ESC2003 - Austria
Performed by: Alf Poier
Music by: Alf Poier
Lyrics by: Alf Poier
Language: Styrian (dialect of German)
Placing: 6th (101 points)
"Weil der Mensch zählt" ("Because The Human Being Matters") was the Austrian representative in the Eurovision Song Contest 2003, performed by Alf Poier in his native Styrian dialect of Bavarian.
The song was performed second on the night, following Iceland's Birgitta with "Open Your Heart" and preceding Ireland's Mickey Harte with "We've Got the World". At the close of voting, it had received 101 points, placing 6th in a field of 26.
The song is intended as a sendup of the contest (much in the vein of a previous Austrian entry – Schmetterlinge's "Boom Boom Boomerang") and its excesses. Lyrically, it is about farmyard animals and their habits, but also features a number of non sequiturs about Adam and Eve and "the African dromedary". The thick accent in which the song is delivered also adds to the humour, as even a native German speaker may find it hard to follow the lyrics at times.
Musically, the song switches tempo from a simple folk melody during the verse to a singalong chorus before featuring loud guitar chords (to which Poier famously danced in his performance), after which the lyrics record Poier grunting in the manner of a rock star.
The performance itself is also memorable, as the animals mentioned in the song were present – in cardboard cut-out form – on stage playing various instruments. Alf would finish 6th with 101 points.
After the contest, Alf was displeased with the results and the Eurovision Song Contest, as he found the televoters in Europe to have no musical taste. During an interview for BBC Three, Poier was shown to be frustrated. A transcript of the interview is found below:
BBC Three reporter: "You came 6th, are you happy with that?"
Poier: "No, I'm very, very disappointed. For me, it became evident that Europe has no musical taste, you can hear it, no musical taste! I wanted to save Europe, but Europe is not ready for me yet, that's [all I] wanted to say. I'm really, really [laughs] disappointed!"
BBC Three reporter: "OK, keep calm, keep calm. When you went up there on stage, were you nervous? Were you excited?"
Poier: "No, [I] was not nervous or not excited, I just did and said what I had to say, but [laughs again] the people don't understand what you want to say, I'm so disappointed, I really can tell you! I hate this song contest, everything..."
BBC Three reporter: "[laughs] You're not the only one, mate!... But listen, your brand of comedy has spread far and wide, you've become the talking point of this competition. That's got to be a good thing?"
Poier: "Yea, that's OK, y'know, but who, who cares with me now? I have to cope with it myself, number 6, number 6, ME!? No, I am disappointed."
BBC Three reporter: "When you go back to Austria, how will they react to you?"
Poier: "[I] don't know if I'll go back, I think I'll... throw everything away... I hate this contest! FUCK THE-"
BBC Three reporter: "Apologies, on behalf of the BBC for that language, this is a live program!"
Poier: "Yes!"
BBC Three reporter: "Alf, keep under control, thanks very much indeed!"
Poier: "Thank you!"
Lyrics:
Die-die Tiere dieser Erde
Die mog i ziemlich gern
Doch am allerliebsten mog i
Die-die Haserln und die Bärn
Die Bärn
Es sterbn bald alle Vögel
Es sterbn bald alle Käfer
Nur im Bett da liegt der Adam
Und vermehrt sich mit der Eva
Die Hosn leben im Woid
Die Kotzn in da Wiesn
Und die Kakerlaken
Die leben hinter die Fliesn
Klane Haserl haben kurze Naserl
Und klane Katzerl haben weiche Bratzerl
Und die Frau Holle hot gern die Wolle
Vom Tromeda aus Afrika
Uh!
Der-der Unterschied zwischen Menschen
Zwischen Affen und Primaten
Der-der is net vü größer
Wie bei Nudl und Frittaten
Frittaten
Doch wer mehr über Tiere
Wissen wü, muß Biologie studiern
Oder sich im Anschluß
Auf meiner Homepage informieren
Manche Tiere die haben Flügl
Und andere haben Flossn
Manche liegn im Freien
Und die andern in da Dosn
Klane Haserl haben kurze Naserl
Und klane Katzerl haben weiche Bratzerl
Und die Frau Holle hot gern die Wolle
Vom Tromeda aus Afrika
Klane Haserl haben kurze Naserl
Und klane Katzerl haben weiche Bratzerl
Und die Frau Holle hot gern die Wolle
Vom Tromeda aus Afrika
English:
The-the animals of the world
I rather like them
But more than anything I like
The-the hares and the bears
The bears
Soon all birds will die
Soon all beetles will die
Only Adam is lying in bed
And reproduces with Eve
The hares live in the forest
The cats in the meadows
And the cockroaches
They live under the tiles
Little hares have short noses
And little cats have soft paws
And Mrs Holle likes the wool
Of the dromedary from Africa
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