Remo Forrer will sing “Watergun” for Switzerland at Eurovision 2023.
After three consecutive Eurovision finals, Remo Forrer is hoping to keep up Switzerland’s qualifying streak and bring the crown home to the birthplace of the song contest.
Scroll down to read the lyrics of “Watergun”.
Switzerland in Eurovision 2023: Remo Forrer with “Watergun”
Remo Forrer, 21, is a sports goods salesman who first appeared on television in 2020 when he competed on The Voice of Switzerland. He left the judges — including Swiss Eurovision singer Anna Rossinelli — speechless because of his deep emotional voice. He went on to win the competition and released his first single “Home” after the show. The Swiss act for Liverpool then went on to compete in Germany’s I Can See Your Voice.
Remo put his name forward to represent Switzerland at Eurovision, and went through a rigorous internal selection process. Four broadcasters in Switzerland cut the entries down to 50, then two expert panels judged all of the songs. Fifty songs were whittled down to six, and after various internal voting stages, Remo emerged as the winner.
What do the “Watergun” lyrics mean?
The Swiss entry for Eurovision 2023 “Watergun” was conceptualised two years ago. In 2021, Swiss producer Pele Loriano started writing and composing the song — which means the war in Ukraine was not the reason to create this song, as Loriano stated during recent interviews. Remo starts the song by critically thinking about a childhood memories when he — and many other boys that age — pretended to fight in war. Back then, he thought of it as very playful, not realising the seriousness of war.
But later, Remo recognises that war isn’t playful at all. Many young men around his age in many different countries have to fight and risk their lives at war — not with waterguns like Remo’s childhood self, but with real guns. With lyrics like “I don’t wanna have to play with real blood”, Remo realises his childhood delusions were far more sanitised than the reality of war. “Watergun” reminds listeners to be thankful for living in peaceful countries. Remo said he’s aware of the topic being very emotional and recognises the sensitivity at risk, but he thinks it’s important to spread the message of peace.
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“Watergun” lyrics — Remo Forrer (Switzerland Eurovision 2023)
When we were boys, we played pretend
Army tanks and army men
Hide and seek
Grow to be the kings we dream
Where do we go?
We′re standin’ on the frontline
Where do we go, we go?
I don′t wanna be a soldier, soldier
I don’t wanna have to play with real blood
We ain’t playin′ now
Can′t turn and run
No waterguns
No, no, I don’t wanna be a soldier, soldier
I don′t wanna have to play with real blood
‘Cause we ain′t playin’ now
Can′t turn and run, no waterguns
Just body bags that we’ve become
Adolescence, breaking rules
Nothin’ hurts when you′re bulletproof
I remember, yes, I do, I do
Where do we go?
We′re standin’ on the frontline
Where do we go, we go?
I don′t wanna be a soldier, soldier
I don’t wanna have to play with real blood
We ain′t playin’ now
Can′t turn and run, no waterguns
No, no, I don’t wanna be a soldier, soldier
I don’t wanna have to play with real blood
′Cause we ain′t playin’ now
Can′t turn and run, no waterguns
Just body bags that we’ve become
Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh
What we′ve become
Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh
What we’ve become (oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh)
What we′ve become (oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh)
Playin’ with waterguns
Not playin’ with waterguns
What do you think about Switzerland’s entry for this years Eurovision? Do you like the meaning of the song? Let us know in the comments below.
I honestly think this was the best song on the night. Very relevant. I felt so sorry for the Ukraine as they knew before they went on that Russia had bombed their home town. Brave people.
such a cringe, cliché song, i won’t be surprised to see this one ending last place of semi 1
he comes from a family of billionaires with a net worth up to 1.8 billion, this young boy does not have to worry to end up in the frontline, how privileged he is
It was as if political messages were not allowed at Eurovision. But about soldiers and reference to war is it accepted?
He’s a Swiss. They have military conscription over there.
He can advocate for peace by telling his government to stop helping russia hide money! Send weapons to Ukraine to help them! BS song. ZERO POINTS
The prejudice and hate in this comment section is disgusting. You can be a young guy in a land that never really experienced war and still condemn it. You can be afraid of it and hope that the situation never happens to you and your country. Who has the right to tell a person how to feel about that topic? No one knows what happens in the future. And if this country goes to war, then that young guy also has to go to the front line…. Stop being so ignorant…
These lyrics are not his feelings. This song was written on a eurovision camp in 2021 and has been reeled up now that the theme is relevant.
Most songs were not written by the actual vocalist. So does it mean they all can’t identify with what they are singing? Please don’t think like a 10 year old!
Such an important message and a greatly great voice. Hope up see him in the final.
Sadly, the song is clearly plagiarism of the song “Control” by Zoe Wees.
No It’s not.
I don’t understand the hate it gets from people… It’s not like he’s supporting invasions and wars… It’s the exact opposite Especially if it was written in 2021 However, I can’t stand the hypocrisy of people in the fandom, as wars are happening all around the world, non-stop, but no one seemed to care about those wars Even more than that, people were still voting a lot to Russia throughout the years, and we all know the war has started even before 2022 I’m still waiting to hear reactions about other wars around the world, whether minorities in China for… Read more »
And as someone who’s in a country with wars and served in the army, this song touches me
I’m lucky enough to not lose any friends or family or be hurt myself, but I know enough people who have lost someone or who’ve been injured themselves
Bad piece of what aboutism considering that Russia has been called out for their hypocritical peace messages for a long time by many in the fandom. Russia has always done well in the televote through out the post soviet states and I don’t see how that correlates to your point? For all we know Switzerland will achieve the same success this year. It’s not hypocritical to care more about the murder in your back yard (that actually affects you) than the tragedy happening on the other side of the world. What is a bit hypocritical is sending a song condemning… Read more »
It’s not condemning the participation in war, it’s about wishing they shouldn’t have had to even been in that situation, at least that’s how I see it I understand the anger towards Switzerland, but I don’t think the entry is on the same vibe (I hope I’m clear xD) I also understand your point that if a war is very close to you and affects you, of course you care about it more than a war which doesn’t, but when you don’t help someone else who’s in need, don’t expect them to help you when you’re in need Anyway, I… Read more »
I can understand that perspective. I certainly don’t expect countries like India to jump to the rescue in this conflict but I feel like Switzerland is not in that same boat and even if the song was meant in a good matter the whole thing just falls a bit tone deaf to the whole ordeal. Like how is any ukrainian who’s watching eurovision this year supposed to feel about this entry? From their position they don’t have a choice but to fight or lose their country and freedom. The lyrics do a bad job in conveying the intended message of… Read more »
No whataboutism at all. You can be anti war and at the same time support Ukraine in it’s fight. Frankly any person who actually experienced war is likely to be able to tell you that. War, as justified as it may be, is not a philosophical exercise.
Why bother to look further into the world when the world itself was comfortably sleeping during the Russian massacres in Chechnya in the 1990s, the 2008 war in Sakartvelo, or the 2014 war in Donbass and the annexation of Crimea? While I think the world is partially responsible for putting economic interests above all else (especially in Merkelistan), Ukrainians themselves, for instance, aren’t without sin either. Look at the data prior to 2014 regarding Ukraine’s accession to NATO or the EU. Roughly 30–35% of the population wanted to go along with Western civilization, and the rest were comfortable sitting along… Read more »
It sounds like they’re preaching countries to stop supporting war which is the most tonedeaf and privileged thing ever considering the current political situation. It’s an insane amount of delusion that somewhere at srf a board of boomers checked off on this.
It does not sound like that. You can be pro Ukraine and still express pacifism at large. Considering the amount that he’s getting simply for singing that he doesn’t want to be a soldier is more than enough reason for this message to resonate right now. And I’m saying this as a person who served in a military in a war torn country… And if you look your see that I’m not the first of which of mentioned this.
Well good for Remi that he doesn’t want to be a soldier. Neither did the Ukrainians but Remi up in the swiss mountains sits in the luxury position of never having to become that soldier.
Idiotic comment!
Even if you live in Switzerland you can condemn war, be afraid of it and wish that you and your country never have to be in that position. You never know what history will be and don’t start with the: everyone in Switzerland is rich. The cliché is sooooo stupid!!!!
And I think it’s a lack of thoughtfulness to express that sentiment at eurovision 2023.
Like that pepsi ad featuring kendall jenner during the black lives matter protests where she opens a can of pepsi and everybody starts cheering.
100% Agree! Swiss being typical opportunists with money, yet again. Take Nazi gold. Take russian money. Hide it all.
Bad timing for this song. Everyone will be thinking of Russia’s invasion when listening to this song. Ukraine would love to have peace, but it’s obvious they cannot as long as Putin is around. They are forced to fight and kill to defend their homeland and the very existence of the Ukrainian people.
Excellent timing even if he fails to qualify. In a year when people are getting hate simply for saying that they are against war as a blanket statement it’s especially important to be said. Even and especially if it’s an unpopular opinion while saying it.
But it’s not a blanket statement though. They’ve sent this song explicitly with the russian invasion in mind. That’s why they suddenly send it now while the song has been hanging in the closet since 2021.
Wrong topic Switzerland. You don’t know what you are talking about. Remo could sing about „neutrality“ instead, which is also a complex theme.
The themes of this year’s contest in terms of song lyrics are definitely the most debatable there has been in a while, for two reasons when applicable: Overly basic English being used, and “topical statements.”
“Watergun” demonstrates both of the issues very evidently, in my opinion. Whether that is good or bad is for the listener to decide. Are these lyrics powerful in their simplicity? Or, are they without empathy for those people who are actually fighting? What this song does well is ask questions, rather than provide any answers.
If something is without empathy it’s not “doing well”, it’s just without empathy. I agree with you, though, that there are a lot of debatable and questionable lyrics this year.
Talk about being self centered and insensitive…
How did anyone think this would be a good thing to send at this time?! Who is this “message” meant for – the Russians who can’t watch the contest on TV or the Ukrainians who don’t have the luxury of opting out?
Did they really think: “Well maybe if we send this song Russian men will have an epiphany and decide not to enlist and instead focus their fighting spirit toward overthrowing Putler”?
tasteless
If it’s a wrong time to be pacifist then it’s an excellent time to send a pacifist message. That’s the whole point. You don’t make pacifist statements only when everyone want to hear it.