Molly Smitten-Downes’s ears are probably burning: Everyone in Eurovision Nation is talking about her right now. Well, everyone in Britain, anyway. We’ve just read the “Children of the Universe” lyrics, and it’s clear that the UK is in it to win it this year.
Molly brings everything we love about Brit pop—independence, edge, and a bit of grittiness—and peppers it with a whole lot of class. She wrote this song herself and that comes through. She believes every word she’s singing and it makes us want to climb into her constellation and listen to her riff all night. Musically this will go down a storm at Eurovision. It has the electro vibe of a Margaret Berger, the independent woman vibe of an Amandine Bourgeois and the financial backing of the BBC. Success, y’all!
Do you think that Molly can crack the Top 5 at ESC? Can she go all the way to the top? How does she compare to all the other acts on our contestants page? Let us know in the comments box below.
Children of the Universe lyrics — Molly Smitten-Downes
Power to the people
Power to the people
I’m been tired of this thinking
So I drowned it all by drinking
Feels like a bitter pill
But I’ll just wash it down
With the taste of something sweet
That some doctor gave me
And this is my message
I’m not given in
We shine like diamonds
With fire in our bones
Stand beside you
After feeling that I’ll never walk alone
We’re children of the universe
Don’t you know
Dancing on the edge of time
Children of the universe
Yes children of the universe
Power to the people
Power to the people
Power to the people
You know what we want
And we got to get it now
Something’s stirring in the silence
and it wreaks of passive violence
Hold on tight cause opportunity will take
Couldn’t enter all the suffering before it gets too late
Hopes on the horizon
I’m not giving in
We’re the children of the universe
And don’t you know
It’s dancing on the edge of time
Eye to eye
Yes chidlren of the universe
We shine like diamonds
With love in our hearts
We say it’s the end
But I have a feeling it might just be the start
As I am
A fire in my bones
Standing beside you I have the feeling
That I’ll never walk alone
We’re children of the universe
Don’t you know
Yeah, dancing on the edge of time
We are the children of the unvierse
Power to the people
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If you are outside of Britain while voting for the Eurovision Song Contest you surely could vote this one because of the whole song and performance. But you also can vote this one because of the lyrics. If you sympathize with Occupy, Arabic Spring, Transition Towns, Idle No More, Share International, real social-democracy and you think it is a good song, please vote this one. It is a song about nonviolent resistant by the voice and the power of citizens, against market society that is a violation against human rights worldwide and the environment. If we make contact with our… Read more »
Bag of shite.
Love it!!! UK could actually win this!?!?!?!
I was unsure about who was going to win the last few weeks to be honest with you. But now, I have watched the 1st rehearsal and unlike Armenia, It looks extremely promising. I am now inclined to think that the UK will win Eurovision 2014. For me, it’s Manchester 2015.
I think this has a really good chance. I mean, it stands alone as a great piece, let alone for eurovision! GOODLUCK. Love your song….OUR song….I’m all for it 🙂
Listened to all the songs for this year and I have to say that 95% of them are AWFUL including Armenia and the Ukraine. I think this song should be the winner but with the eastern europeans all voting for each other who knows….
Good luck Molly !! From Stockholm, Sweden xxx
I think people forget that we did score really highly in 2009, coming fifth out of the 30+ countries that competed.
I’m not sure if it’ll win, probably not, but I expect to see this song show a fighting chance and worthy of watching the competition this year. I’ve not bothered for about a decade, really, apart from maybe turning it on to see the results table.
It does help that she’s young and beautiful and trendy, with a strong voice. That’ll help her pick up points, even if it’s not really about the song at all.
Finally,the uk chose a good song for this contest!!Very talented singer and a quite nice song!!!Good luck guys!!!!!!Hugs from Moldova!!!!
Such a great Song Will be in London 2015 for sure ! Hugs from Bogotá Colombia
I find this song very old fashioned, a song that could win in the 90s maybe. If this song wins, I’ll just quit trying to figure out what people like in the ESC.
I like Molly song and I think it will win this year like only tear drops last year.
Best Regards
Engineer
Amer
Iraq – Baghdad
Great Song! Not a winner! Aram Mp3 will win.
I love it – good luck from Greece!
If we can find a way to stop neighbouring countries voting for oneanother, just because they live next door, we may be onto a winner this year! This is typical Eurovision winning material and,believe me, I’ve been around since the year Sandie Shaw took the crown, so you could say I’ve watched a few! I love the song, and agree with the people who have likened it to Katrina And The Waves winning entry Love Shine A Light. I also have to agree with those who have said it’s not easy to pick out some of the lyrics when Molly… Read more »
One message for all UK ESC fans: regardless how great this year’s entry is … hold on your feet to the ground and don’t let yourselves be eluded by the greatness of the song. Nothing, but absolutely nothing can guarantee us all an excellent score much less a victory. What happened to Loreen and Emmelie in terms of being equally two qualitative songs and highly popular does not mean the UK entry will be regarded this way in the voting. So that at the end no one will claim to be disappointed, because in today’s Eurovision there are no Wild… Read more »
I really like this song. it´s a potential winner in ESC this year. Also like hunter of stars from Sebalter (Switzerlan) and sweden this year can also have a potential winner!
I don’t reall know what to think.
I don’t have anything against this song but I’m just not feeling it.
The girl has awesome vocals, but she’s not even close to skills that Engelbert and Bonnie have. And the song is very flat. I find her song a poor version of Florence + the Machine.
I hope Hungary wins because it has everything. Switzerland though, is still my favourite.
This year is probably the worst eurovision year so far. From the 20 chosen songs, only 4 of them are decent or listenable, one of them being UK, but is it a winner? In my opinion, if we were to compare this song to previous year’s winner then no.
You are exactly right in saying she channels Margaret Berger and Amandine Bourgeois, those were my exact same thoughts the first time I saw it. It’s a brilliant song and could bring it back to the UK if it was promoted beforehand because it’s a grower.
I disagree with saying that lyrics are cheesy. People who say that call them cheesy, yet don’t mind shitty and negative messages given by Kate Perry, Lady Gaga, Rihanna or Kesha… Lyrics are very good. They carry the message, very important message for people in our time… This is the real time for songs like this, to wake people up, to remind them that we are not just puppets that can be stered. We have the real power. She reall feels what she sings in the contrast to “What if we…” singer from Russia. I dont understand this stupid trend… Read more »
UK has sent such crap entries past years that it would benefit from comparison like Monetta did. How much it is to be seen. The good thing is that the song is different from the others in Eurovision. It reminds me of Hollywood songs in animated pictures in The Lion King for example. One disadvantage of UK is that they are not competing in semifinals so it will get less competition exposure. Another minus is the cheesy lyrics that reminded me of Russia last year’s What If. UK sounds better nonetheless and that cheesy lyrics fared well for Russia with… Read more »
She’s a skilled singer. Two nitpicks though: 1) Like many other Eurovision artists, she should practice her enunciation – I couldn’t tell what she was saying during much of the first verse and part of the second verse. 2) She has trouble hitting some of those high notes. (That being said, at least she doesn’t hit them wrong; she just very softly vocalizes them.) The song is good. The only criticism I have is that the chorus’s lyrics are somewhat cheesy – the sort of stuff for which people were criticizing 3ForAll’s “Together Forever.” But it’s essentially the same sort… Read more »
This ought to shake things up, yes? Certainly it will keep the U.K. out of the bottom-third on points. If not, we have something serious to talk about.
Molly your awesome. I love the song. Inspiring, really catching and i bet it will do really well. I will be showing a lot more interest this year because of you. So happy that a really positive message (excluding the drowning in drinking bit obviously 😉 ) ,will be heard by millions. I agree its only just the start..Power to the people!!
Finally BBC has finally woken up from their own black hole and decided to not only sound great but in tune with their own modern day pop in the likes of Lorde or Florence and the Machine and that very own quirky distinctive female vocal maybe a bit in the vein of Adele. I like this and I expect a great result this year. It was about time since 2009 that the UK needed to wake up.
UK send something good this year. But, I personaly believe that this year artists from 5 many different countries could win the contest. In randon order: Israel, Italy, Austria, Armenia and Hungary.
We will see.
1.Hungary
2.Ireland
3.Spain
4.Romania
5.Estonia
6.Macedonia
7.Switzerland
8.Ukraine
9.Belarus
10.Italy
11.Iceland
12.Finland
13.Albania
14.Lithuania
15.Latvia
16.Poland
17.United Kingdom
18.Malta
19.France
This is my favourite now. Congrats, UK! 🙂
The UK could win this year only if other countries continue to send crap.
Ha ha ha is it for real! U.K show again they have no chance Eurovision!
A really boring song! No chance U.K!
I think it still needs to grow on me but I’ve only seen it twice. I actually liked it less the second time. She could benefit from so many countries not sending their best to Eurovision. Such a weak line up this year (almost as bad as 2012) makes this anyone’s contest.
I don’t see this as a winner. Maybe top 7, or in best case scenario top 4 but definitely not a winner. My favorites so far:
1) Hungary
2) Spain
3) UK
It reminds me Florence, Ellie and Adele.
Great song
I might be the minority here, but this song does nothing to me.
I think is amazing!
Maybe my personal winner of 2014 😀
Loved it!
Finally the BBC listen to the public. We have a serious contender this year! Good Luck Molly
At last the UK is giving us a spicier taste of their rich music industry! Congrats! And especially looking at the geopolitical situation in Europe right now (I’m looking at you, Vladimir P!), the lyrics are striking… I’m a fan! 🙂
This entry has pros and cons.
Con – The first time you hear it, it is good, but not great. Because it’s so complex. Therefore, it might struggle a little with the televote more than other entries.
Pro – The Juries will LOVE this. They will hear it many, many times before they vote on it. It is a grower. It is professional, harmonies, great lyrics, great vocals, great instrumental contemporary sound. This will be top 5 with the jury, I am very certain of that.
I fail to see the Berger vibe in this. Top 10 stuff, nonetheless.
2015 London O2 Arena
Being old enough to have personally seen three British winners, I hope to see a fourth! It could do it – this year is weaker than last, Molly gave a superb first live performance and it will be a jury hit. If she nails on the Saturday and has a good draw (last few songs would do!), the Uk could have its first win since Katrina…
At last something Brits can get behind. You never know.
Congratulations UK, best entry since 1997 and the song and lyrics are great and it grows and grows the more you listen and most of all: it is like a fab 2014 chart song, similar to the huge success of Adele and Rolling in the deep!!! Choir is fab as well, hope they go to Denmark together with Molly. The whole gang is fab!!! More punch in production could be but this live video lacks drum and bass in sound recording so it will be even better…when you add drum and bass in the video or presentation of the song.… Read more »
top 15 is way too low. Bonnie came 19th with a weak live performance, Molly will be top 10 easily in such a bad year. She only has to perform decently the night of the final.
Minimo top 10
I like this song, and it will be in the top 10 this year. I started watching Eurovision in 2012, and I have always been disappointed with the United Kingdom’s entries. This girl is young and current. Finally it is not a old has been. Even though their last two entries were huge stars, I had not clue who they were. When I went to the contest in Malmo with my mom, who was alive when Bonnie was on the radio, said, “Why did they send her?” It is nice to see a change in the United Kingdom’s entries!
some guys here got it wrong. Amandine sang in French a rock song, plus she looked like a mess. French songs don’t tend to do well in ESC.
Where did they get her from? I couldn’t make out the words of the first verse. She was only singing in a small space how will she cope in a big space? The song is almost good but not a hope of winning. I admire the BBC for finally realising eurovision has moved on but really this song ain’t good enough.
A good entry from the UK?! This is the year Eurovision turned upside down! Usually weak countries are fielding very strong songs, and the usual heavyweights are disappointing left and right. Copenhagen will be very interesting indeed. I think this is a good contender for the Top 10. And hopefully UK will keep up the trend of picking a decent song.