ESC Nation: MB Music

Semi 1 Qualfiers

2008-04-21T01:39:00.002+02:00

The very elite few who have been posting their reviews on the blog have spoken, and here are our 10 qualifiers, and the 11th-19th places for Semi 1

Top 10 (Alphabetically)
Armenia
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Israel
Greece
Moldova
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Russia
Slovenia

11. San Marino - 5,5,2,5,7,7,3 = 34/7 = 4.857
12. Andorra - 5,7,2,5,2,8 = 29/6 = 4.833
13. Belgium - 10,8,0,3,3,4 = 28/6 = 4.666
14. Ireland - 0,2,6,7,6,5 = 26/6 = 4.333
15. Romania - 4,0,3,4,8,7 = 26/6 = 4.333
16. Finland - 8,1,7,5,3,0 = 24/6 = 4.000
17. Azerbaijan - 0,0,6,1,4,9 = 20/6 = 3.333
18. Montenegro - 3,4,2,0,5,2,4,7,3 = 30/9 = 3.333
19. Estonia - 1,1,1,5,2,2,2,0 = 14/8 = 1.750

Get involved in the next semi's voting yourself! Send your reviews and ranking /10 for each Semi 2 song to escnationblog@gmail.com, or add a comment to each day's post to be counted!

Semi 1 - Greece

2008-04-18T19:30:00.010+02:00

Semi 1 - 19

Greece

Kalomira
Secret Combination

Alexander-NL:

Once I found out they won’t be doing the shirt-lift-to-spell-love thing in Belgrade, I’ll be honest, this one dropped a few places in my list. lol It’s a great song and should make top 10 in the final all the same, but something as playful as that could catapult it into the higher half of that top 10. Now I’m not so sure. I still like her and her song though, however singing may not be her strongest point. Qualification is inevitable though.

9/10 (4^th)

Harrow:
In studio it's quite good, shame her squeaky voice is so obvious live, and that performance is ludicrous. Yet another Greece top 10 though I guess. 7/10

Lobo:
Listened to it once. Average song, average and uncharismatic singer... but she performed the song weirdly well..

ade:
Like the awkward gawky cousin of 'My Number One', this tries to be Eurovision by numbers, but the singer is leagues below Helena Paparazou and the song is far less instant, though probably lyrically head and shoulders above My Number One. Dreary. 3/10

Tore:
Greece is the only country that has been top 10 ever since the semi began in 2004. And with “Secret Combination” they will surely do it again. It’s a sophisticated, instant and danceable pop song with “hired” elements from bangla-inspired pop music. The only drawback is Kalomoira who hasn’t the greatest voice in the world to put it nicely. Chances of qualifying: 70%

Stefan:
Kalomoira is Paparizou #2 and producing a carbon copy of the 2005 winner will be good enough to make the final, but not good enough to win. Besides, there's quite some competition for her kind of song this year: 5/10.

Boog:
Haven’t I reviewed this one already? No I haven’t, that was Armenia (or possibly the Netherlands), this the Bronx meets Thessaloniki. ( Bizarrely the Greek delegation must have possessed the same knowledge I have about its two peers and yet chose the graveyard slot. Heavily dependent on the ‘secret combination’ hook as the lyric of the verse barely fits the music, on a head-to-head with the Armenian entry this would be sha* upon from a great height. I’ve always wondered why hot meals are served lukewarm in Greece. Personal Score out of ten (5) Winnschans (1%)

Merseymike:
The bouzoukis click into action and we return to the kebab shop. This makes last years entry sound like a work of art. Boring, boring. 4

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To contribute to the future reviews, which continue on Monday with Iceland, email your reviews to escnationblog@gmail.com. Alternatively, feel free to add your review of all the songs already featured so far, with a rating out of 10 as a comment on each of those posts. All rankings out of 10 contributed to semi 1 songs before 20/04/08 will go towards the ESCNation Blog's ESC 2008 Review Poll. For more info see here: http://escnationmbmusic.blogspot.com/2008/03/esc-2008-mbers-reviews.html

Semi 1 - Russia

2008-04-18T19:30:00.009+02:00

Semi 1 - 18

Russia

Dima Bilan
Believe

MerseyMike:
He looks near death on the video. If he makes it to Belgrade, then this is another challenger for the top. It’s a good song, simple as that, and I do like his voice. Great stuff. 9

Boog:
So it starts like that song about an ‘umbarella’ (sic) that was a hit not that long ago, and then delivers a perfectly acceptable boyband sounding album track. ‘Keep it simple’ is a fair maxim for ESC, and I actually find this harmless enough. I’m not sure whether being bilingual is a blessing or a curse for me, but I quite like listening to bad English accents. ( It makes me feel as if I’m on holiday, and that’s always a good feeling) However, his performance in his NF lacked sincerity, and I found his oleaginous victory histrionics unpalatable. (That, however, is my problem, not his, and I shall deal with it as such.) I am reliably informed Dima has a wide fan base so will do very well. The thing which fascinates me the most about Russia is how wide it is. Personal Score out of ten (6) Winnschans (20%)

Stefan:
One word: Desperation. Russia is desperate to win, Dima is desperate to have an international career, and Timbaland is desperate to add an ESC winner to his track record. The latter was a joke. Still, top contender. 7/10.

Tore:
Dima Bilan makes a second attempt to win ESC. In 2006 he had a really good song, a solid performance and was only beaten by Lordi. Two years later he has apparently teamed up with American hit-producer Timbaland in order to climb one step on the scoreboard. Pity this time the song is a rather lacklustre “boyband ballad” and sung with an overdramatically airy voice. Will probably score very well and is a serious contender for victory. Chances of qualifying: 90%

Ade:
Appalling diction on a song that sounds like it was kicked off a BackStreet Boys album. Not a patch on his last Eurovision song. This will be top ten without trying, but I hope the friendly voting won't help it win. Given that the Diaspora have little else to vote for, this is the one to watch. Pure unadulterated shite. 2/10

Lobo:
Listened to it once. Most average song ever.

Harrow:
It's growing on me all the time, looking forward to the stage show too. 8/10

Alexander-NL:

The only song that’s a ballad all the way through that I really like this year, while I do like my fair share of ballads. It’s well-written and produced and in studio I adore it. But my big fear for this one is, well, the artist. I’m sure I’m not the first to mention it in my review of this song, but yes, basically I’m scared Dima will have a heroin fit on stage. It would ruin the song, definitely, but at the same time it also sounds like a vote-grabber. Certain finalist.

8/10 (6^th)

To contribute to the future reviews, which continue tomorrow with Greece, email your reviews to escnationblog@gmail.com. Alternatively, feel free to add your review of all the songs already featured so far, with a rating out of 10 as a comment on each of those posts. All rankings out of 10 contributed to semi 1 songs before 20/04/08 will go towards the ESCNation Blog's ESC 2008 Review Poll. For more info see here: http://escnationmbmusic.blogspot.com/2008/03/esc-2008-mbers-reviews.html

Semi 1 - Romania

2008-04-18T19:30:00.008+02:00

Semi 1 - 17

Romania

Nico & Vlad
Pe-o margine de lume

Alexander-NL:

Nico annoyed me at my first listen. Now she doesn’t. To me it’s just your average cheesy ballad, it’s just a bit too cheesy for me. But so was Bonaparti. And what I don’t like is that the ending could have been much more impressive, it’s now a bit naff to me. Still, I just have a feeling this duo will do quite well in this semi, though I can’t say I’m too sure they’ll do that well in the final.

4/10 (33^rd)

Harrow:
Battling Belgium strongly for the worst song of 2008 prize. Even before Nico 'attacks'. 0/10

Lobo:
Haven´t listened to it.

ade:
A pretty boy singing what sounds like a sub-Italian pot boiler of a song. Goes exactly where you expect, I suspect this one will have many fans and grab many votes. An early bet for me, or so I thought. Then *she* appeared and it all went so very wrong. Her unappealing harsh voice dragged the whole thing down from a possible victory into thedepths of the barrel. Oh, and she looks like his mum. 3/10

Tore:
Romania is responsible for one of the most classic ballads this year. And it’s like being back in 1994 when Norway and Sweden were battling it out in the male-female ballad duet department. This will do well with the juries, but with a great draw being the first ballad in the second half of this semi it won’t be difficult for the Romanians to qualify with the televoters either. Chances of qualifying: 70%

Stefan:
A pop-opera entry by a powerful male singer, that should certainly apply to lots of middle-aged female voters. And then the shouty Italian bits by a rather untalented lady kick in. Don't know what to make of its chances, 4/10 from me.

Boog:
Oldies will heave a sigh of relief as a mellow tenor voice soothes away the memory of the heavy metal entry. A rhapsody unfolds which whisks you away to land of make believe. The relief is short lived as a velvety, romantic, luscious rendition gives way to a strident woman with a karaoke voice, and (thud!) you land back on planet earth. Even that most welcome of sounds, that of the Italian language, doesn’t compensate for her tortuous attack on an otherwise wistful melody Don’t get me wrong; I do know why this has to be, as no male soloist has won since Toto ( and Johnny the Logan before that!). The Italian and Romanian languages do both work well in this kind of song, and I think the Italian restaurant community in Brussels is more likely to vote for this than the San Marino entry. Personal Score out of ten (8) Winnschans (2%)

Merseymike:
With Italy not entering, this makes an acceptable substitute. A very typically Italianate dramatic ballad – not sure if the tempo change works, but they sound good together and it’s a welcome respite from the frantic noise of the past three entries. 7

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To contribute to the future reviews, which continue tomorrow with Russia, email your reviews to escnationblog@gmail.com. Alternatively, feel free to add your review of all the songs already featured so far, with a rating out of 10 as a comment on each of those posts. All rankings out of 10 contributed to semi 1 songs before 20/04/08 will go towards the ESCNation Blog's ESC 2008 Review Poll. For more info see here: http://escnationmbmusic.blogspot.com/2008/03/esc-2008-mbers-reviews.html

Semi 1 - Finland

2008-04-15T17:14:00.003+02:00

Semi 1 - 14

Finland

Teräsbetoni
Missä miehet ratsastaa

Tore:
Will Finland be stuck with rock acts after Lordi? Hanna’s song last year was perhaps just as much being pop as rock though, but still. This year’s offer is Tërasbetoni who is more on the metal side of rock. It has an efficient hook with the ‘hoh hah!’ part, but apart from that this is pretty ordinary and forgettable. It lacks a stronger and more memorable melody. And in a semi filled with “different” acts this might be more Kabat than Lordi on the scoreboard. Chances of qualifying: 30%

Stefan:
Where men ride, that's what the Finns are singing about. I would suspect it's somewhere on the back of a dark horse. Firmly galloping into my top 3, I keep my fingers crossed and phone ringing to see them cross the Final finish. 8/10.

MerseyMike:
It was the masks, wasn’t it? You know, the day the contest embraced HM? What actually happened was a vote for a few silly masks and a lot of hype. Here, we have no masks, no hype, and very loud HM. I shall have to check with my metal-loving friend Ben as to its quality but for someone like me who hates HM with a vengeance, it’s a non-starter. 1

Lobo:
Haven´t listened to it. Sorry Marianne.

Harrow:
Quite like it, often find myself singing it around the house. 7/10

Boog:
Quite a shock to the system after the dishwater that’s just preceded it. My first reaction is that this isn’t a patch on ‘Mala Dama’ last year (or even Fomins and Klein) but I’ll accept any morsel of rock, however untasty, offered by ESC. Some nice musicianship (which can’t be fully expressed in a traditionally constructed 3 minute song) but a weak hook. I belong to the camp which believes that HRH wouldn’t have won without the Halloween masks, so this truly is pi**ing into the wind. Don’t believe what they tell you about the Tropics; Finland is the land of the monster mosquito! Personal Score out of ten (5) Winnschans (0%)

Alexander-NL:

What I like about this is that it shows that the Finns are true hardrock fans and that they enjoy sending something they like themselves. It’s not my song in particular, though I tend to notice that I like it more in audio than in video, so maybe the shakey cameras in the NF are bothering me more than I thought. I’m not counting on them at this point, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re looking good in the rehearsals and then sneak into the final.

3/10 (38^th)

ade:
Throw some over-blown rock in Finnish and you probably get a similar result to when the Czech Republic sent Kabat. This is truly awful, overwrought, odd kid teen rock lacking in charm throughout and should return Finland to the bottom of the table. 0/10

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To contribute to the future reviews, which continue tomorrow with Romania, email your reviews to escnationblog@gmail.com. Alternatively, feel free to add your review of all the songs already featured so far, with a rating out of 10 as a comment on each of those posts. All rankings out of 10 contributed to semi 1 songs before 20/04/08 will go towards the ESCNation Blog's ESC 2008 Review Poll. For more info see here: http://escnationmbmusic.blogspot.com/2008/03/esc-2008-mbers-reviews.html

Semi 1 - Netherlands

2008-04-15T17:12:00.002+02:00

Semi 1 - 15

Netherlands

Hind
Your Heart Belongs To Me

ade:
Very charismatic performer and on the face of it a great chorus with a nice build, though falters towards the end when it ought to be stomping to a climax. Might just drag the Dutch into the final, then with a good draw give a mid table result. She can sing live, which seems to be the
thing she has over the Armenian girl. 6/10

Alexander-NL:

I’m happy with our choice of artist this year. She’s such a doll. Lovely girl, inside and out. I was kinda hoping for something more out there for the song though. To me this sounds like the song that just failed to make her last album. It’s not a bad song by all means though, I just seriously doubt the votes will come rushing in for it. To me it’s not unlikely she’ll make it via the jury and then do badly in the final.

6/10 (20^th)

Boog:
One hybrid followed by another. An unfortunate draw for both with the three of the four virtually indistinguishable songs of this genre in the same semi. The version I have is a live one and clearly confirms this girl’s inability to hold long notes; they’ll need to beef up the backing singers at the end of a few lines to avoid the poor girl being exposed unnecessarily. I love the fact that to get to the Kroller Muller national museum in the Netherlands you have to get a train, then a bus, then (if you wish ) a bike (the driveway is looong!)
Personal Score out of ten (4) Winnschans (0%)

Harrow:
More MOR from the Dutch. Nice singer though. 5/10

Lobo:
Listened about 1 minute in a live version. No chance in hell.

MerseyMike:
They seem to have repeated last year’s feat of choosing a good singer and saddling her with a song of breathtaking dullness. This will get some neighbourly Belgian votes but other than that – a good bet for bottom of the pile. 4

Stefan:
For a country whose entries are often as flat as the landscape, they're entering a surprisingly good tune with some semi-exotic elements owed to Hind's background. I'm afraid that still won't help much though. 6/10.

Tore:
This is a pretty decent song. It’s a straight forward pop song with a touch of Arabic in the chorus. It sort of aiming at the same voters as Greece and Armenia (I think) and based on that I’m afraid The Netherlands will suffer badly. But we’ll see. Chances of qualifying: 30%

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To contribute to the future reviews, which continue tomorrow with Finland, email your reviews to escnationblog@gmail.com. Alternatively, feel free to add your review of all the songs already featured so far, with a rating out of 10 as a comment on each of those posts. All rankings out of 10 contributed to semi 1 songs before 20/04/08 will go towards the ESCNation Blog's ESC 2008 Review Poll. For more info see here: http://escnationmbmusic.blogspot.com/2008/03/esc-2008-mbers-reviews.html

Semi 1 - Armenia

2008-04-14T00:39:00.005+02:00

Semi 1 - 14

Armenia

Sirusho
Qele Qele

Merseymike:

The kebab shop is never far away from any contest, and our first visit provides no shocks or surprises. Just bores me silly. 4

Boog:
‘Bronx meets the Bosphorus’ – that’s how I started my review of ‘Every Way That I Can’ and it holds for this entry too , but it’s too soon for a retro cover of Turkey 2003, surely, and such a ‘painting my numbers’ version too! Great swathes of empty spaces in the song which can only be camouflaged by (one hopes) yet to be decided choreography. Here one of the strangest restaurants has for scores of years operated in an old church run by a mad Armenian. What you get to eat, and its quality, is completely dependent on his mood of an evening. It can be a culinary feast or an unmitigated disaster. (a bit like this song!) I suspect Azerbaijanis think about Armenians in the way that Belgians consider the Dutch. (i.e. a bit ‘kooky’!)
Personal Score out of ten (5) Winnschans (10%)

Harrow:

I thought on 1st listen that I'd soon tire of this, but I haven't. Will be top 5 and has a great chance of winning. And wouldn't be a bad choice. 9/10

Alexander-NL:

It’s like a hybrid version of some earlier winners. I can’t help myself. I like it better than those winners I’m talking about. And you don’t have to make me feel bad about it, because I already do that by myself. I think it’s powerful and catchy, the singer could have done with some more charisma, but I just hope she can sing. It would have been nice if she had let us known before, the Andorra 06-deception is still fresh in my memory.

8/10 (8^th)

Stefan:
Once upon a time in a mediocre year, there was an average song by a girl with a short dress and some dancers and coming from a country with reliable friends. That was Greece 05 - this is Armenia 08. Possible winner, 6/10.

Tore:
If I’d been listening to this one out of the blue and was told it was an ESC entry this year, I’d guessed it was Greece. After a rather delicious and calm start, it explodes into a modern ethno-poppy song that is very straight to the point. It’s hands in the air and shake that ass and party all night long. A strong contender for the top 5 this year. Chances of qualifying: 80%

Ade:
This flows by with little to recommend it, it's tedious, dull, no hook, repetitive in the extreme. Wallpaper music. Five years ago, this would have been in with a chance, right now it's a mid range stomper with an average singer. Almost good enough, but too repetitive to make enough
impact. Will benefit from neighbourly voting. 5/10

Lobo:

Haven´t listened to it.

To contribute to the future reviews, which continue tomorrow with Netherlands, email your reviews to escnationblog@gmail.com. Alternatively, feel free to add your review of all the songs already featured so far, with a rating out of 10 as a comment on each of those posts. All rankings out of 10 contributed to semi 1 songs before 20/04/08 will go towards the ESCNation Blog's ESC 2008 Review Poll. For more info see here: http://escnationmbmusic.blogspot.com/2008/03/esc-2008-mbers-reviews.html

Semi 1 - Bosnia-Herzegovina

2008-04-14T00:39:00.004+02:00

Semi 1 - 13

Bosnia-Herzegovina

Laka
Poku�aj

Lobo:
Listened to it once. I liked it, but didn´t like the visuals.

ade:
Interesting start, but goes nowhere very quickly after this. An 'example song' from a country that can do better. Repeat a few sample phrases and hope it works, it almost does Mid range shite. 7/10

Tore:
What a pleasant surprise from BiH this year. Thank God not every ex-Yugoslavian country is stuck in the ethno ballad cliché. After their success in 2006 BiH tried to copy that last year with much less success. This time they go for something totally different and have chosen an arty bizarre pop-song. The song is a two-part affair with a calm first half and with a more energetic second half. And Laka’s mad running/jumping sister tops it all. Chances of qualifying: 70%

Stefan:
Probably the most unusual character in Bosnia's music scene, Laka provides one of the most interesting songs music-wise this year. The stage act is quite bizarre though and may hinder it getting a result that it would deserve. 8/10.

Alexander-NL:

n a word, this is just weirdness. It’s a good song, great melody and instrumentation, seriously they did a wonderful job on that. My question is why it has to be sung in some baby voice. For me it ruins the entire effort. The chicken made me go WTH and laugh, probably the only laugh that was intended by the participant, but I’m not sure what the deal with this is. It borders on funny and the song borders on good and in the end neither succeeds for me.

5/10 (31^st)

Harrow:
LOVE it! So quirky yet still good musically, Laka and his sister will hopefully surprise! 10/10

Boog:

Loved this on first hearing so it’s virtually impossible for me to be in any way objective. On the other hand any of my friends here who’ve caught me in the act of playing it have absolutely hated it. The quirkiness of Battiato mingles enticingly with the incantations and chants, and then the complex rhythms for which central Europeans are unrivalled. What set the seal on it for me was the deliciously deranged art school dramatics performance so favoured here during the Edinburgh Festival each August. Reminiscent of the madness displayed by the Split Enz base player in the eighties, and of Freddie Mercury’s ‘I’m going slightly mad’. Unlike many of the other competitors which build a song around a catchy chorus, this ekes every drop out of each section of the song, and gives you your money’s worth. One of the few entries that requires no work done before the semi. (Many, as you’re well aware by now, need complete makeovers, if not radical surgery) I visited Mostar last summer, an experience to be recommended to one and all.
Personal Score out of ten (9) Winnschans (5%)

MerseyMike:
This is one of the most creative and ambitious songs to have been entered for a while. It’s very much performance art in style, the instrumentation is fantastic, and the chorus is memorable too. Sarajevo 2009? Wouldn’t rule it out. 9

To contribute to the future reviews, which continue tomorrow with Armenia, email your reviews to escnationblog@gmail.com. Alternatively, feel free to add your review of all the songs already featured so far, with a rating out of 10 as a comment on each of those posts. All rankings out of 10 contributed to semi 1 songs before 20/04/08 will go towards the ESCNation Blog's ESC 2008 Review Poll. For more info see here: http://escnationmbmusic.blogspot.com/2008/03/esc-2008-mbers-reviews.html

Semi 1 - Norway

2008-04-12T01:51:00.002+02:00

Semi 1 - 12

Andorra

Gisela
Casanova

MerseyMike:
Compared to the other disco songs in the contest, this isn’t at all bad. Very sprightly and jolly but all a bit average 5

Boog:
Well this is a guilty pleasure, if ever there was one! Honestly I don’t like it consciously, but this doesn’t half penetrate the quality-control defences. The ‘eurovisionism’ in this song almost attains the cult status afforded to self-parody. Pick a word intelligible to all (Waterloo, Cleopatra, Hallelujah, Casanova), add an onomatopaeic word or two (oh, boom), sprinkle in some well kent (Scots for ‘known’, I feel I have to educate you in case ESC returns to Scotland at the SECC) words love, heart, together),a driving beat, a late middle eight, a key change, punch in the air finish, and, hey presto, the ESC tradition is perpetuated. I don’t know anything I can share about Andorra but believe it’s good for ski-ing. (I imagine Pan y Tomat would be a popular snack.) Personal Score out of ten (7) Winnschans (4%)

Harrow:
Ew! Probably the song I skip most quickly on my ipod. The video is crap too! Should've stuck to the shorter version! 2/10

Alexander-NL:

It’s no secret that I love myself some Swedish schlager every now and then. But I won’t just adore and kneeswing at every half-assed attempt. She’s a pretty girl, the song will seem very traditional and normal considering what’s around it, but this will take one hell of a performance to get to the final I’m afraid. Oh, and again, no key change! What is wrong with you people??

5/10 (30^th)

Stefan:

Where is Andorra? If only this year this question could be answered: "Not participating!" Unfortunately, they're sending a pseudo-Swedish schlager that will get 12 from Spain and nothing else. And rightly so: 2/10.

Tore:

Andorra makes a fifth attempt to reach the ESC final. This time they have bought the history book of ESC songs in order to finally make it right. It’s a happy schlager-pop song by numbers but also so dated it’s hilarious. You can already typify the choreography to this song too. I’m afraid Andorra will have to look up on one of the next and more contemporary chapters in their book to impress the rest of Europe. This surely won’t. Chances of qualifying: 20%

ade:
Light, fluffy, very Swedish europop. I can this gaining a number of
votes thanks to the hopeless dirges surrounding it. It is recognisable
and to the average voter is everything you expect from Eurovision. Might
finally get them to the final. 8/10

Lobo:

Gosh, she must be desperate to agree and sing this. Rubbish.

To contribute to the future reviews, which continue tomorrow with Bosnia-Herzegovina, email your reviews to escnationblog@gmail.com. Alternatively, feel free to add your review of all the songs already featured so far, with a rating out of 10 as a comment on each of those posts. All rankings out of 10 contributed to semi 1 songs before 20/04/08 will go towards the ESCNation Blog's ESC 2008 Review Poll. For more info see here: http://escnationmbmusic.blogspot.com/2008/03/esc-2008-mbers-reviews.html

Semi 1 - Ireland

2008-04-11T01:58:00.002+02:00

Semi 1 - 11

Ireland

Dustin The Turkey
Irelande Douze Points

Lobo:
Listened to it once in Irish final. Indifferent.

Ade:
This isn't going to impress anyone east of Amsterdam. Eurovision humour works when it is slightly self deprecating. This is a sulking in the corner, two fingers up to Eurovision in joke that is hard for even native speakers to understand. For all the big talk of 'sending up Eurovision' and not caring about the result, this will hopefully be the push to make the Irish start trying again. They had a good final, this was the inevitable result to give them a nice point to break with the
past. That's all it is. Unfunny, poorly staged, parochial and destined for a fall. Though likely to give us fans a huge laugh or two with the send ups in the weeks of rehearsals. Great craic, and maybe it will be the 'joke' entry to end the trend. 0/10

Tore:
As a song this is rubbish. But the “song”, which is a dreadful and annoying eurodisco number on speed, plays the least important part here. A “rapping-singing” turkey doll is the main character surrounded by some dancing “Indian-elves” and fat singing ladies. It looks rather messy. However it’s different and it is supposed to be funny I’ve been told. But it’s not by far the only novelty act in semi 1. Still this is the one to beat. Chances of qualifying: 70%

Stefan:
For a novelty entry to do well, it needs to have pan-European appeal and/or reliable friends. A song that mocks Eastern block voting clearly doesn't have the former, and Ireland lacks the latter too. Borderline qualifier, 2/10 from me.

Alexander-NL:

Well, right out the gate, let me say I don’t think this is funny. When a lady tells me to shake my feathers and bop my beak I can get a smile out but that’s as far as it goes. And anyone over 5 who can laugh at a fart is hard to come by. On the upside, the chorus is very groovy and a lot of people in the West will love Dustin because they’ll consider it “speaking up to the East” if that makes sense. Needless to say, this will “fly” to the final without a problem.

6/10 (22^nd)

Harrow:
Musically I quite like it, visually I quite like it, lyrically I quite like it. Shame certain MBers keep driving forward and backwards over the same issues, making roadkill of Dustin the turkey. 7/10

Boog:
Like Lordi, this will be an entry that will have attracted a serious amount of publicity before hand. (We all know in this media-driven society, it actually doesn’t matter whether the publicity is good or bad.) If you’ve not heard it, basically it starts with a dark, dungeon atmosphere that tolls the bell announcing the death sentence on ESC itself. A muppet puppet then proceeds with the aid of the proverbial fat lady ( we have a saying, ‘it’s never over till the fat lady sings’) to implement the public execution. A funky beat accompanies the turkey’s rants, many of which are not only funny, but painfully accurate. Mind you, the humour is very celtic, the north of the Liffey accent unintelligible to many, and Dustin himself isn’t exactly lovable, so although a final slot is secure, the fear that many have of this winning the final are, in large part, unfounded. Dustin is correct tho’ in confirming that Ireland is truly ‘party central’ in Europe!

Personal Score out of ten (6) Winnschans (10%)

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To contribute to the future reviews, which continue tomorrow with Ireland, email your reviews to escnationblog@gmail.com. Alternatively, feel free to add your review of all the songs already featured so far, with a rating out of 10 as a comment on each of those posts. All rankings out of 10 contributed to semi 1 songs before 20/04/08 will go towards the ESCNation Blog's ESC 2008 Review Poll. For more info see here: http://escnationmbmusic.blogspot.com/2008/03/esc-2008-mbers-reviews.html

Semi 1 - Poland

2008-04-10T03:39:00.003+02:00

Semi 1 - 10

Poland

Isis Gee
For Life

Lobo:
Haven´t listened to it. It´s my least favourite ESC country, so...

Ade:
It's a (dated) simple song from a pretty girl. As a package it has more than a little charm, but if you're going to go for American style power ballads, you need to be able to pull off the accent. She really can't, giving it a clunky sound. I'd imagine that with repeat listening, I
might like this. For the first listen, it is a mid range belter with
potential for a missed note giggle on the night. 3/10

Alexander-NL:

There’s a few things I need to get off my chest. She’s American right? How come her English is the hardest to understand in this entire semi? And both her teeth and hair colour are so fake that it hurts my eyes. It’s not an awful ballad and I said right away that with the right draw she could go very far. But alas, she didn’t get the right draw, so for me the story’s over. I don’t think the jury will save it either. I’m sorry for Poland because they were so close in the past. 4/10 (36^th)

Harrow:
Deathly dull, but not the worst song in ESC, unfortunately. 1/10

Frank:
My vibrator will go on! Soon featuring in a Duracell ad near you!

Tore:
Poland gives us one of the few traditional pop ballads in semi 1. It’s pleasant and delicate, but also very predictable and in real danger of being a total bore. Some have compared this to Israel’s entry in 2005. I think that’s a way too far comparison as the Israeli song is a much better one, but it could very well please the same audience and give Poland a final ticket, their first since 2004. Poland is however in heavy competition with Romania later on in the draw that also has a MOR traditional ballad. Chances of qualifying: 30%.

Boog:

A pleasant American-sounding ballad which sounds as if it were plucked straight out of a flickchick movie. I have a bit of a tummy upset today (too much information!) and this is rather soothing. A chorus soaring above the clouds gives it a lift, however the lasting memory is one of finding a can of beans in the biscuit section of the supermarket. A Leona Lewis album track, certainly. A Eurovision entry, hardly. In competition with Andy Abrahams for the award for principled music making. Britain owes Poland a lot more than douze points, as we can now access a decent plumber in times of need!

Personal score out of ten (6) Winnschans (0%)

Stefan:
Isis Gee fought a desperate battle with the tune during the Polish final, but that still didn't stop her from winning it overwhelmingly. It's a classic American ballad, and if she can win the battle in Belgrade, may reach the final. 8/10.

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To contribute to the future reviews, which continue tomorrow with Ireland, email your reviews to escnationblog@gmail.com. Alternatively, feel free to add your review of all the songs already featured so far, with a rating out of 10 as a comment on each of those posts. All rankings out of 10 contributed to semi 1 songs before 20/04/08 will go towards the ESCNation Blog's ESC 2008 Review Poll. For more info see here: http://escnationmbmusic.blogspot.com/2008/03/esc-2008-mbers-reviews.html

Semi 1 - Norway

2008-04-09T01:12:00.004+02:00

Semi 1 - 09

Norway

Maria
Hold on be strong

Stefan:
Too bad JESC wasn't around yet, when 15 year-old Mira Craig wrote that tune. This would have saved the real thing from this overhyped little entry, but as it *almost* sounds like a proper song, it stands a chance in this semi. 4/10.

Boog:

Unsurprisingly an early fan-favourite which pushes even more ESC buttons than the previous song. Again we have a verse which has value in its own right. Unfortunately the chorus strays into cossack territory, and you can just about imagine Taras Bulba lifting up his son with pride at the end of the song. (You’ve heard of mixed metaphors? This is mixed cultures. Maybe a forlorn attempt to gain a few Ukrainian televotes? Who knows? I certainly don’t. Birthe, my Brother-in-Law’s partner is here (remember I’m in the wilds of Perthshire as I write) on holiday too and she’s never heard of this. Tellingly, she’s heard ‘Hero’. I leave you, gentle reader, to make your own conclusions. Norway, the land of the 10 euro beer, so is it any wonder we never want them to win?

Personal Score out of ten (7) Winnschans (4%)

Tore:
OK, I know I’m biased, but I really like this one. I didn’t like our entry last year and was only mediocre happy with “Alvedansen”. “Hold on be strong” has been criticized of sounding constructed and that the words don’t fit the music. I however think that just puts a charming identity to this song. Stumbling naïve lyrics written by a 15 y/o girl. I have no idea where this will bring us in the end and I don’t really care that much either. But it’s a good mid-tempo song, the retro orchestra arrangement works well and Maria is a very secure vocalist. Chances of qualifying: 40%

Frank:
Bad crimes, mad rhymes, it ain't Maria S's gig!

Harrow:
Nice song but growing a bit tired of it so try not to listen to it too often. If it aint right it is wrong! 9/10

Alexander-NL:

Even though I’m not happy that this won Melodi Grand Prix, in hindsight it may not have been a bad choice. It’s a song that makes me shrug, I don’t care for it particularly. I like the girl though! But after red canary, angel wings and Slovenian whore, this comes across as some normal decent music. So good job on Norway, I think a spot in the final should be in the bag, even though they shouldn’t be too confident of what happens when they get there.

6/10 (19^th)

Ade:
This has such a cold vibe, but I'm not picking on that as a bad thing.
It's well structured and if you can overlook the shockingly awful verses
(in particular the first one), it builds nicely and flows well. Can't
help being reminded of Malene Mortensen and I wouldn't dismiss a similar
result. It ought to do better though if the performer can exude more
personality. There are moments during the song where I reckon I like
this A LOT. 6/10

Lobo:
It's a girl singing a ballad? A jazzy one? Not sure if i heard it.

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To contribute to the future reviews, which continue tomorrow with Poland, email your reviews to escnationblog@gmail.com. Alternatively, feel free to add your review of all the songs already featured so far, with a rating out of 10 as a comment on each of those posts. All rankings out of 10 contributed to semi 1 songs before 20/04/08 will go towards the ESCNation Blog's ESC 2008 Review Poll. For more info see here: http://escnationmbmusic.blogspot.com/2008/03/esc-2008-mbers-reviews.html

Semi 1 - Slovenia

2008-04-09T01:05:00.003+02:00

Semi 1 - 08

Slovenia

Rebeka Dremelj
Vrag naj vzame

Frank:
Namen, Samen, bitte auch mit Damen. Semi, Amen, well it’s not a drama.

Harrow:
Nice song but growing a bit tired of it so try not to listen to it too often. If it aint right it is wrong! 9/10

Alexander-NL:

I’m probably expected to like this. Well, I’m so sorry to disappoint you. Too easy. You’re not winning me over with some “Ta-ta. Ta-ta. Ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta”. And then when you’re holding your breath for it, it doesn’t have a key change!! So it’s simple AND boring. And what that tells me is that even if I, lover of all things middle-of-the-road and poppy, don’t even like this, how on Earth will Europe vote this into a top 9? I’m not buying it.

2/10 (42^nd)

Stefan:
As usual, Slovenia is sending some real trash - just this time (maybe I lowered my standards?), I like their entry. It's a bouncy little ditty that won't leave a lasting impression, but brings a smile on my face nonetheless: 8/10.

Boog:

For the next 35 entries I have no access to internet / vids etc so my judgment of the visual impact of the performers will be even more compromised than usual. If that’s possible!) A very promising start which engages very well provides the foreplay which will appeal to viewers who have traditional expectations of what constitutes an ESC entry. The verse builds up well too, but the tum-ti-tum see-saw chorus disappoints (although, for British readers, it’s possible to do the ‘slosh’ to this rather satisfyingly.) Not quite as disappointing, tho’, as the ‘bridge’ which stutters into life. (Either that or my mp3 is faulty.) An opportunity missed, as they say. They tell me that Ljubliana is the new ‘Prague’. Also is ‘EO’ the shortest MB nickname?

Personal Score out of ten (6) Winnschans (0%)

Tore:
A typical Slovenian entry. “Vrag naj zame” or “Heavy weather” is a bouncy poppy number that fails to be anything but a run-on-the-mill song in the end. It’s quite likeable while listening but it also lacks something extra that will make most people remembering it at the end of the voting day. Chances of qualifying: 40%

ade:
One of the most (Eurovision) traditional of the songs on offer this
year. Reasonable chorus and she's a pretty girl, though it loses its way
towards the end, when any stand-out song ought to be building to a
massive finish. If they stick to the staging from EMA, they're sunk. It
sends across the message that those behind the song lack confidence in
it and need to distract the viewer. It sits in the ropey schlager box,
not helped by her raspy voice. 5/10

Lobo:
Listened to it once (in English). Ridiculous.

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To contribute to the future reviews, which continue tomorrow with Norway, email your reviews to escnationblog@gmail.com. Alternatively, feel free to add your review of all the songs already featured so far, with a rating out of 10 as a comment on each of those posts. All rankings out of 10 contributed to semi 1 songs before 20/04/08 will go towards the ESCNation Blog's ESC 2008 Review Poll. For more info see here: http://escnationmbmusic.blogspot.com/2008/03/esc-2008-mbers-reviews.html

Semi 1 - Azerbaijan

2008-04-07T11:07:00.003+02:00

Semi 1 - 07

Azerbaijan

Elnur & Samir
Day After Day

Lobo:
It will sound like hell in Belgrade. You heard it here first.

ade:
I'm not convinced that the theatricals and supposed shock factor can disguise a shockingly poor lead vocal and an unstructured song that throws so much into the mix that it ought to be laughed off the stage. Surely this is a parody and amongst the other oddities, it won't be quite so stand-out as it was when first chosen in the dark days of national final season. 0/10

Tore:
In the Azeri final this was a complete mess. A screaming falsetto angel mixed together with the pompous vocals by the “devil” in such a bad and mumbling English you were wondering if there was a melody hidden somewhere underneath it all. I’ve been told the Azeri diaspora will vote this to the final so it probably will. And after hearing the studio version it’s actually not that bad either, but it’s far from being a favourite. Chances of qualifying: 60%

boog:
It is hard to imagine two singers (apart from Andreas and Carola) less likely to gel in time for the show. I guess they’ll try to distract with strong visual imagery. Unfortunately there are a few angels entered already, one of which appears later in the Irish entry, which will highlight the unfortunate symbolism.
As a song, this is also a grower, I like it in a sort of ‘opening credits of a spy movie’ or ‘Phantom of the Opera’ sort of way). Maybe the guy who looks as if he’s from Erasure should dress up as Shirley Bassey? Yet another new country who will receive a warm welcome. I don’t think I know anything about Azerbaijan other than it has a fairly homogenuous population so don’t expect too many ‘friendly’ votes. Personal score out of ten (6) and Winnschans ( 2%)

Stefan:
I hate this ridiculous screaming. And the addition of yet another country using ESC for its own political agenda is sickening as well. That said, it's this year's "I hate it but it will still do very well unfortunately" entry: 1/10.

Alexander-NL:

OK. Don’t get me wrong. This is totally going to qualify and do extremely well in the final, though maybe not win, but… I decided I don’t like this. lol I wasn’t aware of this for a while, but I decided it not too long ago. The verses and especially the bridge are extremely weak to me, the chorus is nice enough, but the best part is that one scream, at like 0:15. Can’t explain it, it just is. But to the voting audience this won’t matter, it’s a guy with angel wings!!

4/10 (35^th)

Harrow:

Hehe I like it, Azerbaijan have grasped what Eurovision is about with their very first entry! Lng live the far East! 9/10

Frank:

The angels and devils meet at night with Klaus Nomi by their side.

To contribute to the future reviews, which continue tomorrow with Slovenia, email your reviews to escnationblog@gmail.com. Alternatively, feel free to add your review of all the songs already featured so far, with a rating out of 10 as a comment on each of those posts. All rankings out of 10 contributed to semi 1 songs before 20/04/08 will go towards the ESCNation Blog's ESC 2008 Review Poll. For more info see here: http://escnationmbmusic.blogspot.com/2008/03/esc-2008-mbers-reviews.html

Semi 1 - Belgium

2008-04-06T11:28:00.002+02:00

Semi 1 - 06

Belgium

Ishtar
O Julissi

Boog:
I betray my age as this reminds me of Margaret Rutherford , black and white films and innocence. An irrepressibly chirpy , happy song that is bound to irritate many but just makes me want to frolic. ( any takers?) I found Sanomi much more irritating ( particularly the ‘handjive’ which one of this year’s entry has emulated (more of which, later)), and am less ‘aware’ of the made up language. I doubt this will work ion a large arena, as it’s dependant on musicianship. I’m not even convinced they’ll nail the vocals, to be honest, but I do wish them well. ( if only to annoy Frank!) Until recently, Brussels was the most boring capital I’ve ever visited. Actually, I didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings , but it still is. Personal score out of ten (8) and Winnschans (1%)

Frank:
Oh, you … oh, you ... I forgot my lyrics

Harrow:
Phoneme vomit. 5th time in 6 years that Belgium have been in my bottom 5 (Kate Ryan being the exception) 0/10

Tore:
Belgium has done very well in ESC before with an imaginary language song. But there stops every similarities with their previous entry “Sanomi”. “O julissi” has far more in common with another imaginary language ESC-song; “Y Asi” from Austria which failed miserably from its early position in the 2005 ESC semi final. I hope, but I’m not sure, Belgium will face a similar faith as this is nothing but an annoying “charm” song that never seems to end. Chances of qualifying: 40%

Lobo:
I think it was a girlie group singing something jazzy, right? Unimpressed.

Stefan:
The clever guys from VRT only took five years to realise that imaginary language once did well for Belgium. Too bad it won't a second time, as this is a contrived piece of old rubbish. Nerve-wrecking! 3/10.

Ade:
Sounds like something twee from the 1960s that the Swiss might send knowing it stands no chance. It's simple enough to pick up a few votes, but lacks any real hook and ends up sounding like repetitive lift musak that outstays its welcome long before three minutes are up. 3/10

Alexander-NL:

Well, I think we’ve established that the more one hears this song the more annoying it gets. And to me it was pretty annoying to begin with, because it was beating some great songs in the Belgian selection. Yet, this is another entry that scares me. Grandma and grandpa could just be convinced that this is somehow “actual”, “real” music, like the majority of the Belgian voting audience thought. It does stand out enormously which can always go both ways.

4/10 (34^th)

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To contribute to the future reviews, which continue tomorrow with Azerbaijan, email your reviews to escnationblog@gmail.com. Alternatively, feel free to add your review of all the songs already featured so far, with a rating out of 10 as a comment on each of those posts. All rankings out of 10 contributed to semi 1 songs before 20/04/08 will go towards the ESCNation Blog's ESC 2008 Review Poll. For more info see here: http://escnationmbmusic.blogspot.com/2008/03/esc-2008-mbers-reviews.html

Semi 1 - San Marino

2008-04-05T01:59:00.003+02:00

Semi 1 - 04

San Marino

Miodio
Comice

Alexander-NL:

I go back and forth on this one! I think with the right staging, lighting and vocal arrangement, I could really turn out to love this. However we’re dealing with a first-timer here and I just doubt everything will come together that well. Right now, it’s an OK song that even though it has grown on me tremendously, somehow is missing something that I can’t quite put my finger on. Not a bad debut, but I don’t see it surviving the semi. 5/10 (25^th)

Ade:
Hardly the most imaginative way to burst onto the Eurovision stage. I
can't think of enough ways to express 'dull', this song does them all. 2/10

Stefan:

Such chickens, the RAI guys. Instead of daring it themselves, they send their colony to be slaughtered on the spot. The entered song is the strongest contender for last place in the semi, why did they bother? 5/10.

Lobo:

Depeche Mode's rejected track from "Exciter". I guess i should more or less liked it, but i don´t. Won´t qualify in one million years.

Tore:
Another tiny little country makes their debut in ESC. San Marino are sending a young male band with an OK, but very forgettable ballad. And being the third slow entry among the first five is a major drawback as long as you don’t deliver a more interesting entry. Chances of qualifying: 5%

Harrow:
Nice debut effort, am delighted it isn't just another Switzerland fanwank 7/10

Frank:

Ah, the sound of sealions mating in the night!

Boog:
Sticks out like a sore thumb for all the right, but unfortunately, also all the wrong , reasons. A laudable debut for La Serenissima Repubblica di San Marino and set to receive a warm welcome. I am biased on a number of levels and I’m sure that won’t surprise you. I find Joy Division heartwarming, just so you know where I’m coming from! I can’t get enough of this morose, atmospheric, self-indulgent whinge, although this certainly isn’t a classic from their repertoire, and oozes more than a little pretention. I also love the Italian language in music, but have to say (whisper it) it’s not suited to this kind of music. It’s rare I ask for a language change in an ESC entry, but I’m doing so this time, for this, and one other song. ( more of which later). Work commitments don’t permit me ever to attend semis, so I’m afraid I’m going to be disappointed that I won’t see this on the big night. My only hope is a groundswell of support for the ‘underdog’. San Marino has nice postage stamps.
Personal score out of ten (7) and Winnschans (0%)

To contribute to the future reviews, which continue tomorrow with San Marino, email your reviews to escnationblog@gmail.com. Alternatively, feel free to add your review of all the songs already featured so far, with a rating out of 10 as a comment on each of those posts. All rankings out of 10 contributed to semi 1 songs before 20/04/08 will go towards the ESCNation Blog's ESC 2008 Review Poll. For more info see here: http://escnationmbmusic.blogspot.com/2008/03/esc-2008-mbers-reviews.html

Semi 1 - Moldova

2008-04-04T01:21:00.002+02:00

Semi 1 - 04

Moldova

A Century Of Love
Geta Burlacu

Lobo:
Not sure, but i think i haven't listened to it.

Ade:
Taken out of context, it isn't that awful, just very unremarkable and verging on pastiche. The overall blandness and lack of hook will surely flow over the heads of the average boozed up televoter, unless they overdo the staging, which given this is Moldova is always a possibility.
Not the sort of song that sets a televoting scoreboard alight. 7/10

Tore:
Oh dear. Pseudo-jazz, not far away from what Lithuania gave us last year. It could perhaps work as background music in some chill-out bar or elevator music in some trendy hotel. In ESC this will be forgotten while listening and hopefully the TV audience won’t die of boredom or change the channel. Chances of qualifying: 20%

Boog:
Smooth late night jazz which soothes the aching ESC head. At least it would if it weren’t for the singer. Why the composer, (God forefend it’s the girl herself) gave this song to someone with a voice less likely to induce relaxation, is anybody’s guess. The only thing which is even more unfathomable is the presentation at the national final. Bubbles and Pairs skating. The one saving grace is , I’ve always wanted in ice skating for the girl to lift the guy, and in this performance she does! What do I know I know about Moldova?..well, over 25% of the population have moved to Romania recently. Personal score out of ten (3) and Winnschans (0%)

Stefan:
Soap bubbles are the one gimmick that hasn't been tried yet, so bring them on! The song is reminiscent of Lithuania last year, and while that didn't do well, I say again what I said then: Either very high or very low place: 7/10.

Alexander-NL:

This made a great first impression on me. A simple, peaceful song and enough visual distraction from the accent. The bubbles or the yarn make no sense but somehow I love it and it adds to some undefined atmosphere of the song. Since my first impression it started to go down however, but that’s probably irrelevant. Prediction-wise it’s a big black question mark to me, I have no clue how it will come across in Belgrade. Yet I look forward to it.

6/10 (21^st)

Harrow:
Love or Leave without the screen! Zzz 1/10

Frank:
What’s that country called, dear? Mood-ova?

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To contribute to the future reviews, which continue tomorrow with San Marino, email your reviews to escnationblog@gmail.com. Alternatively, feel free to add your review of Montenegro, Israel, Estonia and Moldova, with a rating out of 10 as a comment on each of those posts. All rankings out of 10 contributed to semi 1 songs before 20/04/08 will go towards the ESCNation Blog's ESC 2008 Review Poll. For more info see here: http://escnationmbmusic.blogspot.com/2008/03/esc-2008-mbers-reviews.html

Semi 1 - Estonia

2008-04-03T01:43:00.004+02:00

Semi 1 - 03

Estonia

Leto Svet
Kreisiraadio

Marianne:

I was in Tallinn to see Eurolaul where this piece of crap was chosen, and it was a huge pre contest fave. Estonians were sulking over the fact that Eurovision has become an event where neighbours are voting each other, and which is ruled by joke entries and half-naked dancing girls. So what was their answer? They chose to send a joke entry featuring half naked dancing girls, with part of lyrics in Finnish to attact neighbourly votes.

Sorry, but this tired joke just does not work for me. Neither does the song. Unfortunately I still can see plenty of my fellow Finns falling for the trap. Luckily we'll be just about the only ones though.

Cal:
I really cannot stand and hear the whole song not even once!!
1/10 for the song
20% to qualify

Frank:
Hi de hi, hi de ho, these ugly men may steal the show!

Harrow:
Not bad for a joke entry, the music is good at least. 5/10

Alexander-NL:

Every year there’s this song that scares me. You know, that song you can’t stand, but there’s this feel about it that could get so many people up looking for their phones. Weirdly enough, out of all the entries that are intended to be funny, this is the only one that comes close to bringing a smile to my face because of the laughing man. But that says more about the others really. I’m not counting on this to make the final, but I’m fearing they could surprise us.

2/10 (41^st)

Stefan:
Universal nonsense has a history of doing well in the contest. So this catchy tune may shock everyone by qualifying, despite the nasty guys performing it - it's so ridiculous, there's no need to understand it. Be afraid. 2/10.

Boog:
Those of you who remember ‘The Banana Bunch’ will remember this tune fondly. Very ‘lad’ish stag night stuff with the guys mucking around having sunk a skinful of beer. Backing girls straight out of a car magazine and there you have it, the straight middle age male vote sewn up. As we all know, this doesn’t constitute much of the audience, and those that are forced to sit in and watch the bl**dy thing by their girlfriends and wives (possibly both if they’re French *wink wink*) aren’t going to be so uncool as to actually pick up a phone and vote, but , if in a drunken haze they decide to do so for a laugh ( oh what a titter!), this is what they’ll go for. Estonia once had a seriously good-looking decathlete.
Personal score out of ten (2) and Winnschans (0%)

Tore:
It’s the first novelty/joke entry in the semi final. Two cousins of Olsen Bros. dance a little and make funny faces to this plain and straight forward eurotrash entry. Surrounded by dancing bikini girls one wonder if this most of all is a tribute to the late Benny Hill. Estonia has failed to reach the final ever since the semi final was introduced. I’m afraid we won’t see them this year either. Chances of qualifying: 20%

Ade:
The only thing worse than a joke entry (apart from colonic irrigation and chatty hairdressers) is an unfunny joke entry. Is this a supposed two fingers held up to Eurovision or a desperate attempt to jump on a soon departing bandwagon? It's tired, like a wedding guest that hangs around for the christening. Possibly the worst on offer this year. 0/10

Lobo:
Listened about 30 sec. Sounded like hell, actually.

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To contribute to the future reviews, which continue tomorrow with Moldova, email your reviews to escnationblog@gmail.com. Alternatively, feel free to add your review of Montenegro, Israel and Estonia, with a rating out of 10 as a comment on each of those posts. All rankings out of 10 contributed to semi 1 songs before 20/04/08 will go towards the ESCNation Blog's ESC 2008 Review Poll. For more info see here: http://escnationmbmusic.blogspot.com/2008/03/esc-2008-mbers-reviews.html

Semi 1 - Israel

2008-04-01T22:44:00.009+02:00

Semi 1 - 02

Israel

The Fire In Your Eyes
Boaz Mauda

Tore:
There’s something seriously wrong with this song and that’s sadly the most important part; the chorus. After a very nice and promising opening, a flat and lifeless chorus becomes a huge anti-climax. When sung live the chorus sounds struggled too which makes it sound even worse. It can’t be saved by the much better bridge/middle-act either. Chances of qualifying: 30%

Stefan:
I normally don't like high-pitch male voices, but here it is totally different. The combination vocals/music has a “je ne sais quoi” effect on me and makes it my firm fave for this year: 9/10, and here’s hope for Boaz making the final!

Lobo:
Haven't listened to it.

Harrow:
Lovely song by a girl with a nice voice. Shame they can't put her on stage instead of Boaz miming to her voice! 8/10

Frank:
… And thus He played his trumpet and down came the walls of Jericho

Cal:

I find this song a bit strange... Sometimes i say it is horrible and sometimes that its ok ... Its draw for sure won't help it qualify... god what a bad start for semi 1 with montenegro and israel...

I believe that Israel will fight to qualify ( between 9th-10th position) or maybe the jury will pick it up...

i give 4/10 for the song and 30% to qualify.

Boog:
I’m sure I’m not the only one who marvels at Israeli singers being able to sing in Hebrew at all given that their language requires them to clear their throat from chatarrh every 10 seconds. (We have to do it north of the border here when pronouncing the last syllable of ‘loch’.) One of the schizophrenic songs in the contest, which offer not one, but two songs for the price of one, and you know what?, it just about works. It’s definitely a grower, which is a polite way of saying it has little impact on first hearing, so is ill suited to the immediacy required to attract the attention of hundreds of thousands of drunken revellers. I also can’t see the point of the English bit in the version I have. What can I say about Israel? A jewish friend of mine was once diddled in the Garden of Gethsemane. Personal score out of ten (6) and Winnschans(0%)

Alexander-NL:

I was impartial about this earlier, kind of weirded out about the unknown sex of the singer and the song didn’t hit home immediately either. By now the song has grown on me and it sticks. The awkwardness about the singer actually helps one remember it and it stands out from its draw even though I’m not sure televoters will be convinced. I hope he’ll give it some major welly out there and who knows what could happen.

8/10 (10^th)

Ade:
The language really gets in the way here. The accent is way too strong when he flicks to English, it takes a while to even notice. If you can't do something well, don't do it at all. And where exactly is the hook? It's a song that meanders along. A minor miracle might just lift this from the semi, but to my ears, this is painfully bad. 0/10

To contribute to the future reviews, which continue tomorrow with Estonia, email your reviews to escnationblog@gmail.com. Alternatively, feel free to add your review of Montenegro and Israel with a rating out of 10 as a comment on those posts. All rankings out of 10 contributed to semi 1 songs before 20/04/08 will go towards the ESCNation Blog's ESC 2008 Review Poll. For more info see here: http://escnationmbmusic.blogspot.com/2008/03/esc-2008-mbers-reviews.html

Semi 1 - Montenegro

2008-04-01T02:12:00.008+02:00

Semi 1 - 01

Montenegro

Zauvijek volim te
Stefan Filipović

Ade:
Thoroughly unremarkable bit of bland sub Yank power-pop that manages to
be both twee and repulsive at the same time. Truly horrible. 0/10

Alexander-NL:
Not what one would call the most spectacular opening of a contest. My first impression of this was awful, with that video miming without a microphone. They would have looked more professional mouthing into water bottles. Went straight to my bottom. The bottom of my list, I mean. But I must say I have to partly come back to it. The new version is certainly OK, and overall it’s not a bad melody. If he performs it well, who knows, they will still fail miserably!

Boog:
An amateur-looking performance at their national final masks a respectable song, that doesn’t deserve its ‘favouritism to be last’ status. When you hear the song, you imagine an ageing rock band who’ve sold millions of records in the Balkans in the eighties, so the lad’s image ( and his backing singers’ ) is a bit incongruous. (incongruity can work of course, ( in fact I’m a proponent of it) but I doubt it in this case) Bizarrely it shares the Native American drumbeat of the Ukrainian entry, but more of that later. Of course first song on and it will receive a huge welcome. One final point; Montenegro has a very beautiful coastline!
Personal score out of ten (5) and Winnschans (0%)

Harrow:
What is the point of entering? Apart from the douze for Serbia, of course... 2/10

Lobo:
Haven´t listened to it.

Sergio:
So, this is Montenegro's 2nd ever entry and not a great one, I'm afraid. In fact it has similarities with last year's Montenegrin entry, although this one is slightly better. Stefan sings well (despite his very deep voice for someone as young as he is) but this will be a rather uninteresting opener of the 1st semifinal. The song is very late 80's in style, in my opinion. I don't expect it to qualify but points from Bosnia and Slovenia are more or less certain (since the other ex-Yugo countries aren't voting in the same semi). Since there are worse songs than this, I'll give it a 4 out of 10.

Shi:
At first hearing: When the song ended, I remembered that I thought it sounded nice. Unfortunately, I couldn't remember the actual song. At second hearing: I really like it. It's cute and harmless and good-moody, and it has some nice moments of melody, even if it has been written two decades too late, give or take a year. The problem is that while I enjoy the song a lot while listening to it, I still can't hum a single bit of it, and probably wouldn't be able to even if my life depended on it.
Why it should qualify: He's (kind of) cute, he (relatively) can sing live, and as far as we know he has no plans to share the stage with any kind of birds.
Why it shouldn't: Because it's the song that wasn't there.
Wise words: "I'm just wasting time" - It might be three minutes of your life you'll never get back, but that's fine, you won't remember it anyway.
Bottom line: I forgot.
Score: 7/10

Stefan:
If the Montenegrin delegation's teambus took a wrong turn on the way from Podgorica to Belgrade and never arrived, this 80s Jugovizija reject wouldn't be missed. A certain non-qualifier if there ever was one. A generous 3/10.

Tore:
In my book the absolute worst entry in 2007 was Montenegro. I was at therefore hoping for something much better this time around, especially as they had some time to find an entry after selecting the artist. Well they found a better song than the 2007-trash, I’ll give them that, but this is yet again so uninspiring and dull it will be the one certain ex-Yugoslavian country we won’t see in the final. And what a terrible opener of ESC 2008. Chances of qualifying: 10%

To contribute to the future reviews, which continue tomorrow with Israel, email your reviews to escnationblog@gmail.com. Alternatively, feel free to add your review of Montenegro and rating out of 10 as a comment on this post. All rankings out of 10 contributed before 20/04/08 will go towards the ESCNation Blog's ESC 2008 Review Poll. For more info see here: http://escnationmbmusic.blogspot.com/2008/03/esc-2008-mbers-reviews.html

ESC 2008 MBers Reviews

2008-03-25T00:42:00.006+01:00

Hey guys,

Since the blog is lying redundant, and thanks to an idea by ade, I've decided it might be nice to spend a day between now and ESC looking at each entry.

If you would like to participate then send your reviews to escnationblog@gmail.com , it is easier for me if you don't send them one at a time, but rather each semi in 1 go, or all 43 together at the same time. Make sure you write the country name in (and spell it properly!) so when I compile them it is easier for me.

If you don't have time to send a review, you can still participate by writing your review in the comments section. You could include your opinion, your prediction or whatever, just try not to write too much on each entry!

The schedule:

SEMI 1
01/04/08: Montenegro
02/04/08: Israel
03/04/08: Estonia
04/04/08: Moldova
05/04/08: San Marino
06/04/08: Belgium
07/04/08: Azerbaijan
08/04/08: Slovenia
09/04/08: Norway
10/04/08: Poland
11/04/08: Ireland
12/04/08: Andorra
13/04/08: Bosnia-Herzegovina
14/04/08: Armenia
15/04/08: Netherlands
16/04/08: Finland
17/04/08: Romania
18/04/08: Russia
19/04/08: Greece
20/04/08: 10 Qualifiers and places 11th-19th based on average scores out of 10 revealed
SEMI 2
21/04/08: Iceland
22/04/08: Sweden
23/04/08: Turkey
24/04/08: Ukraine
25/04/08: Lithuania
26/04/08: Albania
27/04/08: Switzerland
28/04/08: Czech Republic
29/04/08: Belarus
30/04/08: Latvia
01/05/08: Croatia
02/05/08: Bulgaria
03/05/08: Denmark
04/05/08: Georgia
05/05/08: Hungary
06/05/08: Malta
07/05/08: Cyprus
08/05/08: Macedonia
09/05/08: Portugal
10/05/08: 10 Qualifiers and places 11th-19th based on average scores out of 10 revealed
FINAL
11/05/08: UK
12/05/08: Germany
13/05/08: France
14/05/08: Serbia
15/05/08: Spain
16/05/08: ESC Nation Blog's full results revealed

send your reviews to escnationblog@gmail.com , with your email's title containing your MB name, which show's songs are being reviewed (semi 1 and/or semi 2 and/or final) and a ranking out of 10 for each song.

Thanks! :)

Sign Up!

2008-02-28T21:29:00.000+01:00

Dear MBers,

Welcome to the ESC Nation MB music blog!

This blog is written by the MBers, for the MBers!

The idea is that each week an MBer will be in charge of the blog, and will share a different song each weekday for the entertainment of their fellow MBers.

I suggest that each contributor should submit 5 songs from different categories:

* 1 ESC song
* 1 ESC version/cover/remix
* 1 National Final song
* 2 other songs

With each one, a brief explanation should be included as to why you like the song, or perhaps a story of a memory you have associated with it. You should also provide an mp3, and (if possible) a youtube link.

As well as these 5 songs, as an introduction to each new week, the MBer in charge should provide a brief introduction to themselves and a photo, to be posted on the Sunday afternoon before the songs are posted.

I think this will be a nice way to hear new music, reminisce over old music, and get to know each other better. Hopefully it will also be a nice site to check every weekday when you are at work.

The blog will be done on a first come first serve basis, so get cracking! To enter, please send the 5 songs in an email to me at harrovision@gmail.com, with your comments.

Once I have received your application, you will be informed of the dates your posts will be displayed, and then you have until the week before that to edit your info, including changing your songs, if, for example, one of your assigned days is a special occasion (Christmas, New Year etc.)

This blog depends on you, so get involved!

Harrow :)

Friday: New Song

2008-02-22T12:41:00.000+01:00

Mystique - Σ' Άλλη Σελίδα (S'alli Selida)

The Greeks should dump the three candidates they have in their NF this year and simply send these girls with a song like S'alli Selida. It's number two in the Greeks charts right now.

Thursday: ESC Artist's song

2008-02-21T04:21:00.002+01:00

Celine Dion - Quand On N'a Que L'amour

Celine Dion sings a cover of Jacques Brel's Quand On N'a Que L'amour. Celine performs it here live at the Olympia in Paris where only the greatest artists of French Chanson get a chance to perform.
Celine looks really great in this video and so different from what she looks like these days ;-)
I really adore this song and have a look at the lyrics, it is written by a genius !

Quand on n'a que l'amour
A s'offrir en partage
Au jour du grand voyage
Qu'est notre grand amour

Quand on n'a que l'amour
Mon amour toi et moi
Pour qu'éclatent de joie
Chaque heure et chaque jour

Quand on n'a que l'amour
Pour vivre nos promesses
Sans nulle autre richesse
Que d'y croire toujours

Quand on n'a que l'amour
Pour meubler de merveilles
Et couvrir de soleil
La laideur des faubourgs

Quand on n'a que l'amour
Pour unique raison
Pour unique chanson
Et unique secours

Quand on n'a que l'amour
Pour habiller matin
Pauvres et malandrins
De manteaux de velours

Quand on n'a que l'amour
A offrir en prière
Pour les maux de la terre
En simple troubadour

Quand on n'a que l'amour
A offrir à ceux-là
Dont l'unique combat
Est de chercher le jour

Quand on n'a que l'amour
Pour tracer un chemin
Et forcer le destin
A chaque carrefour

Quand on n'a que l'amour
Pour parler aux canons
Et rien qu'une chanson
Pour convaincre un tambour

Alors sans avoir rien
Que la force d'aimer
Nous aurons dans nos mains
Amis, le monde entier

Thursday: ESC Artist's song

2008-02-21T04:21:00.001+01:00

Wednesday: ESC Song

2008-02-20T01:42:00.001+01:00

Belgium 1975 - Ann Christy - Gelukkig Zijn

Ann Christy is an icon in Flemish showbizz. This song of hers in Eurovision should have meant her international breakthrough. That is at least what Flemish media were writing at that time. She failed big time in Eurovision that year and people who were really close to her keep saying that she really never could accept this failure and that she got sick because of that. Ann Christy died on August 7, 1984 of cancer. Flanders lost maybe his biggest female singer of all times.
Gelukkig Zijn is my fave Flemish entry in ESC ever.
Ann Christy, Flanders still remembers you !

Tuesday: NF Song

2008-02-19T00:18:00.000+01:00

Netherlands NF 2004: Judith Jobse - Love Me

When I heard this song the first time in one of the semis of the Dutch selection for ESC 2004 I immediately fell in love with it. If I remember well, Judith wrote this song while she was in a divorce. She brings it with so much emotion I think. I always thought she would win the Dutch final in 2004, but instead they sent some guys with a guitar singing the most boring meaningless song :) (imo)

Monday: Classic Song

2008-02-18T04:14:00.000+01:00

Spider Murphy Gang - Skandal Im Sperrbezirk

Thanks to my brother who is eight years older than me I started to love German music. My brother kind of grew up with the music of the Neue Deutsche Welle, while I was still a bit young to really appreciate this kind of music, though I must say I really loved this song back than when my brother used to play it ALL the time :) These days this song is good memory of my childhood and I guess this is a real classic one on Continental Europe at least :)

About Me: Andy

2008-02-17T22:29:00.002+01:00

Most of you know me as Andyaki, TinTin, Andy.be, AndyLeuven but "let me tell you a little secret", I am simply Andy :), born on May 27, 1973 in the "Jaansaas" (ask Frank for a translation) capital of Belgium, being Tienen, also better known in Belgium as Tirlemont. Tienen is famous for its sugar production and ... well, that is about it :) It is a very little town where nothing really happens.
Until I was 29 I lived in a village called Bunsbeek which is situated in a region called Hageland. The region is famous for its fruit trees plantations. I went to primary school there and after primary school I went to the "big school" (as we call it in Flanders) in Tienen, after that -Tienen totally became deserted when I left school there- I attended college in Leuven (languages combined with secretarial management stuff). I have to admit I hated those studies at the time and if it wasn't for my parents I would have studied Hotel Management ! My big dream is still to open a hotel or a bed & breakfast.
After leaving college I didn't find a job at that moment and I started a course to become an educator in a children care center (before and after school + holidays). I did this job for eight years and I absolutely loved it ! I felt it was time to move on with my life at a certain moment though. I left my beloved village for the city of Leuven where my boyfriend already lived. We know each other since 1996. I moved in with him and we are still living together. I also got another job at that moment, working for the Flemish government. But that certainly wasn't the place for me and after some harsh times concerning professional life, I think I might have found a job I really want to do, starting coming March 3.

When did I become a fan of Eurovision ? Gosh, I do remember watching some older contests together with my family but I think I really became a fan in 1981 when Making Your Mind Up won the contest.
My top 3 ever from ESC is:
1. Israel 2005
2. Poland 1994
3. Israel 1990

I'll try my best to come up with some good songs this week :)

Keep checking the blog !!!
Greets,
Andy

Friday: ESC Song

2008-02-15T00:14:00.001+01:00

Kaija – Hullu Yo

OK I thought, will it be Mia, Iva or Nicola? Then I remembered, not everyone likes Italian stuff ( hard to believe, I know) so here she is, the lovely Kaija.

Obviously my favourite postcards come from this ESC, many of which were better than the performnces on the night. I love the fact that, whatever the ‘yo’ word means, it sounds like a finnish person is about to throw up.The backing singers actions are also of no mean interest

Thursday: NF Song

2008-02-14T03:21:00.000+01:00

Barbados – Se Mig

Ok, so I’m a late developer. I fell in love with the Swedish MF last year, and I feel as if I’m still on honeymoon. The only person to be more excited than me on March 15 in Globen will be Drew.

I have posted Brandsta City Slackers and Martin at every opportunity, so I thought, ‘Give it a rest’, and I have. From 2000, (but I only discovered this about 18 months ago), it’s a really simple 3 minute song, sung by a group who are composed of beings who barely belong to the same biological classification.

Wednesday:: ESC related song

2008-02-13T02:52:00.001+01:00

Loredana Berté - Non sono una signora

I don’t think there’s anyone on the planet who doesn’t know that I believe Mia Martini to be the dog’s bo**ocks. ( For those of you with only a little English, this is as good as it gets!)

For my ESC related song, I’ve gone for her sister, Loredana Berte. This video, competes with Debbie Harry’s ‘Union City Blue’ video, as the last time I had serious heterosexual stirrings in my loins. In fact, a shady vestige of a stirring still remains as I watch this Festivalbar performance!

Tuesday: Classic Song

2008-02-12T03:03:00.000+01:00

Psychedelic Furs – Pretty in Pink

The original 1981 version. ( well..the 86 version is a bit sanitised, isn’t it?) I know....... I’m a sentimental old fool ( if you believe that, you’ll believe anything!) but this was the first dance I had with Malc.

I’d been introduced by a friend but he (Malc, that is) was terribly drunk at the time, so I didn’t give him my phone number. ( It’s not that I was playing cool, I just thought he wouldn’t stand a chance of remembering it or finding the bit of paper!) Anyway , he demonstrated tenacity and initiative, discovered my phone number and called me a few days later. The rest, as they say, is history.

Monday: Italian Song

2008-02-11T03:27:00.000+01:00

Francesco de Gregori – Generale

My all-time favourite Italian song from one of Italy’s best singer songwriters. I promised Davor months ago I’d try to translate it and I have (‘tried’ that is). With a bit of luck, Marco will correct any mistakes. In any case , as I’m always telling you, it sounds better in Italian!!

General
Behind the hill
Lies the night
Dark as an assassin
And in the middle of the meadow
There’s a peasant woman
Bent over in the sunset
She seems like a young girl
50 years of age
With 5 sons
Who came into the world like rabbits
Left as soldiers
And not yet returned

General
Behind the station
You see the train taking you to the sun
It doesn’t stop
Not even to let you pee
We go straight home, without thinking
That war is beatiful
Even if it’s bad for you
That we’ll return to sing
To let them make love to us...
The nurses

General
The war is over
The enemy has run away, is vanquished, is beaten
Behind the hill
There’s no-one
Only pine needlesand silence and
Mushrooms
Good enough to eat good enough to dry
To make sauce
For Christmas
When small children cry
And don’t want to go to bed.

General
These five stars
These five teardrops on my skin
What sense have they
In the noise of this train
Which is half empty and half full
And it’s speeding to its return?
In two minutes
It’s almost daylight
It’s almost home

It’s almost love

About Me: boog

2008-02-10T19:54:00.000+01:00

MB Name: boog

Born Arturo Lorenzo Biagi, in Ayr, Scotland on 6 November 1953. I am an out and out Scorpio who gets on famously with Cancerians. ( Both my best mate and my partner are Cancerian)

Ayr is the birthplace of Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burns, who wrote;

‘Ayr, wham ne’er a toon surpasses for honest men and bonnie lasses’

As many of you will testify, I am honest to the point of being undiplomatic!

I became a teacher at 22 and gay at 26. ( I hasten to add the two are not linked.) You would really have to have lived in Scotland in the 60s and 70s to realise just how easy it is not to discover such a fundamental fact about yourself for so long! ( My partner, Malc was married. His best man, now a grandfather of three is also gay. Malc’s best mate, Gordon, was married too, but is a confirmed left-footer. I think you get my drift...........)

I moved to Edinburgh when I was 17 and have remained here ever since. It’s a great place to live, but I shall always be an Ayrshire man. Edinburgh is too cosmopolitan to have a strong character.

My parents are Italian of course, and I only spoke Italian till the age of 4 when I went to school. Consequently I possess an unfathomable accent which fluctuates from Lenzie to West Calder with a Tuscan lilt.

Starting from 1964, I couldn’t wait for the annual opportunity to hear the Sanremo winner at ESC, usually just me and my auntie Nara (God rest her soul.. she’s to blame for this infernal affliction!) It was the only time we’d hear Italian music apart from when we visited nonna (gran) each year but it took 3 days to drive to Italy and 3 to get back! My parents are from Barga, which is in the province of Lucca. All of my family are over in Italy now and, apart from one cousin, I’m the only one left to deal with the abominable rain, wind and cold here!

My other main obsession is volleyball, and the team I coach are likely ( he said in all modesty!!!) to be Scottish Junior champions in a few weeks. ( I have to admit that, in Scotland, volleyball is a minority sport with our national team on a par with the Faroe Islands, to put it into context for you. In other words, we are to volleyball what Portugal is to ESC.)

I live with Malc ( partner of 23 years), an obsessively tidy Dundonian, (from Dundee, home of jute, jam and journalism) whose sole purpose on this planet is to make my life hell. ( I know many of you think I deserve it!)

Friday - Classic (Dutch) Song

2008-02-08T02:14:00.000+01:00

Day 5 :Marco Borsato

To end this week I give you one of the best songs in Dutch of the past decade, performed live by the best Dutch singer/ performer at the time:Marco Borsato.

His “Rood”(Red) is a plea for giving back the original association back to the colour red, which once was the colour of Love but nowadays is more the colour of Bloodshed.

Please see how he performs this epic song & how well the staging is, very well fit for ESC with an orchestra! :)

Hugzzz & have a lovely weekend

Thursday: NF Song

2008-02-07T04:52:00.000+01:00

Hanson, Carson & Malmkvist (Grey Power!!) : C'est la vie (MF 2004)

Despite all the bashing of MF, one can’t deny that the Swedes do grant performers of all ages a chance in their final.

To me a lovely surprise were the 3 grand old ladies: Carson, Hanson & Malmkvist in MF 2004. And they in fact reached the final! Grey Power in ESC!

One of the loveliest songs in that years’MF is my song for today.: C’est la vie! :)

Wednesday: ESC Artist's Other Song

2008-02-05T20:25:00.000+01:00

Day 3: Nichya

It was a big shock to me when I heard that the song that I present to you today was probably recorded by the by me most despised tATu featuring Philip Kirkorow. Nowadays you can find the on YouTube song only as “Nichya by Nichya”. Can’t help it: I like it, tATu or not! :)

Tuesday: ESC Plagiarism?

2008-02-05T13:37:00.001+01:00

Day 2: Lily Allen

Every year some ESC –songs suffer from accusations of plagiarism, which mostly means that the song sounds very much like another (non-ESC) song from an earlier era.

At the time of it’s release the song of today called “Alfie”by Lily Allen was claimed to be a plagiarism of my all time favorite song: “Puppet on a String”. Judge for yourself if those claims were justified!

Monday: ESC Song

2008-02-04T02:23:00.000+01:00

Fredi & Friends: Pump pump (Finland 1976)

My home country hosted ESC many times. The last time it did in 1980 when quite unexpectedly Israel at a very late stage told EBU it wasn’t able to organise the contest two times in a row.

But ESC also came to The Hague in 1976 after Teach-In’s win. One of the songs there which was tipped as as one of the competitors to win was “Pump Pump” from the then enigmatic Finland and performed by a giant called Fredi who probably unintendedly staged a hilarious act. Look at the backings (especially on the right) and see how Finland was “swinging”in those years. Until today I love this unpretentious lovely little sing-along of a song! :)

About Me: Nachty

2008-02-03T19:45:00.001+01:00

About “Moi”

Being one of the very few from the pre-ESC era, I was born on June 11th 1953 in the city of Leiden in The Netherlands in the province that is called Holland. At the time my parents lived in a small city in the province of Zeeland the south part of the country which had oly month’s before my birth been hit by the worst floodings in Dutch history causing the death of more than 2000 people. So my mum evacuated to her old hometown Leiden, up north to give birth. My birth horoscope indicates that I’m a Gemini beyond compare! :) This, among other things mean that I’m very much into communication & love art in any form.

After primary school I took grammar school suffering from Latin & Greek lessons for 7 years! :(

Afterwards I studied law in Amsterdam followed by studies to become a social worker. At the time I worked the summer holidays mostly in bookstores & banks. One of these jobs lead to meeting Therèse Steinmetz (NET 1967) and a very young Willeke Alberti (NET 1994)

I watched my first ESC in 1966 and witnessed Udo Jürgens win the thing. I got addicted to the contest & only a year later I saw my still all-time-fav win the prize (as was expected at the time).

These days I’m not as big a fan as I used to be. I simply can’t get used to a contest that lacks the orchestra and has introduced free-language rule. But I can’t deny that the free-language rule has prompted a tsunami of countries winning for the first time.

Televoting....well, not too sure if that’s an improvement. I hope the new format of ESC in 2008 will diminish the trend of neighbour & friendly voting.

Favorite ESC songs? There’s many. So it was hard to choose. To name a few: apart from the 1967 winner I very much like the winners of 1963, 1964,1965, 1971, 1997. Ad though I’m not at all a fan of “Waterloo”(SWE 1974) I have become a huge ABBA-fan. Less now though that it was in the seventies & eighties.

I’ve attended my first ESC at the age of 48 in Copenhagen, followed a year later by my second in Tallinn. Loved it, but most of all the meet-ups with other MBers & friends. In 2003 I watched the contest from the Akranes-palace in Iceland where one of my first ESC-friends, Asta (Ladybug) hosted me and showed me around in this great country.

I’ve tried to make an interesting selection for this week, consisting of something Finnish, something Swedish, something Dutch, something English & something Russian.

Enjoy & a big HOPPA to you all! :)

Friday: New Song

2008-02-01T03:19:00.000+01:00

The Lionheart Brothers: 50 Souls and a Disco Bowl

It is around an hour's drive from my place of work to the homestead, and I must be getting on a bit, as I find Radio 2 by far the best in-car entertainment around.
That's where I found this one. It was Record of the Week on Radcliffe and Maconie just before Christmas and I fell in love with it from the opening bars.
It has that early Cardigans vibe to it, with a touch of Beck, and just the sort of quirky touches which tuned my ears towards The Housemartins more than 20 years ago. Sweet Baby Jesus and the Orphans, I've only gone and come full circle.
Those Lionheart siblings are of Norwegian stock, and I imagine they'd be more comfortable with submitting a song to the ESC heats than their counterparts in the UK, which is a crying shame.
But what the heck, it's a good song, and thank you iTunes for saving me having to ask for this in HMV, as I still call it 50 Discos on a Superbowl for some reason.
Cheers for indulging my ramblings over the past five days, and I'm looking forward to seeing and hearing what the next blogger off the rank has chosen.
Toodle-oo,

Jame.

Thursday: NF Song

2008-01-30T21:23:00.000+01:00

Marianne Rosenberg- Er gehört zu mir (German NF 1975)

National finals are another ESC-related phenomenon which has passed me by, especially now there are around 603 to sit through between December and March when you chuck in the qualifying rounds. Life's a bit too short for all that mullarkey.
However, the one exception I have made was getting a copy of the German National Final of 1975, as I always thought the Stockholm '75 orchestra didn't so much remove all the atmosphere from Ein Lied Kann Eine Brucke Sein, as get Joy herself to roll over it until it was as flat as a pancake. So that's why I tracked down the final from whence it came.
Amid the dozen-ish songs in contention here (Ralph Siegel got beat - ha ha) is this number, sung by a lady whom I hope and pray never wanders on to the set of Bullseye in that frock.
It's not actually a favourite, but I chose this because I couldn't believe how closely the song writers got to copying Never Can Say Goodbye without a hefty plagiarism writ plopping on their doormat.

Wednesday: ESC Artist's Other Song

2008-01-30T02:24:00.000+01:00

Blur feat. Francoise Hardy - To the End

I've had to cheat here. I love Eurovision, I really do. But it's the event I like, and that's about it.
I really, really, couldn't give two hoots about the next No Name album or how well Verka's follow-up singles are doing in the Kosovo download chart, so beyond their entry/ies for the Contest, I know the bare minimum about the artists who have taken part.
Therefore, instead of going for the usual A-list suspects (and I nearly, so nearly, picked Cliff's Wired For Sound as a contender for the worst pop song/video in Christendom), I hope you don't mind me choosing this.
I'm sure you won't, as it's a beautiful piece of commercial pop.
Monaco's sultry lass from '63 is spot-on here, and I'm quite pleased I don't speak French, as she could well be saying: 'Damon, are we nearly done? I need to change my HRT patch,' or: 'That singer you're nobbing from Elastica. Are you sure she's not a bloke?'
But even if she is, it sounds lovely.

Tuesday: Classic Song

2008-01-29T03:24:00.000+01:00

The Housemartins: Happy Hour

My big sis, Janine, is three years older than me, and it was thanks to the constant rumble of quirky pop and indie anthems emanating from beneath her bedroom door in the mid '80s that I started to get a liking for this type of thing.
As a nipper, Happy Hour reminded me of The Housemartins being on Razzmatazz, with Peter 'Double Dare' Simon dressed like a Playschool presenter and saying to Paul Heaton: 'Now, your songs. They're a bit political aren't they..?' and getting a disinterested mumble in reply.
As a proper grown-up, it reminds me of going out straight from work on a Friday night (aah, stinky drinks...) and having a laugh with the lads. Plus my mate Al, who has perfected the running-but-not-moving-anywhere dance to this tune - on the only occasion I've heard this played in a club - which I can merely hope to replicate. But I can do Heaton's 'standing still and waggling the arms about' manouevre, as you'll see him do in the video. Smashing stuff.

Monday: ESC Song

2008-01-28T00:49:00.000+01:00

Tommy Korberg: Judy Min Van (Sweden 1969)

My absolute all-time favourite will forever be the Joy of Fleming and Ein Lied Kann Eine Brucke Sein, but I wanted to choose something a bit different for my ESC day, hence my plumping for this superb slice of Swedish lounge.

It baffles me why it took the Swedish sound so long to forge a stranglehold around the Contest, as they were sending such obviously good - and sellable - stuff from at least 1968 onwards (I'd say from 1966, but their '67 entry is about as much fun as sitting on a wasp nest, whilst having a picnic with Bonnie Langford, naked, at the top of Mount Snowdon). This is very much of its time, and deserved to be in with a bigger shout in the final shake-up of the '60s.

I love it to bits, and like to think it would be the perfect soundtrack for serving impromptu, sophisticated cocktails to hip and groovy chums who just happen to have crashed my pad.

About Me: Jame

2008-01-28T00:41:00.000+01:00

MB Name: Jame

Well, hello there. Do make yourself comfy, and I hope you enjoy your week-long stay in the Musical World of Mr Mac.

I'm 31 years old and live in Aigburth, Liverpool, with t'other half, but was born on t'other side of the Mersey - in Birkenhead to be precise.

To earn the pennies I spend my days wallowing in the gutter as a good for nothing journo. Just finished a three-year stint as the features editor on a group of six papers. Great fun, as was lucky enough to meet D-list celebs on a regular basis (things learned: Jane McDonald has a secret talent for sewing on sequins, Sonia wants people to think she's a bitch and Marc Almond is a surprisingly pleasant, giggly bloke), but I'm now news editor for super-fun seaside read the Southport Visiter (not a spelling mistake - just a really old spelling that stuck).

Got into Eurovision in the early '90s. Swore (lots of times) at the telly when Rock'n'Roll Kids won, and the year Katrina and her Daves washed victory ashore for the UK remains the only time I have watched the Contest on my own. Bum.

I am also one of a die-hard gaggle of North West fans who meet up for boozing, schmoozing and general chit-chat about Eurovisiony (and non Eurovisiony) things in locales of varying quality around the North West every six weeks or so. We've been doing that for about four years now, and we're always extra nice to new faces. Oh yeah, and I have a website called Whoops Dragovic - www.geocities.com/jamoismac/menu.html but it's not for me to say if that's any good or not.

Right, I've been waffling on far too much. I think you lot deserve to hear some tunes.

Friday: Eurovision Cover

2008-01-25T01:04:00.000+01:00

The Tescos: Tesco Dance

As it is widely known I love our annual ALC. Everything about it. The way Dan handles the contest. The great and the not so great efforts. The uneasy feeling my entries might bomb once again as soon as the 1^st semi is published. The exchange of mysterious e-mails with Yair, discussing all entries without actually revealing them. The mutual worshipping and teasing on the board, including the occasional emotional turmoil. And the moment of truth when you find out you gave a big fat zero to someone you would have enjoyed showering with points.

I hope this does not come across as smug, but my most unforgettable Eurovision cover moment ever came along when my ALC heroes Frank and Yair wrote special lyrics for the MBs very own AL cover band the Tescos, based on Monaco’s utterly charming 06 dilettantism “La Coco Dance”. Lobo produced the backing track and the infamous “Tesco Dance” video followed. Initially prepared exclusively for the 06 ALC Award Show, it subsequently collected more than 6.000 views on YouTube (still counting...), attracted a weird but loveable bunch of not MB related followers and turned into another one of those hilariously absurd stories initiated by our little community. ESC Nation rules!

Thursday: New Song

2008-01-24T09:34:00.000+01:00

As it is widely known I have a soft spot for Africa. I am also aware of anything sounding slightly African is a sure-fire flop in any MB related music contest. Nevertheless – and in spite of (understandably) entirely negative reactions when I suggested this to the EPP Heartlanders – I highly recommend getting into the sophisticated soulful sounds of German born, half Nigerian, half Romanian Ayo.

“Life Is Real” from her 07 album “Joyful” captures the feeling I get every time I arrive at Dar es Salaam to spend some time with my Tanzanian family so well it almost takes me there. If you wonder why I fell in love with and married an African woman, just check 4.11 to 4.15 in the video. And if you don’t get it ... hakuna matata!

Wednesday: NF Song

2008-01-23T03:08:00.000+01:00

Teddy and Mc Chriss - Unconditional Love (Finland 2005)

As is widely known, I’ve got a weakness for the trashy side of things. As Richard was in a hair’s breadth in front of me already picking hunky Hafsteinn Porolfsson as National Final (which would have shown another side of me, though), I’ve got the opportunity to re-promote one of my fave NF entries ever which also sums up what I enjoy about these events. Take a brilliantly charming little pop-reggae number which reinstalls one’s hopes that esc could still produce an international summer hit. And then ruin it big way and oh so thoroughly on stage that all that’s left is a bad joke. Thank you, once again, Finland. Thank you, Teddy and MC Chriss. My love is unconditional!

Tuesday: Classic Song

2008-01-21T18:55:00.000+01:00

Gladys Knight - Midnight Train to Georgia

mp3: http://www.sendspace.com/file/g0y1z8

As it is widely known I am a soul boy at heart. And nothing will ever move me like some of the great soul songs of the 70ies did. On the one hand, it is obvious that one is strongly attached to the tunes related to one’s youth. On the other hand, the fact that a good singer could still have a career without a video friendly face and figure is not to be underestimated either (excuse me, Serifovic does not have a career and is anything but a good singer!).

This does not mean, though, that Gladys Knight is not a lovely woman. “Midnight Train to Georgia” remains my all time favourite soul ballad, a bittersweet story of true love I always hoped I would experience one day when I listened to the song as a teenager: “I’d rather live in his world than deal without him in mine ...”

Monday: ESC Song

2008-01-20T16:25:00.001+01:00

ESC Song

As it is widely known I love a little drama squeezed into 3 minutes. I also love women way beyond their teens feeling great about their dress, their hairdo and about the unique opportunity to either boost or to ruin their career within 180 seconds. No wonder Severine’s “Un banc un arbre une rue” is my favourite ESC winner.

Ami Aspelund’s “Fantasia”, representing Finland in 1983, is another splendid example of this genre. I especially like Ami’s subdued but distinctive footwork and the determined way she grabs the microphone, circulates her hips and steps up to the camera during the grand final of the song. Needless to say performances like this are what I miss most in the 21^st century editions of my favourite trashfest.

Video clip comes with the added value of ESC history’s most hilarious presenter proving over and over again that she speaks three languages without being able to pronounce a single one properly.

About Me: Thomas

2008-01-20T16:15:00.000+01:00

Introduction:

It’s been a long time coming since I joined this weird and wonderful community during the early days of this century. Rumour has it that, surfing the web, I came across some classic Frank postings and got addicted at first glance. And rumour has it that some rumours are true. After I managed to survive the 2001 season in spite of predicting an Estonian victory, I decided it was about time to become a regular. The rest is history.

After all this time, this blog is a good opportunity to clarify some conjectures about my person. These clarifications are of minor interest and should be skipped in case of limited time budget.

Yes, it is true that my first nick on the MB was “Barbershop”, but no, I am not a barber. Instead, I’m running a marketing research company. Truth is that the night I started to post I had been cutting hair all through the afternoon, a service I provide since the experimental days of New Wave and some of my friends still insist on, and I did not bother to come up with a better pseudonym. Ruta is said to give great buzz cuts, too, by the way.

Yes, it is true that I tend to become obsessed with things I like, such as vintage cars, soul music and, most recently, the Swabian schlager duo Geschwister Hofmann, but I would not call myself a true Eurovision addict. This is the reason why I hardly ever participate in MB votings, as I just don’t listen to ESC songs I didn’t care about (i.e. the huge majority of the lot) after the contest.

Yes, it is true that I used to be a real Schlampe in my late teens and early twenties, but I am not really gay as in “really, really gay”. I would not call myself straight either as I can still tell the difference between a real male hottie or a hottie’s contest one; however, sex life has lost as much impact on me since the late 70ies as Svante’s ESC. Truth is, I’ve been married for 21 years now, with two step-daughters and a grandson. The younger daughter and the grandson can be seen on the picture introducing this blog. And I’ve been happily living with another woman for 20 years. You could call me an old pro when it comes to fashionable patchwork family life, but that does not mean I cannot be “had” when it comes to the right place and the right time, preferably during MB meetings ().

And yes, it is true that I’m a lot older than some people who have never met me think I am, but no, I wasn’t born yet when Lys Assia turned into an international mega-star. The fact that I’ve reached the 2^nd half of my 40ies still remains a puzzle to me, as I had never intended to jump on the bandwagon of so called “Golden Agers” one day. I’m also convinced that ageing sucks and the older I get the more convinced I am that it does. Being taken for Dan’s father by giggling teens when I picked him up at 5 am at Berlin Alexanderplatz did not help either...

That said, a lot of the activities, discussions and also real life events related to the board and to you who read this still makes me feel like a natural youngster at times ... so thanks for that. Or as the famous Lithuanian saying goes: Happy you is happy me!

Friday: Classic Song

2008-01-18T12:16:00.000+01:00

Dusty Springfield - I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself

I nearly entered this in BOTY, but discovered that it’s a cover version of the Tommy Hunt (who?) original. No-one does a tortured ballad quite like Dusty, especially against an incongruous set made up of industrial plastic tubing. If she’s not the best female pop singer the UK ever produced, I can’t imagine who is. And now we know where Regina Ósk (ICE NF 06) got her eye make-up idea! RIP Dusty, we miss you.

Thursday: NF Song

2008-01-17T03:47:00.001+01:00

NF Song: Þú tryllir mig (Hafsteinn Þórólfsson)

Shamelessly channelling Paul Oscar as a tuxedo-clad skinhead, Hafsteinn manages to sing about champagne more times than Paul did; but oddly, there's no mention of brennivin, which I imagine is the typical Icelandic skinhead's preferred beverage. But hey, at least there's a catfight for extra camp value. I was so sure that this was going to win the NF last year. In recent years, Iceland seems consistently to have had some of the best songs of any NF, and then it invariably sent none of them to Eurovision. Bah.

Wednesday: ESC Song

2008-01-16T00:40:00.000+01:00

ESC Song:

Anna-Maria Jopek - Ale Jestem

Memo to Poland: as a combination, folk-rock and formal evening wear are so very wrong. But this was my favourite in 1997, and Anna-Maria Jopek is a very talented singer. Her collaboration with the American jazz guitarist Pat Metheny is outstanding, although I have to ask Mike to translate the Polish lyrics for me, as the phrases "I would like a beer" and "Where is the toilet?" don't seem to occur in any of her songs. She’s also much prettier than this video suggests…

Tuesday: Abba Cover

2008-01-15T11:48:00.000+01:00

ABBA cover:

Take A Chance On Me (Erasure)

IMO the best of the 80's/90's UK electro-pop bands; and don't they look lovely, camping it up as Agnetha and Annifrid? Eat your hearts out, Pet Shop Boys!

Monday: ESC Artist's Song

2008-01-14T03:29:00.000+01:00

ESC Artist:

Sara Tavares - Balance

My, hasn’t she matured well? This is the title track from her most recent album, which was one of my favourites of 2007 and is a long way from Eurovision. She’s been getting lots of attention on the “world music” circuit, and deservedly so. I missed her during her North American tour last year; hope she’s coming back soon.

About Me: Richard_CT

2008-01-13T12:27:00.000+01:00

Richard's Bio

I was born and raised in Skewen, Wales, and grew up wanting to be the village’s most famous native -- until Bonnie Tyler beat me to it, c. 1977. It’s a heartache, alright. Bitch!

I emigrated to the US in 1979, to pursue a Master’s degree in sociology at University of New Hampshire. I moved to Boston in 1981 and then to Connecticut in 1998 (at this rate, I’ll be well over 100 before I ever get to Florida for retirement.) A few weeks ago, I realized that I’ve lived more than half my life in the US. I guess I’m staying.

I watched my first Eurovision in 1965 (yes, I’m that old) and became an instant fan. But my most abiding memory of the contest is 1967, when Rolf Harris (UK commentator) blew a bowel-wrenching kiss at Sandie Shaw. I’ve tried to forget it, but even four decades of psychotherapy haven’t erased the trauma. Thanks, Rolf.

When I’m not teaching sociology to Americans, I spend my time cooking, reading, taking photographs and travelling (23 countries on four continents so far, and I’m planning to take my partner Mike to Argentina for his 60^th birthday in 2011 -- but it’s a secret, so please don’t tell.) I also have an extensive collection of airline sick bags -- 161 last time I counted. It began as a joke and quickly spiralled out of control. A bit like life, really.

Cynical? Who, me?

Friday: New(ish) Song

2008-01-11T02:17:00.000+01:00

LET ME LOVE YOU TONIGHT ( HEX HECTOR REMIX) - DA BUZZ

mpr: http://www.sendspace.com/file/pvklwq

When I was deciding what to put in this section, I asked ten of my regular club-goers which song reminded them of me. The answer was unanimous as I think I have played this track in every single one of my sets since 2001.

I have posted the single edit as the full version is around ten minutes long, but the longer version is a hundred times better…

I love what Hex Hector has done to this track, the way it builds, drops and spectacularly builds again to a climax, particularly in the ten minute version.

I used to go to Flamingos nightclub in Blackpool every Saturday and ‘Let Me Love You Tonight’ was the highlight of the night for many people. It’s a feel-good club track and I actually think this single mix would have been ideal for Eurovision, prior to the Ethno-bang-a-drum takeover.

Well, that’s it from me ! Thanks for taking the time to read and COMMENT, and many thanks to Harrow for coming up with this fab idea !

Thursday: ESC Version

2008-01-10T03:55:00.000+01:00

Well, you probably thought I was going to post a remix, and I intended to. However, I remembered this little gem I had hidden away.

Most English versions of songs originally in other languages are naff, especially Eurovision ones. The English version of ‘Voi Voi’ is fabulously camp, quaint and for a filthy -minded, immature creature like me, its double-entendres are great fun.

Had the free language rule been around in 1960, I wonder if she would have wiggled her pinky finger to the camera as she sings ‘you’re not so big after all’.

Sorry no vid for this one.

BIG BOY- NORA BROC...

Wednesday: NF Song

2008-01-09T12:36:00.000+01:00

‘ZONDER LIEDJE’ - THE COMPANY ( DUTCH FINAL 1990 )

Halfway through now and I have chosen a song from the first non-UK National Final I ever got to watch on video. The Dutch went to great lengths in 1990 to try and find a Eurovision winner and ended up sending two women who reportedly hated each other.

When I first watched this final only one song really stood out for me. ‘Zonder Liedje’ is a camp, ‘typical Eurovision’ song’ with tacky choreography , performed by a group looking like a Dynasty wedding… But I love it !!!

Highlights for me are when the female singer looks like she is picking her nose at around 30 seconds and then the same woman forgets to sit on her partner’s knee a little further on.

Nevertheless, I actually think this would have done an awful lot better than the miserable Maywood !!!

Monday: ESC Song

2008-01-08T04:15:00.000+01:00

GERMANY 1977 - ‘TELEGRAM’- SILVER CONVENTION

I think the question everyone asks ESC fans is: Why on earth do they love a dated televised music programme that has never really had much relevance really ? Well, the answer I give them is that I love the sheer spectacle of it, the camp factor, the costumes, the voting and the fact that no other televised music programme provides the sheer diversity of music styles in 3 hours of watching.

Now, I go back to the question of musical relevance… Most non-fans only really know a handful of winning songs which are usually crap and some of their own countries’ entries.

In 1977, Marie Myriam won with a pretty song but it really didn’t reflect what was popular on the music scene of that era. Germany, however, entered a fantastic song which was quite contemporary for the 70’s, sung very well by a group which was well-known throughout Europe. ‘Telegram’ only managed 8^th place on the night, and I reckon they were robbed ! Enjoy !

Tuesday: Classic Song

2008-01-07T05:04:00.000+01:00

‘YES’ - McALMONT & BUTLER

mp3: http://www.sendspace.com/file/9xjlan

This is probably my favourite song that has been released in the last 20 years. I love the orchestration and the ‘Bacharachesque’ feel to it.

It has helped see me through some of the harder episodes of live, be it relationship break-ups, illness, work problems etc. It is so uplifting and the lyrics can be fitted to most situations that life can throw at you.

I went to see them in concert shortly after ‘Yes’ was released, however I was disappointed in David McAlmont’s singing abilities live.

I can also recommend the album ‘The Sound of McAlmont and Butler’ with the lovely 11 ½ minute version of ‘You Do’.

About Me: jaymakk (John)

2008-01-06T22:08:00.000+01:00

Hi, I was born in 1973, am Aries and I live in Southport, Merseyside , UK. I was born in Stirling, Scotland and was brought up in a small town in Clackmannanshire. I enjoyed growing up in the countryside but once I hit my teenage years, I started to scheme about how to escape, so I went to Glasgow University at the tender age of 17. Unfortunately, I was unceremoniously kicked out a few months into my course for being a tart and I ended up running off to Paris in disgrace for just over 2 ½ years.

I briefly returned to Scotland and then found myself moving to the north-west of England to Preston. There I worked for the local tax office and also ‘blagged’ my way into getting work as a dj in the local gay pub. My nights proved to be popular and I was soon asked to do a couple of nights in a nightclub and I haven’t really looked back since, becoming more interested in the remixing side of things.

Music-wise I like everything really, and I probably really started getting into the Eurovision in 1981, although I do have vague memories of the 1976 and 1979 contests. Professionally, I lean more towards the funky house, tribal and trance remix side of things, but I am versatile enough to change styles during a set if the crowd dictates so…

Friday: Classic Song

2008-01-04T03:04:00.000+01:00

Westlife – Flying Without Wings

I always cry when I hear this song!! Especially the lyrics at the end of the song are so lovely!! See, I’m a soppy romantic at heart!! This was a candidate to be played at our wedding but it lost out to Katie Melua and Nine Million Bicycles in Beijing!

This song is just pure magic though, I mean just listen to the lyrics! The video is very good and the boys of course are gorgeous as always!!!

My music taste is quite eclectic and I like all sorts of music from opera to rock! Probably a reason why I love Eurovision so much, but I thought this would be a nice song to end my blog on. I hope you have enjoyed reading a little about me and my musical highlights!!

Well, that’s me in a nut shell. Hope you enjoyed reading my Blog!

Have a great New Year Everyone!!!

Love Drew

xxxxx

Thursday: Classic Song

2008-01-03T12:48:00.000+01:00

Steps – Tragedy

This song brings back memories of me clubbing in the gay bars in Bristol and doing the actions to this fab cover!! Why on earth we did not send STEPs to eurovision I will never know! They were made for it!

The Gay Bar I am referring to is the Queen’s Schilling in Bristol. I had some fantastic nights there I can tell you! This song particularly reminds me of my times at the Queen’s Schilling. Tragedy by Steps was number One in the UK charts and took the gay scene in the UK by storm! Us queens just love a camp group and even more if their songs come complete with fab dance steps!! So, it was inevitable that Steps got the pink vote! Anyway, one particular night at this bar, the DJ announced, after the umpteenth play of ‘Tragedy’ that he wasn’t going to play it again that night! – he was mobbed by so many queens in tight white t-shirts that the only way to stop a riot was to play a Steps megamix!! Lol.

I always fancied the dark haired one in Steps!! This is another song that I betcha cant stop tapping your feet to as soon as you hear it!! Hands up how many of you can do the dance actions? Oh they’d be so good at Eurovision!!!!

Wednesday: NF Song

2008-01-02T03:43:00.000+01:00

Kim Clark – Surrender (ASFE 1980)

This is what esc means for me and the good old days of the 80s when the UK did well – this song was fab and I remember it well as it was the first time I had watched esc and the first A Song For Europe and this was the first one I ever wanted to win!!! Old fashioned brit-schlager and kim clark is sooo camp!!

Eurovision and ASFE (UK) was so good in the 1980s and I have many fond memories. I hope that the BBC will go back to this format and scrap that horrid MYMU! Kim Clark was very confident in that performance and I feel the UK would have done well with her. I mean look at the electric blue frock!!! Confession time, lol, I just cant help but do the the actions to this song whenever I hear it!!! **blush** I mean, it’s so camp!!! Go on, I dare you not to dance along with it!! Its contagious I tell you!!! I guess I know which song I’ll be doing at the next MB meet up karaoke night!!!

Tuesday: ESC Artist's Song

2007-12-31T16:38:00.000+01:00

Que La Detengan by David Civera

mp3: http://www.zshare.net/audio/6057472aed59f2/

Well, what can I say!!! The gorgeous David Civera!! **faints** … His song in Eurovision in 2002, Dile Que la Quiero, was brilliant and he should have won just for shaking those gorgeous hips, let alone the song!!! That night, we held our first Eurovision party and it was a hot and sultry night and I was sat on the balcony with a load of girls from work when David came on to sing his song!! Well, when he started wiggling those hips in those tight trousers we all screamed our heads off!! He was pure sex on legs that night and, needless to say, Spain scored our party’s Douze points that year!!

Since that night, I have collected many of his albums and this song is one of my faves. It’s a great dance track and David Civera and his dancers are sooo sexy…. And the twist at the end is just so perfect!!! I hope you like David Civera as much as I do, but hands off he’s mine!!!

I recommend his other albums if you like latino music, especially his other chart hit Perdonname.

Monday: ESC Song

2007-12-31T01:58:00.000+01:00

Sweden 1999 - "Take Me To Your Heaven"

I have always loved this song from the first time round as I am a schlager fan at heart J I used to sing along with my hair brush in my bedroom! This song means a lot to me though as Bob secretly got the DJ to play it as our first song at our wedding reception! The words are so meaningful! It certainly filled our reception dance floor with eurovision fans singing along as they danced!!

This was such a deserved winner that night and I remember it well!! Charlotte has such a great voice and sings this schlagertastic song fabulously, complete with key change!!! I truly can’t wait till Globen to see her in 2008!!!! I will be the one in the 6^th row next to Tom screaming like a queen and throwing his knickers on stage!!! Poor Tom, he doesn’t know what he’s letting himself in for! Lol!

This is a great song for doing the house work to, along with another of my faves, It Hurts by Lena P. Oh, special thanks to my best friend Tam in Glasgow who is a fellow eurovision fanatic! Tam and I are often seen, after a few too many glasses of vino, pretending to be the backing singers to Charlotte with this song – we do the whole shebang complete with hair brushes as microphones!!! Hey, maybe I should be in the real eurovision?

About Me: Drew

2007-12-30T14:59:00.000+01:00

Merry Christmas everyone & a Wonderful Eurovision New year to you all!!

Hi, this is Drew, the one and only true Scoocher!

Well, a little about me! I am clinging on to 39 (just L) and I am married to my wonderful partner Bob, who has to put up with my Eurovision fanaticism which lasts most of the year!!

I was born in Plymouth, a small city in the beautiful south west of England, but as soon as I could, I packed my Cindy dolls and action men and left for the fair city of Bristol where I started work as one of Her Majesty’s Customs Officers – and yes, I still have my Queen’s warrant to strip search people!!!!! After a while of looking through suit cases at airports and strip searching hunky men,er I mean suspects, I wanted a new career and so studied at the University of Plymouth as a Registered Mental Nurse, that was even before I liked Scooch!!! I’ve been doing that now since 1991 and have truly found my vocation – caring for people!

I’m currently the Registered Manager in a Unit for Acquired Brain Injury! Its very stressful but I love it!

I jumped out of the closet when I lived in Bristol in the summer of 1986! Needless to say, every guy I met was very friendly (ahem) and I at last discovered myself and who I was! I moved about the country quite a lot after Bristol, though my friends say I was really run out of soo many towns by spurned lovers!! **blush** Well, all I will say is that by the time I was ready to settle down, I was a well experienced gentleman of the world (ahem)!!!

In 2000, I met my partner, Bob, in a night club in Portsmouth! We got married in October 2006 in Portsmouth Registry Office and we are true soul mates! Bob has learnt to love Eurovision since being with me and we are about to go to our first Eurovision related event in March next year when we are going to the melodifestivalen final in Globen!!!

My love of Eurovision started in the early 1980s when I used to force my family to watch this great musical event and vote!!! This obsession moved on to me forcing my friends to watch and vote in this yearly musicfest. Bob and I have hosted a yearly Eurovision party since 2002 and I am constantly amazed at how many people want to come to them!! Just shows how popular esc really is in the UK!!! This year brought tears to my eyes…. I had erected a huge screen in my house to show Eurovision to my party guests! When Scooch came on, everyone congregated in front of the screen and screamed and danced their little hearts out, and when we got the Maltese Douze, the whole place went crazy!!!!

Happy New Year Everyone!!!

Friday: ESC cover

2007-12-28T11:45:00.000+01:00

This has defintely been the hardest day to choose a song for. I thought maybe I should choose a language version of an ESC song, but they rarely improve on the original. Among the English versions I considered were Sweden 68 and Israel 74, which are both examples of a succesful linguistic re-working of a song.

Remixes and re-recordings are seldom worth mentioning, so I won't.

This left me with the choice of a cover version of an ESC song. And there are few of those worth mentioning either. I might have chosen Viktoria Tolstoy's jazzy version of Diggiloo Diggiley, but haven't got an mp3 at hand, and it isn't on youtube.

So I've ended up choosing an unlikely reworking of 2006 winner Hard Rock Hallelujah which was an interval act at this year's Estonian national final, sung by Maarja. Completely stripped down (the song, not Maarja), I think it shows very nicely indeed that under all the masks and guitars, HRH is a jolly good tune!

Thanks for reading and Happy New Year to everyone :o)

Thursday: Other song

2007-12-27T10:12:00.000+01:00

For my second helping of non-ESC music this week, I'd like to offer you one of my favourite groups: The Beautiful South. 2007 was unfortunately the year they decided to split after almost 18 years together. Well more or less together - there have been three different female singers, each one slightly inferior than her predecessor.

The band was formed from the leftovers of the Housemartins, who I think I was too young to appreciate in the mid 80s. But by the time the Beautiful South debuted in 1989 I was a 14-year-old with quite mature taste (well, partially anyway, I did like Sonia). I think part of the attraction of the first single, Song For Whoever, was the fact that about half the girls' names mentioned happen to be the names of my cousins and aunts.

As I mentioned on Sunday, I've always paid attention to lyrics, and the Beautiful South have some of the finest examples in modern pop. What always appealed to me is their penchant for coupling bitter and twisted, or sometimes just plain sad lyrics with rather catchy tunes.

They have so many good songs it makes it hard to choose which one to choose here (hence the sneaky links to a few others), but I decided to go for their biggest UK hit, A Little Time from 1991. Beautiful song and beautiful video. Beautiful South RIP!

Wednesday: NF song

2007-12-26T10:45:00.000+01:00

Oh, where to begin? So many good songs have come and gone through the years. And unfortunately most of the good songs have stayed in their national finals without ever making it to the Eurovision stage.

This "category" proved a real test of my own rule to avoid Nordic tunes. After all, I worship in the church of St Melodi and St Festival, so it feels a bit sinful to turn my attention elsewhere. But sin I will, although not before mentioning the song that should have beaten Herreys in the 1984 MF and gone all the way in Luxembourg.

So, one thing I struggle to resist time after time is a bit of latinopop, be it in the more watered down form of David Civera (or indeed Marija Naumova), or the more full-on flamenco wailing of Remedios Amaya. Somewhere in between lies the song which, I firmly believe, would have lifted the roof off Globen and sent those middle-aged Danish brothers back whence they came.

Who, I hear you wonder, could manage this feat? Well, a trio of hard-faced, but nonetheless charming señoritas called Alazán. I think they are nieces or cousins of Azúcar Moreno. Or maybe they were just members of the fan club. I'm sure there was some connection anyway.

I couldn't find a video of the NF performance of Alcanzarás la luna, but there is a photo compilation on youtube. It seems the trio have since become a duo. Unfortunately I don't whether she left by her own free will or if the two others have locked her in the cupboard under the stairs because she was ageing too well. The two who remain, quite frankly, aren't.

(And I seriously hope they would have left the song in Spanish in Stockholm and not tried to translate the typically Spanish lyrics, all about vibrating bodies and erupting volcanoes of love. Matron!)

Tuesday: Christmas song

2007-12-25T10:43:00.000+01:00

I thought it would be rather unbecoming not to post one of my favourite Christmas songs today of all days. Several were in the mix, such as Norwegian fake boyband Boyzvoice and their smash hit (really) Let Me Be Your Father Christmas, the Finnish melancholy of Nylon Beat's Black Christmas and what is probably my all time seasonal fave, Jona Lewie's brilliant Stop The Cavalry.

However, I decided to present you with the barmy wackiness and irrestible catchiness of Cyndi Lauper's Christmas Conga. A not very well known song, but one that really should be played at every Christmas party. There's no offcial video, but some kind soul has made this, and it does the job nicely. Sing along now: Bonga bonga bonga, do the Christmas conga!!

Monday: ESC song

2007-12-24T10:34:00.000+01:00

When I first started thinking about which songs to put here on the blog this week, I drew up a fairly long shortlist. Nearly all the songs on it were Swedish. I think about half the CDs I own are in fact Swedish, which won't come as much of a surprise to anyone who knows me and knows my taste. So it would have been easy for me to fill up these five days with Swedish stuff or, failing that, Norwegian stuff. But that's what I try and blog about elsewhere. So I decided to make a rule for myself that I would avoid such predictability here.

With so many ESC songs to choose between I didn't know where to start. My first thought was to choose my all time Eurovision favourite, a logical choice after all. But it's Sweden 1966, so that would break my own newly made rule. What about my second favourite then? That would be Sweden 1968. Third? Norway 1966....oh dear, this was going to require a rethink.

So what better, I thought, than to disprove one of those myths of modern ESC. Like the fact that people vote for their neighbours. Obviously they do, but those calling for juries to be reinstated conveniently forget that in the old days there was still a fair amount of neighbourly love to be found. (Admittedly though, juries in the 60s were less prone to vote for the country from which they had emigrated).

But I digress. A lot of people aren't keen on the dancing and the show aspect. Over-the-top choreography that detracts from the fact this a song contest. However, this is not a compeltely new phenomenon. Therefore I'd like to present this piece of showy choreography from...1959. It's a cracking good tune as well. Take it away Alice and Ellen Kessler. Tanzen!

About me: Roger

2007-12-23T18:02:00.000+01:00

Let the procession of Nordics and fake Nordics continue!

So, I'm Roger. I used to be known as RogerF, but decided to go for a radical change one day. I think it was only Nachty that got confused.

What is there to say about me? Hmm, well, I am certainly not the youngest MBer around, but definitely not the oldest either ;-) 1975 was the year, February was the month, so by my first Christmas I had almost learned to eat.

And in case anyone wants a proper picture, or at least a slightly more up to date one, here I am at a Christmas party the other week.

So, the Eurovision thing. I can't really remember when I got hooked, but I wasn't very old. I was allowed to stay up and watch the 1981 contest, or the performances at least. I had to go to bed and listen to the voting on the radio. I suppose my parents thought I would fall asleep. As if!!

I think the most interesting thing for me back then was getting to hear songs in languages other than English, which was all very exotic. And I was a budding linguist even at an early age, although that didn't stop me becoming a supporter of the free language rule. While I'm talking about languages, I guess it's a good moment to mention what I do for a living: my official title is copy editor, but I do fair bit of translation too.

My general music taste is very varied, but I'm a bit weak for the female singer-songwriter. Although looking at what I've shortlisted to post here this week, there aren't many signs of that :-) I'm also very interested in lyrics. I can love a song with great lyrics even if the melody is nothing to write home about.

OK, I'm starting to ramble, so to round off here are three random things you may or may not know about me:

1. I'm not Norwegian. I've lived in Oslo for just over 10 years, but the passport is still British.

2. My favourite vegetable is the parsnip.

3. When I was very *very* young, I wanted to be a vicar when I grew up. Or so my mum says. I'm an atheist these days, so I find it a bit hard to believe.

(Oh and seeing as Carly was so brazen as to advertise her own blog, I'll do the same :-D Although admittedly I'm not very good at updating it. I think there's a new year's resolution in there somewhere.)

Coming or going?

2007-12-21T06:01:00.000+01:00

Friday: Classic Song

It was very difficult to decide what to post for my final entry. I very seriously considered this (watch it! it's classic! and funny! and Maoz, I'm sure, loves it, too). But in the end I decided to rectify the injustice of Kurt Cobain's absence from BOTY.

People seem to have little patience for Nirvana these days, but you have to understand what Nirvana was to me as a middle-schooler. * Kurt represented the perfect anti-hero. A smaller-than-life/larger-than-life true artist who seemed to not genuinely give a damn if anyone considered him a great artist. He was fascinating in his ordinariness. I never considered him anyone to be imitated, but I was glad that he existed in the world.

MTV's Nirvana Unplugged episode is perhaps, without exaggeration, the best thing that ever came out of that station. Kurt and his band were spot on, despite the lack of electrification. His songs were melodically simple, but emotionally complex. "Come as you are," I think, manages to capture a lot of the reasons I loved and continue to love the band -- both in its lyrical content, and in its musical merit.

Enjoy.

Nirvana - Come As You Are (Unplugged in New York)

*And not just because grunge saved me from having to be fashionable. Although that was good, too.

This is for the Orange Revolution. And for Rich

2007-12-20T07:48:00.000+01:00

Thursday: Remix/Cover

While Razom nas bagato didn’t seem to deliver the goods for Ukraine in Eurovision, it was still considerably more significant than your typical low-placing ESC entry. I have a bit of an agenda with this one. First, it gives me the opportunity to state my absolute and unconditional support for political music in Eurovision (see also here). Second, I want to remind people that this song was the theme song of the Orange Revolution, which, despite its questionable long-term results was still a shining moment for those of us who believe that people matter when they act as if they matter. The song was a phenomenon in the world of eastern/central European hiphop, not only because it is fairly credible hiphop but also because of what it stood for – everyday people striving for a chance at democracy (I wish more of my fellow country(wo)men would do the same). Third, I want to declare my undying love for this song in its pre-English/pre-bowdlerization version. Fourth, Rich likes it, and he asked me to post it. Because I also have undying love for my husband, I’m posting it.

This is the Polish version of the song – a hit in its own right.

Ascetoholix - Razom Nas Bahato (Jest nas wielu)

Wednesday - National Final Song

2007-12-19T03:27:00.000+01:00

Melodifestival 2003 was a special event for me – I was there! I was living in Umeå at the time, and so I got to head down to Stockholm and experience the wonderful circus that is MF. My favorite of the final, like many, was Alcazar - “Not a Sinner, Nor a Saint” but playing that would be too predictable. My favorite of the whole thing semi-finals and all was down to Markus Landgren’s “Television” and Mendez’s “Carnaval”.

But I’m not playing those, either. No, not this time. For your viewing pleasure, I have selected Bubbles – “TKO”. A dance routine almost as good as Alcazar’s, and the singing is perhaps even better. Not bad for a bunch of 16 year olds. And besides, it’s cute!

And if you watch closely, at the end, you may catch a glimpse of myself and Jonas being crazy fans. Hint: we’re the only ones standing and cheering.

My latest obsession

2007-12-18T16:17:00.000+01:00

Tuesday: New Song

I get obsessive about songs. I play them over and over on repeat. Rich can attest to this, sadly. I get obsessive about artists as well, and play their whole repertoires on repeat. This annoys Rich slightly less. I have two artist obsessions lately -- the wonderful, get your butt wigglin' Natasja Saad (thanks Harrow!), for whom I suggest you check out this post on Roger's blog, and Little Dragon, a Göteborg-based band headed by the lovely Japanese/American/Swedish vocalist Yukimi Nagano.

Nagano has this haunting, rich, interesting, bendy sort of voice. The following song is called "Twice" - an atmospheric, pensive gem of a song. I urge you to watch the video, which captures the sweet sorrowing that you hear in Nagano's voice.

Little Dragon - Twice

I said I like a stage show, right?

2007-12-17T17:51:00.000+01:00

Monday: Eurovision Song

The fans hate it, on the whole. Some call it the least deserving winner ever (we’re all a little prone to hyperbole now and then). But me? I liked it from the start. I liked her “Hey Boy, Follow Me!” too for that matter. But that’s neither here nor there.

That year the streaming video wasn’t working for Rich and me, so we had to listen to the BBC’s radio broadcast instead. We both loved “I Wanna” but were pretty sure it wasn’t going to do well. Listening to just the audio didn’t change our minds – the vocals weren’t that strong, and the song just didn’t stand out much, we thought. So as we listened to the votes coming in, we were perplexed. Watching the video cleared up a lot.

I don’t care what the fans say, it was charming. And a deserving winner.

Boy, I have a tough job following up Marianne! But I’ll try!

2007-12-16T22:32:00.000+01:00

Vital Statistics

Name: Carly
Age: 25
Marital Status: Married
Hometown: Lansdale, Pennsylvania, USA
Current Residence: Madison, Wisconsin, USA
Occupation: Grad Student/Award winning ALC composer
First Eurovision: 1999
Favorite Euro-songs: Dino & Beatrice – Putnici; Izhar Cohen & the Alfa-Beta – A Ba Ni Bi; Anna-Marie David – Je suis l’enfant-soleil; Teapacks – Push the Button*

Basically, I’m an overworked graduate student who for some peculiar reason agreed to do this blog-week over finals week, when I have papers to write and papers to grade. I study political and historical sociology, with an interest in nationalism, the welfare state and citizenship, especially in Sweden. Truth be told, I’m an incurable Swedophile. So we’ve had a string of Nordics and fake-Nordics here.

My love of Eurovision dates back to a year spent as an exchange student in Finland back in 98-99, and is largely due to the persistent evangelizing of one of my fellow exchange students that I fell in love with the contest. I love Eurovision because of the mix of genuinely good music (shhh, all you doubters!) and genuinely awful music, with all the silliness in between. I’m a fan of stage shows, I couldn’t care less about neighborly voting and the orchestra’s presence/non-presence is of no consequence to me. I just enjoy the show – and the gossip, scandal, wildly inaccurate predictions and general hysteria that goes on in the fan world.

My dear husband Rich puts up with my obsession, and has even gotten in on the fun. He does rankings and makes complicated spreadsheets with the best of ‘em these days, and even steps onto the MB from time to time, swooping in to pick up both an ALC title (shared with me, of course) and an ASFK victory!

I’m looking forward to sharing my musical predilections with you folks in the coming week. March on, Message Board!

*The pervasive Israel-connections are a coincidence, I swear.

(psst: since I can't pass up a little self promotion, I regularly blog here.

Friday: Classic Song

2007-12-14T03:58:00.000+01:00

Ultra Bra - Sinä lähdit pois (You went away)

mp3: http://www.sendspace.com/file/fdedg1

Finland did not take part in ESC 1997, but we had a sort of shadow contest called Varjoviisut. Some of the top songwriters of country were invited to the event and they had a limited amount of time (1-2 hours or like that) to compose a song that had to contain one obligatory line of lyrics: Yön viimeinen drinkki aamiaiseksi vaihtuu (the last drink of the night is changing into breakfast).

The contest was won by this song written by Kerkko Koskinen and performed by Ultra Bra. Sinä lähdit pois (You went away) became one of the chart successes in 1997, and even though I don't think it would have beated Katrina and the Waves I would have liked to see it in Eurovision too.

Thursday: ESC Song Version

2007-12-12T18:20:00.000+01:00

Rattz - Hard Rattz Hallelujah

mp3: http://www.sendspace.com/file/6prd4v

Hard Rock Hallelujah was the song that made it for us. It did not only win ESC but really became sort of anthem of 2006 in Finland.

Since it sold well, it's no wonder that others wanted their share of success and sales euros too. This cover "sung" by animated rats is at least funny. "We're rock'n'roll rats, we show no mercy, cats or traps can kill us!".

Ratzz album made it to official top-10, sold almost platinum and was one of the nominees for Emma (Finnish Grammy) in best childrens' album category.

Wednesday: NF Song

2007-12-12T02:39:00.000+01:00

Markku Blomqvist - Liehuva liekinvarsi (Finland 1977)

mp3: http://www.sendspace.com/file/9ztt8i

http://www.yle.fi/elavaarkisto/?s=s&g=4&ag=75&t=373&a=3240

During the memorable ESC-season in May Finnish audience had a chance to vote the all time best Finnish national final song. The result was a surprise after evergreens like Sleepwalker by Nightwish, Oot voimani mun by Anna Eriksson or Haaveissa vainko oot mun by Riki Sorsa loosing for this piece of 70's pop. Liehuva liekinvarsi is a song about a bloody triangle drama by an unknown (and late) actor Markku Blomqvist. Song inded second but last in National Final 1977 - yes Jeremy, the year of Lapponia.

Still, it's an evergreen, but best known of it's 80's remake by schlagersinger Timo Turpeinen (although many kids from 70's claim that they've had nightmare of Blomqvist's NF performance). In late 1990's the song got also fame since Speaker of The Parliament Riitta Uosukainen borrowed it's title as the name of her memoirs. Huge best seller, btw, but not because Finns would be a nation crazy for female politcians' life stories. She just happened to describe also the more carnal side of her marriage telling for example, that when her hubby touches her, nothing but "tits, thighs and pussy".

Markku Blomqvist-M...

Tuesday: New Song

2007-12-11T04:55:00.000+01:00

Jenni Vartiainen - Ihmisten edessä

mp3: http://www.sendspace.com/file/01ybkp

How to get acclaimed after a career as talent show winner? Jenni Vartiainen has managed in that. She was one of the girls who were picked into girl pop group Gimmel in Finnish editions of Popstars in 2003. Gimmer made some albums, produced many chart hits and split up a couple of years ago. One of them went to study theatre, another disappeared from publicity and Jenni got a solo contract.

But instead of making a simple pop album in the vain of her old success, she waited some years and then released her solo album Ihmisten edessä (In the front of people) which contains expressive but no easy lyrics and 90's trip-hop influences). The name track is probably the simplest and easiest song on the album - if you just leave alone it's subject. One of the biggest hits in Finland this Autumn happens to handle lesbian love.

Monday: ESC Song

2007-12-10T12:00:00.000+01:00

Finland 1992 - Pave Maijanen - Yamma Yamma

I am pretty sure that in 1992 no-one would have believed that Finland once would win Eurovision. Especially since this is what we sent that year.

Anyway whole 1992 Finnish selection was a perfect example of how one should *not* organise such a thing. The winner was promised a trip to ESC, runner up would go to a Asian ESC-like song contest in Malaysia. Knowing Finnish track record, no-one actually wanted to win the selection. Also, Tytti Isohookana-Asunmaa who was the minister of culture had stated that Finland should just quit ESC since stuff we sent did not represent our identity and just worsened our reputation abroad.

Still, professional jury picked this long time rocker as a winner. And believe or not, the song lyrics were actually written by one of the most accomplished lyric writer of the coutry - Heikki Harma aka Hector.

Yamma Yamma did not really impress domestic audience, one of most popular TV- series in the country has for example a comedy sketch about a man trying to pass a bravery test: hear Yamma Yamma through. He quit screaming after the intro.

Yamma Yamma did not do well, but I still do think it sort of paved the way to Lordi: people sort of believed that after it we could send anything. And I still sort of like it.

About Me: Marianne

2007-12-09T15:42:00.000+01:00

Nick: Marianne

I just got a message from a childhood friend of mine, asking do I still remember how we as a kid used to exchange pics of Eurovision winners. Well, to be honest I had totally forgotten that. So I guess I am now always worthy of a Eurovision fan, having forgotten such a detail (let alone saving the pics!).

But even so: I am your blogger this week. I did not have any special agenda while picking these songs, just that they are different and I like them. And since my musical taste is quite blended, varying from symphonic metal to electropop and practically everything in between, this is hopefully not too an onesided buch either.

About me? I don't think there is much I have not already mentioned on MB. But just a short summary: A Finn, a journalist with Latvia 2000 being my all time ESC-favourite.

Friday: Going Out Song

2007-12-07T06:57:00.000+01:00

Margaret Berger - Will You Remember Me Tomorrow

mp3: http://www.sendspace.com/file/2xmmaf

What a perfect way to kick-start your weekend with this piece of pure, shameless fun! It must be one of the happiest Norwegian pop songs released in 2006. It is taken from the album “Pretty Scary Silver Fairy” which also includes “Samantha” (my ASFK entry) and “Robot Song” (EPP winner 2006). This is Ms. Berger’s second album after coming second to the now forgotten Kjartan Salvesen, in the Norwegian edition of Pop Idol 2004. The little heroine deserves some credit for writing her own songs, which is not the most common thing within this genre of music. I see a bright shining future for this one.

This is my going-out-song. Meaning I turn it up L–O–U–D when dressing up and getting ready for a night out. It always works. You really ought to try it.

Thursday: ESC Song Version

2007-12-06T05:01:00.000+01:00

Rita – Shara Bacehovot (or however one is supposed to spell it nowadays)

mp3: http://www.sendspace.com/file/opsgtp

When I was young and unwise I hated this song. I have grown to love it. The original is a tear dripping lesson in desperation. This live re-recording is surprisingly different and can best be described as “cozy” with the accordion and lalalas. The mix of pain and pleasure moves me. I love it when a new version/remix changes the entire mood of a song.

This one is dedicated to Sild – He’s lovin’ it!

Rita - Shara Barch...

Wednesday - NF Song

2007-12-05T02:26:00.000+01:00

Helena – Aria (UK NF 2000)

mp3: http://www.sendspace.com/file/idcye3

This song came 2^nd to last in the selection for the 2000 UK National final, and in reality didn’t even make it to the final. I can see why, but I can not accept it! This would have looked great on screen. I see smoke, I see wind machines, masks, wigs, futuristic dresses and loads of dramatic light effects. Gawd, I would have loved to direct this performance! It remains a mystery how this really would have looked, as the semifinal was only broadcasted on radio.

(2000 UK) Helene -...

Tuesday: Non-ESC Song #1

2007-12-03T00:40:00.000+01:00

Kari Rueslåtten – My Lover

mp3: http://www.sendspace.com/file/tya23w

I was delighted to see Kari Rueslåtten making it to the EPP-final. Kari Rueslåtten is truly my favourite Norwegian artist. She writes her own material, and her voice is one of the best and most dynamic voices in Norwegian pop. Despite having released 4 solo albums (and a couple of others with different metal groups in the beginning of her career), she is unfortunately far from being a household name.

“My Lover” is the opening track from the 1998 release “Mesmerized”, her second album. The song was never released as a single, which is a real shame, thus no video and no you tube-link for this one.

I dedicate this song to Daiva!

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Monday: ESC Song

2007-12-03T00:31:00.000+01:00

What better way to start the week than in a good mood with a song that most MBers ought to like: The 2003 Turkish Eurovision entry. It is not only the Eurovision winner of that year, but also the beholder of the prestigious awards for:

- Best Eurovision Song Ever (according to me)

- Best Eurovision Song Ever, as recently voted by the members of ESC Nation (Oliver’s scorewiz that is)

- Eurovision Song Most Likely To Get Alesta Out On The Dancefloor. Unlike most other uptempo Eurovision stompers it has actually got a groove that makes me want to jump around and “shake a leg” (as the Weather Girls nicely put it).

- Best Produced Music Video to follow a Eurovision song. It’s classy, cleverly shot (Sertab doesn’t look all that much like a fish in it) and it smell distinctively Turkish - even more so than the Helsinki streets smell of urine.

- Most Clever Use of a Remix in Eurovision. Without the instant appeal of the Galleon remix, I doubt Sertab would have danced her way into Eurovision history.

That said, the remix doesn’t suit the re-edited video as good as the original. That’s why I bring to you: The original version of the video, with the original version of the song.

About Me - Alesta

2007-12-02T17:04:00.000+01:00

Let me introduce myself:

I might be new to most of you as I just started posting regularly on the messageboard this autumn. I’ve kept coming back. My name is Alexander, 26 year old Norwegian male (you hear me, Effie?) from Bergen.

Nick: Alesta.

The picture:

In 1989, at the tender age of 8, I recorded my first Eurovision final and have recorded every single one since.

My debut as an audience member in this spectacle was in 2000 when I traveled completely alone to Stockholm. I’m curious to know if any MB’ers recall meeting me then!? Clue: I was wearing the most ridiculous red costume. For my fellow Norwegians the word ‘russ’ explains it all.

I have attended every Norwegian national final since 2001. I was in Globen for MF 2003 and I was in Kiev for the 2002 German national final. In 2006 I joined forces with Sild and traveled to Athens for some bolly good fun! Words are useless, especially sentences.

We obviously had to repeat the success in Helsinki, and we have already booked our tickets and room for Belgrade. I see you when you get there!

Friday: ESC Cover

2007-11-30T02:33:00.000+01:00

Greece 2001 - Die For You (Giorgis Christodoulou)

mp3: http://www.sendspace.com/file/5spem7

Who'd want to cover ESC-songs? Well, there are artists who love cheesy Eurovision as much as we do it seems! One of those is Giorgis Christodoulou. And, contrary to many other covers, he adds something to the original song. Who'd have thought that Greece's 2001 entry would sounds fab as a jazz standard!? Well, i do now. And i hope the same for you ... Enjoy!

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Thursday: Classic Song

2007-11-29T05:12:00.000+01:00

It’s very difficult to pick your favorite song. So it could’ve been any one of these:

- Aretha Franklin – I say a little prayer
- Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah
- R.E.M. – You are the everything
- Crowded House – Into temptation
- Radiohead – Street spirit (fade out)

But I decided to go for John Hiatt’s Have a little faith in me. Why? Because if perfection doesn’t exist, this comes damn close.

Listen to the lyrics. They are simple yet beautiful & effective. And with his voice (he’s far from being a perfect singer) he achieves what I long for in music: emotion … You can hear he really believes what he’s singing and gives me goosebumps every single time.

And please, don’t ever listen to the Joe Cocker’s or Mandy Moore’s version of this song. Your ears will bleed.

So, have a little faith in me and listen to the one and only John Hiatt …

Wednesday: NF Song

2007-11-28T02:18:00.000+01:00

Yasmine Karraz - Take This Heart
(Belgium NF 2002)

mp3: http://www.sendspace.com/file/zxhkf7

Let’s take a close look at the Flemish national finals over the last 20 years. What do Ingeborg, Barbara Dex, Lisa Del Bo and Vanessa Chinitor have in common? They were not only female vocalists but also safe choices. So when Sergio was picked to represent Belgium in 2002
with Sister, it was a rather brave choice: the Flemish version of rock ‘n’ roll. But, as the following years would prove, it was more chosen because of the hype that was created around one specific song than because of musical merits.

The biggest victim of the Sergio-hype was – no doubt – Yasmine Karraz with Take This Heart. When I watched her perform this song live on TV, I don’t know what happened but she even managed to shut up my boyfriend. 3 minutes later we looked at each other and asked
ourselves: what was that!? We both had been listening speechless to one of the most brilliantly performed songs in a Belgian national final ever.

She won her heat and ended third in the final but I’ll never ever forgive the jury for not picking this young girl with her sweet song. Especially when they commented that in the televoting age a ballad wouldn’t do well … Two years later Cyprus showed us that we should’ve ended 5th in 2002 with the much better Take this heart!

I couldn’t find a youtube-link of her performance but Harrow was so kind to make this song available through esnips …

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Tuesday: New Song

2007-11-27T03:33:00.000+01:00

Gosh, there are so many options here … But I’ve decided to go for a Canadian band from Montréal: Arcade Fire. I discovered them two years ago when they released their first cd and got raving reviews for it. The single Rebellion (lies) became one of my favorite songs of that year. When it’s played on my iPod I can feel the energy rushing through my body …

But you’re about to listen to the first single of their follow-up cd, Neon Bible: Intervention. Forget all other Canadians, this is the real stuff!!!

Also take a good look at the videoclip. No, this isn’t from The Untouchables but from Battleship Potemkin, a true Russian classic.

There’s only one possibility to listen to this song: loud, very loud! Be ready to embrace Arcade Fire …

If you like this song, don’t hesitate to discover more songs of Canadian’s finest: Rebellion (lies), No cars go, Wake up, Keep the car running, …

Monday: ESC Song

2007-11-26T04:37:00.000+01:00

France 1977 - Marie Myriam - L'oiseau et l'enfant

As a perfect Belgian I was raised in French and Dutch. So when I was 4 I sang kiddie songs in both languages, until L’Oiseau et l’Enfant came along. A whole summer long I sang this song, it drove my parents nuts. Moreover, my parents still tell me that I also kept saying that this song should win – ça va gagner, hein maman?

It’s definitely not the best winner ever, but the lyrics are quite nice and the performance was excellent.
Enjoy this with me …