Albina is shaking up the Eurovision formula for Croatia with her funk-tinged pop bop “Tick-Tock”. The upbeat track is about leaving an unhealthy relationship behind and finding freedom. The sound is quite a departure from Croatia’s Eurovision 2020 entry. Damir Kedžo’s “Divlji vjetre” took the more traditional Balkan-ballad route whereas “Tick-Tock” is sassy and fun with a drop of sensuality. The version of the song performed at Dora is almost entirely in English. There is a chorus in Croatian near the end of the track – something Eurovision fans are LOVING.
Scroll down for “Tick-Tock” lyrics
Croatia in Eurovision 2021: Albina “Tick-Tock”
She wasn’t expected to win her national final initially — the bookies backed Eurovision 2016 singer Nina Kraljić. However, Albina won Dora 2021 convincingly with 198 points, beating out Nina by 53 points. This of course wasn’t without its controversy, but we are so excited to see Albina smash it for Hrvatska in Rotterdam.
The vocally on-point performance was gripping, due to her stage presence and flawlessness even when being lifted by her four backing dancers. There was a lot to take in with neon visuals, and a contest-ready dance sequence throughout. One of the big questions now is despite this, will she change it for the Rotterdam stage?
Whether she does or doesn’t, she’s already emerging as a fan favourite so far this year. As of mid-February, she is our readers’ favourite act for 2021 thus far. There’s still plenty of entries to come, with a huge influx of entries expected in March. Can she stay number one
What do the “Tick-Tock” lyrics mean?
Albina sings of a relationship where she was made to feel lesser than, and unimportant. At the beginning, we’re made aware she’s already tried to fix things. But there’s been lying and manipulation to keep her, with the hope of change being dangled. However, she’s breaking free! She’s saying goodbye and making her partner wish they’d never messed with her.
They’ll be screaming the oh-so-catchy hook, “oh no, oh noooo!” when she goes. There’s an element of post-breakup problems, as in the chorus she describes the aftermath as a “warzone”, suggesting it’s become complicated. However, she’s clearly so over it, as she ‘plays the game her way’. The Croatian chorus near the end translates slightly different than the pre-existing English choruses and holds more reference to the ticking clock. It also seems to show she was willing to give her ex one last chance, which they blow. This part can be read as the following in English:
“Tick-Tock, time is running out, where are you? / I’m biting my lips barely, breathing alone / Tick-tock, time flies, I can’t anymore”
The lyrics really match up to the pumping beat of the song; a tone of saying goodbye with courage and staying positive and upbeat about it. She isn’t lamenting, she’s just done and ready to dance her problems away.
“Tick-Tock” lyrics – Albina (Croatia ESC 2021)
Tried to fix the broken pieces, now I’m leaving
But you made it loud and clear I’m not enough
Tried to fool me more than once to keep me dreaming
‘Cause you knew the truth would tear us apart
If you pull me down then I’ll come around
And rise up to come show you who I am
I feel fire inside, my heart’s desire
I’m breaking free from you
Tick-tock, watch the days go
I’m losing track of time
Lost in your playzone
Don’t overcomplicate
Now we’re in warzone
You’re screaming, “Oh no, oh no, oh no”
Tick-tock, I’ll take you dancing
In time with my parade
You think you’re fancy
I play the gamе my way and you’ll be beggin’
“Please baby, don’t go, don’t go, don’t go”
I hear those voices from far away
They help me to escape (Escape)
I found myself and I’m finally free from
Your bad loving and restraint
Tick-tock, watch the days go
I’m losing track of time
Lost in your playzone
Don’t overcomplicate
Now we’re in warzone
You’re screaming, “Oh no, oh no, oh no”
Dancin’, dancin’
Think you, think you fancy
Tick-tock
Don’t go, don’t go, don’t go
I hear those voices from far away
They help me to escape (Escape)
I found myself and I’m finally free from
Your bad loving and restraint
Tick-tock, vrijeme curi, gdje si više?
Usne grizem, sama jedva dišem.
Tick-tock, vrijeme juri, ne mogu više
Oh no, oh no
[English translation:
Tick-Tock, time is running out, where are you?
I’m biting my lips barely, breathing alone
Tick-tock, time flies, I can’t anymore
Oh no, oh no]
Tick-tock, I’ll take you dancing
In time with my parade
You think you’re fancy
I play the gamе my way and you’ll be beggin’
“Please baby, don’t go, don’t go, don’t go”
Dancin’, dancin’
Think you, think you fancy
Tick-tock
Don’t go, don’t go, don’t go
What do you think of “Tick-Tock” by Albina? Will you be voting for Albina in semi-final one on May 18th? Let us know in the comments below.
this song needs to be revamped and i hope that because it will be a definite qualifier
What’s with all the adds WIWI Bloggs?
I find it intersting that in English the song is about walking away from an unhealty relationship but the full Croatian version of this song has kind of the opposite meaning, lol.
I love the english version, but I think it sounds better in croatian. It’s a definite qualifier either way, but it might be even better in croatian
Her vocals are unpleasant to be honest.
Trash song trash vocals happy NQ!
Man, for a song you hate you sure like to hang around the articles about it. Three comments on a single post, cmon now. Nina?
Not everyone who dislike this are Nina’s toxic fans (include me, I am Cambi’s supporter) . Actually I love the local ( completely in Croatian language) version of Tick Tock rather than the one for Eurovision.
Still gutted about Rijeka, just heard the studio version on Spotify and it’s beautiful…But, good luck to Albina, she will represent us well 🙂
Albina, they think they fancy!
Ignore the haters and oh GOOOO girl!
I wish she would translate whole song to Croatian. Slavic languages sound really good in pop music somehow. With this version of the song, I’m seeing a definite NQ.
Good song. But Albina just can’t hit many of the notes. If Franka (Croatia 2018) was singing this it would be gold.
Down voted harshly for an opinion wow feel for you! People are deaf if they think this song is amazing and she can sing well because she really can’t
How do you know if she can or can’t sing well? How many live performances of Albina did you hear? And caling somone deaf is rude. Try to REopen book of good behaviour. You ears might be clean (if you think that way) but your mouth not for sure.
If you do not like the song if think people are deafa stop coming to this page or at least ignore the article about this country!
Ciao!
I feel the same way. It’s not even how she sings it, it just seems like a part that doesn’t fit in with the rest of the song. I hope they manage to fix that in a revamp.
Off topic but Szilvia Péter Szabó who represented Hungary in 2005 as part of Nox just released a new song, it’s called T?réshatár, maybe you guys could write something about that
Yes, I get your point. That is one of the “hooks” of the song -and they balanced it with the “don’t go, don’t go…”, but I understand some people find it irritating. I have read several comment about it on social media. I have been thinking about what could be done… Maybe she could say it only once and leave the rest instrumental? Maybe use weaker backing vocals? Maybe leave it only instrumental? Maybe replace it with something else? I don’t know…
What if she just holds the “oh noooooo”? Then the melody can carry the rest of the beat.
It’s a week today and I haven’t been able to get that song out of my mind (positively speaking!!!). I must confess I didn’t pay much attention to it in the Final last Saturday, but when I watched it that evening on YouTube (after her winning reprise), something clicked on my brain. …and then I haven’t been able to stop listening to this song. It HAS something, it’s so danceable and I never get tired of it. Maybe it’s the full package. Besides, I adore that segment in Croatian, they should keep it. The song is simple but SO fresh,… Read more »
I love this song and her performance! About the lyrics, the DORA version of TICK-TOCK has just a few lines in Croatian, too short. However, the local version is almost 95% Croatian, it’s not easy for English speakers to understand. So I hope the Eurovision Version could be 50/50 or 40/60 (Croatian/ English) which would be much nicer.
I sincerely do not care about the meaning of the lyrics for me the most important it is the way the song sounds. And it sounds so much nicer in Croatian.