She’s the girl-next-door with a clean-cut image and a silky smooth voice, qualities that helped her win Swedish Idol before making it to the Melodifestivalen 2016 final.
But today — with the revelation of her Melodifestivalen 2017 song lyrics — it’s clear that Lisa Ajax is ready to deliver a much more mature, and some sane profane, performance.
Lisa’s song “I Don’t Give A” uses the F-word a total of ten times. That’s ten more times than is allowed under the EBU rules.
Speaking to Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet, a spokesman for the EBU confirmed that inappropriate language is strictly forbidden since the Eurovision Song Contest is a family show. Any song that contains inappropriate words may be disqualified and can result in sanctions against the competing country. The rules state:
The text and / or performance of the song may not put the show, the Eurovision Song Contest or the EBU into disrepute. No lyrics, speeches, gestures of a political nature are permitted during the ESC. No swearing or other unacceptable language is allowed in the lyrics or in the performance of the songs. No message that promotes an organization, institution, political messages or other company, brand, product or service is allowed in the show or within the Eurovision area. Violation of the rules can lead to disqualification.
Lisa Ajax and the F-Word
In liberal Sweden, producers of Melodifestivalen do not have a blanket ban on using everyone’s favourite four-letter word.
But if Lisa Ajax wins Melodifestivalen 2017 she will be forced to change her song’s lyrics to represent her country. Below is an excerpt of “I Don’t Give A”, which she previously described to wiwibloggs as “a song about love.”
I don’t give a
I don’t give a
I don’t give a
f-ck what the others say
Hey f-ck what they say
Hey f-ck what they say
Hey f-ck what they say
I’ll lo-love you anyway
f-ck what they say
I don’t give a f-ck what they say
Given the last line quote above, we’re fairly certain we understand Lisa’s feelings about the controversy.
And one of her songwriters Linnea Deb, who will provide backing vocals for Lisa in Malmö, seems totally unfazed. She posted these two tweets earlier today.
F U C K ????
— Linnea Deb (@linneadeb) February 8, 2017
Oh, I’m sorry- FCUK.
— Linnea Deb (@linneadeb) February 8, 2017
Linnea is part of the songwriting group The Family, which also includes Anton Hård af Segerstad, Joy Deb and Ola Svensson. They are perhaps best known as the team behind Eurovision 2015 winner “Heroes” from Måns Zelmerlöw.
What do you make of the controversy? Do you think artists should be allowed to swear at Eurovision? Do you think the use of the F-word can be used as an artistic flourish to convey the intensity of one’s emotions? Or do you think it’s straight up inappropriate? Let us know in the comments box below.
Children of Sweden (because many of them watch the prime-time “Melodifestivalen”, Eurovision eliminator), using the “f” word is deeply offensive in English. Artistes (of which there are many), please stop using it on prime time TV. The youth who look up to you are going to make some big mistakes if they start liberally using it in an international context. You do your fine country a disservice. Ajax’s use of the word is pathetic too. Like a child trying to be clever by swearing.
It may be fun to use swear words when it’s not your mother tongue, but for an English native it is ugly and offensive.
@kris
Well I saw him first time here……and I can combine the subject of the article and Tobias. Tobias is super hot.I would totally *insert 4 letter word* him
Is it sad that i read William Lee Adam’s comments in his voice hahaha i go on wiwibloggs so much…i have no life
Oddly enough, I can see the EBU letting it slide, if only because this is Sweden. Last year Australia’s song CLEARLY meant trademarked “FaceTime” in Dami’s song but the EBU bought that lame explanation of “Oh no, I meant facetime as in face to face.” (Which lyrically didnt make sense, no shade to Dami cause her song was great!)
It won’t win but if it does it’s easy to just change the F word to “damn”
Funny though I remember being a little kid (10 – 13 yrs old) not getting the big deal about censorship of “f-ck”, now here i am a decade later seeing the logic lol. I wouldn’t call it “offensive”, instead I just think it’s kinda trashy…. makes Eurovision look really basic and ratchet, which it shouldnt be.
The classics are the best:
“Frankly my dear I don’t give a damn!” – Gone With The Wind, 1939.
Or we could all just go for the late Father Jack saying: “FECK!”
Ah yes, the swear-substitution words from science fiction tv series…
“Frack” was first used in the 1978 Battlestar Galactica series, along with “felgercarb.”
Farscape had a whole list of them, including “frell,” “yachts,” “hezmana” etc.
But I think my favourite one is “shabra” from Earth:Final Conflict – just because it was said with a rolled ‘r’ and sounded particularly out of place for those aliens every time they said it 🙂
(Sorry for the diversion)
How about this idea. Replace the eff word with “frack”.
“Hey frack what they say
Hey frack what they say
Hey frack what they say”
Or have it interchange with “Frank”:
“Hey Frank what they say
Hey Frank what they say
Hey Frank what they say”
In all seriousness though, the lyrics are so lazily written as it’s too generically pop sounding that just happened to have a lot of effs here and there. I don’t think Lisa will be able to elevate them performing live and slay the competition.
Then again, expected the unexpected.
duck what they say
truck what they say
nahhh 😀
They *should* be able to swear, but currently they are not and artists sending them to national finals should know better.
As for the lyrics, there are two sorts of swear words: 1) Those that fit the song and make the punch, 2) Cursing for the sake of cursing. The first one can give a real shock, the second one are childish and rude.
Modern music nowaday.
Woki mit deim Popo was very profane and crude and still was not banned back then. Sad!
Guess I will have to watch without the family this week.
Lmfao at @luis’ reply
Here people are debating on the lyrics and all he could see was the ?hotness of the writer.
Agree with most that the lyrics are childish though the cuss words can be easily replaced in the unlikely scenario that this song ends up winning the contest.
Awful lyrics.
Personally I’m embracing the swears. Last year her hearted wanted her dead, and now it’s filled her with murderous rage: She. Will. Cut. A. Bitch.
This is what is called lyrics nowadays. Sad.
Nothing to make a fuss about, if she wins Melodifestivalen which I doubt a bit, they can change I don’t give a f**k with I don’t give a damn and F**k what they say with Forget what they say or Don’t Care what they say or Erase what thet say or anything that fits the music. I mean they are experienced songwriters, if they reach to the point of endagering Sweden’s Eurovision participation they will change one word, not a big thing.
@#PeopleSwear Yes, it’s true that a lot of people swear but I think it’s an unspoken belief it’s something that isn’t a positive thing it should be done on regular. Also shouldn’t be done around certain people.
@nn Probably not. If she performed the song before 9pm GMT, the BBC (and RTE I think) wouldn’t be allowed to broadcast it.
“Ouch”
People swear. It’s realistic. Why can’t anyone do that in Eurovision?
Many famous stars do it. Haven’t you heard of The Weeknd’s song “Starboy”?
Or Adam Lambert’s “Ghost Town”?
I don’t give a f. about the F-bomb. The song should be disqualified simply for having dismally bad lyrics.
I told you…
Even though many of us use these words in everyday language, I think many of us can agree that they aren’t appropriate in certain situations and around certain people( i.e children). It is kinda low class. I like Lisa and I like how she is trying to go for a mature image but the song itself is kind of a dud. With or without the cursing.
I’m all for expressing yourself. However using such language does cheapen yourself.
Actually “fan” here isn’t considered a swear word anywhere. It’s another way of saying “what the hell”
Let’s not forget that Silvia Night’s “Congratulations” also contained the F-bomb. It was simply modified (albeit last minute) to conform to Eurovision rules.
Melfest is complicated anyway, but this year, with Loreen (many people’s Queen?), it becomes even more weird. I feel that Loreen’s fans will criticise everybody that is not Loreen (Nano), and maybe Lisa wants to troll.
What about Det Vet Du? They also had swear-word on their performance and song. Why aren’t they banned?
“Ikväll ska vi packa vännerna är med. Ikväll ska vi packa vännerna är med
Nähä, men va fan? Roadtrip”
Men va fan = Well, what the hell?
Really off topic guys but a gallery of what I gather to be the pre recording of the Eesti Laul semi finals or perhaps the rehearsals even has been uploaded to the Eesti Laul website by Eesti rahvusringhääling if anyone is interested. The stage and performances looks great even at this stage so the Saku Suurhall promises a lot! I’ve added links to them here…
Poolfinaal I : http://menu.err.ee/v/galerii/dd0305fd-5028-417f-984c-a2ebe0b39896/galerii-eesti-laulu-esimese-poolfinaali-salvestus
Poolfinaal II : http://menu.err.ee/v/galerii/08a40481-956f-4ec4-9515-4688bd145011/galerii-eesti-laulu-ii-poolfinaali-voimsad-etteasted
@Polegend Godgarina: I promise this is the last reply on this thread – I don’t want to put other people off from commenting. (Plus we risk becoming the commenters’ equivalent of William and Deban! 😀 ) I once wrote a song called “Stop Hate.” I was very angry at the time that I wrote it, and it has a lot of repeated lyrics over some crunchy melody lines. Interestingly, parts of Lisa Ajax’s “My Heart Wants Me Dead” do remind me of that feeling. These lyrics to “I don’t give a” may have a stronger meaning than it appears –… Read more »
Oh my…….Tobias is hot or what *_*
I thought love was people’s favourite 4 letter word 🙁
If she wins, I think EBU will alow lyrics because they allow political lyrics last year in ukraine song and sweden have strong influence In eurivision reference group
@ Purple Mask – I don’t think they wrote this song for her with a deep meaning, it’s just your typical Melfest basic girl lyric I guess? I mean, she went from “everyday everyday everyday (x4) / I think my heart wants me dead / everyday everyday everyday (x3)” to this, nobody expected her song to be some elaborate lyrical masterpiece or something.
Just change the lyrics into “I don’t care what other say” and it will be good.
Lyrics are stupid though. My heart wants me dead had way better lyrics.
@Polegend Godgarina. Yes, point agreed. My challenge was for you to enter Melodifestivalen next year though. I assure you it’s out of admiration. 🙂
Yes, the lyrics are childish, but sometimes that’s what one has to write if one is either promoting and/or trying to make a point about society and culture. Let’s see how much she slays during the heat…
@ Purple Mask – did I try to enter Melodifestivalen? Either way anyone could come up with better lyrics than “I don’t give a” (x8). I don’t get your point. Those lyrics are objectively a joke, I’m convinced that a third grader who’s about to fail English class wrote them.
@Polegend Godgarina: I’d like to see you write and sing better than Lisa Ajax. Consider it a challenge. 🙂
Those lyrics are horrid and uninspired. How can you make “up” rhyme with “up” 3 times?! Just disqualify that basic white girl until she can come up with something decent, no one will miss her anyway. I guess when there’s no talent, drama is what will draw attention…
Well wasn’t Denmark’s 2014 song originally “a f-cking cliche” instead of “cliche love song”? Hardly like it hasn’t happened before.
Hahaha! I love it! Liberal swearing versus an up-tight Europe – This is the funniest culture clash of the decade! 🙂
I wonder after the backlash against the apparently distasteful presentation of Melodifestivalen’s Heat 1, will Heat 2 receive an even greater backlash because of this song? I hope not, but I fear the worst.
Crap song coming our way…
well that’s one way to promote a song and make it stand out from the crowd.