14.7.08

Mixer

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

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



Mixer - Interval act, ESC 1970, Amsterdam

Ilana Avital

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

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

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



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

Daisy!

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

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

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



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


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



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

11.7.08

No chance, sugar

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

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



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

6.7.08

Beatrix from Austria

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

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

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



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




Schmetterlinge - Boom Boom Boomerang - Austria 1977
17/18

2008 in a parallel universe

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Survive Silly Season

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

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

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



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