Anžej is alive

Anžej Dežan, who sang for Slovenia in Athens 2006, is still around and recently he won Slovenska popevka. (For some reason, all the ESC sites only focus on the participation of Alenka Gotar, whose greatness I still fail to register.)

I had high hopes for Anžej back then, and I am happy to see that his career is not over. Even though I sense a certain lack of hit factor in this winning entry... But maybe it works in Slovenia?



Anžej Dežan - Šopek Maka
winner Slovenska popevka 2008

Estonia is in

After much discussion, and against the will of some important people at ERR, Estonia will take part in the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest. A good decision.

A multitude of half-hearted reasons to drop out have been cited, one less serious-sounding than the other. Estonia should show sympathy with Georgia, was one. Estonia fears that Russia will turn Eurovision into a propaganda machine was another.

Of course taking part is the only way to go. Estonia is too small a country to be able to afford missing out international exposure like the ESC. The best statement one can make is to be present.

Now is the question, who wants to pick up the task of representing the Estonian tricolor in Moscow after the ERR tainted the whole thing with so much politics?

My answer now, as always, is: Anne Veski. She is a grand old lady of Estonian pop, a real icon with real talent, and also very popular and appreciated in Russia. If anyone can be a gracious ambassadress in Moscow, it is her.



Anne Veski - Прости за любовь



Anne Veski - Электричка



Anne Veski & Rolf Junior - Sa oled liga noor

Dutch breakdown

The Netherlands are certainly not living their best days of Eurovision, that must be obvious to anyone gifted with eyes and, above all, ears. For a few moments, when it seemed NOS almost had Anouk on the hook, I thought maybe they would get it right this time.

Or, well. They let me down too many times in the last few years that I didn't really expect much. But I was not ready for the complete let-down that was announced today.

De Toppers will go to Moscow for the Netherlands. Gerard Joling, Gordon and René Froeger singing together. Absolutely hooray. The Dutch are wondering why nobody votes for them, and the hottest they can come up with is a collection of half-screaming has-beens? Well, good luck, people.

Maybe they will manage to find the best Dutch entry since the Ice Age and I will have to eat my words. (But I very much doubt it - just watch the gents murder some euroclassics below...) It seems the Dutch love them, but nowhere near as much as they seem to love themselves. They almost make Dima Bilan come across as modest...



De Toppers - Eurosong medley

The juries are back

The EBU reference board decided, in its infinite wisdom, to bring the juries back to Eurovision for next year. Hooray. What a lovely idea.

The verdict of the juries will somehow be wieghted against the televote (nobody knows quite how yet), as that will decrease all this horrific neighbourfriendly diaspora voting that keeps contaminating the voting lately.

Do I sound sarcastic? Really? Well, it is just because I am old enough to remember the juries. They did quite often vote like apes. Do you remember?

On so many occasions, the juries favoured the stereotypical and the expected, rejecting anything slightly modern och slightly different. Not to mention, come the 90's, the increasing level of traded points, which turned the voting into a complete farce.

If the EBU takes this whole matter seriously and makes an effort to keep the juries representative and un-pressured by their national broadcasters, then maybe it is a clever move. Until then, I am not quite extatic.



Serious jury work back in 1973

Sakis is back

Greece was the first country to announce their choice of singer for the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest, and it was both surprising and expected to see Sakis Rouvas back for a second attempt to win.

For me, who first heard of Sakis back in 1997, "Shake it" was as close to a complete disappointment as one could possibly get. Simple, repetitive and way under his regular standard.

Let's hope 2009 sees an improvement song-wise and points-wise. Athens was a great host city...

To celebrate his return, I share the first ever song I heard from Sakis. And isn't it Maria Menounos in a blond wig that spreads her light over this clip...?



Sakis Rouvas - Tora arhizoun ta diskola

So much for saving silly season

Yes, yes. I know.

There wasn't much posting going on to save silly season, but the main good reason for that is of course the whole Russia - Georgia crisis and all the tension that brought along also in Camp Eurovision.

Rather than writing anything on the matter that one would have to regret later, it seemed much smarter not to write anything.

But now so much news keeps pouring in and it is time to start writing again. Starting today.

Mixer

And also, there it is - the best interval act ever through Eurovision history. Eat your heart out, Riverdance!

Nothing beats Mixer. Try doing this at home, kids, and see how far into the number your heart failure kicks in...



Mixer - Interval act, ESC 1970, Amsterdam

Ilana Avital

An angel has landed on Youtube and uploaded a lot of Eurovision stuff I have never seen online before. Thanks to him/her, I can share one of my all time favourite Israeli national final entries.

I always had a soft spot for Ilana Avital (who of course should have won hands down back in 1987), and even if she may not be exactly spot on ever single note throughout this big belter, I love this song!

Enjoy and love! (But watch out for the hard note after the bridge...)



Ilana Avital - Ahavati ha'achrona - Israel NF 1991
9/12

Daisy!

In the Swedish preview of 1992, Lydia Cappolicchio described the Swiss entry as a "fine song suited for the ones of you who enjoy undressing in a rhythmical way", and well, there is some truth to that.

I must admit I used to HATE it. With burning passion. I thought it was by far the worst of the year, and I wished for it to end with a big fat zero. And then time passed and I find the overall 1992 standard a bit lacklustre, but "Mister Music Man" survived.

I don't find it particularly tacky at all anymore, and Daisy actually delivers quite nicely. I have forgiven her. A bit late, maybe, who knows? What does Daisy Auvray do these days?



Daisy Auvray - Mister Music Man - Switzerland 1992
15/23

However, I would still have preferred the "real" winner of the Swiss final to go to Malmö. If there ever was an überschlager, then this is the one. And don't miss the archi-typical backing singers, either. These people left nothing to chance.



Géraldine Olivier - Soleil, Soleil - Switzerland 1992 DQ
NF winner, later disqualified

No chance, sugar

Saw the 2007 Dora (Croatian national final) for the first time yesterday, and I think I will come back to the subject of Croatia soon, but I have to share this with someone with a real sweet tooth for the absurd...

Here you go, Posh! According to every rule in the universe, you should love this. For all the wrong reasons, but love is still love.



Trio Fantasticus - Nema sanse seceru - Croatia NF 2007
10/16

Beatrix from Austria

I am one of those people who are addicted to Wikipedia and who can surf aimlessly for hours, finding out random bits and pieces and add up to all the trivial knowledge I already possessed.

Thanks to the German-languaged Wikipedia I now know that Beatrix Neundlinger is still around. I am definately weak for Beatrix. Very, very talented indeed and enigmatically beautiful, she was the natural point of focus both times she represented Austria in the ESC, as part of The Milestones in 1972 and with Schmetterlinge in 1977.

Last year she had a new entry and is still active. I am very happy to see that. And the musical snippets sound good. Check her website out here. She still looks fantastic, you know.



The Milestones - Falter im Wind - Austria 1972
5/18



Schmetterlinge - Boom Boom Boomerang - Austria 1977
17/18

2008 in a parallel universe

In retrospect, the idea of having two semi finals instead of one must be seen as a true success. Even though many people would argue that the general standard of songs in 2008 is the lowest for many years, the final line-up was really strong, mainly thanks to most of the weaker entries getting stuck in the semis.

Initially, the 2007 formula was supposed to stay put also this year: ten countries pre-qualified for the final plus then four big ones, and ten additional finalists selected from a nightmare semi of 29 songs. Thank heavens the EBU had a change of heart.

Had the formula remained unchanged, we could have had a final line-up to look like this instead (given some artistic freedom here, selecting the top five countries from each semi, assuming they would have qualified also had there been only one semi):

01 Serbia - Oro
02 Ukraine - Shady Lady
03 Russia - Believe
04 Turkey - Deli
05 Bulgaria - DJ, take me away
06 Belarus - Hasta la vista
07 Greece - Secret combination
08 Armenia - Qele Qele
09 Hungary - Candlelight
10 Moldova - A Century of Love

11 Germany - Disappear
12 Spain - Baila el Chiki Chiki
13 France - Divine
14 United Kingdom - Even if

15 Norway - Hold on, be strong
16 Israel - The fire in your eyes
17 Azerbaijan - Day after day
18 Romania - Pe-o margine di lume
19 Finland - Missä miehet ratsastaa

20 Portugal - Senhora do mar
21 Denmark - All night long
22 Croatia - Romanca
23 Georgia - Peace will come
24 Latvia - Wolves of the Sea

A fair guess is that Hungary would have ended last in this hypothetical line-up, but all of a sudden I find myself missing quite a few good songs: Iceland, Sweden, Bosnia-Herzegovina...

I think the actual line-up turned out stronger, and I am happy not to have had neither Moldova nor Belarus in the final. Thank you, EBU, for the new rules.

Survive Silly Season

It has been almost a month and a half since this year's extravaganza in Belgrade, and now this blog has been quiet for long enough.

We have all plunged headlong into the limbo known as Silly Season, full of weird "rumours" and non-news as there is nothing to report on, really. In case you feel you are Eurovision nut enough to keep things coming all year round, then you can keep an eye here.

We will keep you entertained (if that is the word I'm looking for) as well as we can until the real news starts dropping in this fall. And what could be more enjoyable than the 1973 Finnish entry? Here in its preview version, that I never saw before...



Marion Rung - Tom Tom Tom - Finland 1973
6/17

Racism?

According to Swedish newspapers, the longstanding UK commentator Terry Wogan has now declared the ultimate reason to the British debacle in Belgrade: Andy Abraham is black and all of Eastern Europe is racist. Those people in the East would never vote for anyone of a different skin colour.

What is this? Seriously? Are we back in South Africa in the 80's? I am not denying there are racial issues going on a bit here and there on our old continent (oppression takes place due to skin colour, religion, sexuality and a lot of other things), but to claim that a last place comes down only to an issue of skin colour... That stinks!

Time to open your eyes up and realise that only TWO countries out of a possible forty-two voted for your song. Will you get the UN to put sanctions against the rest of us? Or are you so old-fashioned you demand us to vote for you only BECAUSE you were brave enough to selected a coloured singer?

We just thought your song was dull and un-inspired and nothing we were ready to waste our money televoting for. Try harder next time and leave the pathetic exuses on the shelf, please.

Winners and their points

It was so much fun making the statistics how many points the last-placings have recieved since the introduction of the current voting system. So, for all nerds out there (hey - I am one of you), here is the same for the winners. Who got most and who got the least number of points since 1975?

2006 Finland - Lordi "Hard Rock Hallelujah" 292 points
2004 Ukraine - Ruslana "Wild dance" 280 points
2008 Russia - Dima Bilan "Believe" 272 points
2007 Serbia - Marija Serifovic "Molitva" 268 points
2005 Greece - Helena Paparizou "My number one" 230 points
1997 UK - Katrina & The Waves "Love shine a light" 227 points
1994 Ireland - Harrington/McGettigan "Rock'n'roll kids" 226 points
2001 Estonia - Tanel & Dave "Everybody" 198 points
2000 Denmark - Olsen Brothers "Fly on the wings of love" 195 points
1993 Ireland - Niam Kavanagh "In your eyes" 187 points
1986 Belgium - Sandra Kim "J'aime la vie" 176 points
2002 Latvia - Marie N "I wanna" 176 points
1987 Ireland - Johnny Logan "Hold me now" 172 points
1998 Israel - Dana International "Diva" 172 points
2003 Turkey - Sertab Erener "Everyway that I can" 167 points
1976 UK - Brotherhood of Man "Save your kisses for me" 164 points
1999 Sweden - Charlotte Nilsson "Take me to your heaven" 163 points
1996 Ireland - Eimear Quinn "The voice" 162 points
1982 Germany - Nicole "Ein bisschen Frieden" 161 points
1978 Israel - Izhar Cohen & Alpha Beta "A-Ba-Ni-Bi" 157 points
1992 Ireland - Linda Martin "Why me?" 155 points
1975 Netherlands - Teach-In "Ding-A-Dong" 152 points
1990 Italy - Toto Cutugno "Insieme: 1992" 149 points
1995 Norway - Secret Garden "Nocturne" 148 points
1991 Sweden - Carola "Fångad av en stormvind" 146 points
1984 Sweden - Herreys "Diggi-loo diggi-ley" 145 points
1980 Ireland - Johnny Logan "What's another year" 143 points
1983 Luxembourg - Corinne Hermès "Si la vie est cadeau" 142 points
1988 Switzerland - Céline Dion "Ne partez pas sans moi" 137 points
1989 Yugoslavia - Riva "Rock me" 137 points
1977 France - Marie Myriam "L'oiseau et l'enfant" 136 points
1981 United Kingdom - Bucks Fizz "Making your mind up" 136 points
1979 Israel - Milk and Honey "Hallelujah" 125 points
1985 Norway - Bobbysocks "La de swinge" 123 points