Let's put it this way: without a crystal ball or the ability to communicate with celestial elements, it seems to us that the Croatian band Let 3 will not bring home the statue of the win, at least not in the singing category. But in the bizarre category, their crown.
In a rendition of the song "Mama ŠČ", the five band members perform in a fashionable ensemble consisting of military uniforms, hats, coats, skirts and boots, plus exaggerated mustaches and extravagant and striking makeup. And that, of course, is just the conclusion, because at one point the clothes are removed and the band members are left in underwear and tank tops, while one of the band members, dressed in black in a somewhat diabolical look, holds two fire-breathing missiles aimed from the stage at the audience.
The song, like all of the band's songs, is a protest song (despite the ban on political content in the competition songs), with the prevailing interpretation of the lyrics being that they constitute a satirical criticism of the Russian aggression against Ukraine. "We were trying to create a better world for everyone, and our silly but very clever little song is our way of making an anti-war song," the band explained at the press conference held after the first semi-final.
In media interviews, the band explained that the song they chose to perform was anti-war, adding that after Armageddon, a missile would land on Earth, with the inscription ŠČ on it. The band also noted that it is the sound of orgasm, of blood type, or the sound of meditation, and it is also a reference to the Russian letter in the Cyrillic script, Щ.
The lyrics in the song have a variety of interpretations online, chief among them the explanation that they mock dictators everywhere. "Armageddon Grandma" is a reference to the Russian nuclear program and the tractor in the song refers to the relationship between Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin, referring to the tractor Lukashenko gave Putin as a gift for his 70th birthday in October.
Let 3, Photo: EPA
The band, known for its eccentric performances, began operating in the late 80's and from its inception to this day is best known for its provocative show and the tendency of its members to appear partially nude.
In 2006, the band was fined 350 Croatian kuna (about 180 shekels) for performing completely nude in the open air, although the band members used a controversial excuse in themselves by claiming that they were not completely naked, as they had corks tucked into their anus.
Like the Eurovision Song Contest song, the band frequently engages in politics in its music and supports women's and LGBT rights, which has often made it a target for conservative politicians and the Catholic Church in Croatia.
Let 3, Photo: EPA
In 1999, the band released the album Necuuveno, which was essentially an album on which nothing was recorded, yet sold about 350 copies. Their next album Jedina was recorded in only one copy, which the band refused to sell or distribute, but their record company decided on its own to release it in different versions, leading the band members to stage a suicide by firing squad in a central square in Zagreb in protest.
In late 2000, the band unveiled a four-meter-high sculpture called Babin kurac ("Grandma's Penis"), depicting a woman with a mustache and a meter-long phallus.
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