TS Eurovision running commentary
Yes, I know it’s already over, but we get Eurovision a day late here. I’m watching it now. It’s a yearly tradition here.
And yes, I do know who won.
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Romania - Voices blend nice. But boring as B@tsh!t
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Great Britain - A little too straight for Eurovision, isn’t it? And there’s no way on earth that she plays guitar.
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Albania - Always a danger when they sing in their own language. There’s no connection to the song at all. The lighting on this set is brilliant.
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Germany - definitely the worst one so far. The blonde’s voice was classic fingernails on a blackboard material. I’m going to have nightmares about this.
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Armenia - Nice eastern start. Good eastern asian feel, actually. Quite like the song, but her voice is making me squint to try and shut own my ears a little. Where’s the puppet turkey when you need him?
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Bosnia Herzogovina - Now this is Eurovision!! Bring on the wierd stuff! Washing lines. Guys in school uniforms who can’t sing. Wedding dresses. I’ve got absolutely no idea what’s going on here. Brilliant.
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We get the Terry Wogan commentary here. He’s a legend in this part of the world. At least for one weekend of the year.
Time for….
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Israel - Is Israel really part of Europe? Or is it h=just that they wouldn’t be too welcome at a similar competition in their own neighborhood? The Israeli singer proves the rule about the femininity of muscular gents. He sounds quite girly, and not in a good way. Some guys can pull that off pretty well. Weird backing dancing going on here. Not a winner.
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The stage set really is amazing.
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Finland - Yes! Rock on. Hair rock, leather and big hammers! Bare chested unattractive men. This is Europe!! He’s channeling Bruce Dickinson. This is awesome. There should be a rule stating that there has to be one heavy metal band in each Eurovision.
Guitar solo!! Woohoo. Dual guitars doing harmonies. Double kicks. Yes!!!! It’s sung in Finn but I don’t care, this is brilliant!
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Croatia - It’s called Romanca, so I’m not holding much hope here.
My lack of hope is completely justified. Isn’t this supposed to be a contemporary music contest. At least the old guy in the white suit is entertaining. How did this get in when the Irish turkey didn’t?
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Poland - I’m not sure where to look here. The plunging neckline (tacky, tacky) or the teeth to end all teeth. She looks like a blue mermaid from a tanning salon. Oh yeah, she’s singing. Sounds like a soppy piece of crapola. Aren’t there enough Celine Dion wannabe’s on the planet already?
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Iceland - I’m looking forward to this. Bjork’s from Iceland and she’s a genius. Unfortunately, this performance is from the other end of the musical scale. Poppy stuff. I’m sure it’ll go well in the clubs of George Street in Sydney. So would he.
It’s nice and tacky in a Eurovisionny sort of way, I guess. Lots of duets this year, too. Just noticed that. This must be the third or fourth so far.
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Turkey - Nice to see a turkey in there somewhere. Actually, the Turkish entry is always interesting. Do they go traditional or contemporary. The former is always boring and the latter is always awkward. They’ve gone for the latter.
Black and silver outfits and a red/white guitar just don’t work here. They’re sort of a Turkish version of Muse, but not as classical. Does that sound awkward? Actually, it’s grown on me since the start. The best from Turkey I’ve heard. Pretty musically intersting at the end.
Well done.
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Portugal - I think this is going to be a ballad. My goodness that’s a big hairy woman!! Some costumes shouldn’t be worn on stage. This performance features at least two of them. Let’s just say they wind machine’s giving too close a silhouette.
Um, crappy song.
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There’s not nearly as many drums as in previous Eurovisions. There’s been a few in the last couple of years where the finalists seem to have been judged by the number of drummers and drummers in the performance.
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Latvia - Ah yes, Pirates!!
Oh. My. Goodness. Now this is why we watch Eurovision every year!! I’m sure it was voted in for silliness. Fantastic.
The plastic sword is so bendy! Nothing better than hearing a Latvian singing about Jolly Rogers. I hope this ends up on Youtube.
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SWEDEN!! - Let’s see what the Swedes have to offer. My guess is it’ll be quite poppy and sweet.
Yep, it’s poppy. She looks a little like an alien. Geoff thinks she looks like she could be Mrs Joker from Batman. It’s very poppy, actually. Classic 16-year old girlie pop. Called Hero. Electric drums. You know the drill.
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Denmark - I think this might be poppy as well. Called “All night Long”.
Has real instruments playing. That’s encouraging. I like the guy’s voice, too. Yeah, this is good. In a non-edgy, non-offensive, feel-good kind of way. It’s a foot tapper. The singer’s wearing braces on his pants, too. Points for that.
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Georgia - Wogan called it slightly depressing. We’ll see.
I always automatically think that people wearing sunglasses inside, in a darkened room, are on drugs. I think I’m right 70% of the time. In this instance I think I’m right too, either that, or she’s missing her guide dog.
Actually, I really like the chorus in this. Great harmonies.
She must be missing her guide dog. She hasn’t moved at all during the performance.
Stunning visual in the middle of the performance. They changed from black to white clothing in around 2 seconds. I’d love to see how they did that. Amazing.
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Ukraine -
This is pretty good for poppy stuff. She looks like a twin from one of the earlier performances. Armenia, I think. Great parents. I could well and truly see this getting some votes, even if it’s only for the costume.
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If you’re not familiar with Eurovision, this is my favourite performance from it - ever. it’s from Germany way back in 2000. It’s a rapping funky Elvis from Germany!
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France - I just know I’m not going to like this. It’ll be some pretentious ballad or something. They never fail to make me puke.
Surprise surprise. Fake beards and a golf cart. And he’s singing in ENGLISH!! Isn’t that sacrelige in France?
It’s pretty interesting and catchy actually. Great middle section. This is something really fun. I’d consider this for a vote if I were voting. Very different.
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Azerbaijan - Yes, I’m serious. Azerbaijan.
Oh. Boy. Awesome start!! I love hearing guys sing falsetto and this guy just screamed.
I was expecting some sort of goatherd traditional or something. This is really progressive, rocky stuff. Incredible backing vocals. The favourite so far for me. The falsetto guy’s got silver hair and silver contact lenses. the song is awesome, and a great show. Good vs Evil and all that.
Winners for me, so far. Just pipping out the Finns.
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Greece - Three things you can rely on: Death, Taxes, and the Greek entry in Eurovision referencing Zorba somewhere in their music.
Tacky and candy-coated poppy crap. Such a shame. A girl singing about “her secret combination”. Puke. The less said, the better.
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Spain - The title includes the words “Chiki Chiki”.
Elvis hair. A plastic guitar. A melody that sounds like it’s from India. Five Chiki Chiki dancers.
It’s wierd, but kind of satisfying at the same time. Not a vote winner, but interesting. I love Eurovision.
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Serbia - the hosts cometh, and they bore us to tears. The world needs another ballad like it needs a hole in the head. This will be the new internet dictionary reference for “tedious”.
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There’s usually a few more songs sung in English. It’s been very provincial this year as far as language is concerned. I can’t help but think it gives an act a disadvantage. But that’s just me.
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Russia - This is the winner, so it’ll be interesting. As mentioned in comments, political voting almost always prevails, so the song doesn’t need to be the best.
Another freaking ballad. Sorry to any Russians reading, but you didn’t deserve this win. Your singer is a thin voiced try-hard.
Terrible. An injustice to Azerbaijan
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Norway - The final song.
A nice classy way to finish, actually. They look like they could be Aussies. Though we rock.
Kind of inoffensive, but entertaining even if it’s not totally engaging. Great bass lines.
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My vote would go to the Azerbaijani entry. It was heaps of fun and completely unexpected. I hope they poll well. The Finns second and Turkey third.
Vlade Divac is in the house!!!!
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Another old favourite. From Lithuania in 2006.
A funny idea for a song and a totally rediculous dancer. Hilarious.
VOTE FOR THE WINNERS
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This is the Azerbaijan entry. Sensational stuff.
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Swade… go to bed!!!
get ready for some serious political voting Swade
ps - that Greek chick was HOT HOT HOT!!
This Spanish dude looks like Weird El Yankovich!!!
Lol, no way Sweden was going to win when we send a woman that has the worlds largest forehead!
I can’t help feeling it would be better if each competitor sang in Esperanto. Esperanto is a planned language which belongs to no one country or group of states. Take a look at http://www.esperanto.net
Here in Spain, we are tired of “Eurivision”, this year, a TV program from a famous comedian, decided to send to the selection one of it colaborators doing the job of a “friki” singer with that song Chiki Chiki. The song its a success, because its a joke of all of this and win the selection here in Spain. You can imagine the controversy after that, about the angry of the people that want a serious singer in the contest and the people is tired of this contest and take this as a joke.
regards
Swade, well done on your great write-up, Terry Wogan would be proud of you. made me smile.
This song contest is a joke, at least here in Norway. But strangely enough, some people actually watch it. I think this contest is most for east-european tastes..
Unfortunately Malta didn’t do the qualifying this year
we had a song called Vodka. Although i have to say, i doubt Malta could ever win it, we don’t have the venue or the finances to host it, that and the fact that everyone always votes for neighboring countries. Although we did come second a few years ago
Oh Edonis, the only reason Norwegians supposedly dislike the contest so much is because of their lousy record of not winning.
Thankfully, we dont get tit here in Canada.
It is a joke in Finland too =)
I think eastern bloc take it very seriously..
Fantastic entertainment, if you manage to look at it with swade-vision.
Loved 75-cents, old man in white suit rapping angrily. Croatia, was it?
And the host entertainers, between the songs and the vote part… Serbian singers cheerily singing “boom boom boom” and “Kalashnikov”… Wow.
Norwegians are still stuck into the contest bit, where other countries are just sending weird stuff. Ireland had a bird puppet this year…
Sweden… Now we know who nicked the botox…
Azerbaijan, he sounded like nuts were in a C900 gearbox…
For more falsetto, search for Vitas at youtube. Unforgettable…
Didn’t Abba win this contest before aspiring to greater heights and eventually conquering the world (my opinion that is)?
Indeed, Danni. I think Abba sang Waterloo at Eurovision. And there’s talk that Cliff Richard lost in the early 1960’s due to the leader from some country intervening and refusing to let his country’s votes got to England. World controversy!!!
You western Europeans ought to get on board and take this seriously. It’s rollicking good fun for the rest of us.
Swade, we took it serious for 40 years. And the whole thing seemed long and boring already in 1978 with only 16 countries. Now there are 43 countries and two semi finals before the final. Yuk! I managed to avoid it yesterday, and played some nice Battlefield 1942 instead.
You are scaring me. Seriously.
Yes it was Waterloo, where Napoleon did surrender…
and yes, they did win Eurovision!!! Didn’t anyone stay in on Saturday night and watch the ABBA movie on SBS??? (filmed right here in Sydney I might add)
Richo, I own it on DVD!
Swade, the girl from Georgia is actualy blind.
My favorite was Laka from Bosnia. I even voted for him, not ’cause he is from neighboring country, but because I liked the song (the english version http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usBMTNMGz54).
2 years ago I voted for Lordi (Finland - great scene performance).
I don’t think that eastern europe takes it seriously. At least mayority of people. We look at it as something fun and funny, something to laugh about.
I mean, what would you expect when the propositions say that the song HAS to be 3 min long.
@Ken H
Thanks for that remark about Serbian singers singing Kalasnjikov when you don’t know what you are talking about.
@Ken H
Ok, now I see how could that look funny from your point of view.
I’m sorry if I overreacted, but it’s just damn annoying always being considered as “the bad guy”.
Teddy, thanks for pointing that out re: Georgia. Either Mr Wogan missed that in the commentary, or I missed him saying it. Without knowing, it just looked rather silly. Now I understand.
The Bosnian one was interesting. I need to listen to it again. It was hard to get past the theatrics and just listen to the performance.
It’s a great, fun event. I love it.
I love Eurovision time of the year,but mostly due to one of my favorite films being shown.
Get Ready to be BOYZVOICED.
Love it
Check out ‘Telex’ on Youtube. That Belgian electrogroup’s deadpan entry in Eurovision 1980 is a hilarious piss-take (you’ll love it Swade, after that Bill Bailey/Kraftwerk thing). Great bit at the end with the singer taking a photo of the astonished (and largely silent) crowd. The Youtube comments are funny too.
Teddy - it’s ok, I certainly did not mean to offend you or anybody else.
The only funny thing this year was the Swedish comedian reading the points given from Sweden: http://youtube.com/watch?v=xU391mFOVCQ
Although I realy hate everything Eurovision I think it´s nice that some countries dare to send material thats not expected. Like France. Sébastien Telliers song has been on the radio for quite some time now and atleast I get very calm from it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vz58Hw9hldw Probably would have won if a broader “non-eurovision” crowd would have voted. Isn´t that right Golfhunter?!
Stuff like Spains contribution IS expected. And Spain loves catchy songs.. Ketchup song anyone? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFzyYYZsxGc
Turkey 12 points! Mor ve ötesi .. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95CPGT6RD24 Love the melody and I salute them for singing in their own language! The song is VERY Chris Cornell. http://www.chriscornell.com (The singer from Soundgarden) Almost eveything with Chris is good, so the turkish song won my vote. Realy nice song! I´m going to download it now…
Sweden had songs that were better than the one we sent. But unfortunately the type of crap Charlotte sang is very popular among the hard core Eurovision fans in Sweden.
No2 in the swedish final was Sanna Nielsen with the ballad “Empty room”. Much better eventhough I´m not the one for ballads. Nice girl and a better vocalist than Mrs Perelli. “empty room”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggpFs6Eq05k&feature=related
And very Swedish etno stuff from Nordman about a girl said to be a witch being burnt on the stakes. Many Swedes favoured this song.. Not me, but it might have done better than “Hero”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vsWekSNcfo&feature=related
And “cutepoints” go to 15 year old Amy Diamond (Amy Diasismont) She has had some hits in the Nordic countries since 2005. Her name? Well her dad is english.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZHcPGWO44s&feature=related
I ´m not going to say anything negative about Charlotte Perellis looks bacause most of us dizzing other people are often just throwing stones. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.
What I can say is.. How the h-ck could the lightingdepartment put green lights on her? That´s what made her look like an alien.
As I heard the poor girl has had a nervous breakdown.
Cheers/Tom
Björn Gustafsson is a pure talent! Look at this clip from humourshow “The parlament” where the get “tips from the coach”. He is supposed to be hurt by the things that is said and react to them.. The guy actually manages to cry for laughs! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8pMbSMSDZo&feature=related
I don´t believe many understood that he was joking and that he wasn´t drunk.
Swedish humour for ya´
Hi folks !
This show showed us some nice girls , for the rest ….
Sebastien Tellier is a great composer who has taken too much LSD , he’s as much talented as a Saab is safety !
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1b93f_la-ritournelle-sebastien-tellier_music
One of the best french musician nowadays even if he sings in English (but not only , french and spanish too )
Ken, I know that you didn’t want to offend anyone, its just it was the middle of the night and it was way past my bedtime when I posted that, so I’m sorry once more.
BTW Swade, just to show you how much I liked ours (Serbian) entry this year, I actually threw paper balls at my TV set while Serbia performed.
P.S. Oh yeah, not to mention that it was a setup from the start, the song that represented Serbia was written by that presenter who gets on my nerves soooo much. We had much better songs than that one, but noooooo, Mr. Zeljko (Zeljko is his name) must be a contender at Eurosong.(that was his 3rd song in Eurosong contest, and I hated all of them)
Swade, I was just wondering why you single out Israel as being not really up to be a part of Eurovision, based on geography, without singling out Georgia, Armenia or Azerbaijan. Just curious. Israel has been part of Eurovision contest since 1973 and has one it three times (I didn’t know that, I found it out in old reliable Wikipedia).
It’s just geography, Mitchell. Pure and simple. Like Turkey, the other three you mention all share borders with what is considered traditionally to be Europe (as well as being in proximity to the Middle East and Western Asia). Israel has none of those border characteristics, though it has many European cultural characteristics, obviously.
I know that Isreal’s been in Eurovision for a while. I didn’t know the year but I’ve been watching the contest for some years now. It’s always puzzled me, but this is the first year when it’s puzzled me AND I’ve had a blog to write about it.
Swade , are you musician BTW ?
Jeff, I don’t play anymore, but I’ve played trumpet, guitar and bass guitar all up until just a couple of years ago. Mostly bass guitar.
lol, I can see you playing the trumpet when you had your beard, also, personally I can’t see why Russia are in the Eurovision Song Contest, unless the boarders have moved so much since I was at school. But then thats me.
Freakin’ unreal. You people actually watc this drivel? REALLY??? Oy.
Robin: Russia has a good bit in Europe, as said above, more than Israel, Georgia, Azerbijian, Armenia or Turkey. I agree ith you though — Russia is an Asian nation at heart. They want to be European with all of their might.
This contest was fun to watch 20 years ago but it got too big with all those new countries joining in. They should split it up in two (Western and Eastern Europe) to make it interesting again.