It's become a rule of thumb in recent years that the songs you most want to see played out live in the auditions are the ones most likely to be assigned to the bin before they even get pushed in front of a camera. And we really fear that's going to be the case with this splendid little outsider number.
The VoviAN boys here talk us through the ten wonders of Moldova in willowy voices and in front of what sounds like a pre-programmed Bontempi beat, and you would just love to see what visual concept they had planned for it if it got to the properly televised stages. Our guess would be stand awkwardly in silver suits and maybe step from side to side occasionally. But we fear we'll never know.
We also fear that we'll never know what these ten wonders are. So if anyone out there is well versed in Moldovan or Romanian who'd like to give us something of a translation we'll be very happy puppies.
It's acts like this that we do this blog for. They fully deserve to be remembered forever, long after the glitzy singers have been sent to the big show. For they embody the very spirit of this time of year. The innocent hope that maybe there's just a chance that they might get on the telly. And we wholeheartedly applaud them for it!
Ok, I have a very basic knowledge of Moldova and the Romanian language, but curiosity got the better of me and I had a crack at deciphering the 10 wonders. Not sure of a couple, but I took some educated guesses with Google’s assistance. So here they may or may not be, in the order listed from 1:12 into the song:
ReplyDelete1. ? Sfânta Catedrală (Holy Cathedral – I can’t find any Cathedral by this name in Moldova. They may be referring to the Cathedral of Christ's Nativity in Chisinau, because Catedrala Mitropolitană Nașterea Domnului wouldn’t fit in the song)
2. Ștefan cel Mare (Stephen the Great, probably the Stephen the Great Monument)
3. Orheiul Vechi (Old Orhei)
4. Cetatea Soroca (Soroca Fortress)
5. Muzeul Naţional (National Museum)
6. Mănăstirea Căpriana (Capriana monastery)
7. Mileștii Mici (world’s largest wine cellar)
8. Vinărie Cricova (world’s second largest wine cellar)
9. Orchestra Lăutarii (folk orchestra)
10. ? Eminescu al nostru soare (Eminescu of our sun? Almost definitely a reference to Romanian poet Mihai Eminescu, maybe a statue of him?)
Thanks!
DeleteOh boy Sophie, that's some terrific detective work! You don't know how much we appreciate your toils on this! You get a metaphorical Apocalypse Gold Star for your efforts! Top marks!
ReplyDelete