abfab7830]

Actually it was a big attack against the contest

[@klarinetta]

I'm not saying this song is good but 1969,1975,1983,1988,1994,1998 just to name few are all much stronger year than this one.

[@jankupka9106]

Good song , one more like from Neighbouring Slovakia.

[@tasosk3]

Yes, another one I'll agree on. Wonderfully satirical lyrics, but this is an model example of stage gimmickry crossing the line and backfiring at a song (see also - off the top of my head - Austria '81 and Slovenia '02). And I hadn't though that their choreography could double as a parody of Brotherhood of Man - hmmm...

[@vigulfmusicproduct]

The most amazing in ever ESC History!!!!!!!!!

[@thomasyogayoiii3759]

Évidemment

[@dawidjan1993]

I love the part when she goes who??? at 3:10

[@tasosk3]

Which songs do you find boring? Personally, I think 1977 was a very strong year, so I'm not sure I agree with you. As for this, it is indeed an original and funny song (you should find a translation of the lyrics - they're quite poignant), but the way too silly stage act was its undoing, IMO. You see, funny/kitchy/campy acts in ESC are a tricky thing - if you go too much over the top, you run a serious risk of crash landing (as Ukraine learnt this year).

[@tasosk3]

Sweden got only 2 points, the German jury being the one that saved them from 0-points humiliation. As for my favorite from that year, I'd say the marvelous French entry was a very worthy winner (the UK being my 2nd favorite).

[@ve022]

a unique song and group.i would have placed it in 6 place since its was much ahead of its time and had strong social message[typical left] and not average love song.bring back this kind of music.....

[@tasosk3]

Nice one about the moptops (lol) :-D Well, you're right, it's not THAT bad (if nothing else, nice intro there), although the chorus is indeed ridiculous (all together now: "Och George! Och Paul! Och John!"). And you should search for a translation of the lyrics - they're just terrible!

[@Jojoseahorse]

Never forgot that one, yeah yeah yeah :)

[@verkaforever]

I watched the Swedish one. I didn't think it was brilliant, but I've heard worse. One thing annoyed me- it was supposed to be a tribute to the Beatles and they didn't have moptops! I'll definitely check out the French one.

[@verkaforever]

I've just watched this for the first time and I was slightly dissapointed, but it wasn't awful- I find it hard to believe it could have been the worst song that year. But I think it got nil points, is that right?

[@verkaforever]

Whoops! I got confused- I forgot France won this year. I think their song was a very nice song. Well done on picking the top two songs, it's as much as I can do to pick the top one!

[@verkaforever]

Thanks for the info. I'll definitely have a look at Sweden's entry from 1977. How many marks did it get? And what was your favourite song of the esc 1977, mine was the United Kingdom.

[@bwoeld]

Willi Resetarits vor seinen Ostbahn Kurti-Zeiten. Würd mich interessieren, wie er selbst heute darüber denkt :)

[@ArbeiterInnenlieder]

Da gibt es nichts, für das er sich schämen müsste.

[@tasosk3]

Not quite. It came 17th (second to last), with 11 points (with the highest marks, 5 points, coming from Monaco). Last place, incidentally, belonged to Sweden, which IMO was indeed one of the year's worst. And, no, this indeed wasn't the worst song that year, although the performance possibly was! And in such a strong contest, the Austrians really didn't stand a chance.

[@yasgi]

Ja und? Außerdem noch hervorragende Musiker!

[@Euroviking86]

Ah yes, who could forget this ultra-infamous performance? I like this song, and the deep lyrics satirising the idea of music and capitalism. However, Schmetterlinge went overboard with the gimmickry - the guys' half/half outfits are just insane, and that dance routine looks like it's deliberately satirising Brotherhood of Man, to say the very least. The routine damaged all chance they had, imo, as the song is quite catchy.

[@Furienna]

I don't like this entry too much. It was just too over the top, and in a bad way. I can understand, that it was supposed to be a satire, but still... I think the last place position was right for this one.