7.4.08

Forgotten masterpieces from the UK

In these days of dismal ditties from the British, it is time to stop and ponder the fact that quite a few quality entries missed out in the British selections through the years. Here are some glimpses of brilliance that I want to share with you, all of which better than the last few UK entries.



Liquid Gold - Don't Panic - UK NF 1981
Liquid Gold had scored a few hit singles already, when they entered the Song for Europe and came closest of all to beating Bucks Fizz. Maybe that was all for the better, since this disco band was about to disband anyway and the Fizzers would prove to have a future, but this is simple disco at its best. And I love the outfits and that grand voice.



Kim Clark - Surrender - UK NF 1980
In a year when the UK juries went for a winner dismal enough to represent the Brits still at this day, it is almost shocking to think this one was rejected. This is what I call solid Eurovision with a very convincing chorus and orchestration. Maybe it all comes down to the performance, reminding more of Auntie Kim getting one tiny glass too much of glühwein at the Christmas party than of a potential pop star.



Touring Company - Every Step Of The Way - UK NF 1982
Weird? Indeed. But also very, very catchy. Over the top like few others, but the chorus will stick with you, if not for every step of the way then at least for the rest of the day.



Rubic - When The Kissing Stops - UK NF 1983
The winner was admittedly a lot stronger this year, but this Brotherhood of Man-reject could have been a real contender with a slightly more convincing performance. Isn't the aggressively blonde girl the same one who showed up with Belle in the Devotions a year later, by the way?



Deuce - I Need You - UK NF 1995
And, ah. Sigh. Love City Groove did seem like a good idea at the time, but today it is impossible to believe Deuce could lose. Had they had better material on their album, they could really have rocked the world back in those days, but at least this remains the commercially most successful non-winner ever from a UK selection (or isn't that so, Eurofivestar?) if that is any consolation.

3 comments:

eurofivestar said...

Probably, yeah. At least with the original artist. Some old SFE entries were covered by other singers and became minor hits too.

I Am Not The Beatles said...

My favourite UK one..... One Step Further - just completely and utterly brilliant. I like that Touring Company one though, very nice indeed.

Oh, and I actually met and touched Love City Groove.

Oh yes. I didn't wash for weeks.

x

Tobias said...

...but you started washing again since? Weird!