I've been acquiring and playing loads of MP3s of this year's Eurovision hopefuls for Athens, and it would be very remiss of me not to bring one particular song to your attention. (Thankfully, you can easily listen to it too.)

One of the songs that has already made it from an Icelandic semi-final into the final (Songvakeppnin 2006, a week today) is by a singer called Silvía Nótt. It's called 'Til Hamingju Island', which means 'Congratulations Iceland'. The lyric is astonishing. It's all about her, how Iceland should choose her, and how she will win Eurovision! How fabulously, arrogantly self-regarding! She's actually playing a character part, but it's still hilarious. When I read about this, I laughed at the lyric, which I've revealed below, for your delectation, and then prepared to move on. However, I then played the song. Instead of being the throwaway novelty that I was expecting, it's actually really good! From her voice and the story of the song, I expected Silvía Nótt to look like a slightly deranged dark-haired type, like Lene Lovich or Nanne Gronvahl, but, as this picture on her Myspace profile reveals (amongst some gratuitously offensive comments in the sidebar), she's blonde and looks more like a combination of Sonia and the Halliwell with a bit of the Bunton thrown in. She also lists her interests as including 'boys who don't pretend they are not gay'.

Anyway, the song! I suggest you go and play it here now, while reading the lyric below. (Thanks to Roger in Norway and whoever posted this for him to nab from the doteurovision message board.) Then let me know what you think. I've asked this Icelandic blogger, who lives in Cambridge, what he thinks of her, as he saw her semi-final on TV last week. Icelanders will surely either think this is hilariously funny or hideously embarrassing? I do think that she should keep it in Icelandic if she gets through to Athens. The joke would be lost if it was in English. She's singing specifically for the homeland, but other countries might like the music anyway.

Two other things to listen out for. Firstly, doesn't that opening note sound exactly the same as the start of The Human League's 'Love Action'? Secondly, she's not singing about Bonnie Raitt in that first verse, despite how it sounds; she's singing 'born in Reykjavik'. Look out Athens, I think (hope!) Silvía Nótt is coming!

Til Hamingju Ísland - Silvía Nótt

Hey you! Really cool!
I wanna talk with you.
I'm Silvia Night shining in the light.
I know you're longing for me.
I'm born in Reykjavik, talentful, no village freak.
I know I'm gonna win the f***ing final.
All the other songs have lost.

Congratulations Iceland, that I was born here.
I'm Silvía Nótt, and you support me.
Eurovision Nation will have a fit when I come along.
I'm born to win this, walk over it.

Cool, cool, cool.

Nice song, really cool, nothing 90s disgust.
It's cool, okay, it isn't gay, I'm here to stay.
The other bitches have spots, but I'm a virgin.
You love me. You worship me.
But again it sucks.

Congratulations Iceland, that I was born here.
I'm Silvía Nótt, and you support me.
Eurovision Nation will have a fit when I come along.
I'm born to win this, walk over it.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Iceland. Congratulations Iceland. Congratulations Iceland.
Congratulations Iceland…

Congratulations Iceland, that I was born here.
I'm Silvía Nótt, and you support me.
Eurovision Nation will have a fit when I come along.
I'm born to win this, walk over it.

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