Ukraine enters revolution anthem into Eurovision Song Contest

THE tune that became the anthem of Ukraine’s "orange revolution" has been chosen to represent the country at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.

The hip-hop tune Razom Nas Bagato! ("Together We Are Many") by Greenjolly beat 18 other contestants in an interactive vote in a qualifying final in Kiev. It became an instant hit with many Ukrainians who rallied against last November’s rigged presidential poll.

Ukraine will host Eurovision 2005 in May as it won the contest last year with Wild Dances by Ruslana.

Razom Nas Bagato! is a remake of the famous revolutionary song Pueblo Unido Jamas Sera Vencido! ("The People, United, Will Never Be Defeated!") from the 1960s.

The cover version was written by the Greenjolly duo in the early days of the mass protests in Kiev that eventually brought West-leaning President Viktor Yushchenko to power.

"No to falsifications!... No to lies! Yushchenko - yes! Yushchenko - yes! This is our president - yes, yes!" the song goes. "We aren’t cattle!... We are Ukraine’s daughters and sons! Now or never! Enough with the wait! Together we are many! We cannot be defeated," it goes on.

Greenjolly won the right to represent Ukraine in a telephone and text message vote during Sunday’s final, shown live on UT1 television channel.

However, some local music experts have criticised the viewers’ choice, saying the Euro-vision is not a contest for political songs. Mr Yushchenko was poisoned during last year’s bitterly-fought election campaign. It also recently emerged that his telephones were tapped.

He won the presidential poll after taking legal action over the original result, amid widespread electoral fraud.