“October Rain” could be interpreted as a ballad about the fall weather, or as a lament or rallying call following the Hamas-led attacks on Israel of Oct. 7.
This week, the meaning of “October Rain” became contentious when it was reported in Israeli newspapers that a song with that name had been chosen to represent the country in the Eurovision Song Contest.
Initial reports sparked a furor on social media, with some fans arguing that the song clearly referred to Oct. 7 and should not be allowed in a nonpolitical event such as Eurovision.
Israel’s broadcaster, a member of the European Broadcasting Union, began discussions with the union over the suitability of “October Rain,” with speculation that if the track was not approved, Israel would not submit an alternative and would therefore be barred from the contest.
Israel’s culture minister called it “scandalous” if the song wasn’t allowed to compete and defended it as an emotional song discussing regeneration and rebirth, rather than a political statement.
The European Broadcasting Union is currently scrutinizing the song’s lyrics and will allow broadcasters to submit a new song or new lyrics if it is deemed unacceptable for any reason.
Israel’s participation has cast a shadow over the event, with some musicians in other countries urging the European Broadcasting Union to ban Israel due to the conflict in the Middle East. However, the union has consistently maintained that Eurovision is not a contest between governments.
At this year’s Eurovision, Israel will be represented by Eden Golan, a 20-year-old pop singer. The officially announced song from Israel will be released on March 10.
The European Broadcasting Union has intervened in the past when it detected political overtones in proposed Eurovision entries, demonstrating the difficulty in deciding where the line is with political song content.