Vrede (song)



"Vrede" ("Peace") was the Dutch entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1993, cowritten by Eric van Tijn, Jochem Fluitsma and performed in Dutch by Ruth Jacott.

The song is an up-tempo number, with musical influences from the urban styles rising to prominence at the time. Among these influences is the first appearance of DJ scratching (in the instrumental break) in Contest history. Mention is also made in the liner notes to the Congratulations CDs and DVDs that Jacott and her backing singers wore costumes inspired by science fiction.

Lyrically, Jacott sings about the successes that humanity has experienced through science and how beneficial they appear to be. She cites the fact that "something is done to the asphalt" on roads to make braking easier in cars, as well as genetically engineered apples, heavier-than-air flight and "a lightbulb that never burns out" among other triumphs. Importantly, however, she concludes the chorus with the comment that none of these things will help "to keep the peace", suggesting that solidarity among the human race is more important than scientific progress.

An English-language version was also recorded, with the title of "Einstein In Reverse", which expands further on the theme of the Dutch original, making the points more explicitly.

The song was performed twentieth on the night (following the United Kingdom's Sonia with "Better The Devil You Know" and preceding Croatia's Put with "Don't Ever Cry"). At the close of voting, it had received 92 points, placing 6th in a field of 25.

As previously mentioned, the song appeared as a "Classic" on the CDs and DVDs produced to coincide with the Congratulations special in late 2005.

It was succeeded as Dutch representative at the 1994 contest by Willeke Alberti with "Waar is de zon?".