Music, Memory, And Loss: Azerbaijan's Silent Songs

When the Music Dies is a song that represented Azerbaijan in the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest. It was performed by Sabina Babayeva and came fourth overall with a total of 150 points. The song was written by Anders Bagge, Sandra Bjurman, Stefan Örn, and Johan Kronlund, and was selected through a competition called Milli Seçim Turu 2012. When the Music Dies is a blend of European music trends and Azerbaijani traditional music, featuring traditional instruments such as the balaban and elements of the Azerbaijani folk mugham genre.

When the Music Dies lyrics

Sabina Babayeva's "When the Music Dies" is a dramatic love song that blends European music trends with Azerbaijani traditional music. The song, which Babayeva describes as "very special", evokes intense emotions and showcases her unique timbre and vocal skills.

The lyrics of "When the Music Dies" reflect a heartfelt plea to a loved one, expressing:

You are my best friend,

You are my everything,

So don't leave me now

You are the best of me,

The reason that I believe,

So don't leave me now

The singer further expresses their efforts to keep the relationship alive, despite feeling coldness and distance from their partner. They emphasise the pain and emptiness they experience with every heartbeat, as the music between them fades to silence.

The chorus repeats the poignant line, "When the music dies," capturing the sense of loss and longing that permeates the song. The lyrics continue to portray the breakdown of communication and the emotional distance between the couple, with the singer pleading:

You can't even look at me,

Still not gonna speak to me

Despite the heartache and despair conveyed in the lyrics, the song ultimately celebrates the power of music in helping us stay alive and overcoming life's challenges.

Eurovision 2012

Azerbaijan's entry to the Eurovision Song Contest in 2012 was "When the Music Dies", written by Anders Bagge, Sandra Bjurman, Stefan Örn, and Johan Kronlund, and performed by Sabina Babayeva. Babayeva was selected as the Azerbaijani performer by a seven-member jury following eight heats, a semi-final, and a final on February 12, 2012. The song "When the Music Dies" was internally selected and presented to the public on March 17, 2012.

Azerbaijan's 2012 Eurovision performance featured Sabina Babayeva wearing a white dress with silver sequins, feathers, and a long train. She was accompanied by three backing vocalists and mugham performer Alim Qasimov, who sat on a glass platform. The LED screens displayed abstract images of red paint being splashed, and Babayeva's dress featured red and orange lighting effects.

"When the Music Dies" placed fourth in the Eurovision 2012 final, scoring 150 points (151 points from the public televote and 118 points from the jury vote). This continued Azerbaijan's streak of successful results, having placed in the top ten each year since its debut in 2008, including a win in 2011 with the song "Running Scared" performed by Ell and Nikki.

The choice of Azerbaijan as the host country of Eurovision 2012 was controversial due to the country's poor human rights record and increasingly authoritarian rule. However, Azerbaijani activists opted not to boycott the event but instead used the international media attention to draw attention to human rights violations and press for democratic change. They participated in campaigns such as Sing for Democracy to expose human rights issues and promote democratic reforms.

Sabina Babayeva

In 2012, Babayeva represented Azerbaijan in the grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest, held in Baku, Azerbaijan, on May 26, 2012, with the song "When the Music Dies". She finished 4th overall, receiving 261 points. The song was selected on March 17, 2012, through internal selection, and the music video was released two days later. Babayeva described the song as ""a very special song", and said, "I think everybody has had this kind of moment in their life. Actually, I do believe music really should not die, because it helps us to stay alive no matter what happens."

Prior to the contest, Babayeva promoted "When the Music Dies" across Europe, with appearances in Hungary, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Malta. She has also participated in several song competitions both within Azerbaijan and internationally, winning the grand-prix at the young performers contest Amberstar in Latvia, and the Slavic Star Contest in Russia, in 2009. Babayeva has also represented Azerbaijan at cultural events in Paris, Washington, Cannes, and Vilnius. In addition to her musical talents, she also holds a university degree in law.

Songwriters

"When the Music Dies" is a song written by Anders Bagge, Sandra Bjurman, Stefan Örn, and Johan Kronlund. It was performed by Sabina Babayeva and represented Azerbaijan at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2012. The song was selected through an internal process and presented to the public on March 17, 2012, with the official music video released two days later.

The song is a blend of European music trends and Azerbaijani traditional music. It features traditional Azerbaijani musical instruments such as the balaban and kamancha, as well as elements of the Azerbaijani folk mugham genre. The studio work on the song included renowned Azerbaijani mugham singer Alim Qasimov.

The lyrics of "When the Music Dies" tell a dramatic love story, expressing the singer's strongest and most secret feelings. The melody is tender yet intense, showcasing Babayeva's vocal skills, intensity, and unique timbre.

> "You, you are my best friend

> You are my everything, so don’t leave me now

> You, you are the best of me

> The reason that I believe, so don’t leave me now

> And I try to keep us alive

> But you’re cold, cold, cold

> Now every second that my heart skips, it ends."

The songwriters, Bagge, Bjurman, Örn, and Kronlund, created a powerful and emotional song that resonated with audiences and helped Babayeva achieve a fourth-place finish at the Eurovision Song Contest.

Azerbaijani traditional music

Azerbaijani music is the musical tradition of the Azerbaijani people from the Azerbaijan Republic. It has evolved under the badge of monody, producing rhythmically diverse melodies.

Azerbaijani music has a branch mode system, where the chromatisation of major and minor scales is of great importance. It has a rich history of folk music, with songs often recounting stories of real-life events and Azerbaijani folklore. These songs are usually played at weddings, funerals, and special festivals.

Traditional instruments used in Azerbaijani music include stringed instruments such as the tar (skin-faced lute), the kamancha (skin-faced spike fiddle), the oud (originally barbat), and the saz (long-necked lute). It also includes double-reed wind instruments like the balaban, and various drums such as the ghaval, nagara, and gosha nagara. Other instruments in Azerbaijani folk music are the garmon (small accordion), tutek (whistle flute), and daf (frame drum).

One of the unique aspects of Azerbaijani music is the presence of Ashiqs, travelling bards who sing and play the saz. Their art form is considered an emblem of national identity and a guardian of the Azerbaijani language, literature, and music. Since 2009, the art of Azerbaijani Ashiqs has been recognised as part of UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Another distinctive aspect of Azerbaijani music is Meykhana, a literary and folk rap tradition. It consists of unaccompanied songs performed by one or more people improvising on a particular subject, often compared to hip-hop music.

Mugham is another important folk musical composition from Azerbaijan, drawing on Arabic maqam. It combines classical poetry and musical improvisation in specific local modes. Mugham is a modal system where each "mugham" mode is associated with scales and an orally transmitted collection of melodies that performers use for improvisation.

Azerbaijani music has also been influenced by European music traditions, particularly during the Imperial Russian and Soviet eras. This influence led to the emergence of opera and ballet in the country, with the first documented opera performance taking place in Baku in May 1889.

In modern times, Azerbaijani music has continued to evolve, with the emergence of popular music styles such as pop, jazz, hip-hop, and rock. The country's participation in the Eurovision Song Contest since 2008 has also contributed to the exposure and development of its musical talent.

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