Play Jaja Ding Dong! The incredibly catchy song from the Netflix comedy movie Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga, has an astonishing legacy. Not only is Jaja Ding Dong a truly impressive musical number, but it has certainly made a huge impact on its country of origin, Iceland. In fact, Icelandic actor Jóhannes Jóhannesson believes that the song should be his homeland’s new national anthem.
In a recent interview with The Digital Fix, to discuss his work on the upcoming Netflix series Vikings: Valhalla, Jóhannesson revealed his love for the song, and indeed his country’s love of the song, when asked about his involvement with the Eurovision movie. Naturally, the popular culture phenomenon Jaja Ding Dong made its way into the conversation.
“We welcome the whole thing,” Jóhannesson muses. “In fact, I think it should be our national anthem,” he adds. Is he joking? Who knows. But, if Jaja Ding Dong does end up becoming the official national anthem of Iceland, remember you heard it here first folks!
And the fun doesn’t stop there, either, as Jóhannesson explains just how deeply rooted the song is in Icelandic culture now: “In Húsavík, where they shot the scenes from the film, they have opened up a bar now that is called Jaja Ding Dong.”
We did a little digging and, according to the official business listing on Google, the Jaja Ding Dong bar does indeed exist. The venue is “inspired by the world’s greatest musical event” and is famous for “offering good vibes and the best view in town.” Well that settles it, we are planning a trip to Iceland as we speak!
You can see Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga on streaming service Netflix now as part of a subscription to the service. And you will also be able to see Jóhannes Jóhannesson in action in the epic TV series Vikings: Valhalla on the platform when it drops on February 25, 2022.