The Eurovision Song Contest

Yes, I love the camp elements. People who don't like the ESC generally say that it's because the songs are bad. But that's also a part of the charm. Almost every year there are a couple of songs I can actually like, and many which are unbelievably cheesy or tacky with all kinds of strange gimmicks. It's also something I fondly remember from my childhood and I still like many of the 80s songs, 1983 being my favourite year. I think there was a slump in quality circa 1995-2005 so maybe younger people don't have such childhood memories.

This Frida Boccara's winning song from 1969 is probably my favourite.

 

I don't think Arcade Fire would qualify as a Eurovision artist since they're quite well-known in Europe. To choose an American candidate you'd have to adhere to secret Eurovision rules defining who can participate. Choose one:

1. An artist who won or at least participated in a singing contest like American Idol over ten years ago, but hasn't been heard of since then. Must not be known anywhere else, at least not in European countries.
2. A band that had one or two hits in the 80s which are still played on the oldies radio stations.
3. An artist who's only recently got a record deal and therefore has nothing to lose.
4. A local artist who's so popular in Minnesota that the popularity won't suffer from finishing second from the bottom, and who wants a chance to be heard elsewhere. Maybe some Iowans will start to buy the records as well! If you want a boost consider buying the song from Sweden.
5. A joke entry that makes everybody cringe since most people don't find it funny at all.

Before the contest the media must get crazy and write articles about how you're surely going to win, how there's been positive attention. After you don't get in top ten, be amazed that the third rate artist wasn't understood by Europe, moan about the loss being the result of political voting that had nothing to do with music, or berate yourself and doom the artist into oblivion. Better luck next year.

 

Sweet, sorowful, sappy & all American as it gets ❤ ...oh, but the words nail it :smooch:

 

I haven't heard all the songs yet, but of the songs I know so far Norway and Estonia are my favourites. I'm impressed by Rybak's ability to perform in a way that looks happy and yet natural. Regarding Estonia I like the style more than the song; when it comes to opera it's a bit clichéd. I also sort of liked Lithuania, but for some reason it's more difficult to accept that kind of "I'm moved by my own song" performance than the gestures of happiness which probably aren't any more natural in a situation like this. So I get this feeling that "oh maybe I'm starting to feel moved, but I shouldn't, I don't want to be manipulated like this".

Spain which just went on has a similar thing going on. It's like the cynic and the romantic in me are disagreeing about whether I should like the song.

I'm glad Portugal won last year since they had kept sending more traditional songs while never winning. I miss the time when there were more national elements, different languages etc.