Boom Boom Boomerang

"Boom Boom Boomerang" was the Austrian representative in the Eurovision Song Contest 1977, performed in German (with some lyrics in English) by Schmetterlinge.

"Boom Boom Boomerang"
Eurovision Song Contest 1977 entry
Country
Artist(s)
Schmetterlinge
Language
Composer(s)
  • Schurli Hernstadt
  • Willi Resetarits
  • Herbert Zöchling-Tampier
Lyricist(s)
Conductor
Christian Kolonovits
Finals performance
Final result
17th
Final points
11
Entry chronology
◄ "My Little World" (1976)
"Mrs Caroline Robinson" (1978) ►

The song was one of the more controversial entries in Contest history, and is generally considered to be the contest's first true joke song. Lyrically, its verses – sung mostly in German – were an unveiled criticism of the capitalist elements of the music industry (the tone is set from the introductory couplet, sung a cappella in English: "music is love for you and me; music is money for the record company"); while its chorus, comprising a string of nonsense English lyrics, were considered a parody of the Contest itself – especially its more flippantly named prior winners "La, la, la" (1968), "Boom Bang-a-Bang" (1969), and "Ding-a-Dong" (1975).[1][2]

The stage performance also represented a heavy parody of contest norms at the time. The four male singers, viewed from the front, were wearing cream jumpsuits and red shirts; but when they turned around to be viewed from behind, the costumes appeared to be the front of a tuxedo, with each singer also wearing a smiling mask on the back of his head and carrying banknotes in his pockets reflecting the song's lyrics. The band carried out an intentionally silly dance routine during the song's chorus, viewed as a parody of typical Contest choreography at the time, especially the previous year's winner "Save Your Kisses For Me".[1][2]

The song was performed fourth on the night, following the Netherlands' Heddy Lester with "De mallemolen" and preceding Norway's Anita Skorgan with "Casanova". At the close of voting, it had received 11 points, placing it 17th in a field of 18.

The song was succeeded as Austrian representative at the 1978 contest by Springtime, performing "Mrs. Caroline Robinson".

Charts
Chart (1977) Peak
position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[3] 10

References
  1. Kalvin Lindfors (20 June 2020). ""Music is money for the record company": The story of the first parody entry at the Eurovision Song Contest". Good Evening Europe!. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  2. John Kennedy O'Connor (2005), The Eurovision Song Contest, Australia: ABC Books, pp. 69–70
  3. "Schmetterlinge – Boom Boom Boomerang" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
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