Rewind to May 2014, when Conchita Wurst won the 59th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest in Copenhagen, Denmark. Finishing close behind her in a second place, we find Dutch duo The Common Linnets. On stage Ilse DeLange and Waylon look stunning as they sing ”Calm after the storm” with passion and undeniable chemistry.
Now snap out of that dream: Apparently things were much less serene behind the scenes. Just a few days after Eurovision fans had cleared Copenhagen, Waylon disappeared and nobody knew where he went. The hashtag #WhereIsWaylon even trended in The Netherlands.
A few weeks later Waylon appeared on the Dutch talkshow RTL Late Night and told the audience that he and his band did not feel like they were recognised or appreciated by Ilse and her team. Ilse later appeared on the same programme, simply saying that nothing happened between the former duet partners. Their partnership was done — and that was that. Book closed.
Until last Sunday, anyway. That’s because Waylon released his new album. Fans listened more carefully to his new tune “Jailbird”, which was released at the end of August. Waylon sings that he needs to leave someone before that person will take him down. Several song titles from Ilse DeLange’s back catalogue appear in the lyrics: “So Incredible”, “World of Hurt”, “Flying Blind”, “Miracle” and “The Great Escape”. So much for keeping it classy, Waylon…
Artists regularly use their art to express themselves, but has Waylon gone too far with this by taking such a blatant dig at Ilse? I’m rating the song a 4/5. But the lyrics? 1/5.
Waylon at RTL Late Night
Lyrics:
I’m fooling around
Ain’t no chance of taking me down
I’m leaving cryin’ town, babe
Gone like the wind, babe
I finally see
All the scars from fallin’ down on my knees
You think helpless me, but all that I can really feel
Is anything but heartbreak
I guess all the songs
We sang so loud never really meant a thing
Not a thing
And I guess all along the only common thing we had is wings
So babe, I’m flyin’ out that door
Ain’t your jailbird no more
This bird has flown
I guess you’ll try to replace me with a con
So incredible to think you stoop so low
Yes like a new face
So there’s no flying blind, no
No world of hurt or miracles to find
It’s a great escape I cannot waste no more precious time
Storm came and went, babe
I guess all the songs
We sang so loud never really meant a thing
Not a thing
And I guess all along the only common thing we had is wings
So babe, I’m flyin’ out that door
Ain’t your jailbird no more
I’m fooling around
Ain’t no chance of taking me down
I’m leaving cryin’ town, babe
Gone like the wind now
Oh My Gore!!1 I love this feud!! sincerely Love Ilse and Waylon, and thisrevalry has produced so many good songs, The Common Linnets for me are better apart, because that gives me twice of really good music. Love they hate each other jajajaja.
@alex
I don’t agree, the second Common Linnets album is nearly as good as the first, but this time they’re more a kind of Fleetwood Mac, rather than the best country duo I’ve heard in ages.
@Leaf: Seriously? It’s like saying lip-synch-queen-god-knows-why Britney Spears is the new Barbra Streisand. Come on … even a child knows that a slice of chocolate cake tastes better than spinach.
@fikri: It’s like watching a Kardashian episode or this current Mariah-focus-on-my-crap-docu-series pretty sure … seeing people hate each other or humiliating themselves is worthy of a popcorn moment for everybody to runaway from their own sh****. Delight! Or a way to see the runner up song of 2014 being humiliated for having dared not to be another trashy gay anthem or pop uptempo rubbish the way all Eurovision songs should be in some people’s mind. This is worthy of a Phd dissertation.
I wish Common Linnets had Waylon, it’s almost nothing without him.
Revenge songs can be very real and authentic, and maybe is the proof that ESC is powerful. Artists become very famous, at least in their country and this is big enough.
Waylon is the Eurovision Taylor Swift……
I love Ilse in general, her music is amazing and “Calm After the Storm” is my most played Eurovision song ever…. Hope they fix things and go back to making equally amazing music.
I think Ilse, or the current Common Linnets, also have a song about Waylon. It’s called Proud. The chorus goes like this: “You set fires in the hearts of all of us fires you started just because you needed to be proud” I don’t know who is to blame for the demise of the Waylon-Ilse friendship, but I think it’s very unfortunate. Those two together are musical magic, their voices bend magnifically. Ilse is a control freak, Waylon is a former drug addict who likes to color outside the lines, so maybe their characters were always going to clash, but… Read more »
Either way, Calm After the Storm was really iconic and one of the best Eurovision songs ever, seeing the two behave like this really sucks 🙁
Looks like they have truly lost their Verona. 🙂
Why is Waylon portrayed as the villain of the piece?
Maybe Ilse done him wrong, maybe she didn’t. We don’t know what went on between them, so let’s reserve judgement – in the meantime, Waylon can write about anything he chooses. Ilse likewise.
Most of the lyrics are essentially digs:
‘the only common thing we had is wings’ – The Common Linnets
‘I guess you’ll try to replace me with a con’ – Jake?
‘So incredible to think you stoop so low’ – Ilse choosing her manager over Waylon, maybe
why is he still salty
copenhagen was two years ago like let it go friend
Also the ‘storm came and went’ is clearly a reference to ‘calm after the storm’
Its a cheap move and makes him look bitter. Move on, girl!
well, i hope the drama escalates because i’m in love with jailbird. revenge songs are the best.