Song for Europe (Father Ted)
Encyclopedia
"A Song For Europe" was the 5th episode of the second season of the Channel 4
television sitcom Father Ted
.
in the competition, Ted discovers his arch-nemesis Dick Byrne does have plans to enter a song. Ted decides that if Dick Byrne can write a song, he and Dougal can write a better one. After working all night, they come up with "My Lovely Horse
", a tuneless dirge with ridiculous lyrics lasting less than a minute. Jack actually shoots his guitar. Disillusioned, they are about to give up when Ted discovers the lyrics fit a tune by "Nin Huguen and the Huguenotes", an obscure B-side for an entry from Norway
's Eurosong preselection
from the 1970s. Ted thought that because the whole band died in a plane crash, including all the record company staff and everyone involved in the copyright, they would get away with it.
At the Dublin theatre where "A Song For Ireland" is being hosted, Ted has some trouble talking to the Judge as he finds he is gay, which the Catholic Church is against. Ted and Dougal listen to Dick Byrne's entry, "The Miracle Is Mine". It is extremely impressive, with a full choir, huge band and a passionate performance from Byrne. Ted is worried and goes backstage for a smoke, where he hears the Norwegian tune first being whistled by a maintenance worker, then playing in a lift. He is horrified, realising that the song is well-known, and he and Dougal are forced to adopt "Plan B": singing the dreadful original version. In the original version, Ted even says near the end when changing chord for the only time during the song, "Hang on, I can do this bit", while Dougal uses what looks like an old Casio
keyboard.
Despite their poor performance, and against the evident wishes of the audience, Irish Eurosong boss Charles Hedges awards "My Lovely Horse" first place. This is apparently because he wants to guarantee Ireland lose the main competition, since Ireland has won the contest every year from 1991 to 1995 and it is too expensive for Ireland to host the competition every year. (Ireland won the real Eurovision Song Contest
in 1992, 1993 and 1994, and so had to host it in 1993, 1994 and 1995.) The episode closes at the Eurosong contest, with Ted, Dougal, Jack and Mrs. Doyle listening to every country awarding them "nul points".
Steve Coogan
was intended to play compère Fred Rickwood, but couldn't make it so Irish comic Jon Kenny
stepped in. Kenny had appeared in Father Ted previously, as Michael the cinema owner in "The Passion of St Tibulus
".
The music in the episode is written and, in the case of "Nin Huguen and the Huguen Notes", performed by Neil Hannon
who also wrote and recorded the title music. The band name is a clumsy pun on "Huguenots".
Declan Lowney
, who directed most Father Ted
episodes, was also director of the 1988 Eurovision Song Contest.
. In the Father Ted script book, Graham Linehan notes that he initially wanted the scene to run longer, but that it was ultimately cut down to just long enough for people familiar with the out-take to get the reference.
Ted mentions that there was a priest named Father Benny Cake who scored a Number 1 hit single in England - after changing his name so nobody would know he was a priest - with a song titled "Vienna". This joke references Midge Ure
of Ultravox
.
Ted mentions Icy-Tea and Scoopy Scoopy Dog Dog meaning Ice-T
and Snoop Doggy Dogg.
Faced with the daunting (and financially crippling) task of hosting its third consecutive Eurovision, RTÉ
were said to have chosen an inferior quality song (Eddie Friel's "Dreamin'", which finished 14th) over vastly superior ones in order to prevent the possibility of an unwanted fourth victory. The chosen song also became the centre of controversy when it was accused of being plagiarised
from Julie Felix
's 'Moonlight'.
" was based on a 1975 lifestyle video for "That's What Friends are For
" by The Swarbriggs
, which was Ireland's entry for the 1975 Eurovision Song Contest, which they consider the funniest music video of all time. Some of the shots are even copied down to every last detail.
The song goes:
My lovely horse running through the field,
Where are you going with your fetlocks blowing in the wind?
I want to shower you with sugar lumps and ride you over fences,
Polish your hooves every single day and take you to the horse dentist.
My lovely horse, you're a pony no more,
Running around with a man on your back like a train in the night, like a train in the night.
The last two words mean "Ireland, nothing."
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
television sitcom Father Ted
Father Ted
Father Ted is a comedy series set in Ireland that was produced by Hat Trick Productions for British broadcaster Channel 4. Written jointly by Irish writers Arthur Mathews and Graham Linehan and starring a predominantly Irish cast, it originally aired over three series from 21 April 1995 until 1 May...
.
Synopsis
Dougal has "Eurosong fever", months ahead of the competition. After initially rejecting Dougal's suggestion that they write a song to represent IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
in the competition, Ted discovers his arch-nemesis Dick Byrne does have plans to enter a song. Ted decides that if Dick Byrne can write a song, he and Dougal can write a better one. After working all night, they come up with "My Lovely Horse
My Lovely Horse
My Lovely Horse is a song featured in the hit comedy series Father Ted. It was written by Graham Linehan, Arthur Mathews and Neil Hannon , and appeared in the episode "A Song for Europe", in which Ted and Dougal sing it for Ireland at "A Song For Ireland" , a contest to determine who will represent...
", a tuneless dirge with ridiculous lyrics lasting less than a minute. Jack actually shoots his guitar. Disillusioned, they are about to give up when Ted discovers the lyrics fit a tune by "Nin Huguen and the Huguenotes", an obscure B-side for an entry from Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
's Eurosong preselection
Melodi Grand Prix
Melodi Grand Prix is an annual music competition organised by Norwegian public broadcaster Norsk Rikskringkasting . It determines the country's representative for the Eurovision Song Contest, and has been staged almost every year since 1960.The festival has produced three Eurovision winners and...
from the 1970s. Ted thought that because the whole band died in a plane crash, including all the record company staff and everyone involved in the copyright, they would get away with it.
At the Dublin theatre where "A Song For Ireland" is being hosted, Ted has some trouble talking to the Judge as he finds he is gay, which the Catholic Church is against. Ted and Dougal listen to Dick Byrne's entry, "The Miracle Is Mine". It is extremely impressive, with a full choir, huge band and a passionate performance from Byrne. Ted is worried and goes backstage for a smoke, where he hears the Norwegian tune first being whistled by a maintenance worker, then playing in a lift. He is horrified, realising that the song is well-known, and he and Dougal are forced to adopt "Plan B": singing the dreadful original version. In the original version, Ted even says near the end when changing chord for the only time during the song, "Hang on, I can do this bit", while Dougal uses what looks like an old Casio
Casio
is a multinational electronic devices manufacturing company founded in 1946, with its headquarters in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. Casio is best known for its electronic products, such as calculators, audio equipment, PDAs, cameras, musical instruments, and watches...
keyboard.
Despite their poor performance, and against the evident wishes of the audience, Irish Eurosong boss Charles Hedges awards "My Lovely Horse" first place. This is apparently because he wants to guarantee Ireland lose the main competition, since Ireland has won the contest every year from 1991 to 1995 and it is too expensive for Ireland to host the competition every year. (Ireland won the real Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest
The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition...
in 1992, 1993 and 1994, and so had to host it in 1993, 1994 and 1995.) The episode closes at the Eurosong contest, with Ted, Dougal, Jack and Mrs. Doyle listening to every country awarding them "nul points".
Production
Jack does not have a single line in this episode, though he does have a memorable moment when he reacts to the initial performance of "My Lovely Horse" by blasting Ted's guitar to pieces with a sawn-off shotgun.Steve Coogan
Steve Coogan
Stephen John "Steve" Coogan is a British comedian, actor, writer and producer. Born in Manchester, he began his career as a standup comedian and impressionist, working as a voice artist throughout the 1980s on satirical puppet show Spitting Image. In the early nineties, Coogan began creating...
was intended to play compère Fred Rickwood, but couldn't make it so Irish comic Jon Kenny
Jon Kenny
Jon Kenny lives in Lough Gur and is one half of the famous Irish comic duo d'Unbelievables with Pat Shortt...
stepped in. Kenny had appeared in Father Ted previously, as Michael the cinema owner in "The Passion of St Tibulus
The Passion of St Tibulus
"The Passion of St Tibulus" is the 3rd episode of Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted.-Synopsis:Father Hernandez, from Cuba, is staying on Craggy Island...
".
The music in the episode is written and, in the case of "Nin Huguen and the Huguen Notes", performed by Neil Hannon
Neil Hannon
Neil Hannon is a Northern Irish singer and songwriter, best known as the creator and frontman of the chamber pop group The Divine Comedy. The band's official website even goes so far as to say, "The Divine Comedy is Neil Hannon," and Hannon is quoted in an interview as saying, "The Divine Comedy...
who also wrote and recorded the title music. The band name is a clumsy pun on "Huguenots".
Declan Lowney
Declan Lowney
Declan Lowney is an Irish television and film director. After directing a short film in 1980, Lowney worked for Radio Telefís Éireann, and directed musical events such as the 1988 Eurovision Song Contest, and The Velvet Underground's Live MCMXCIII...
, who directed most Father Ted
Father Ted
Father Ted is a comedy series set in Ireland that was produced by Hat Trick Productions for British broadcaster Channel 4. Written jointly by Irish writers Arthur Mathews and Graham Linehan and starring a predominantly Irish cast, it originally aired over three series from 21 April 1995 until 1 May...
episodes, was also director of the 1988 Eurovision Song Contest.
Cultural references
The scene in which Ted loses his temper at Dougal's failure to play the correct note is a reference to "The Troggs Tapes", a notorious out-take from a recording session by The TroggsThe Troggs
The Troggs are an English rock band from the 1960s that had a number of hits in UK and the US. Their most famous songs include, "Wild Thing", "With a Girl Like You", and "Love Is All Around"...
. In the Father Ted script book, Graham Linehan notes that he initially wanted the scene to run longer, but that it was ultimately cut down to just long enough for people familiar with the out-take to get the reference.
Ted mentions that there was a priest named Father Benny Cake who scored a Number 1 hit single in England - after changing his name so nobody would know he was a priest - with a song titled "Vienna". This joke references Midge Ure
Midge Ure
James "Midge" Ure, OBE is a Scottish guitarist, singer, keyboard player, and songwriter...
of Ultravox
Ultravox
Ultravox is a British New Wave rock band. They were one of the primary exponents of the British electronic pop music movement of the late 1970s/early 1980s. The band was particularly associated with the New Romantic and New Wave movements....
.
Ted mentions Icy-Tea and Scoopy Scoopy Dog Dog meaning Ice-T
ICE-T
* Ice-T, an American rapper and actor* ICE T , a tilting model of the German InterCityExpress series of high-speed trains...
and Snoop Doggy Dogg.
Song for Ireland 1996
- The entries for "Song for Ireland 1996" were: (only songs 1 & 2 are shown being performed; the names of 3 to 6 are seen on a sign)
- 1 "The Miracle is Mine" by Fr. Dick Byrne and Fr. Cyril McDuff
- 2 "My Lovely HorseMy Lovely HorseMy Lovely Horse is a song featured in the hit comedy series Father Ted. It was written by Graham Linehan, Arthur Mathews and Neil Hannon , and appeared in the episode "A Song for Europe", in which Ted and Dougal sing it for Ireland at "A Song For Ireland" , a contest to determine who will represent...
" by Fr. Ted Crilly and Fr. Dougal McGuire (winner) - 3 "If I could wear my Hat like my Heart" by The Grand Girls
- 4 "You Dirty English Bastards" by The Hairy Bowsies
- 5 "The Drums of Africa are calling me home" by Sean O'Brien
- 6 "Sha la la la la la la la la la la la la" by Death Pigs
- The Hairy Bowsies are a real band featuring Paul WoodfullPaul WoodfullPaul Woodfull is an Irish writer, actor, comedian and musician. He has written two television series, a CD and the comedy musical play I, Keano. He is a graduate of the National College of Art and Design in Dublin...
(aka Paul Wonderful), a comedian friend of Graham Linehan and Arthur Mathews. Their songs are traditional Irish ballads, with republican lyrics.
Inspiration
It has been widely claimed that this episode was inspired by real events surrounding Ireland's selection of its entry for the 1995 Eurovision Song Contest.Faced with the daunting (and financially crippling) task of hosting its third consecutive Eurovision, RTÉ
RTE
RTÉ is the abbreviation for Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the public broadcasting service of the Republic of Ireland.RTE may also refer to:* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 25th Prime Minister of Turkey...
were said to have chosen an inferior quality song (Eddie Friel's "Dreamin'", which finished 14th) over vastly superior ones in order to prevent the possibility of an unwanted fourth victory. The chosen song also became the centre of controversy when it was accused of being plagiarised
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is defined in dictionaries as the "wrongful appropriation," "close imitation," or "purloining and publication" of another author's "language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions," and the representation of them as one's own original work, but the notion remains problematic with nebulous...
from Julie Felix
Julie Felix
Julie Ann Felix is a folk rock recording artist, who was notably produced by Mickie Most on his RAK Records label.-Career:...
's 'Moonlight'.
"My Lovely Horse"
According to the writer's commentary, the video for "My Lovely HorseMy Lovely Horse
My Lovely Horse is a song featured in the hit comedy series Father Ted. It was written by Graham Linehan, Arthur Mathews and Neil Hannon , and appeared in the episode "A Song for Europe", in which Ted and Dougal sing it for Ireland at "A Song For Ireland" , a contest to determine who will represent...
" was based on a 1975 lifestyle video for "That's What Friends are For
That's What Friends Are For (Eurovision song)
That's What Friends Are For was the Irish entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1975, performed in English by The Swarbriggs.The song is an mid-tempo number, with the singers calling on their listeners to help each other in times of need, because "That's what friends are for"...
" by The Swarbriggs
The Swarbriggs
Thomas Sheridan and John James Swarbrigg are Irish music promoters and former pop musicians. As The Swarbriggs they represented Ireland at the 1975 Eurovision Song Contest with That's What Friends Are For. As The Swarbriggs Plus Two, with Nicola Kerr and Alma Carroll, they competed again in 1977...
, which was Ireland's entry for the 1975 Eurovision Song Contest, which they consider the funniest music video of all time. Some of the shots are even copied down to every last detail.
The song goes:
My lovely horse running through the field,
Where are you going with your fetlocks blowing in the wind?
I want to shower you with sugar lumps and ride you over fences,
Polish your hooves every single day and take you to the horse dentist.
My lovely horse, you're a pony no more,
Running around with a man on your back like a train in the night, like a train in the night.
Nil Points in various languages
The points by other people around the world. The following were the entries for the song My Lovely Horse. All these versions mean "Ireland, no points".- Irelande, nil points.
- Irlanda, nada.
- Irlandia, meethen vathmee.
- Irlande, keine punte.
- Irshka, bash badova.
- Irlandia, nurda proken.
- Irlande, nil punten.
- Irlinia, nurda purda.
- Irlenski, nurte point lete.
The last two words mean "Ireland, nothing."