2011 Russia : Alex Sparrow - Get You
Unlike 'Popular' which I still dislike, this song from this year has grown on me somewhat.
I still think Alex Sparrow is a very weird-looking, swarmy man who obviously loves himself before all others and his singing (especially live) was not exactly outstanding, but the song does have some redeeming qualities.
However, Scott Mills can be thaked for making me see this song in a new light.
He gave me imagaes of slightly sterotypical '80s camp men (a la Duncan Norvelle) going "Oooooooh! Get you!" with over exaggerated hand gestures.. I now cannot sing or listen to the song without doin a limp wristed motions every time the chorus comes on XD
Tuesday, 9 August 2011
Monday, 8 August 2011
Day 8 - your favourite 2nd-placed entry
2003 Belgium : Urban Trad - Sanomi
A song in a made up language by the world's best made up country.
beaten into 2nd my the might of Sertab Erener but also pushed the shit that was tATu into 3rd place (when it should have been 23rd)
Because of this entry I now own all their albums :o)
And as a Brucie Bonus, one of the most -structured songs yet catchiest ESC songs EVER... beaten into second by the might that was "Hallelujah"
A song in a made up language by the world's best made up country.
beaten into 2nd my the might of Sertab Erener but also pushed the shit that was tATu into 3rd place (when it should have been 23rd)
Because of this entry I now own all their albums :o)
And as a Brucie Bonus, one of the most -structured songs yet catchiest ESC songs EVER... beaten into second by the might that was "Hallelujah"
Sunday, 7 August 2011
Day 7 - your favourite entry by a group
1972 Spain Mocedades - Eres tú (You are)
Normally at this point I would disclaim “How the hell did this not win?” but in this case I won’t. It is not that this song did not deserve to win, as it did, but the 1972 contests was actually quite a good one with the UK, Luxembourg and Israeli entries all fairly distant. This was also the contest of Belgians Nicole and Hugo’s wonderfully flattering matching purple jumpsuits and the amazing lyrics of Sweden’s Nova.
This was such a strong song and still sounds good after almost 40 years. A big hit at the time, in both Spanish and English, and has been covered in many more different languages. During the 50th anniversary celebrations, this song was voted the 5th best ESC song ever.
However as an extra, this is pretty good too (if not totally underestimated on the night)
Normally at this point I would disclaim “How the hell did this not win?” but in this case I won’t. It is not that this song did not deserve to win, as it did, but the 1972 contests was actually quite a good one with the UK, Luxembourg and Israeli entries all fairly distant. This was also the contest of Belgians Nicole and Hugo’s wonderfully flattering matching purple jumpsuits and the amazing lyrics of Sweden’s Nova.
This was such a strong song and still sounds good after almost 40 years. A big hit at the time, in both Spanish and English, and has been covered in many more different languages. During the 50th anniversary celebrations, this song was voted the 5th best ESC song ever.
However as an extra, this is pretty good too (if not totally underestimated on the night)
Saturday, 6 August 2011
Day 6 - your favourite entry by a duet
1963 Denmark : Grethe & Jørgen Ingmann - Dansevise (Dance Ballad)
This was one of the winners of ESC I never really heard about for a long time… and didn’t really get to hear or own the song for a long time. There is a lot of ‘controversy’ with the possible rigged voting that year and the strange staging for that year’s contest but this song was the winner.
I love the song, especially the very haunting guitar at the start. The Danish language is not the easiest to listen to or sing along to but it does have a haunting quality. I also love the ending with its crescendo before going quiet and slow again. Sounds sooooo sad :o(
This was one of the winners of ESC I never really heard about for a long time… and didn’t really get to hear or own the song for a long time. There is a lot of ‘controversy’ with the possible rigged voting that year and the strange staging for that year’s contest but this song was the winner.
I love the song, especially the very haunting guitar at the start. The Danish language is not the easiest to listen to or sing along to but it does have a haunting quality. I also love the ending with its crescendo before going quiet and slow again. Sounds sooooo sad :o(
Friday, 5 August 2011
Day 5 - your favourite entry by a male soloist
1997 Iceland : Paul Oscar Minn Hinsti Dans (My Final Dance)
OMG – that is all I can say.
I remember watching this from inside my dorm room in Scarborough watching this, thinking I had actually seen televisual history.
The outfit, the hair, the sofa, the leather clad girls, the choreography, the inappropriate self-touching but most of all THE MUSIC.
It really was far too much for this girl to take…
http://youtu.be/ud2MbWKwYzw
OMG – that is all I can say.
I remember watching this from inside my dorm room in Scarborough watching this, thinking I had actually seen televisual history.
The outfit, the hair, the sofa, the leather clad girls, the choreography, the inappropriate self-touching but most of all THE MUSIC.
It really was far too much for this girl to take…
http://youtu.be/ud2MbWKwYzw
Thursday, 4 August 2011
Day 4 - your favourite entry by a female soloist
1991 France : Amina - C'est le dernier qui a parlé qui a raison (It's the last one who spoke who is right)
Talk about being robbed…
This should have been the rightful winner of the 1991 contest, however the contest actually ended in a tie… Through count back the Swedish entry won. *boo hiss*
The French entries in the 1990s were a little on the ‘different’ side with very different and diverse influences. I love all the standing still choreography and the use of the scarf and her voice is just so clear.
Do you think she’d do it again…? I’d love it…
1991: Amina - C'est le dernier qui a parle..... by songfestivalweblogNL
Talk about being robbed…
This should have been the rightful winner of the 1991 contest, however the contest actually ended in a tie… Through count back the Swedish entry won. *boo hiss*
The French entries in the 1990s were a little on the ‘different’ side with very different and diverse influences. I love all the standing still choreography and the use of the scarf and her voice is just so clear.
Do you think she’d do it again…? I’d love it…
1991: Amina - C'est le dernier qui a parle..... by songfestivalweblogNL
Wednesday, 3 August 2011
Day 3 - your favourite winning entry
1971 Monaco: Séverine - Un banc, un arbre, une rue (A bench, a tree, a street)
I guess this song is just classy. The songwriting aspect of this song is very clever.
The song is very clevery written and seems very simple, which of course it is not.
Firstly we start with the chorus, although asafe start as it gets the ear worm inside your head and it is then able to be repeated more that the normal 2 times. The verses are also very clever. The repitition on the past part of each line is something that can then be used to get the listener involved. Now I am not the biggest fan of 'al-la-la' but in this case it really adds something to the song. By doing this at the end it emphasisies the orchestration and slight chord changes in the music that would not be identifyable if she was singing.
Severine really belts out this song and the song itself really shows off her vocal abilty, tone and control. It also looks like she is passionate about the song and its meaning (the loss of childhood)
I guess this song is just classy. The songwriting aspect of this song is very clever.
The song is very clevery written and seems very simple, which of course it is not.
Firstly we start with the chorus, although asafe start as it gets the ear worm inside your head and it is then able to be repeated more that the normal 2 times. The verses are also very clever. The repitition on the past part of each line is something that can then be used to get the listener involved. Now I am not the biggest fan of 'al-la-la' but in this case it really adds something to the song. By doing this at the end it emphasisies the orchestration and slight chord changes in the music that would not be identifyable if she was singing.
Severine really belts out this song and the song itself really shows off her vocal abilty, tone and control. It also looks like she is passionate about the song and its meaning (the loss of childhood)
Tuesday, 2 August 2011
Day 2 - your least favourite winning entry
1974 Sweden: ABBA - Waterloo
OK - it is controversial but I feel it is justified.
Let’s go back to 1974. Let’s be honest here and say that it really was a poor year. Apart from the infectious flamenco rhythms of Peret (and his strange microphone) from Spain and the bouncyness of Mouth and McNeil from the Netherlands nothing else was really of any worthy note.
ABBA looked different. They looked like a band and obviously had enough experience in their homeland to look confident on stage but the clincher was the conductor. Sven-Olof Walldoff entered in his famous Napoleon outfit which obviously fitted in with the whole “Waterloo” theme and the scen was set.
The song is passable. The music does have a very repetitive rhythm and is at a good speed for clapping along with but the lyrics are slightly confusing. Although the first verse kind of makes sense and has a point the second verse really stretches the point.
The fact that ABBA then went on to become one of the most famous bands ever almost makes this song a bit of a cult. It isn't quite as good as everyone makes out.
Sorry.
OK - it is controversial but I feel it is justified.
Let’s go back to 1974. Let’s be honest here and say that it really was a poor year. Apart from the infectious flamenco rhythms of Peret (and his strange microphone) from Spain and the bouncyness of Mouth and McNeil from the Netherlands nothing else was really of any worthy note.
ABBA looked different. They looked like a band and obviously had enough experience in their homeland to look confident on stage but the clincher was the conductor. Sven-Olof Walldoff entered in his famous Napoleon outfit which obviously fitted in with the whole “Waterloo” theme and the scen was set.
The song is passable. The music does have a very repetitive rhythm and is at a good speed for clapping along with but the lyrics are slightly confusing. Although the first verse kind of makes sense and has a point the second verse really stretches the point.
The fact that ABBA then went on to become one of the most famous bands ever almost makes this song a bit of a cult. It isn't quite as good as everyone makes out.
Sorry.
Monday, 1 August 2011
Day 1 - a song from your favourite contest
1988 Belgium: Reynaert - Laissez briller le soleil (Let the sun shine)
My favourite contest is 1988.
The list of reasons is endless.
1) A fantastic stage at the Royal Dublin Society
2) A great (?) array of 1980s outfits, hairstyles and dance routines
3) One of the best interval acts and songs ever
4) A thrilling and nailbiting cliffhanger of a finish (watched on by Bruce Forstyth)
5) But most of all, the body of work of the 21 songs is a great album in itself. From the ballads of Sweden, UK and Norway; to the uptempo ditties of Finland, Turkey and Yugoslavia; then to the weirdness of Iceland, Israel and Greece; and back to the Schlager-tinged melodies of Netherlands, Denmark and Portugal.
So, here is one of the lesser known songs of that year but I think one of the best.
Oh, and it's Belgian... we might have a lot of theirs over the next month :o)
My favourite contest is 1988.
The list of reasons is endless.
1) A fantastic stage at the Royal Dublin Society
2) A great (?) array of 1980s outfits, hairstyles and dance routines
3) One of the best interval acts and songs ever
4) A thrilling and nailbiting cliffhanger of a finish (watched on by Bruce Forstyth)
5) But most of all, the body of work of the 21 songs is a great album in itself. From the ballads of Sweden, UK and Norway; to the uptempo ditties of Finland, Turkey and Yugoslavia; then to the weirdness of Iceland, Israel and Greece; and back to the Schlager-tinged melodies of Netherlands, Denmark and Portugal.
So, here is one of the lesser known songs of that year but I think one of the best.
Oh, and it's Belgian... we might have a lot of theirs over the next month :o)
Sunday, 31 July 2011
#30dayeurovisionchallenge
A couple of months ago on my sister blog, http://tryingtowalkinastraightline.blogspot.com/ , I did the bog standard 30 day song challenge. I really enjoyed it and quite liked revisiting some songs I ahdnot herd or thought about for a fair while.
With some research I then found a similar challenge but Eurovision related.
Here is the list -
Day 1 - a song from your favourite contest
Day 2 - your least favourite winning entry
Day 3 - your favourite winning entry
Day 4 - your favourite entry by a female soloist
Day 5 - your favourite entry by a male soloist
Day 6 - your favourite entry by a duet
Day 7 - your favourite entry by a group
Day 8 - your favourite 2nd-placed entry
Day 9 - an entry that you didn't like at first but now like
Day 10 - an entry that you liked at first but are now bored of
Day 11 - an entry, in a language you don't know, that you can sing along to
Day 12 - your favourite entry of all time
Day 13 - your least favourite entry of all time
Day 14 - your favourite Irish entry
Day 15 - your favourite UK entry
Day 16 - your favourite Spanish entry
Day 17 - your favourite French entry
Day 18 - your favourite German entry
Day 19 - your favourite Italian entry
Day 20 - your favourite non-qualifier from a semi-final
Day 21 - your favourite performance
Day 22 - your favourite interval act
Day 23 - your favourite presenter/presenting team
Day 24 - an entry that makes you laugh
Day 25 - your favourite song from a national final
Day 26 - an entry that makes you think of someone
Day 27 - an entry performed by someone you think is hot
Day 28 - your favourite ballad
Day 29 - your favourite entry to dance to
Day 30 - an entry that should have won
Should be an interetsing month !!!
With some research I then found a similar challenge but Eurovision related.
Here is the list -
Day 1 - a song from your favourite contest
Day 2 - your least favourite winning entry
Day 3 - your favourite winning entry
Day 4 - your favourite entry by a female soloist
Day 5 - your favourite entry by a male soloist
Day 6 - your favourite entry by a duet
Day 7 - your favourite entry by a group
Day 8 - your favourite 2nd-placed entry
Day 9 - an entry that you didn't like at first but now like
Day 10 - an entry that you liked at first but are now bored of
Day 11 - an entry, in a language you don't know, that you can sing along to
Day 12 - your favourite entry of all time
Day 13 - your least favourite entry of all time
Day 14 - your favourite Irish entry
Day 15 - your favourite UK entry
Day 16 - your favourite Spanish entry
Day 17 - your favourite French entry
Day 18 - your favourite German entry
Day 19 - your favourite Italian entry
Day 20 - your favourite non-qualifier from a semi-final
Day 21 - your favourite performance
Day 22 - your favourite interval act
Day 23 - your favourite presenter/presenting team
Day 24 - an entry that makes you laugh
Day 25 - your favourite song from a national final
Day 26 - an entry that makes you think of someone
Day 27 - an entry performed by someone you think is hot
Day 28 - your favourite ballad
Day 29 - your favourite entry to dance to
Day 30 - an entry that should have won
Should be an interetsing month !!!
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