The kitsch allowed Eurovision Song Contest topic
Since it was mentioned in some other topic in since, although we try to deny it, most of watch it secretly as a guilty pleasure...
Let's debate on the contest that was invented to bring European countries closer to each other.
The Eurovision, if you don't take it too seriously, can be fun. Really. You can be patriottic (or pretend to be) for once. And after the show the usual blaming game starts:
"all those East Bloc countries just give their points to each other"
"Israel is not in Europe and shouldn't participate"
"Cyprus and Greece Always give each other maximum scores"
"The Nordic countries Always favor each other"
"It's not fair UK, Spain, Italy, France and Germany don't have to do semi finals"
"It's about politics now instead of music, I will never watch it again!" (note the same person WILL watch it again the next year)
Pointless whining # 1 : Israel has all the right to participate, as have Morocco (who did in 1980), Tunisia, Lebanon, even Australia! The rules state you don't have to be European to participate, you have to be member of the organising entity called Eurovision, which has several members outside of Europe. Simultaneously, Liechtenstein is in Europe but can NOT participate because their national broadcaster has not applied for Eurovision membership yet.
OK, I confess. There was an era I loved the Song Contest and looked forward to it, taped it each year on VHS tapes. That was between 1991 (the first year I watched it, aged 9) and 2002. Then most countries sung in their own language (it was obligatory until the late nineties, only in the new millennium everyone suddenly adopted English poppy tunes) and sent songs that had some local touch and had some of the local folklore in them. The contest was really interesting then.
Then came the dark years. Between 2001 and 2011 I have not seen any contest that wasn't more about kitsch, appearance, fireworks on stage, and mainstream pop songs forgotten the instant the festival was over. Since part of the voting is done by jury again, the last few years have slowly been a recovery and it is getting more interesting again. Although I'd still love to see more traditional music from participating countries: the UK should send some Scots with bagpipes, the Israelis should bring a proper piyyut, the Spaniards should really sound Latino, ... But OK, that won't happen probably unless the rule of singing in your own language is re-introduced.
Anyways, here is a selection of songs that in my opinion prove the festival really has had some bright moments:
Duo Datz - Kan (Israel, 1991): lyrics about their homeland, combining danceable music with a few Middle Eastern touches. Should have won that year.
Sofia Vossou - I Anixi (Greece, 1991): excellent singer with great vocal range, sounds properly Greek and the lyrics are excellent (yes, you can find a literally translation!)
Evridiki - Teriazoume (Cyprus, 1992)
Münchener Freiheit - Viel zu weit (Germany, 1993)
Fazla - Sva bol svijeta (Bosnia Herzegowina, 1993)
This band actually had, in the middle of the Yugoslavian civil war, brought a song about protecting Bosnia. Very emotional song. The band members had to literally escape Sarajevo in secret during fightings going on in order to get to the Eurovision, as far as I know they never returned to Bosnia.
Ruth Jacott - Vrede (Netherlands, 1993)
Put - Don't ever cry (Croatia, 1993)
My personal favourite that year. Incredibly hopeful song about loving your country, the line "Don't ever cry, my Croatian sky" goes straight to the heart.
Silje Vige - Alle mine tankar (Norway, 1993)
Roger Pontare & Marie Bergman - Stjärnorna (Sweden, 1994)
Frances Ruffelle - We will be free/lonely symphony (UK, 1994)
I deliberately chose the full video rather than the live performance, as on stage they had to remove some lines in order to not break the rule of maximum length of 3 minutes. This is the full version:
Moira Stafrace & Chris Chicluna - More than Love (Malta, 1994)
Elisabeth Andreassen & Jan Werner Danielsen (RIP) - Duett (Norway, 1994)
Youddiph - Eternal wanderer (Russia, 1994)
My favourite ever entry along with Albania 2012. Fantastic song and amazing vocals.
Secret Garden - Nocturne (Norway, 1995)
Anabel Conde - Vuelve conmigo (Spain, 1995)
Alexandros Panayi - Sti fotia (Cyprus, 1995)
şebnem Paker - Beşinci mevsim (Turkey, 1996)
Lúcia Moniz - O meu coração não tem cor (Portugal, 1996)
If you feel sad, put on this one. Irresistable and just asking to hit the dancefloor. Very cute girl too.
Eimaer Quinn - The Voice (Eire, 1996)
Was my favourite of that year. Actually, this is pure Irish folk. This is what Eurovision should be about.
Kasia Kowalska - Chcę znać swój grzech (Poland, 1996)
Hara & Andreas Konstantinou - Mana Mou (Cyprus, 1997)
Sebnem Paker - Dinle (Turkey, 1997)
Pure Turkish folk music with Middle Eastern flutes and percussion. Does music get any better than this?
Marc Roberts - Mysterious woman (Eire, 1997)
One of the last times Ireland sent a decent entry. Guess the money was gone to organise it yet another time so winning wouldn't come in handy ...
Anna Maria Jopek - Ale jestem (Poland, 1997)
Fantastic lyrics if you bother to do the translation. It is about existing, no matter how small, refering to a grain of salt in the desert, a sanddrip in an hourglass, a drip of water into the ocean, ... But you still exist. The promo video is recommendable too, very mysterious.
Debbie Scerri - Let me fly (Malta, 1997)
I chose to put the promo video here as the live performance at the festival was, sadly enough, not her best performance.
Paul Oscar - Minn hinsti dans (Iceland, 1997)
Note: probably one of the most controversial stage acts in the history of the festival. If females in leather and nearly bare legs are offensive to you, then don't watch this. (ironically, the singer is gay but he did get the most pretty women of the festival around him)
Katrina & the Waves - Love shine a light (UK, 1997)
Alma Lusa - Se eu te pudesse abraçar (Portugal, 1998)
Very folklore like music, and the text suits the folklore music very well: it is a message of love sent out to the large Portuguese diaspora around the world.
Aisté - Strazdas (Lithuania, 1999)
Sürpriz - Reise nach Jerusalem (Kudüs'e seyahat) (Germany, 1999)
A celebration of multicultural society, all band members are Germans of Turkish descent and they mix German, English and Turkish language (with an unexpected bit of Hebrew at the end too)
The Mullans - When you need me (Eire, 1999)
Ines - Once in a Lifetime (Estonia, 2000)
I again opted for the promo video because live it wasn't the best sound quality at the festival.
Brainstorm - My Star (Latvia, 2000)
If his dancing and smiling don't make you wanna party there must be something wrong. And also, musically, this song just makes you feel good. Should have won by far.
Michelle - Out on my own (Netherlands, 2001)
Was my favourite that year. She luckily still continues to make music.
Nino Pršeš - Hano (Bosnia & Herzegowina, 2001)
Natascha St Pier - Je n'ai que mon ame (France, 2001)
Lindsay Dracass - No dream impossible (UK, 2001)
We then make a jump towards the current decennium. Because between 2002 and 2010 there were only a few songs worth mentioning. The dark era of Eurovision mediocreness. There were a few decent ones in 2003 and 2004, a very few.
Alf Poier - Weil der Mensch zählt (Austria, 2003)
Urban Trad - Sanomi (Belgium, 2003)
This was actually sung in an imaginary language. Handy was to bypass the everlasting Dutch versus French debates. Finished 2nd and was leading until the very last votes were given.
Ruslana - Wild Dances (Ukraine, 2004)
PS: She is now still singing but also very involved in politics, in one of the biggest opposition parties...
Tom Dice - Me and my guitar (Belgium, 2010)
Rona Nishliu - Suus (Albania, 2012)
Along with Russia 1994, this gets my personal vote as best Eurovision EVER. Vocal reach is incredible, music is great, and those who bother translating will see the lyrics are very deep too.
Loreen - Euphoria (Sweden, 2012)
Can Bonomo - Love me back (Turkey, 2012)
Hayde! :)
Alyona Lanskaya - Solayoh (Belarus, 2013)
Anouk - Birds (Netherlands, 2013)
I recommend to also watch the promo video which is excellent:
Koza Mostra feat. Agathon Iakovidis - Alcohol Is Free (Greece, 2013)
The song actually mocks with the fact that their country is bankrupt but at least they can still drink to forget. Someone described it as "dancing on the ruins of an economical crisis". But it's very danceable and the concept is quite, erm, ... well, self-mocking?
So far the years I've witnessed myself. But let's not forget about these classics:
France Gall - Poupee de cire, poupee de son (Luxembourg, 1965)
Sandie Shaw - Like a puppet on a string (UK, 1967)
ABBA - Waterloo (Sweden, 1974)