A Disembodied Eye Spots A Lithuanian Eurovision Plagiarism Scandal!

Dan Gibson | January 28, 2009 1:15 am

The frothy world of Eurovision was shaken by accusations of plagarism over the weekend, when the frontrunner in Lietuvos Dainų Daina, Lithuania’s song selection contest, was removed from the running. Hear the shocking similarity between “Lietuva” and a certain Britpop track that caused many a pop critic to go bananas in 1991 after the jump!

Deivis had the right idea in trying to win over the Lithuanian public: Record a song about Lithuania, use a pleasant melody, and title it “Lithuania.” He dominated his quarterfinal, and took a lot of momentum into this weekend’s semifinals.

Deivis, “Lietuva”:

Still, even in Lithuania, they’re going to notice when you’ve taken the hook for your number from a relatively popular song by Sixpence None The Richer. (They think Sixpence originally wrote the track, and not The La’s.)

Sixpence None The Richer vs. Deivis

The La’s apparently never crossed over into the Lithuanian pop consciousness, but the lilting sounds of Sixpence None The Richer did. I have no idea. Either way, Deivis is out, and Donatas Montvydas (singing in English!) has taken over the frontrunner spot.

Donatas Montvydas, “From The Distance”:

I wouldn’t expect to improve on last year’s 16th-place finish quite yet, Lithuania.

And just in case you need a reminder, here are The La’s playing “There She Goes” on an early-’90s episode of Late Night WIth David Letterman:

Deivis disqualified from “Lietuvos Dainų Daina” [Oiko Times]