Ze Rak Sport ("It's Just Sport") was the Israeli entry at the Eurovision Song Contest 1992 in Malmo performed by Dafna.
The song is a moderately up-tempo number. According to the lyrics of the song, the narrator is a girl or a woman, who is describing herself as a prisoner of music and as addicted to the rhythm of the music. The narrator wishes to dance her troubles away, to sing into the dark and be plant the seeds of happiness.
The song was originally 3 minutes and 17 seconds long but after a court battle with Dekel's runner up in the pre-selection show the writers of the song promised to cut out the 17 seconds. In the live version in Sweden Dekel sings the last chorus in English ("Viva sport"), which marks the first foray into English by Israel at that point.
It was performed 3rd on the night following Belgium and preceding Turkey. At the close of voting, it finished in 6th place with 85 points.
Lyrics[]
Ani shvuyat hamangina, hamechura laketsev
Lachen ani ma’amina bamilchama ba’etsev
Lirkod et kol hamu’akot, lashir el toch hachoshech
Lizro’a leshalosh dakot et hivhuvei ha’osher
Ve’en li shum ratson lehityafyef
Hahitnas’ut hazot hi keta me’ayef
Velo ichpat li letsaftsef ki hamischak ose li kef
Im yesh sikui echad le’elef le’ofef
Ve’im hana’ara lo tesachek ota
Hi lo tivke, hi lo tachriz al yom mota
Ki ze rak sport, ken, ze rak sport
Ze rak sport, rak sport
Ki ze rak sport, ken, ze rak sport
Ze rak sport, rak sport
Ken, hachaim hem kav mahir, veze davar batuach
Aval halayla yesh li shir, ve’od hakol patuach
Nidme li she’etsleinu kan, ba’arets hamuvtachat
Ata mevin mi shemuchan et hasikun lakachat
Ve’en li shum ratson lehityafyef
Besach-hakol na’im vetov li lechafef
Im gitarist umetofef ve’im klidan shemitchatsef
Ve’im sikui echad le’elef le’ofef
Ve’im hana’ara lo tesachek ota
Hi lo tivke, hi lo tachriz al yom mota
Ki ze rak sport, ken, ze rak sport
Ze rak sport, rak sport
Ki ze rak sport, ken, ze rak sport
Ze rak sport, rak sport
Ve’im hana’ara lo tesachek ota
Hi lo tivke, hi lo tachriz al yom mota
Viva sport, oh viva sport
Viva, viva sport
Viva sport, oh viva sport
Viva, viva sport
Papa pada papa papa dei…
I am a prisoner of the melody, the addict to the rhythm
That is why I believe in the fight against sadness
To dance away all the distress, to sing into the darkness
To plant for three minutes the flickering of happiness
And I have no desire to mince words
This patronising is a tiring thing
And I don’t mind not caring because the game is fun
If there is a chance of one in a thousand to soar
And if the girl doesn’t do well
She won’t cry, she won’t declare this her day of death
Because it’s just sport, yes, it’s just sport
It’s just sport, just sport
Because it’s just sport, yes, it’s just sport
It’s just sport, just sport
Yes, life is a fast line, and it’s a sure thing
But tonight I have a song, and everything is still open
I think that here, in the Promised Land
You understand those who are willing to take the risk
And I have no desire to mince words
It’s just nice and good for me doing a sloppy job
With a guitarist and a drummer and with a cheeky keyboard player
And with a chance of one in a thousand to soar
And if the girl doesn’t do well
She won’t cry, she won’t declare this her day of death
Because it’s just sport, yes, it’s just sport
It’s just sport, just sport
Because it’s just sport, yes, it’s just sport
It’s just sport, just sport
And if the girl doesn’t do well
She won’t cry, she won’t declare this her day of death
Viva sport, oh viva sport
Viva, viva sport
Viva sport, oh viva sport
Viva, viva sport
Papa pada papa papa dei…
| Eurovision Song Contest 1992 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Participants | |||
 Serafín Zubiri •  Morgane •  Dafna Dekel •  Aylin Vatankoş •  Cleopatra •  Kali •  Christer Björkman •  Dina •  Evridiki •  Mary Spiteri •  Heart 2 Heart •  Pave Maijanen •  Daisy Auvray •  Marion Welter & Kontinent •  Tony Wegas •  Michael Ball •  Linda Martin •  Kenny Lübcke & Lotte Nilsson •  Mia Martini •  Extra Nena •  Merethe Trøan •  Wind •  Humphrey Campbell
| |||
| Songs | |||
| Todo esto es la música • Nous, on veut des violons • Ze Rak Sport • Yaz Bitti • Olou Tou Kosmou I Elpida • Monté la riviè • I morgon är en annan dag • Amor d'água fresca • Teriazoume • Little Child • Nei eða já • Yamma Yamma • Mister Music Man • Sou fräi • Zusammen geh'n • One Step Out Of Time • Why Me? • Alt det som ingen ser • Rapsodia • Ljubim te pesmama • Visjoner • Träume sind für alle da • Wijs me de weg
| |||
Trivia[]
- The English version of the song is called "Viva Sport", and the lyrics are a salute to the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. Israel won their first ever Olympic medals in those games, by judokas Yael Arad (silver in women's 61 kg) and Oren Smadja (bronze in men's 71 kg).
Videos[]
Dafna - Ze rak sport (ESC 1992 Israel)
Ze rak sport - Dafna Dekel - eurovision 1992