Albania ALBANIA 2014 - Hersi Matmuja - One Night's Anger

[evija87]

Ironically Jestem was one of the few cases in which English would really have suited more. Not because of the lyrics obviously but the musical genre.

I must disagree. Presented English version weaker and a bit modified from original, lyrics were tacky and if I remember well didn't refer at all to Polish ones - "Jestem". Jestem is good Polish pop song (written by Magda herself not hired team from abroad) and Polish language suited it the most... why do you think people protested so much so she changed it back? Unfortunetaly in our society (I mean Polish) many people follow this trend and love to be "americanized" and I was in shock people actually did not want that English version. Of course some people did, but they were minority. Pure result was total disaster, so people may wonder if English would have done better, but the way it was (problems with performance, starting number etc) language was not an issue. Relevant or not, pre-contest it was predicted to qualify or even make top10...

But back to Albania... I wish it would be kept in Albanian very much. I undertand Hersi a bit about meaning - stormy intro about anger and then going quiet, peaceful... I doubt people will get if they don't understand anything... my worries are those parts of the songs that kind of are to me small secret of the song (and also her last year's song), that nice melodic parts with vocals can be lost with English language. I'm not usually fan of bilingual songs, but maybe it can be solution here... stormy intro > then peaceful > some English lyrics to explain song > and go on with Albanian till the end...

 

[Odalis]

Jestem was horrible in english.
I have nothing against singing in english if one's good at that, like singers from Denmark or Sweden, or Norway.
I absolutely hate when people are horrible at that but they still choose to sing in english (like singers from Belarus, Russia and Ukraine/except Gaitana)
There are so many amazing, gorgeous or simply good songs that i love but i cannot listen to them because of an accent.

In my opinion, i cannot see english language fitting into this song, i want them to keep it in albanian, i just think they have to shorten the title and work on the arrangement, that's all.

 

[A-lister]

Ironically Jestem was one of the few cases in which English would really have suited more. Not because of the lyrics obviously but the musical genre.

I have to disagree, "Jestem" was far superior the English version we got from that song (evija87 makes some further good points in her comment above). In English they even changed the melody structure and gave it complete new lyrical meanings (hello to everyone who think that changing a language is just an easy translate that won't change the outcome much!).

 

[94ayd]

Am I the only one who got the angry and peaceful vibes from the music straight away? I guess people don't really try to understand that music can put accross a message on its own which is sad.

 

[CC92]

Ironically Jestem was one of the few cases in which English would really have suited more. Not because of the lyrics obviously but the musical genre.

I must disagree. Presented English version weaker and a bit modified from original, lyrics were tacky and if I remember well didn't refer at all to Polish ones - "Jestem". Jestem is good Polish pop song (written by Magda herself not hired team from abroad) and Polish language suited it the most... why do you think people protested so much so she changed it back? Unfortunetaly in our society (I mean Polish) many people follow this trend and love to be "americanized" and I was in shock people actually did not want that English version. Of course some people did, but they were minority. Pure result was total disaster, so people may wonder if English would have done better, but the way it was (problems with performance, starting number etc) language was not an issue. Relevant or not, pre-contest it was predicted to qualify or even make top10...

I see your point yet it was such an americanised Alexandra Burke rip off type of composition that English would of sounded adequate there IMO, whether one approveth of the use of non-native languages in general or not. On the contrary, in folk inspired songs for example English feels always out of place and surely doeth not bestow better results. This being said, I was personally all fine she sang in her mother tongue but I think the outcome for Poland wouldf been slightly had they not listened to the fans unfortunately.

 

[Paddy]

I really have no problem when people are translating their songs into English, there are also many songs were I even prefer the English version. But in this case I really hope that they won't change the language. For me the language is the most special thing about the song and if that's get lost the entry gets more forgettable than it's already is.

 

[QwaarJet]

I have to disagree, "Jestem" was far superior the English version we got from that song (evija87 makes some further good points in her comment above). In English they even changed the melody structure and gave it complete new lyrical meanings (hello to everyone who think that changing a language is just an easy translate that won't change the outcome much!).

I'll bet it would have done better in English though. Could not have done worse than it did in Polish. Personally I thought it was garbage in either language, but there you go.

 

[evija87]

Hersi is now on twitter too: https://twitter.com/hersjanamatmuja/

 

[A-lister]

I'll bet it would have done better in English though. Could not have done worse than it did in Polish. Personally I thought it was garbage in either language, but there you go.

It probably would have done better, but that says more about where ESC is heading than what version was better than the other. Though, technical sound problems, a bad starting position and other issues regarding the actual live performance wouldn't have made the outcome much better in English or not.

Anyways, back to Albania

 

[PamSwynford]

At first few second the song was amazing, but later is becoming like a mixed salad. I think it won't go to the Grand Final in Copenhagen, but there were several times that the Albanians improved the song and I hope that it will be the case with Hersiana's song. And P.S. Jestem was much better in Polish, but she maybe got panic?

 

[Smudy]

 

[GWTW1939]

I'm not sure why but listening to the instrumental makes me think it shouldn't be sung in English or Albanian but Hebrew instead

 

[A-lister]

I'm not sure why but listening to the instrumental makes me think it shouldn't be sung in English or Albanian but Hebrew instead

 

[Shqiperia]

Studio version.

 

[Knubelznarm]

Wow, she sounds autotuned? Still a great song though. Love when the beat kicks in!

 

[Mrm]

Studio version is very messy, they added auto tune, also some more modern beats which doesn't suit ballad at all, then comes rock part this is mess, it has everything in it! :? I think final version will be even bigger mess!

 

[Fluke]

I hope that's not what the ESC version is going to sound like, because that's just weird....

 

[pinkchiffon]

Well, it's very demo-ish, I'm sure the final version will be much neater as they'll have better resources to record it without the awkward cheap percussion and such. It was probably recorded quickly before FiK (notice that it was played in her postcard.) It sounds like there are intended to be greater differences in arrangement from one section to the next compared to the orchestral version, which was the main thing I would change, so I'm optimistic about where it's going.

The translation situation is also looking up! Since my Facebook post, I've seen more comments in favor of keeping it in Albanian, and Hersi actually changed her tune in the next couple of interviews with ESC sites - she now says that many people have encouraged her to keep it in Albanian, and she's still undecided. Let her know on Facebook or Twitter, she is paying attention!

 

[Shqiperia]

Studio version is very messy, they added auto tune, also some more modern beats which doesn't suit ballad at all, then comes rock part this is mess, it has everything in it! :? I think final version will be even bigger mess!

This is the original studio version before FiK... lol From what I've read from you is all negative nothing interesting just hate.

 

[A-lister]

The translation situation is also looking up! Since my Facebook post, I've seen more comments in favor of keeping it in Albanian, and Hersi actually changed her tune in the next couple of interviews with ESC sites - she now says that many people have encouraged her to keep it in Albanian, and she's still undecided. Let her know on Facebook or Twitter, she is paying attention!

This is promising to hear! We should never underestimate the power of the people (= ESC fans). I have a feeling it'll stay in Albanian afterall (hopefully). They just need to revamp the entry musically a bit, but as for the language it should stay in its original one.