Who are Let 3? Meet the band representing Croatia at Eurovision 2023

Let 3, a Croatian alternative rock band formed in 1987 in Rijeka, the birthplace of the Balkan punk scene, will represent Croatia in Eurovision 2023 with their song “Mama ŠČ!”. Their performance at Dora was the most commented and controversial of the edition, but they managed to conquer the public and jury of their country last February.

Get to know Let 3 (Eurovision 2023 Croatia)

Let 3 is known for its theatrical performances, provocative lyrics, and experimental music style, which quickly earned them a reputation in Croatia. The band’s name translates to “Flight 3” and refers to the Yugoslav Airlines Flight 3 that crashed in 1972. The band was formed in the era when Yugoslavia still existed as a country, and its early work was marked by social criticism and political satire.

Let 3 originally consisted of two main members: Damir “Mrle” Martinović (vocals, guitar) and Zoran “Prlja” Prodanović (bass, vocals). The band has undergone some lineup changes over the years, but these two members have been a constant in the group. They adopted the current name by adding new members to the group. Currently, the band consists of Mrle, Prlja, Ivan “Bin” Bojčić (drums), Dražen Baljak (guitar, mandolin), and Matej “knki” Zec (guitar, backing tracks).

The band’s first album, “Two Dogs Fuckin‘”, was released in 1989 and became famous for its live performances and controversial lyrics. Their second album, “El Desperado“, was released in 1991 and contained a song that became their biggest hit, “Dražen Petrović”. The song became an anthem for the famous Croatian basketball player who died in a car accident in 1993.

Their 1999 album “Nečuveno” was distributed as a CD that had nothing recorded on it. Despite this, it sold 350 copies. The next album “Jedina” was first recorded in 1994 in a single copy that the band refused to sell or distribute. However, the record company decided to release the album in slightly different versions. This caused the band to stage a fake firing squad suicide on Ban Jelačić Square in Zagreb as a protest.

Throughout their career, Let 3 has released numerous albums, including “Peace” (1995), “Two Dogs Fuckin’ 2” (1998), “Bombardiranje Srbije i Čačka” (1999), “Glamour” (2000), and “Profesor Jakov” (2002). Let 3 is known for their extravagance on stage, theatrical performances, and provocative lyrics.

The band has been the subject of controversy on several occasions due to their sexual content and political criticism, frequently being targeted by conservative politicians and the Catholic Church for their performances and their feminist and pro-LGBT stances. However, they have been one of the most influential and innovative groups in the Croatian and former Yugoslavia.

“Mama ŠČ!”, their song for Liverpool

The song that Let 3 will perform in Liverpool is called “Mama ŠČ!”. It was written and composed by the band members Damir Mrle Martinović and Zoran Prlja Prodanović.

The song is a humorous satire about war and conflicts. The lyrics are intentionally absurd and contain many wordplay and rhymes, making it difficult to decipher a clear message. The verses mention mom buying a tractor and loving an idiot, and the chorus talks about a “little psychopath” going to war. The repeated use of “Mom” is perhaps a nod to the idea of a protective mother for her child, but here it is used in a more comical sense. The chorus also contains a reference to a crocodile psychopath, which could be interpreted as a metaphor for the dangerous nature of war and the people who perpetuate it. The constant repetition of “Mama, idem (let’s go) u rat (to war)” also underscores the absurdity of the situation. Overall, the song seems to underline the senselessness and futility of war, and suggests that it is better to approach conflicts with humor and satire rather than take them too seriously. The final “Šč!” can be interpreted as a playful and irreverent way to conclude the song.

In various interviews, the band reported that the title of the song had been inspired by the “first letter of the oldest alphabet in the world,” “ŠČ”. The song, according to the band, is an anti-war song; in the interview, the band reported that after total Armageddon has been fought on Earth, a rocket would land on Earth, containing the letters “ŠČ”. In other interviews, the band has also claimed that “ŠČ” could also mean the sound someone makes when they have orgasms, a blood type, or a sound someone makes when meditating. It is also a reference to the Russian letter Shcha (Щ).

In later interviews, the band claimed that the song was a metaphor for the Russian Federation. The band claims that in the song, they mock dictators for being “childish,” with an emphasis on Russian President Vladimir Putin and his decision to launch the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

According to Hrvoje Cvijanović, the “tractor,” which is mentioned numerous times in the song, is symbolism for Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who has helped Russia in the invasion, even gifting Putin a tractor for his 70th birthday. The song criticizes both leaders, calling them “psychopaths.”

«Mama ŠČ!» lyrics

Croatia in the Eurovision Song Contest

After the dissolution of Yugoslavia in 1991, Croatia made its Eurovision Song Contest debut in 1993 and has since participated in 29 occasions, missing the annual event twice (2014 and 2015). However, in 1992, they attempted to participate in the EBU contest with Magazin and the song “Aleluja,” but they could not be present in that edition because HRT did not adhere to the European Broadcasting Union on time.

Croatia’s best Eurovision Song Contest results to date have been two fourth-place finishes in 1996 with the song “Sveta ljubav” by Maja Blagdan and in 1999 with the song “Marija Magdalena” by Doris Dragović, and a fifth-place finish in 1998 with Danijela Martinović and the song “Neka mi ne svane.” Since the introduction of semifinals in 2004, Croatia has not had much luck in the contest, only managing to qualify for the final seven times and narrowly missing the final in 2021.

In the last edition of 2022, the selected artist was Mia Dimšić with her song “Guilty Pleasure,” where she only managed to reach 11th place with 75 points in the semifinal, falling just short of making it to the final. This marks the fourth consecutive year that Croatia has failed to make it past the semifinals. Will their luck change this year?