RTS reacts: Here's what happens with scandalous Beovizija song mentioning bombs, invoking violence
As the Serbian public broadcaster RTS says, the song's lyrics "could send the wrong message" - while they "stand firmly on the side of combating violence against women"
RTS has issued an official statement about the song "Big Wedding" (Serbian: "Svadba velika"), performed by Bora Dugic and Balkubano, that was previously accepted in an official competition.
This came after the outpouring of outrage on social networks over the scandalous lyrics of the song, which, as many have stated, is "disgraceful" and "should in no way find itself among the Beovizija songs".
Beovizija is a festival organized to select the Serbian representative at the Eurovision Song Contest.
"The song, 'Big Wedding', performed by Bora Dugic and Balkubano, will remain in the competition of this year's Beovizija. Realizing the seriousness of the wrong message that the lyrics of the song could send, RTS, in conversation and in agreement with the authors, decided that the lyrics will be changed. The authors of the lyrics, evoking the humorous tone of the composition, however, failed to find a proper expression, and therefore apologize, stressing that this was not their intention. RTS wants to make it clear that it stands firmly on the side of combating violence against women," the statement said.
"What kind of a terrorist text is this, they will ban us (from Eurovision) for 10 years if they hear this"; "How could this pass the selection at all with lyrics like this?!"; "I spent two hours trying to explain to a foreigner that this guy from the song was not going hunting wild animals but was getting married"; "Bora Dugic as a top artist who should not have taken part in this. I just hope they paid him well"; "You overdid it a little with the lyrics"; "Good grief what's with the bombs this year"; "This is super embarrassing" - these are just some of the comments left on a video of the song posted on YouTube.
Here is the full text of the song:
I brought a bomb, I brought it my dear
Because I love you madly, because I love you madly
I came with my best man, I came with my brother
To ask for your hand here in front of your dad
If you say no, if you say no, if you say no
I'll blow everything up
If you say yes, if you say yes, if you say yes
Big wedding
I brought a bomb to show everyone
No one else can, no one else can have you
I brought the biggest bomb in the world
To blow myself and the whole planet up
I dare you to say no to me, I dare you to say no, I dare you to say no
It will explode
If you say yes, if you say yes, if you say yes
Big wedding
Cica (a female nickname), Cica, Cica, I love you
Come on, Cica, Cica, big wedding
(I.C.)