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Post by fearlessarrow on Apr 13, 2020 22:35:32 GMT -5
@ Iceland sending in an artist named ICY for their Eurovision debut
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Post by ry4n on Apr 15, 2020 18:43:09 GMT -5
Brussels 1987Host: Belgium Participants: 22 Voting method: 12-point system (juries only) Winner: Johnny Logan – Hold Me Now Country: Ireland Points: 172 (68.3% of highest score possible) Language: English YouTube | Spotify | Lyrics
General Overview
The 1987 contest embraces Euro pride. It was held in the capital city of Europe, Brussels, on the 30th anniversary of the EEC (the precursor to the European Union). The interval celebrates this milestone with animated yellow stars floating around various footage, to the soundtrack of “Ode To Joy”.
All 22 active countries participated in 1987 (Malta, Monaco and Morocco were on indefinite hiatuses). It's probably a coincidence, but this emphasized the spirit of European unity. Incidentally, 1987 set a new record for most entries in one contest.
This is the third year in a row where the presenter (Viktor Lazlo) opens the show by breaking into song. The postcards involve the artists interacting with a cartoon image (after the usual shots of various activities in the host city). Viktor mentions a quick fact about each artist before individually introducing their respective performance. And she wears funky earrings during the vote reveal that look like knitting needles.
The stage incorporates a bunch of triangles, a pyramid, a blue laser, flashing spotlights, and a colourful moon. It continues the recent trend of “wall-less” stage designs.
Interestingly, the winning act of 1987 is a previous winner and the runner-up is a previous runner-up. "Hold Me Now" is another runaway winner. And Logan has one of the more emotional reprisals.
The Entries
Norway: Kate Gulbrandsen - Mitt liv A fairly standard ballad sung with reassurance. Kate expresses the doubts and uncertainties of early adulthood.
Israel: Lazy Bums - Shir Habatlanim The Israeli Minister of Culture threatened to resign if this song was selected. “Shir Habatlanim” is a comedic entry that emulates the Blues Brothers. Lazy Burns employ a talk/singing style and flail around the stage like dorks. There's also a nonsense “hoopa hulee hulee hulee hoopa” hook. It's kind of cringe.
Austria: Gary Lux - Nur noch Gefühl Gary's 4th time representing Austria, whether solo or as a backing singer. This middle-of-the-road ballad is the definition of dull. Yeesh, Austria were awful in the 80s.
Iceland : Halla Margrét - Hægt og hljótt A depressing piano ballad about arriving home after the club has closed. Halla's vocals imply a sense of loneliness. The song is sleep inducing, though.
Belgium: Liliane Saint-Pierre - Soldiers of Love The host entry injects a shot of upbeat instrumentation. There's an atmosphere of frantic danger – like barrelling onto the battlefield. The song asks the world to fight for love instead of war. During the chorus, the backing artists pretend their guitars are guns. It's Eurovision silliness.
Sweden: Lotta Engberg - Boogaloo Sweden returns to the midtable with a tropical/jungle number that includes excited screeches from the backing. It's catchy but it comes off tacky to me.
Italy: Umberto Tozzi & Raf - Gente di mare The Italian duo yearn to be “people of the sea” for the freedom, as opposed to “prisoners of the city”. “Gente di mare”'s chorus is f**king huge, while the verse melody contains a unique bounce.
Portugal: Nevada - Neste barco à vela A deep voiced singer accompanied by Spanish and electric guitars. I find this pretty forgettable.
Spain: Patricia Kraus - No estás solo The slinky on Patricia's arm is distracting. “No estás solo” is a passionately sung ballad with polarizing gruff vocals.
Turkey: Seyyal Taner & Lokomotif - Şarkım Sevgi Üstüne 3 minutes of jogging and jumping around on stage. It's an engaging vigorous performance and I like the stuttering instrument. The juries gave it 0 points, however.
Greece: Bang - Stop “Stop” is an upbeat saxy number with a charismatic lead singer. The backing singers wear colourful dresses and sunglasses. The song is unremarkable though.
Netherlands: Marcha - Rechtop in de wind The chorus is 80s synthpop bliss, while the verses capture a brooding tone. The song is about standing “upright in the wind”. Marcha won't let misery knock her down. It's a cheesy metaphor but it works.
Luxembourg: Plastic Bertrand - Amour, amour A flamboyant performance with a heavy 80s beat. Plastic Bertrand overdoes it with the choreo.
UK: Rikki - Only the Light Two years ago the UK sent Vikki, and now they send Rikki. “Only the Light” is a Eurovision flop for the UK - one of the rare times they missed the top 10 before the 21st century. This is quite empty and ordinary.
France: Christine Minier - Les mots d'amour n'ont pas de dimanche A pretty voice, a relaxing vibe, but a standard ballad for France. “The words of love don't have a Sunday” seems like a clunky metaphor.
West Germany: Wind - Lass die Sonne in dein Herz Wind attain second place again. This time with a warm, melodic, uplifting reggae number that includes steel drums. The breeziness is more natural than Sweden's similar attempt.
Cyprus: Alexia - Aspro-mavro The verse reminds me of Diana Ross's “Chain Reaction”. The Cypriot entry is feelgood with lively dancing from the backing. The black/white/red outfits remind me something.
Finland: Vicky Rosti & Boulevard - Sata salamaa A thumping beat with a triumphant chorus. The electric guitar and drums are a highlight.
Denmark: Anne-Cathrine Herdorf & Bandjo - En lille melodi Anne asks everyone to join the choir to save the Earth. It's well sung, and Anne conveys hope and comfort, but the song is lacking.
Ireland: Johnny Logan - Hold Me Now WINNER (see below)
Yugoslavia: Novi fosili - Ja sam za ples Effortless, feelgood, breezy, and irresistibly danceable. The group looks genuinely happy. The song employs a 1950s sockhop vibe. The bouncy beat, the “I wanna dance” hook and the hiccups are infectious. “Ja sam za ples” equalled Yugoslavia's highest placing to date (4th).
Switzerland: Carol Rich - Moitié, moitié Switzerland's performance encompasses a jumpy dance routine and pulsating instrumentation. Carol explains that love needs to be half and half. Her voice is so nasal, but the performance is fun and I like the repeated synth notes.
The Winner
Johnny Logan becomes the first (and only) repeat winner, while Ireland attains their third victory. “Hold Me Now” is one of the last hurrahs before Eurovision plunges into its dark period. The 90s are a rough decade for the contest. The song became a major hit across Europe; the next winner to have that level of commercial success is arguably “Love Shine A Light”.
“Hold Me Now” is certainly better than “What's Another Year”. Logan performs like he's on the verge of breaking into tears. The repetition of certain words in the verses and Logan's warbling voice emphasize the sobbing. The chorus, meanwhile, is a bellowing power ballad. It's where Logan bursts in anguish. The lyrics are mature and aware. He accepts that the relationship is over. He just wants one last night together. One last happy memory.
Verdict: Bottom of I like it. I'm a sucker for the chorus, but the song is so damn sappy.
My points go to.... 01. Netherlands: Marcha - Rechtop in de wind 02. Yugoslavia: Novi fosili - Ja sam za ples 03. Ireland: Johnny Logan - Hold Me Now 04. Belgium: Liliane Saint-Pierre - Soldiers of Love 05. Norway: Kate Gulbrandsen - Mitt liv 06. Germany: Wind - Lass die Sonne in dein Herz 07. Finland: Vicky Rosti & Boulevard - Sata salamaa 08. Italy: Umberto Tozzi & Raf - Gente di mare 09. Switzerland: Carol Rich - Moitié, moitié 10. Cyprus: Alexia - Aspro-mavro
11. Turkey: Seyyal Taner & Lokomotif - Şarkım Sevgi Üstüne 12. France: Christine Minier - Les mots d'amour n'ont pas de dimanche 13. Spain: Patricia Kraus - No estás solo 14. Sweden: Lotta Engberg - Boogaloo 15. Iceland: Halla Margrét - Hægt og hljótt 16. Denmark: Anne-Cathrine Herdorf & Bandjo - En lille melodi 17. Israel: Lazy Bums - Shir Habatlanim 18. Greece: Bang - Stop 19. Luxembourg: Plastic Bertrand - Amour, amour 20. United Kingdom: Rikki - Only the Light 21. Austria: Gary Lux - Nur noch Gefühl 22. Portugal: Nevada - Neste barco à vela
Leo ✔ Soundcl🕤ck born fearlessarrow kimberly Mylo13 💜 Future Captain
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ry4n
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Post by ry4n on Apr 15, 2020 18:51:09 GMT -5
32 contest reviewed, 32 to go
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Post by Future Captain on Apr 15, 2020 19:05:18 GMT -5
We're at the halfway point. Keep up the good work!
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Post by ry4n on Apr 17, 2020 19:15:47 GMT -5
Dublin 1988Host: Ireland Participants: 21 Voting method: 12-point system (juries only) Winner: Céline Dion - Ne partez pas sans moi Country: Switzerland Points: 137 (57.1% of highest score possible) Language: French YouTube | Spotify | LyricsGeneral OverviewIreland's mission in 1988 was to modernize the Eurovision Song Contest – the stage, the scoreboard, the interval act. Despite reusing the same venue from 1981, the stage design looks totally different. It's the largest one yet. It's mostly flat, in a diamond shape, with a grid pattern of floor lights converging in the distance. No fancy decorations this year. And the hall is darkly lit, like the past few contests were. The biggest technological shift, however, is the new computerized scoreboard. (Ireland were also the first to implement digital numbers in 1971). The old physical scoreboard is replaced by two video screens, which also displayed the performances. The interval act is Irish rock band Hothouse Flowers singing “Don't Go”, which actually charted on the US rock charts. The performance, which is basically a music video, features footage from several European countries. It's not exactly Bon Jovi, but the band are more current than previous interval acts. All 22 active participants return except for Cyprus, who were disqualified. Their entry actually competed in the 1984 national final, so it was too old. Did they think no one would notice? The show opens with a performance from last year's winner – I believe that's a Eurovision first. While presenters Pat Kenny & Michelle Rocca are professional with a dry sense of humour. The 1988 vote reveal is one for the ages. It was close race between Switzerland and the UK throughout the phone calls. Towards the end it seemed like the UK had built a comfortable lead. But the penultimate country, Portugal, gave their 12 points to Switzerland. The gap shortened to just 5 points. The deciding country was Yugoslavia, whose juries usually vote erratically. They gave 6 points to Switzerland, pushing Celine ahead by 1 point. The tension built with each successive vote... until Yugoslavia gave their 12 to France and nothing to the UK. 1988 is a ballad-heavy year. In fact, 4 of the top 5 are ballads. The Entries Iceland: Beathoven - Sókrates What is this mess? Between the vocal inflections, the tempo changes, and the lead singer listing off a bunch of famous names that he admires... I'm bewildered. Sweden: Tommy Körberg - Stad i ljus Tommy represents Sweden again after 19 years. “Stad i ljus” is a big vocal ballad with a prominent trumpet. The vocal performance is powerful and the trumpet adds a sense of overcoming. I don't normally go for this type of song, but “Stad i ljus” is executed well. Finland: Boulevard - Nauravat silmät muistetaan The tambourine guy is enthusiastic. This is quite forgettable. UK: Scott Fitzgerald - Go The entry that lost by one point. “Go” is an adult ballad reminiscent of Tom Jones or Engelbert Humperdinck. In the song, Scott runs into the girl who broke his heart years ago, which reopens the wounds. The vocal is emotive, the seesaw melody is effective, and Scott's marble-mouthed voice stands out. But “Go” isn't aimed at my generation. Turkey: MFÖ - Sufi On par with their 1985 entry. The “sufi sufi sufi” refrain is catchy, and the arrangement is like an exotic adventure. Spain: La Década - La chica que yo quiero (Made in Spain) A bit silly, but breezy and carefree. The protagonist desires a girl that's “made in Spain”. The instrumentation mixes Spanish elements with 80s pop. Netherlands: Gerard Joling - Shangri-La Passable 80s pop song, passable performance. The pounding drums and “leeeeeeven”'s are nice. But it's not that remarkable. Israel: Yardena Arazi - Ben Adam Yardena co-hosted the 1979 contest. The Israeli entry is darkly inviting with the “Mediterranean” instrumentation. While the faster tempo towards the end is wild. There's also traditional outfits. The song is about understanding and forgiving others because all humans are flawed. Switzerland: Céline Dion - Ne partez pas sans moi WINNER (see below) Ireland: Jump the Gun - Take Him Home The Irish entry tries too hard to be this huge, inspirational anthem. “Take Him Home” begins with messy harmonizing, then it becomes a piano ballad, then it explodes into a stadium rock power ballad. There's so much build-up to this one piece of advice – lend a helping hand to someone in need. Tedious. West Germany: Maxi & Chris Garden - Lied für einen Freund This is actually sweet. The performance involves a mother & daughter duo playing separate pianos. Maxi & Chris dedicate this song “For A Friend”. Literally. The song's arrangement matches their friend's personal attributes. Austria: Wilfried - Lisa Mona Lisa Oh, Austria. I can't take this seriously. That “LISA.... MONA LISA” refrain is so dumb. It's sung like a profound epiphany. Wilfried compares his love interest to the famous painting. This rightfully received 0 points. Denmark: Kirsten & Søren (Hot Eyes) - Ka' du se hva' jeg sa'? Hot Eyes make it a 3-peat with another cheerful number. Kirsten performed this while in the late stages of pregnancy. The song is addressed to a patronizing person. The performance includes fake triangular guitars. At the end, one of the backing singers “smashes” her guitar over the conductor's head. In a sea of ballads, Eurovision silliness is welcome. Greece: Afroditi Frida - Clown "Clown" is about the facade a clown puts on. Frida seems like she resents being one. The “clown clown” hook + maniacal laugh is catchy. The instrumentation is spunky and the performance features a lively tap dancer midway through. Norway: Karoline Krüger - For vår jord Karoline plays the grand piano by candlelight. Norway's ballad is about a guardian of the environment who could use more help. Belgium: Reynaert - Laissez briller le soleil A smooth ballad that doesn't build to anything. The backing vocal is painful. 1988 kicks off a decade-long slump for Belgium. Luxembourg: Lara Fabian - Croire 1988 is Lara Fabian's big break – she sold 20 million records worldwide after this. “Croire” is a passionately and beautifully sung ballad, where Lara trusts in humanity's goodness. Her voice is rich and angelic. This is Luxembourg's last top 10 placing. Italy: Luca Barbarossa - Vivo (Ti scrivo) It contains a fair amount of electric guitar. The song is alright. France: Gérard Lenorman - Chanteur de charme A safe ballad from France. Although Gérard's dedication to crooners actually denounces them, which is unexpected. Portugal: Dora - Voltarei An emotive ballad with a bursting chorus. The scratchy backing singer is unpleasant. Yugoslavia: Srebrna krila - Mangup Yugoslavia submits an 80s rock song with a strutting beat and catchy “wah-oh”'s. It's a playful song. The lead singer's vocals are polarizing, akin to Tones And I. The WinnerThe original Eurovision winners finally achieve a second victory. This time with a future legend from Canada. The songwriters are Swiss though! Switzerland has had an average trajectory of hits and misses in the interim. The next 3 decades will not be kind to them, however. Celine Dion delivers a vocally stunning performance – probably one of the best in Eurovision history. She also wears that iconic skirt/suit jacket combination. “Ne partez pas sans moi” (“Don't Leave Without Me”) is the last French ballad winner, but the instrumentation contains late 80s elements (moreso in the studio version). I love the dramatic plunking of strings and drums in the verses. Beginning each line with “vous” (“you”) works well too. The chorus, meanwhile, is where Celine shows off her explosive vocal projection. The lyrics are just as melodramatic. She really hypes up the important role this guy plays in her life. Verdict: YASSSS. My favourite winner of the 80s. Arguably not the most interesting song, but I have to applaud the talent. My points go to....01. Luxembourg: Lara Fabian - Croire 02. Switzerland: Céline Dion - Ne partez pas sans moi 03. Israel: Yardena Arazi - Ben Adam 04. Denmark: Hot Eyes - Ka' du se hva' jeg sa'? 05. Yugoslavia: Srebrna krila - Mangup 06. Sweden: Tommy Körberg - Stad i ljus 07. Turkey: MFÖ - Sufi 08. United Kingdom: Scott Fitzgerald - Go 09. Germany: Maxi & Chris Garden - Lied für einen Freund 10. Spain: La Década - La chica que yo quiero (Made in Spain) 11. Netherlands: Gerard Joling - Shangri-La 12. Greece: Afroditi Frida - Clown 13. Norway: Karoline Krüger - For vår jord 14. Italy: Luca Barbarossa - Vivo 15. Portugal: Dora - Voltarei 16. France: Gérard Lenorman - Chanteur de charme 17. Finland: Boulevard - Nauravat silmät muistetaan 18. Ireland: Jump the Gun - Take Him Home 19. Belgium: Reynaert - Laissez briller le soleil 20. Austria: Wilfried - Lisa Mona Lisa 21. Iceland: Beathoven - Sókrates Leo ✔ Soundcl🕤ck born fearlessarrow kimberly Mylo13 💜 Future Captain
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Future Captain
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Post by Future Captain on Apr 17, 2020 19:36:22 GMT -5
LEGEND
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Leo ✔
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Post by Leo ✔ on Apr 17, 2020 23:03:01 GMT -5
Yaaaasss Celine. Solid song
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Post by ry4n on Apr 19, 2020 16:51:36 GMT -5
Lausanne 1989Host: Switzerland Participants: 22 Voting method: 12-point system (juries only) Winner: Riva – Rock Me Country: Yugoslavia Points: 137 (54.4% of highest score possible) Language: Serbo-Croatian YouTube | Spotify | LyricsGeneral OverviewEurovision returns to where it all began – Switzerland. The 1989 contest is hardly my favourite, though. The intro package, which follows the life of a young Swiss child, goes on for 8 minutes. Presenters Jacques Deschenaux and Lolita Morena are boring. They speak mostly in French too. The winner is forgettable. And 1989 is extremely heavy on the ballads. I count about 15 out of 22! It's like everyone is trying to emulate the previous two winners. Celine Dion is a highlight, however. She opens the show proper with a shortened rendition of her winning entry and “Where Does My Heart Beat Now”. The latter would eventually become her breakthrough hit in the US. I give it 12 points! The interval act is enthralling too. It involves some crossbow stunts. The stage continues the direction of the previous few contests – roomy layout, darkly lit, giant video screens. Cyprus returns, bringing Eurovision back to a full house of 22 participants. 1989 sparked some controversy – two of the main artists (France and 1/2 of Israel) were preteens. The organizers responded by implementing an age restriction rule of 16 starting in 1990. This means Sandra Kim's record will never be broken. Despite Yugoslavia beating the UK by 7 points, the vote reveal isn't as exciting as it sounds. Yugoslavia held a comfortable lead for most of the calls. The UK had a late surge, but they never came within striking distance. Yugoslavia were the last to vote, which shortened the lead. The Entries Italy: Anna Oxa & Fausto Leali - Avrei voluto Italy's duet reflects over a missed opportunity for love. The performance is passionate but polarizing. The song starts slow, but once the guitars kick in, it becomes vocally intense. From both of them. Fausto's raspy growl is matched with Anna's wailing. Israel: Gili Netanel & Galit Burg-Michael - Derekh Hamelekh The Israeli entry is gentle and self-assured. The protagonist knows he's on the right road. 12-year-old Gili sings solo for the first half, but he seems overwhelmed by the song. The performance flows better once Galit joins midway to harmonize. Ireland: Kiev Connolly & The Missing Passengers - The Real Me One of the rare times Ireland flops before the 21st century. The synths in “The Real Me” are enjoyable. But Kiev's vocals are flat and he looks uncomfortable on stage. Netherlands: Justine Pelmelay - Blijf zoals je bent A soulful ballad of warm love. Turkey: Pan - Bana Bana Turkey submits another traditional entry. This one is pure insanity, thanks to the vocal quirks and rapid repetition of syllables. The conductor is erratic too. The juries did not get it. This is a bit too silly for me. Belgium: Ingeborg - Door de wind One of the least interesting ballads in '89. Ingeborg is content in love. UK: Live Report - Why Do I Always Get it Wrong? The UK loses by a hair twice in a row. It's their 12th time overall in the runner-up slot. Live Report delivers a polished late-80s synth ballad. I could see Phil Collins or Richard Marx or Paul Young singing it. The anguished vocals from lead singer Ray Caruana are convincing. Norway: Britt Synnøve Johansen - Venners nærhet A cute, albeit dull, ballad about friendship. Portugal: Da Vinci - Conquistador An upbeat, melodic 80s rock number that romanticizes Portugal's colonial conquests. It has an adventurous rhythm. Sweden: Tommy Nilsson - En dag Sweden returns to the top 5 after a couple of midtable results. “En dag” is a singalong anthem of hope. The arrangement builds as the song progresses, until it reaches an explosion of choir and trumpet at the end. Tommy, meanwhile, has those late-80s growling vocals. Most of the lines start with “En dag”, which I find effective. The arrangement is brazen and it flows well. Luxembourg: Park Café - Monsieur A bouncy, 80s rock song about a guy who holds misguided Hollywood aspirations. Denmark: Birthe Kjær - Vi maler byen rød Denmark has a run of strong finishes in the late 80s with cheerful performances. “Vi maler byen rød” is another one. It exudes genuine positive vibes. The song emulates the 1950s. Berthe declares she will cheer this guy up by “painting the town red”. Midway through the performance, she motions the conductor to join her on stage. He is promptly replaced by a different conductor. It's an amusing moment. Austria: Thomas Forstner - Nur ein Lied Austria escapes their 80s slump. Thomas sings a song to brighten up the world. It's a decent enough 80s ballad and it's well-performed. Finland: Anneli Saaristo - La dolce vita Finnish lyrics, Spanish (flamenco) instrumentation, and an Italian title. “La dolce vita” is certainly unique. The song reflects on life. France: Nathalie Pâque - J'ai volé la vie The first of 7 consecutive ballads. At the age of 11, Nathalie is the youngest main artist in Eurovision history. Her vocals and stage confidence are impressive. The sax is nice too. Spain: Nina - Nacida para amar Nina delivers an emotive, impassioned vocal performance. But the pacing is too sluggish for me. It's supposed to be a seductive song. Cyprus: Fani Polymeri & Yiannis Savvidakis - Apopse as vrethume There's a calming melody in “Apopse as vrethume”. The duet is dressed in wedding attire. Switzerland: Furbaz - Viver senza tei The only Eurovision entry sung in Romansh (one of Switzerland's 4 official languages). “Viver senza tei” is a piano ballad with operatic backing singers. This is quite dull. Greece: Marianna Efstratiou - To diko sou asteri Greece's ballad exudes warmth. It also livens up towards the end. While the orchestra incorporates traditional elements. “To diko sou asteri” encourages taking on the world. Iceland : Daníel Ágúst Haraldsson - Það sem enginn sér Iceland's twink receives 0 points. Iceland's first 4 entries didn't perform that well. The song is unremarkable. West Germany: Nino de Angelo - Flieger The SEVENTH consecutive ballad. Nino misses his ex; back when they were “flyers”. “Flieger” is one of the better ballads thanks to the dramatic instrumental punches, the melody, and Nino's performance. Yugoslavia: Riva - Rock Me WINNER (see below) The WinnerThe juries underrated Yugoslavia for decades, so a win was overdue. The timing couldn't be better since the country ceases to exist in a few years. Yugoslavia gained momentum in 1987 & 1988 with lighthearted performances. “Rock Me” is another one. The song's running order placement likely helped it win – finishing the night with an upbeat song after a gluttony of ballads. “Rock Me” is 80s synth rock. The song is borderline basic, but it's also current. It relies heavily on the “woah oh oh oh” and “rock me baby” hooks. They're catchy hooks! The chorus copies Bobbysocks!'s trick of inserting an English-sounding phrase. In fact, the winner's reprisal is sung entirely in English. The performance is energetic – lots of sliding, swaying and bouncing. The flashing neon lights in the background give an 80s night club vibe. While the lyrics ask a classical pianist to play a danceable rock song, which is “Rock Me” itself. Verdict: I like it. It's enjoyable, but it feels like an underwhelming winner. My points go to....01. Portugal: Da Vinci - Conquistador 02. Yugoslavia: Riva - Rock Me 03. Finland: Anneli Saaristo - La dolce vita 04. Greece: Marianna Efstratiou - To diko sou asteri 05. Netherlands: Justine Pelmelay - Blijf zoals je bent 06. Denmark: Birthe Kjær - Vi maler byen rød 07. Sweden: Tommy Nilsson - En dag 08. Cyprus: Fani Polymeri & Yiannis Savvidakis - Apopse as vrethume 09. Germany: Nino de Angelo - Flieger 10. Spain: Nina - Nacida para amar 11. Switzerland: Furbaz - Viver senza tei 12. Belgium: Ingeborg - Door de wind 13. United Kingdom: Live Report - Why Do I Always Get it Wrong? 14. Luxembourg: Park Café - Monsieur 15. Turkey: Pan - Bana Bana 16. Austria: Thomas Forstner - Nur ein Lied 17. France: Nathalie Pâque - J'ai volé la vie 18. Iceland: Daníel Ágúst Haraldsson - Það sem enginn sér 19. Israel: Gili Netanel & Galit Burg-Michael - Derekh Hamelekh 20. Italy: Anna Oxa & Fausto Leali - Avrei voluto 21. Norway: Britt Synnøve Johansen - Venners nærhet 22. Ireland: Kiev Connolly & The Missing Passengers - The Real Me Leo ✔ Soundcl🕤ck born fearlessarrow kimberly Mylo13 💜 Future Captain
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Post by ry4n on Apr 19, 2020 23:44:58 GMT -5
I have reshuffled! I've axed the "meh" tier...it felt unnecessary. Whoever was in that category has been either pushed up to "OK" or down to "TRASHHH" Criteria for each tier:G.O.A.T.: My eventual top 10 (9 of which are locked in. I'm undecided on #10) YASSSS: I'm happy that it won, even if it isn't my favourite of the night I like it: There's at least one flaw that I cannot overlook* Okay: Not happy that it won, but it has redeemable qualities TRASHHHH: Super boring or super cringe {*those flaws} Sweden 84: dumb lyrics Belgium 86: teenage vocals UK 67: misogynistic lyrics Spain 68: lack of lyrics Yugoslavia 89: underwhelming winner UK 81: bad vocals France 77: just tired of French ballads France 69: no hook Monaco 71: exhausting after a while Luxembourg 61: boring verses Ireland 87: sappy Changes:- I vastly overrated Séverine (1971). It's actually kinda exhausting after a while, so I've pushed it down - "Dors Mon Amour" is the most boring winner so far, so it's now TRASHHHH - "Save Your Kisses for Me" is the most cringe winner so far, so it's also TRASHHH - I underrated France 77. I pushed it ahead of some other French winners. Winner's ranking revised:G.O.A.T.01 = ABBA - “Waterloo” (Sweden – 1974) 02 = France Gall - “Poupée de circe, poupée de son” (Luxembourg – 1965) 03 = Grethe and Jørgen Ingmann - “Dansevise” (Denmark – 1963) 04 = Vicky Leandros - “Après toi” (Luxembourg – 1972) YASSSS05 = Izhar Cohen and the Alphabeta - “A-Ba-Ni-Bi” (Israel – 1978) 06 = Lys Assia - “Refrain” (Switzerland – 1956) 07 = Isabelle Aubret - “Un premier amour” (France – 1962) 08 = Gigliola Cinquettie - “Non ho l’età” (Italy – 1964) 09 = Lenny Kuhr - “De troubadour” (Netherlands – 1969) 10 = Céline Dion - “Ne partez pas sans moi” (Switzerland – 1988) 11 = Milk and Honey - “Hallelujah” (Israel – 1979) 12 = Nicole - “Ein Bißchen Frieden” (Germany – 1982) 13 = Teach-In - “Ding-a-dong” (Netherlands – 1975) 14 = Bobbysocks! - “La det swinge” (Norway – 1985) 15 = Jacqueline Boyer - “Tom Pillibi” (France – 1960) 16 = Salomé - “Vivo Cantando” (Spain – 1969) 17 = Anne-Marie David - “Tu te reconnaîtras” (Luxembourg – 1973) 18 = Teddy Scholten - “Een beetje” (Netherlands – 1959) I like it19 +1 Herreys - “Diggi-Loo Diggi-Ley” (Sweden – 1984) 20 +1 Sandra Kim - “J'aime la vie” (Belgium – 1986) 21 +1 Sandie Shaw - “Puppet on a String” (UK – 1967) 22 +1 Massiel - “La, la, la” (Spain – 1968) 23 +1 Riva - “Rock Me” (Yugoslavia – 1989) 24 +1 Bucks Fizz - “Making Your Mind Up” (UK – 1981) 25 +2 Marie Myriam - “L'oiseau et l'enfant” (France – 1977) 26 = Frida Boccara - “Un jour, un enfant” (France – 1969) 27 -8 Séverine - “Un banc, un arbre, une rue” (Monaco – 1971) 28 = Jean-Claude Pascal - “Nous les amoureux” (Luxembourg – 1961) 29 = Johnny Logan - “Hold Me Now” (Ireland – 1987) Okay30 = Corinne Hermès - “Si la vie est cadeau” (Luxembourg – 1983) 31 = Udo Jürgens, “Merci, Chérie” (Austria – 1966) 32 = Johnny Logan - “What's Another Year” (Ireland – 1980) 33 = Lulu - “Boom Bang-a-Bang” (UK – 1969) 34 +1 Corry Brokken - “Net als toen” (Netherlands – 1957) TRASHHH35 -1 André Claveau - “Dors, mon amour” (France – 1958) 36 = Brotherhood of Man - “Save Your Kisses for Me” (United Kingdom – 1976) 37 = Dana - “All Kinds of Everything” (Ireland – 1970) Leo ✔ Soundcl🕤ck born fearlessarrow kimberly Mylo13 💜 Future Captain
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Post by ry4n on Apr 21, 2020 19:38:31 GMT -5
Zagreb 1990 Host: Croatia/Yugoslavia Participants: 22 Voting method: 12-point system (juries only) Winner: Toto Cutugno – Insieme: 1992 Country: Italy Points: 149 (59.1% of highest score possible) Language: Italian YouTube | Spotify | LyricsGeneral Overview1990 is the year of European solidarity songs. The Cold War was almost over. The Berlin Wall had fallen, borders were reopening, regimes were toppling, and the European Union's creation was around the corner. This inspired several artists to express optimism for the future. Ironically, the oncoming decade will not be a bright one for the host country, Yugoslavia. Zagreb upholds the progress seen in the recent contests – a roomy flat stage, giant video screens, a computerized scoreboard. The presenters, meanwhile, ditch the recent trend of introducing each entry individually. The postcards are suffice. 1990 also incorporates an animated mascot – the Eurocat. He appears in the intro and the postcards, where he “snaps” blank-and-white promo shots of each artist. The same 22 countries from 1989 reappear in 1990. Malta wanted to rejoin, but the number of participants had reached its max. This will become a major problem soon. The 1990 contest is notorious for the screw-up during Spain's performance. Eurovision uses backing tracks to keep the artists and the orchestra in sync. But there was a malfunction this time. Azúcar Moreno walked onto the stage, and the band and orchestra were silent. The duo then stormed off. The performance was restarted a few moments later. The vote reveal is fairly close. Ireland lead for a while. But around the 3/4 mark, it became tight between Italy / Ireland / France. Ireland gave their 12 points to Italy, but Italy gave 0 points to their two rivals (seems legit). Austria then shorted the gap between Italy and Ireland to one point. The final two countries, Cyprus and Finland, ultimately gave Italy a convincing lead in the end. While France and Ireland tied for second place, which is unusual. There's actually a decent selection of entries this year. The Entries Spain: Azúcar Moreno - Bandido Despite the screw-up, the Spanish sisters pull off a great performance. “Bandido” fuses Flamenco with 90's piano house. Which is strikingly fresh for Eurovision. The two styles mesh well. The orchestral flares and Azúcar Moreno's summoning vocal style create an atmosphere of danger. They crave the titular “bandit”, even though he's harmful. Greece: Christos Callow & Wave - Horis skopo Forgettable AF. Belgium: Philippe Lafontaine - Macédomienne Philippe dedicated “Macédomienne” to his North Macedonian wife; since he is performing in Yugoslavia. It's a romantic and sweet ballad. Turkey: Kayahan - Gözlerinin Hapsindeyim Turkey submits another traditional entry; this time with a darker atmosphere. Kayahan is taken captivate by dangerous temptation. The acoustic guitar and accordion are nice, while the “Hay la la la la” bit is catchy. Netherlands: Maywood - Ik wil alles met je delen A ballad of devotion. She wants to share everything in the relationship – the pain, the happiness, the craziness. The chorus is powerful. Luxembourg: Céline Carzo - Quand je te rêve A ballad of yearning. This one doesn't stand out much until the explosive finale. UK: Emma - Give a Little Love Back to the World Emma spreads a socially conscious message of giving back. The song attempts a unifying, anthemic chorus. But the composition feels amateur. Iceland: Stjórnin - Eitt lag enn Iceland copies Denmark's formula of purely cheerful entries. And it works! After 4 flops, Iceland finally lands in the top 5. The duet's performance exudes charm and energy. They look genuinely happy in love. Norway: Ketil Stokkan - Brandenburger Tor The Norwegian entry celebrates the fall of the Berlin Wall. It repeats the words “Brandenburger Tor” (“Brandenburg Gate”) a lot. It's annoyingly catchy. The final chorus is a victory lap. Israel: Rita - Shara Barkhovot Rita's performance is a journey. She literally crumbles to her knees by the end. The lyrics describe her immediate thoughts after walking out on her lover. Denmark: Lonnie Devantier - Hallo Hallo Denmark continues to be peppy and carefree. In "Hallo Hallo", Lonnie laughs at her situation – she keeps getting the answering machine when she calls her crush. The staging, meanwhile, involves lively backing dancers. The song is average, however, compared to Denmark's previous cheerful entries, and when compared to Iceland this year. Switzerland: Egon Egemann - Musik klingt in die Welt hinaus Switzerland selects a violinist, who sings about the power of music. The violin parts are nice, but the chorus is repetitive – literally every line begins with the word “Musik”. And his voice is so monotone. Germany: Chris Kempers & Daniel Kovac - Frei zu leben A bland and tiresome duet ballad. The song is about freedom, which I assume is a reference to the Berlin Wall falling. France: Joëlle Ursull - White and Black Blues One of the co-runners-up. The French entry is unique and unconventional. It fuses tribal drumming and circus-like accordion. Apparently the meter is unusual too. The lyrics address racism, while Joëlle expresses pride in her African heritage. “White and Black Blues” fits 1990's theme of socially conscious songs, although this one is more personal. Yugoslavia: Tajči - Hajde da ludujemo The Yugoslav entry sounds like a current pop song – a bit like the B-52's. It's catchy and lighthearted with prominent electric guitar and drums. Tajči also delivers playful choreo. Portugal: Nucha - Há sempre alguém Nucha encourages looking out for the less fortunate. Her dress has music note symbols on it. It's not bad, but there's better songs this year. Ireland: Liam Reilly - Somewhere in Europe The other co-runner-up. Ireland submits a polished piano ballad, where Liam misses the European trip he shared with a special girl. And he wishes to meet up again. The lyrics name drop a bunch of European locations. The hook is very strong here. Sweden: Edin-Ådahl - Som en vind Eugh, one of Sweden's worst entries. It's a standard boy band ballad. Italy: Toto Cutugno - Insieme: 1992 WINNER (see below) Austria: Simone - Keine Mauern mehr Another song about the Berlin Wall, where Simone is hopeful for the future. I like the fairytale strings at the beginning, and the chorus has a breezy nature to it, but it’s a bit lethargic. Cyprus: Haris Anastasiou - Milas poli Cyprus delivers an S/A/W beat (it's reminiscent of Kylie's early hits). The song is lyrically silly - Haris complains that his lover “talks too much”. While the performance involves buoyant choreo. Finland: Beat - Fri? Finland decides to sing in Swedish this year. The quartet asks if we're truly free. The WinnerItaly finally achieves a second victory; 26 years after "Non ho l'età" won in 1964. One can never discount Italy as a contender – their entries are anything but innocuous. That said, Italy was actually apathetic towards Eurovision around this time. They skipped a few contests in the 80s, and they're about to withdraw indefinitely from 1994-2010, with the exception of '97. The winner, “Insieme: 1992”, features a choir shouting the words “[TOGETHER!] UNITE, UNITE EUROPE!” several times. The message is pretty blatant. The song celebrates the anticipated start date of the European Single Market (1992). And it praises the idea of a more united Europe. Needless to say, “Insieme: 1992” is very of its time. It's also another winner whose main hook is in English. The first half encompasses restrained verses, which establish a nice build for an explosive chorus. But then Toto just shouts in intense vocals for the entire second half. Almost like he's scolding Europe to get their s**t together. The orchestra is relentless too. The arrangement is supposed to be powerful, but it's too aggressive. It's not my cup of tea. And it contradicts the theme of optimism and unity. Toto's winner's reprisal is noteworthy for two reasons. First, his hair dye dripped onto his shirt while walking from the green room to the stage. And second, he performed in the middle of the audience – a Eurovision first. Verdict: Okay. Honestly this song gets more annoying the more I listen to. My points go to....01. Yugoslavia: Tajči - Hajde da ludujemo 02. Netherlands: Maywood - Ik wil alles met je delen 03. Spain: Azúcar Moreno - Bandido 04. France: Joëlle Ursull - White and Black Blues 05. Iceland: Stjórnin - Eitt lag enn 06. Turkey: Kayahan - Gözlerinin Hapsindeyim 07. Israel: Rita - Shara Barkhovot 08. Belgium: Philippe Lafontaine - Macédomienne 09. Portugal: Nucha - Há sempre alguém 10. Ireland: Liam Reilly - Somewhere in Europe 11. Norway: Ketil Stokkan - Brandenburger Tor 12. Cyprus: Haris Anastasiou - Milas poli 13. Austria: Simone - Keine Mauern mehr 14. Finland: Beat - Fri? 15. Denmark: Lonnie Devantier - Hallo Hallo 16. Italy: Toto Cutugno - Insieme: 1992 17. Switzerland: Egon Egemann - Musik klingt in die Welt hinaus 18. Luxembourg: Céline Carzo - Quand je te rêve 19. Greece: Christos Callow & Wave - Horis skopo 20. United Kingdom: Emma - Give a Little Love Back to the World 21. Sweden: Edin-Ådahl - Som en vind 22. Germany: Chris Kempers & Daniel Kovac - Frei zu leben Leo ✔ Soundcl🕤ck born fearlessarrow kimberly Mylo13 💜 Future Captain
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Post by Leo ✔ on Apr 21, 2020 19:46:42 GMT -5
This Italy song is overrated af So happy Bandido got your 10 points. Such a jam
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Post by ry4n on Apr 23, 2020 20:42:27 GMT -5
Rome 1991 Host: Italy Participants: 22 Voting method: 12-point system (juries only) Winner: Carola – Fångad av en stormvind Country: Sweden Points: 146 (57.9% of highest score possible) Language: Swedish YouTube | Spotify | LyricsGeneral OverviewThe 1991 contest is infamous for its unprofessional hosting. It’s hilarious but also a headache. Italy's two winners – Gigliola Cinquetti and Toto Cutugno – were selected as presenters. The pair spoke exclusively in Italian, and they are extremely talkative. Toto in particular. He also struggles with pronouncing foreign artists names and song titles. Consequently, the show feels so dragged out - from the opening, to the song introductions, to the vote reveal. Speaking of the vote reveal, what a hot mess that is. The camera hardly ever shows the scoreboard, so it's difficult to keep track. Toto and Gigliola repeat every vote in 3 languages (English, French and Italian) - I hate when they do this. It does not go smoothly. The pair frequently state the incorrect country or number. Toto continually cuts off the correspondents to engage in small talk. And the presenters are unhelpful when there's issues contacting Turkey. That whole segment is painful. The scrutineer was visibly frustrated. It's a shame because the 1991 jury vote is excitingly erratic. The top 5 were tight all night, while Malta became a random dark horse. And there was a tie for first place. Sweden and France both stood at 146 points after all 22 countries voted. But unlike 1969, the organizers had instituted a tie-breaker – the most 12's/10's. Which gave the victory to Sweden. If the current tie-breaker rules applied (the most countries), then France would have won. Personally, I prefer the current one because it values a broader range of support. It's funny though because I love Sweden's and France's songs equally. This year's stage is sufficiently roomy, but the background decor is very Italian. The show opens with a music video from Sara Carlson, followed by Toto and Gigliola reprising their winning songs. The postcards involve the respective artists singing famous Italian songs in Italian. Which is daring, since I assume most of them aren't fluent in the language. And the interval stars Arturo Brachetti, who quickly changes costumes several times. Much of it hasn’t aged well. The Netherlands miss 1991 due to a national holiday, which allows Malta to rejoin after a 16-year hiatus. Also, they're now allowed to sing in English. The country competed thrice in the 70s with mediocre results. Conversely, 1991 is the last time Yugoslavia competes as a whole. They appear one final time in 1992, but only Serbia & Montenegro remain in the union by that point. 1991 is one of the most uneven years. Half of the songs are great, and the other half are extremely boring. It's another ballad-heavy year too. Sidenote: this is the first time I've noticed audience members waving flags. The modern era is inching closer. The Entries Yugoslavia: Baby Doll - Brazil We kick things off with some Eurovision kitsch. Yugoslavia portrays the atmosphere of a sunny Brazilian breach. Baby Doll's performance is bouncy and flirtatious, and the male backing dancer is delightful. But it’s also quite tacky, especially Baby Doll’s styling. It received just one point - I suspect the juries tanked this over politics. Iceland: Stefán & Eyfi - Draumur um Nínu An uplifting power ballad, but not a terribly exciting one either. The male duet cherishes their dreams of Nina. She's gone forever but she still exists in their dreams. Malta: Georgina & Paul Giordimaina - Could It Be WTF at this landing in 6th place. It's so plain. “Could It Be” is an adult contemporary duet ballad, where Georgina and Paul discuss the status of their relationship. There's honest awareness in the lyrics, at least, and there’s a down-to-Earth appeal. Greece: Sophia Vossou - I anixi The Greek entry sounds like a movie score. The enveloping orchestra really flourishes here – it establishes an atmosphere of becoming one with nature. While the chorus is triumphant. The lyrics describe the explosiveness at the dawn of a new relationship. However, I have to dock points for that botched sax solo. Yikes. Switzerland: Sandra Simó - Canzone per te A dreamy ballad that's well-performed. Sandra’s vocal tone is warm and encouraging. In the song, she describes the catharsis of channeling her feelings of heartbreak into a song. The chorus is a letdown though; the verses are better. Austria: Thomas Forstner - Venedig im Regen Austria returns to familiar territory: dead last. With nul points, in fact. The song is about meeting a girl in the Venetian rain. Nice pandering to the host country. This is a fairly ordinary, dull, monotonous ballad. Luxembourg: Sarah Bray - Un baiser volé The 6th ballad in a row. The instrumentation has a fairytale vibe during the verses. There's a melody, but overall, the song is a dreary, lethargic bore. That chorus is so lifeless, sleepy, and lacking in energy. The lyrics state that love (or a “stolen kiss”) can brighten up the world. Sweden: Carola - Fångad av en stormvind WINNER (see below) France: Amina - C'est le dernier qui a parlé qui a raison The honorary winner. After a string of middling results in the 80s, France kicks off the new decade with a pair of silver medals. Both times by stepping outside their comfort zone. Their 1991 entry is African influenced. It involves chanting, sultry vocals, enigmatic lyrics, and an accordion. The performance is just magical. New Age compositions like this were unusual for Eurovision at the time. Turkey: İzel Çeliköz, Reyhan Karaca & Can Uğurluer - İki Dakika Turkey channels early-1960′s surfer music. The song is feelgood and buoyant, while the performance is essentially a kid's entertainment act. Especially the choreo, which features that triple bend-over bit. It’s amusing. The lyrics advises living in the moment. Ireland: Kim Jackson - Could It Be That I'm In Love Kim is confused and self-analyzes what her feelings mean. It's a fairly average ballad, but still above Ireland's usual standards of plainness. That voice crack probably cost her some points though. Portugal: Dulce Pontes - Lusitana paixão Dulce offers her opinion on the fado music genre from Portugal, a depressing genre of love's sadness. It's a passionate vocal ballad. And one of Portugal’s best placings at the time. Denmark: Anders Frandsen - Lige der hvor hjertet slår Denmark quits sending jolly entries, and they subsequently sink into the bottom 5. This ballad has plodding verses, but the chorus is decent. It’s more average than anything else. But still one of the many boring entries of 1991. Norway: Just 4 Fun - Mrs. Thompson Norway's quartet recounts the story of Mrs. Thompson – an overworked, ordinary mother, whom they hail as an unrecognized hero. It's a celebratory performance, where the group emits positive, uplifting energy on stage. There's even a (cringe) air guitar moment. This song is just whatever though. Israel: Duo Datz - Kan Israel submits a traditional-sounding entry, where Duo Datz assert Israel as their homeland. The bouncy rhythm is infectiously catchy and it conveys optimism, while the choreo is expectedly smooth. It’s another meticulously designed Israeli entry. They’re almost always a highlight. Finland: Kaija Kärkinen - Hullu yö The Finnish entry contains pensive verses, a catchy fiery chorus, and an electric guitar. It packs more punch than a typical Eurovision entry. Finland is often underrated in this contest. In the song, Kaija partakes in a one night stand, but now she craves more from this person. Germany: Atlantis 2000 - Dieser Traum darf niemals sterben Germany's first entry since official reunification. Atlantis 2000, a dorky sextet, proclaim that the dream of brighter a future “must never die”. The arrangement is extremely dull. It’s too wholesome and too.. obvious? Belgium: Clouseau - Geef het op Belgium selects youthful rock band Clouseau. They've actually amassed several hits in the Belgian and Dutch charts. In “Geef het op”, the lead singer asks his ex to give up her new relationship for him. The song is reminiscent of 1960′s era garage rock. It contains that amateur vibe. It's catchy enough. Spain: Sergio Dalma - Bailar pegados Sergio delivers a warm and charming performance. He puts so much charisma and passion into it. It's incredible. While the lyrics are quite seductive. It's the best ballad of 1991. UK: Samantha Janus - A Message to Your Heart The UK delivers a socially conscious message two years in a row. And both are executed poorly. Samantha guilts and shames half the world for being well-off, while the other half lives in poverty. I'm not a fan of this tactic. Cyprus: Elena Patroklou - SOS Elena fights for environmental protection. The lyrics are blatant in holding humanity responsible for this problem. Her voice is beautiful in the verses, but it's grating on the “SOS, SOS, SOS” refrain. That chorus really goes nowhere too. Italy: Peppino di Capri - Comme è ddoce 'o mare Italy sings in Neapolitan for a change. “Comme” is such a stereotypical and old-fashioned Italian ballad, but Peppino's performance is romantically charming. It's not necessarily my thing, but I respect it. It's classy. The WinnerSweden's third win! Carola is a recurring Melodifestivalen participant, even entering as recently as 2008. She won the national final three times in three different decades (1983, 1991 and 2006). She appears in both Eurovision contests hosted by Sweden in the 2010's. And she won Eurovision altogether in 1991! The performance of “Fångad av en stormvind” (“Captured By A Stormwind”) is famous for introducing the wind machine into Eurovision. Appropriately, the lyrics compare love's intensity to being caught in a windstorm. The metaphors are cheesy, but Carola sounds convincingly smitten. “Fångad av en stormvind” is just a burst of pure joy. The song is a highly energetic, insanely catchy BOP. And it sounds current for 1991. The production is similar to other pop hits charting at the time. Meanwhile, the chereo routine is slick - the two male backing dancers jump, spin and flail all over the stage. The key change is effective. And Carola has a good voice. The overall performance is top tier. Apparently there was an audio glitch, and the studio audience couldn't hear part of the performance. There was no issue in the broadcast, though. Verdict: YASSSSSS. It just barely misses my all-time top 10. My points go to....01. Sweden: Carola - Fångad av en stormvind 02. France: Amina - C'est le dernier qui a parlé qui a raison 03. Israel: Duo Datz - Kan 04. Greece: Sophia Vossou - I anixi 05. Finland: Kaija Kärkinen - Hullu yö 06. Spain: Sergio Dalma - Bailar pegados 07. Portugal: Dulce Pontes - Lusitana paixão 08. Turkey: İzel Çeliköz, Reyhan Karaca & Can Uğurluer - İki Dakika 09. Belgium: Clouseau - Geef het op 10. Italy: Peppino di Capri - Comme è ddoce 'o mare 11. Yugoslavia: Baby Doll - Brazil 12. United Kingdom: Samantha Janus - A Message to Your Heart 13. Switzerland: Sandra Simó - Canzone per te 14. Ireland: Kim Jackson - Could It Be That I'm In Love 15. Norway: Just 4 Fun - Mrs. Thompson 16. Iceland: Stefán & Eyfi - Nína 17. Denmark: Anders Frandsen - Lige der hvor hjertet slår 18. Luxembourg: Sarah Bray - Un baiser volé 19. Austria: Thomas Forstner - Venedig im Regen 20. Cyrus: Elena Patroklou - SOS 21. Malta: Georgina & Paul Giordimaina - Could It Be 22. Germany: Atlantis 2000 - Dieser Traum darf niemals sterben Leo ✔ Soundcl🕤ck born fearlessarrow kimberly Mylo13 💜 Future Captain
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Post by Leo ✔ on Apr 23, 2020 21:01:33 GMT -5
"Bailar Pegados" is amazing. Sergio has such a strong discography. Carola's song is solid too.
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Post by ry4n on Apr 25, 2020 23:17:39 GMT -5
Malmö 1992Host: Sweden Participants: 23 Voting method: 12-point system (juries only) Winner: Linda Martin – Why Me? Country: Ireland Points: 155 (58.7% of highest score possible) Language: English YouTube | Spotify | LyricsGeneral OverviewI have caught up to my birth year! And it happens to be one of my least favourite contests. Too many slow songs, the top 3 is too Adult Contemporary for my liking, and there's no song that screams out as an obvious 10/10 #1 for me. The Eurovision executives were not pleased with Italy's unconventional hosting style in 1991, so 1992 returns to professionalism. It's a noticeably lowkey contest for Sweden. Presenters Lydia Cappolicchio & Harald Treutiger are quite straightforward and efficient. The 1992 contest is held in a hockey arena, and the stage incorporates the bow of a viking ship. So Sweden carves their identity this year. The show proper opens with a quick ribbon dance. Carola performs “All The Reasons To Live”. The postcards return to the usual scenery shots. The interval act showcases various dances and music throughout the 20th century. And the vote reveal is fairly close until the last few countries were called. The Netherlands return, increasing the number of participants to 23. The limit was originally set at 22, but it would've been unfair to kick anyone out. This is the final appearance of Yugoslavia (AKA Serbia & Montenegro at this point) – the country was ultimately banned over the Croatian and Bosnian wars. 1992 kick starts the baffling Irish dominance of the mid 90's – every contest between 1992-1997 will involve Ireland either winning it or hosting it (and sometimes both). The UK and Malta also “overperform” during this time period, proving that English songs have an advantage in Eurovision. Indeed, the entire top 3 of 1992 are the English nations: Ireland, the UK and Malta, in that order! Consequently, 5 of the next 6 winners will be in the English, and the other is essentially an instrumental. The Entries Spain: Serafín - Todo esto es la música Serafin's piano ballad explains how music is the soundtrack of life. The song is... fine. It’s easy enough to listen it. But it's just really bland and unremarkable. Belgium: Morgane - Nous, on veut des violons A breezy song where Morgane describes her generation as appearing unmotivated and unaffected, but it's actually a front. She says her generation wants violins (in other words, meaningfulness? – it's an odd metaphor). And yes there are violins in the orchestra. Musically, the song is very average though. It has some "can't sit still" energy, and the chorus inserts some sports field keyboards. But the melody and the dancing are messy. Israel: Dafna Dekel - Ze Rak Sport Israel brings the traditional elements again! This one sounds like a FIFA World Cup theme song. “Ze Rak Sport” contains a danceable rhythm, brass, hand drums, and bumping percussion. The song is high energy. The humming elevates the pre-chorus build-up. And the pauses in the chorus are really catchy, and they sound like she's catching her breath lol. Turkey: Aylin Vatankoş - Yaz Bitti This is one of those ESC entries that keeps getting removed from YouTube. “Yaz Bitti” is a boring ballad that doesn't do much for me anyways. The backing responses in verses are the best part. But the chorus melody is annoying. Greece: Cleopatra - Olou tou kosmou i Elpida Greece explores Eastern influences. The song has an encouraging vibe of being hopeful in uncertain times. It's gently uplifting. The verses suspend anticipation well with the drums; then the chorus relaxes in a satisfying way. I like the horn twitches too. France: Kali - Monté la riviè France continues to push Eurovision outside its comfort zone. This time by sending a reggae track straight out of the Caribbean. Kali is a Martiniquan artist after all. It's even partially sung in Antillean Creole. It's a chill song about finding one's path to inner peace. It's definitely refreshing to have this in the contest in 1992. It has a "floating on the river" vibe. And the title hook is catchy. But it's a bit monotonous until the drums appear towards the end. Sweden: Christer Björkman - I morgon är en annan dag The host entry, and future executive producer of Melodifestivalen, earns a whopping 9 points. This is another boring ballad that does nothing for me. The "kom"s in the chorus stick out, and there's a dramatic bridge that contrasts how calm the rest of the song is. But the song is just so... empty? It doesn't do enough to grab my attention. Portugal: Dina - Amor d'água fresca Portugal selects a modest singer-songwriter. The song compares Dina's lover to sweet foods like fruits. And she goes all in with the metaphor (“I picked you, bit into you and put you in the basket”). A little creepy, but there's a sunshiny charm to this performance. The chorus is like a warm, cozy, welcoming embrace. And the song has a nice vibe. Cyprus: Evridiki - Teriazoume Evridiki delivers an alluring performance of temptation. Her hand movements in particular. The song is dark and mysterious, and it draws me in. The violins in the verses move in cautious steps, or like a ticking clock. The pre-chorus intensifies. But then the “TERIAZOUMEEEEEEEEEE” chorus feels incomplete. That doesn't bother me too much though. Malta: Mary Spiteri - Little Child Malta lands in 3rd place with a wholesome, introspective adult ballad. “Little Child”'s arrangement is quite plain. Like a Barbara Streisand song from the 70's. In the song, Mary is inspired by the “little child”'s positive worldview, since Mary has became jaded with age. It's interesting enough lyrically, but Mary's voice isn't my favourite. Still, the "SMILE, LIVE TODAY" and the "LIVE IT UP DAY BY DAY" escalations in the chorus are strong. Iceland: Heart 2 Heart - Nei eða já This song is just pure, infectious joy. It would put a smile on anyone's face. The chorus is catchy too. It's Nordic pop at its best. And the duo brings joyful energy in their performance. In the lyrics, the duo are uncertain if a relationship will happen or not. Finland: Pave Maijanen - Yamma, yamma Finland submits a rock song that reminisces over old-time radio, and repeats “yamma yamma yamma” several times... which finished dead last. The song is kind of a mess – the verses have a great suspended atmosphere, but the “yamma yamma yamma” bit is so dumb, silly, and anticlimactic. It ruins everything. Switzerland: Daisy Auvray - Mister Music Man The Swiss entry is a P.G. Burlesque song. Well, Daisy isn't as playful I expected. But the instrumentation is straight out of a 1950's strip club. And the melody is pretty playful. I'm not sure if I like the "Mister Music Man" asides though. Luxembourg: Marion Welter & Kontinent - Sou fräi Bland, forgettable, and utterly flat. The backing vocals intensify the chorus, but it just leads to this underwhelming synth break conclusion. And her dancing is so awkward. Absolutely nothing interesting happens in this song. The lyrics are about seeking freedom. Austria: Tony Wegas - Zusammen geh'n I don't understand how this old-fashioned heartbreak ballad got 10th place. It's so boring and 'blah' and makes me feel nothing. That chorus is a chore to get through. UK: Michael Ball - One Step Out of Time The UK recruits Broadway/West End star Michael Ball. And it's their third runner-up in five years. Sure, the “One Step Out of Time *BANG BANG*” hook is catchy, but the rest of the chorus finishes up too soon. And the song is just so... basic? Inoffensive? Wholesome? Michael's performance is cringe-y as well, with him pointing at the synths and pumping his first in the chorus. His theatrical style makes the song emotionless and inaccessible. Lyrically, he refuses to accept that his relationship is over. Ireland: Linda Martin - Why Me? WINNER (see below) Denmark: Kenny Lübcke & Lotte Nilsson - Alt det som ingen ser This is a cute and comedic duet with a vibrant melody. The song involves Kenny and Lotte meeting at a party and making a plan to hook up afterwards. The staging reenacts this scene, where Kenny and Lotte leave their respective friend groups to pursue each other. They subsequently do a back-and-forth exchange. Kenny's over-singing and tearing his throat apart is unnecessary though. And the chorus can get annoying in how loud and harsh it is. Italy: Mia Martini - Rapsodia A passionate ballad, where Mia emotes anguish in her distinct raspy voice. “Rapsodia” recounts the story of two old lovers meeting in a bar. They are hopelessly trying to escaping their miserable lives. It's a well-written song. Mia's performance is emotional, but I couldn't tell you how this song goes (there's no melody), and I have to be in the right mood for that voice. Yugoslavia: Extra Nena - Ljubim te pesmama Yugoslavia's farewell entry, although the country is technically just Serbia & Montenegro by this point. “Ljubim te pesmama” is a soothing ballad during the verses that features the accordion, giving Mediterranean seaside imagery. While the chorus awakes from the dream in an effective contrast. Whether intentional or not, that chorus really sounds like a final farewell. Norway: Merethe Trøan - Visjoner I just don't get what this song was going for. It starts a humming ballad, then triumphant horns enter and the pacing speeds up. But then the chorus is so 'blah'. In the lyrics, Merethe advises being a decent person to help shape a better future. But she has awkward reactions on stage. Like when she randomly shrugs and cackles. Germany: Wind - Träume sind für alle da Wind finished in second place twice in the 80's. Their third attempt, however, misses the top 10 entirely. “Träume...” is an ordinary-sounding inspirational ballad. The band encourages fulfilling your dreams and escaping crappy life situations. But this song is so boring. The chorus is *kinda* catchy, but not enough for me to care. This is such a disappointment after their previous entries. Netherlands: Humphrey Campbell - Wijs me de weg The Netherlands select a Surinamese artist. Humphrey and the backing members provide energetic choreo. While in the lyrics, he's been all over the world, struggling to find himself. The slower intro is intriguing; it captures the feeling of finding no answers on this journey. Then the chorus kicks in, where he keeps asking "show me the way". I love how the later pre-chorus intensifies. And the "oh whoa oh"s and the accordion break are cool too. I just wish the chorus was a little catchier. The WinnerSo the Irish domination begins. They achieve a 4th victory with an introspective adult ballad. It's the third Eurovision winner written by Johnny Logan. And, at the age of 40, I believe Linda is the oldest female winner. On the male side, Toto and André Claveau are the only over 40's to win before 1992, though it happens a few more times afterwards. I... don't get this one. It's such a generic Eurovision ballad. The staging is basic. The choir refrain of “why me?” is whiny. And the song is too theatrical/cruise ship/21st century talent show for me. Italy proved that singers over 40 don't need to sing such plain songs. There are two redeeming factors to “Why Me?”, however. First is the frantic instrumentation in the bridge. And second is the lyrics. Linda voices her insecurities and lack of self-worth in her relationship. She questions why she deserves him. It's endearing and insightful enough to salvage the song. Verdict: It's okay. My points go to....01. Israel: Dafna Dekel - Ze Rak Sport 02. Greece: Cleopatra - Olou tou kosmou i Elpida 03. Cyprus: Evridiki - Teriazoume 04. France: Kali - Monté la riviè 05. Netherlands: Humphrey Campbell - Wijs me de weg 06. Portugal: Dina - Amor d'água fresca 07. Iceland: Heart 2 Heart - Nei eða já 08. Yugoslavia: Extra Nena - Ljubim te pesmama 09. Malta: Mary Spiteri - Little Child 10. Italy: Mia Martini - Rapsodia 11. Switzerland: Daisy Auvray - Mister Music Man 12. United Kingdom: Michael Ball - One Step Out of Time 13. Denmark: Kenny Lübcke & Lotte Nilsson - Alt det som ingen ser 14. Ireland: Linda Martin - Why Me? 15. Belgium: Morgane - Nous, on veut des violons 16. Spain: Serafín - Todo esto es la música 17. Finland: Pave Maijanen - Yamma, yamma 18. Sweden: Christer Björkman - I morgon är en annan dag 19. Germany: Wind - Träume sind für alle da 20. Turkey: Aylin Vatankoş - Yaz Bitti 21. Norway: Merethe Trøan - Visjoner 22. Luxembourg: Marion Welter & Kontinent - Sou fräi 23. Austria: Tony Wegas - Zusammen geh'n Leo ✔ Soundcl🕤ck born fearlessarrow kimberly Mylo13 💜 Future Captain
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Future Captain
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Post by Future Captain on Apr 25, 2020 23:38:13 GMT -5
oh right. i forgot how dominant ireland is in the 90s. i'm not really a fan of most of their entries (and most of UK's) in this timeframe so i dont get it either.
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Post by ry4n on Apr 28, 2020 12:31:46 GMT -5
Millstreet 1993Host: Ireland Participants: 25 (+4 DNQ's) Voting method: 12-point system (juries only) Format: The 7 new countries competed in a pre-qualifying round. The top 3 advanced to the main show. Winner: Niamh Kavanagh – In Your Eyes Country: Ireland Points: 187 (64.9% of highest score possible) Language: English YouTube | Spotify | LyricsGeneral Overview1993 begins the “Expansion Era” of Eurovision. It's when the Eastern European countries debut, when the stage gets bigger, and when the production values inflate. Ireland's hosting efforts deserve a lot credit for that, but more on that in '94. This year's stage design is mesmerizing. It's a sandwich of askew wide triangles. And Fionnuala Sweeney is a serviceable, classy presenter. Despite the presentation, the 1993 contest is ironically held in an equestrian centre in an obscure Irish town. Eurovision faced a major dilemma in the 90's – how do they incorporate the Eastern countries. Obviously it isn't feasible to employ 30+ songs in one night, so an exclusion method was necessary. This year, a pre-qualifying round (called “Kvalifikacija za Millstreet”) was held one month prior in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Seven countries competed, and the top 3 advanced to the main show. The qualifiers were Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia and Slovenia. While Estonia, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia had to wait until next year to officially debut. This means the number of participants balloons to a new record of 25. Which is the average length from here on out. The 1993 show manages to finish around the 3-hour mark by cutting down on the extraneous aspects. There's no elongated opening, no verbal introductions for each entry, and the interval feels short too. It involves a (condensed) reprisal of Linda's winning song, followed by Johnny Logan singing “Keep Love Alive” with an enormous children's choir. Yeah... SKIP. 1993 is the final appearance of Luxembourg; they have no participated since. While Italy enters an indefinite hiatus after this year. They will be out until 2011, with the one exception of 1997. Bosnia and Croatia's entries were, understandably, met with sympathetic applause given the political situation at the time. So Ireland wins in Ireland. As underwhelming as their winning songs are, the audience reaction is almost worth it. They lost their s**t every time Ireland received 10 or 12 points. The 1993 jury vote was all over the place in the first half, with several countries exchanging the lead. But it eventually became a two horse between the UK and Ireland. Malta was skipped over due to connection issues, and were called up last. By that point, 11 points separated the top 2. Malta ultimately gave 0 points to the UK and 12 to Ireland... and the roof blew off the building for two whole minutes. It is deafeningly loud. The English language continues as dominate as Ireland and the UK are the top 2 once again. The Entries Italy: Enrico Ruggeri - Sole d'Europa Italy kicks things off with a rock ballad, which is their last entry for a few years. It's a bittersweet song that asks the sun to shine peace over Europe. This song doesn't really go anywhere though, even with the marching drum part and the electric guitar solo. Turkey: Burak Aydos - Esmer Yarim Turkey provides the most eccentric entry of 1993. There's an enthusiastic saxophonist and monotone muttering from the backing. The lead singer's vocals are not my thing, though. And the chorus is too weird, in an annoying way. Germany: Münchener Freiheit - Viel zu weit Germany haven't been in the top half recently. “Viel zu weit” is a stadium rock power ballad that goes for an “epic”, overpowering, suspended atmosphere. Which it does pull off. The "VIEL. ZU. WEIT" part has this descending feeling that I love. Lyrically, the narrator dreams of a paradise that's untouched by humanity. The strings are definitely a highlight, and there's a fantastical quality to the song. The instrumental break is alright too. But I wanted even more from this chorus I guess? It's a powerful atmosphere either way though. Switzerland: Annie Cotton - Moi, tout simplement I've always seen "Moi, tout simplement" as the finale of the French ballad domination of Eurovision. And what a way to go out! It's crazy to think that Switzerland will struggle for a while after this. “Moi...” is a defiant power ballad, where Annie refuses to comprise her artistic integrity. She stands up to the music industry. The song succeeds at sounding “big” - Annie thrusts that melody at you. I love how that chorus jumps out. It has a movie climax and a fist-pumping "last hurrah" feeling to it. Denmark: Tommy Seebach Band - Under stjernerne på himlen Tommy represents Denmark for the third time. Sadly, his life story after this contest is incredibly tragic. His third entry is an embracing lullaby with pan flutes and whistles. There's a sweet, cozy, reassuring vibe to this. The band standing in a circle reinforces that. The whistling solo works too. And I like that double horn blast when the chorus kicks in. But there's other entries this year that are more impressive. Greece: Katerina Garbi - Ellada, hora tou fotos Greece once again brings traditional sounds, and once again I'm a sucker for it! In the song, Katerina criticizes Greece's current political attitudes. The visual encompasses a repeated camera swipe. Those dark pull-back moments are so good. And the chorus has this antsy energy, but not in a tense way. Belgium: Barbara Dex - Iemand als jij A dress so ugly they named an award after her. Iconic. Too bad the song itself is a snooze that moves at a sluggish pace, with a lethargic vocal delivery. Belgium's love ballad came dead last. The song just has nothing about it that I can comment on - it feels like 3 minutes of nothing happening. Malta: William Mangion - This Time Malta sends a 70's soft rock ballad with gravelly vocals. The song reminds me of a well-known hit, but I can't pinpoint what it is. William throws his voice into it, as he stands up to his cheating lover. Yes, the chorus melody is undeniable and memorable, but I find it hard to care about this song. Iceland: Inga - Þá veistu svarið Inga's voice is pretty in the verses, the saxophone is cathartic, and the slow-moving chorus is actually a nice vibe; like this person finally feels at peace after looking for answers for so long. Inga reassures she's their stress relief. But she is drowned out by the loud orchestra and backing singers. It ruins the experience. Austria: Tony Wegas - Maria Magdalena Austria selects Tony two years in a row. This time, he does not perform a ballad, but a frantic sprint. It's dedicated to the Biblical “Maria Magdalena”. I prefer this to his '92 entry. This one has a sense of urgency and the "Maria Magdalena!" parts are catchy. The song is kind of "one note" though. Portugal: Anabela - A cidade até ser dia Anabela describes the magic of city nightlife. It's a cute performance, and the chorus melody sticks with me. It's not the most unique ballad I've ever heard, but her voice really elevates this. And the instrumental is pleasant to listen to. It's uplifting in a relaxed way. France: Patrick Fiori - Mama Corsica Patrick praises Corsica, highlighting the island's motherly hospitality. He even partially sings in Corsican. The bouzoukis paint a Mediterranean feel, and Patrick's performance is heartfelt. The song is a bit old-fashioned, but it suits the subject matter. I like when the chorus heightens into this distraught pleading. The "MAMA CORSICA" hooks stick out too. Sweden: Arvingarna - Eloise Sweden serves a catchy boyband bop. The “EL-OO-ISE” hook is really effective and the harmonies/vocal style give Beach Boys vibes. The song is a rush of anxiety – the narrator is standing at Eloise's door, unsure how she'll react to his plea. I like how the pre-chorus uses "bababa"s and a spoken word bit. I also like how the chorus melody sets up the second "EL-OO-ISE". This is just slick Swedish pop. Ireland: Niamh Kavanagh - In Your Eyes WINNER (see below) Luxembourg: Modern Times - Donne-moi une chance Luxembourg's final entry receives 11 points; 10 of which from Malta lol. What a way to bow out. “Donne-moi une chance” is a duet rock power ballad, with messy tempo changes. Despite that, the song is not very memorable. Not even the guitar solo or the key change create an impact. Slovenia: 1X Band - Tih deževen dan Slovenia's debut is not their most memorable entry, but it has an uneasy day-dreamy vibe, and the backing vocalists really elevate the chorus. I can get into this song's vibe. The situation in the Balkans definitely adds an unsettling context to this. It adds a "I'm just trying to live" feeling. Finland: Katri Helena - Tule luo I prefer this to her 1979 entry. “Tule luo” is alluring and darkly inviting. Katri urgently urges the subject to “come to her”. The accordion is a highlight. And there's something really enchanting about this chorus. Especially the waltzing "Kuunnellaan, katsellaan, kuljetaan" part. Bosnia & Herzegovina: Fazla - Sva bol svijeta Such a sombre and distressing atmosphere. The song references the Bosnian War; conveying a message of resilience and defying fear. I can hear the pain of millions in this singer's voice. And the chorus melody is like collectively standing up while suppressing tears. The "hi-la-la"s work too. UK: Sonia - Better the Devil You Know No, not the Kylie Minogue song, although Sonia has similar career origins with Stock, Aitken and Waterman. She amassed several top 20 hits in the UK before 1993, including a #1. However, the hits dried up immediately after her Eurovision appearance. “Better the Devil You Know” is a lighthearted, 1950's-inspired, bouncy song. It's nothing inventive, but the highlight is Sonia letting loose on stage. Her voice contains so much enthusiasm, and the backing vocals enhance the chorus. The melody flows so easily. And the bridge has a crazy vocal moment. This is the UK's 14th time as runner-up... and the fourth time in six consecutive contests. Netherlands: Ruth Jacott - Vrede The Netherlands bring a 1990's hip-hop drum beat to Eurovision. The instrumental break even has record scratches. It's easily the most current song in the contest. The lyrics aptly reference modern advancements, with oddly specific examples such as: hydroplaning reduction, eternal light bulbs, genetically engineered apples and synchronized standard time. How quirky. The chorus rush is great too. Croatia: Put - Don't Ever Cry Put calls for peace in Croatia in this tedious singalong. The performance is poignant and it evokes sympathy. But that chorus, which is in English for some reason, just drones on and on and on. The song moves so. fucking. slowly. And those "NEVER SAY GOODBYES" are annoying. Spain: Eva Santamaría - Hombres Eva bashes men for 3 minutes. The song is lighthearted and bouncy, so I don't take it that seriously. The chaotic backing dancers are delightful, the horn rhythm is nice, and Eva brings attitude. The instrumentation is a mix of Spanish elements and 90's bass. It makes me smile. I like the contrast between her low voice in the verses and her enthusiasm in the chorus. But the song's melody is messy. Cyprus: Zimboulakis & Van Beke - Mi stamatas This is so dated and dull. The Cypriot entry is a duet ballad about helping people. But musically, the song is so "blah". No saxophone solo can save this. Israel: Lahakat Shiru - Shiru Yeah... no. I get what Israel is going for here, but it doesn't work. The performance is way too rehearsed - like the synchronized turns to the camera, and when the pianist gets up to join the group later on. It feels like they're to recreate "Hallelujah". The unifying chorus is sooo intense and draining; it's like a church hymn. The song's tone takes itself way too seriously. And the traditional drum breakdown is random. Norway: Silje Vige - Alle mine tankar A striking performance, thanks to Silje's fragile, shy, soft spoken vocals and the restrained Mediterranean instrumental. It's so honest and tearful. Lyrically, Silje analyzes the intentions behind this guy's body language. The forced audience clapalong is dumb though. And the song can be a bit boring. The chorus doesn't have a lot of energy, which I guess is the point. The WinnerIreland's 1993 victory is noteworthy for a few reasons. They have now tied France and Luxembourg's shared record, at five wins apiece. This is the fourth instance of a country winning consecutive contests, following Spain (68/69), Luxembourg (72/73) and Israel (78/79). And it's the fifth occurrence of the host country taking home the gold. So “In Your Eyes” is noticeably similar to Ireland's 1992 winner. It's another humble, honest, introspective ballad, with a minimalist performance, sung by an everyday woman. The staging is free of clutter, flashiness and distractions. Both “Why Me?” and “In Your Eyes” aimed for raw authenticity, but the latter pulls it off much better imo. While “In Your Eyes”'s arrangement is 20 years out of date – seriously, it's reminiscent of those 70's easy listening hits like “The Morning After” by Maureen McGovern – Niamh brings warmth to the performance. The atmosphere is relaxed and sunshiny. She belts that middle 8. And the choir complements the chorus effectively. Lyrically, Niamh explains how this guy's love has allowed her to open up. She's normally guarded with her emotions, but now she can be her true self. It's an endearing song. Verdict: I like it. This might be the best Irish winner lol. How sad is that? My points go to....01. Greece: Katerina Garbi - Ellada, hora tou fotos 02. Switzerland: Annie Cotton - Moi, tout simplement 03. Finland: Katri Helena - Tule luo 04. Ireland: Niamh Kavanagh - In Your Eyes 05. Netherlands: Ruth Jacott - Vrede 06. France: Patrick Fiori - Mama Corsica 07. Bosnia & Herzegovina: Fazla - Sva bol svijeta 08. Sweden: Arvingarna - Eloise 09. United Kingdom: Sonia - Better the Devil You Know 10. Portugal: Anabela - A cidade até ser dia 11. Denmark: Tommy Seebach Band - Under stjernerne på himlen 12. Spain: Eva Santamaría - Hombres 13. Norway: Silje Vige - Alle mine tankar 14. Germany: Münchener Freiheit - Viel zu weit 15. Austria: Tony Wegas - Maria Magdalena 16. Slovenia: 1X Band - Tih deževen dan 17. Iceland: Inga - Þá veistu svarið 18. Italy: Enrico Ruggeri - Sole d'Europa 19. Luxembourg: Modern Times - Donne-moi une chance 20. Malta: William Mangion - This Time 21. Belgium: Barbara Dex - Iemand als jij 22. Croatia: Put - Don't Ever Cry 23. Turkey: Burak Aydos - Esmer Yarim 24. Cyprus: Zimboulakis & Van Beke - Mi stamatas 25. Israel: Lahakat Shiru - Shiru Leo ✔ Soundcl🕤ck born fearlessarrow kimberly Mylo13 💜 Future Captain
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Post by ry4n on Apr 28, 2020 12:48:16 GMT -5
Bonus! Kvalifikacija za Millstreet
Here are my reviews on the songs that failed to qualify. They are excluded from my overall rankings since Eurovision doesn't consider these official entries. None of the DNQ's would crack my top 10 anyway... they're not that great.
A few thoughts: Bosnia's postcard is horrifying (it shows the destruction from the war). The stage is tiny. The interval features the seven artists performing a second song, which were not factored into the jury vote. Awkward moment when some of the second songs are more interesting than their respective entries.
Estonia: Janika Sillamaa - Muretut meelt ja südametuld A cute ballad with a good chorus. The song describes how laughter and smiles are more powerful than material possessions.
Hungary: Andrea Szulák - Árva reggel A reflective ballad. Andrea struggles with the transition to the single life. She has a powerful voice, but this is kinda boring.
Romania: Dida Drăgan - Nu pleca Dida puts forth the effort in her ballad, at least. Her body movements and vocals are quite intense. There's also a powerful choir chorus. Lyrically, she longs for her ex-lover to return. She goes full avant garde in her interval song.
Slovakia: Elán - Amnestia na neveru An 80's rock ballad with annoying vocals. The song requests “amnesty for infidelity”.
Full 1993 ranking: 01. Greece: Katerina Garbi - Ellada, hora tou fotos 02. Switzerland: Annie Cotton - Moi, tout simplement 03. Finland: Katri Helena - Tule luo 04. Ireland: Niamh Kavanagh - In Your Eyes 05. Netherlands: Ruth Jacott - Vrede 06. France: Patrick Fiori - Mama Corsica 07. Bosnia & Herzegovina: Fazla - Sva bol svijeta 08. Sweden: Arvingarna - Eloise 09. United Kingdom: Sonia - Better the Devil You Know 10. Portugal: Anabela - A cidade até ser dia 11. Denmark: Tommy Seebach Band - Under stjernerne på himlen 12. Spain: Eva Santamaría - Hombres 13. Norway: Silje Vige - Alle mine tankar 14. Germany: Münchener Freiheit - Viel zu weit 15. Estonia: Janika Sillamaa - Muretut meelt ja südametuld 16. Austria: Tony Wegas - Maria Magdalena 17. Slovenia: 1X Band - Tih deževen dan 18. Iceland: Inga - Þá veistu svarið 19. Romania: Dida Drăgan - Nu pleca 20. Italy: Enrico Ruggeri - Sole d'Europa 21. Luxembourg: Modern Times - Donne-moi une chance 22. Hungary: Andrea Szulák - Árva reggel 23. Malta: William Mangion - This Time 24. Belgium: Barbara Dex - Iemand als jij 25. Slovakia: Elán - Amnestia na neveru 26. Croatia: Put - Don't Ever Cry 27. Turkey: Burak Aydos - Esmer Yarim 28. Cyprus: Zimboulakis & Van Beke - Mi stamatas 29. Israel: Lahakat Shiru - Shiru
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Post by ry4n on May 1, 2020 9:12:13 GMT -5
Dublin 1994 Host: Ireland Participants: 25 Voting method: 12-point system (juries only) Format: Relegation – bottom 7 5 of 1993 are excluded Winner: Paul Harrington & Charlie McGettigan – Rock 'n' Roll Kids Country: Ireland Points: 226 (78.5% of highest score possible) Language: English YouTube | Spotify | LyricsGeneral Overview 1994 is the biggest Eurovision spectacle yet. Ireland went above and beyond with their hosting obligations. The show opens with dancing caricatures of Irish celebrities. The presenters (Cynthia Ní Mhurchú & Gerry Ryanenter) enter via a descending bridge with pyro! The interval act (Riverdance) is mesmerizing, and one of the most iconic in ESC history. And a new tradition is born – the satellite votes. For the first time ever, the audience can see the correspondents. It's the dawn of delayed responses and unintentional interruptions. Meanwhile, the stage is four times larger than Millstreet. The design incorporates the Dublin nighttime skyline in the background. It features flashing lights, screens and a reflective floor representing River Liffey. Also, the 1994 contest is the origin point of Eastern Europe integration. Yes, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia and Slovenia debuted last year, but none of them finished particularly well. This year welcomes seven new countries – a record only matched by the original contest in 1956. The newcomers are: Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Russia, and Slovakia. And, unlike 1993, the Eastern countries are serious contenders, with Poland landing in 2nd, Hungary 4th and Russia 9th. Conversely, longstanding nations like Switzerland, the Netherlands and Spain perform pretty poorly. In order to accommodate the increasing number of participants, the EBU instated the relegation system. In other words: the lowest placing countries are removed from the following year's contest. In this case, the bottom 7 of 1993 did not qualify for 1994. (Italy and Luxembourg voluntarily withdrew, however, so it was actually the bottom 5). Consequently, Belgium misses their first contest since joining in 1956. The relegation system will continue until the semi-finals are launched in 2004 (with the one exception of 1996). In theory, relegation should incentivize countries to send better songs. Ireland wins in Ireland... again. The audience reactions are just as rowdy as '93. Gerry Ryan repeatedly instructed them to chill until all the countries were called, like a school teacher. There's a rumour that Ireland did not want to win/host again, so they intentionally selected a song that had no chance. But the juries overwhelming voted for it anyway. Musically, the entries of 1994 are monotonous. 19/25 of them are ballads, most of which contain similar structures. I don't inherently dislike ballads, but this is a tedious selection to sit through. Eurovision is clearly broken in the '90s. The orchestra is such an outdated aspect at this point. It's annoying how the executives insisted on upholding 40-year-old traditions. One can argue that Eurovision should exist independent of current chart trends. But I vastly prefer variety and spectacle in this contest. Only a few more years until the major format changes though! The Entries Sweden: Marie Bergman & Roger Pontare - Stjärnorna An adult-contemporary power ballad. It reminds me of the Peobo Bryson duets from Aladdin and Beauty And The Beast. “Stjärnorna” is a romantic duet that projects a bold chorus. That chorus melody sticks with me at least, but the composition and vocal is too flavourless and stiff for my liking. The lyrics describe how the sun and stars rule the relationship. Marie and Roger even exchange a kiss at the end. Finland: CatCat - Bye Bye Baby The Finnish performance is notable for a few reasons: the vintage negligees, the two break dancers, and the main hook being in English. The English part is a bit vocally flat, but the duo holds a defiant attitude against their cheating lover. There's no pain or regrets. The hook is kinda basic but it's catchy and memorable. The verse melody is good too and the instrumental has a surrounding, on edge atmosphere. Ireland: Paul Harrington & Charlie McGettigan - Rock 'n' Roll Kids WINNER (see below) Cyprus: Evridiki - Ime anthropos ki ego Evridiki, who represented Cyprus just two years ago, executes a powerfully intense performance. “Ime...” is an ominous ballad, where she is fed up with the carnage of war. The lyrics humanize the soldiers involved. I love the slow-moving intensity here, as well as the bouzouki instrumental break. Iceland: Sigga - Nætur This has such a feelgood vibe, thanks to the choir chorus and Sigga's cheery expressions and mannerisms. The chorus melody sticks with me too. Lyrically, she cherishes the nighttime dreams of her crush. Cute. UK: Frances Ruffelle - We Will Be Free (Lonely Symphony) Probably one of the more forgotten UK entries?, but it's one of their best! “We Will Be Free” is subtler, and more experimental, compared to Britain's previous bombastic efforts. I dig the low-key arrangement – the funky guitar, the gospel backing, Ruffelle's calm vocals. It gels well. The song is a reassuring belief that the relationship can be salvaged. The UK will continue to send modern entries in the '90s that Eurovision wasn't used to lol, and I appreciate them for that. Croatia: Tony Cetinski - Nek' ti bude ljubav sva The next section of the 1994 final has a lot of ballads. Croatia's entry is nothing I haven't heard before. The chorus is okay (the backing vocals enhance it) but it's not really memorable. The trumpet break could be more impactful too. Still, Tony's voice and stage presence are smooth. In the lyrics, he struggles to cope with his lover's cheating. Portugal: Sara Tavares - Chamar a música One of the rare times Portugal made top 10. Sara delivers a stellar vocal performance, but the song is an ordinary Eurovision ballad, and the chorus vocal is kinda annoying. She dedicates “Chamar a música” to her love interest. The lyrics detail the writing process of the song itself. Switzerland: Duilio - Sto pregando Switzerland substitutes for Italy's absence by submitting an old-fashioned Italian ballad. Duilio provides a compassionate performance, where he prays for people's lives to improve. And the instrumental expands halfway through. But the song lacks any interesting aspects. Like it's *fine*, but I just don't care about it. Estonia: Silvi Vrait - Nagu merelaine In a ballad-heavy year, Estonia blends in with the rest. Silvi exudes charm on stage, though. She compares her love to the force of a sea wave. Eurovision loves weather metaphors. The chorus melody almost salvages this one, but it's still pretty boring. Romania: Dan Bittman - Dincolo de nori This running order is making me fall asleep. Romania's ballad employs diverse instrumentation, and Dan's performance is passionate and genuine. There's a build-up to a climax with this one at least, and the backing refrain elevates things. But then Dan tears apart his voice box at the end. Malta: Chris and Moira - More than Love Lmao at the juries overrating Malta into 5th place. Their 1994 entry noticeably resembles “The Living Years” by Mike + The Mechanics. Except this one fails to be an inspirational anthem. Also, the vocals are rough. I guess the melody is memorable though. Netherlands: Willeke Alberti - Waar is de zon The Netherlands's worst placing in 12 years. Rightly so, “Waar is de zon” is extremely dull. It's a delicate piano ballad of longing, but there's a twist! (He comes back!) But yeah, in a year of boring ballads, this is the most boring one. Germany: MeKaDo - Wir geben 'ne Party This is the energy boost I needed after a long string of ballads. After a few misfires, Germany is back in the top 3! The girl group MeKaDo supplies the bop of the night with a party song about partying. The performance/song are lighthearted, energetic and bouncy. The composition flows well too. The rapid singing pre-chorus is infectious, and the "OH WHOA WHOA OH"s are a great release of tension. Slovakia: Tublatanka - Nekonečná pieseň Slovakia sends a rock song that's a bit dated in the grunge era. But it's easy to listen to, and the melody works, although the lyrics are condescending. Lithuania: Ovidijus Vyšniauskas - Lopšinė mylimai Lithuania achieves nil points on their debut. There's nothing interesting or memorable about this entry. It's another boring ballad in 1994; this time with unpleasant vocals. Norway: Elisabeth Andreassen & Jan Werner Danielsen - Duett “Duett” is a duet ballad (duh!), featuring one half of Bobbysocks! The lyrics insert nature metaphors to portray the strength of their love. This vocal performance is too “shouty” for me though. Both Elisabeth and Jan crank the volume up to 11. This vocal style has never appealed to me; nor these texture-less ballad compositions that were so prevalent back then. For a romantic ballad, it leaves me feeling nothing. Bosnia & Herzegovina: Alma & Dejan - Ostani kraj mene Bosnia are greeted to sympathetic applause again. “Ostani kraj mene” is a bittersweet duet ballad about how they need each other. It successfully conveys heart. The verses have a gentle beauty, while the chorus gets intense in a good way, and the duo exchanging lines in the post-chorus works well. Greece: Kostas Bigalis & The Sea Lovers - To trehandiri Greece offers another Mediterranean-influenced number. This time with a nonsense “Didi diri diri” hook. It's a breezy, simple song about a romance on the Greek waters. But they've executed this traditional sound much better in other years. Austria: Petra Frey - Für den Frieden der Welt Petra calls for peace in an earnest singalong. That singalong melody is pretty strong. Spain: Alejandro Abad - Ella no es ella Spain avoids relegation by 2 points. Alejandro yearns for this “other woman”, a different woman from his current girlfriend. He thrusts his gravelly voice into this, but his performance is too forceful. That chorus is a "no" from me. Hungary: Friderika Bayer - Kinek mondjam el vétkeimet? Simply gorgeous. Hungary's debut is a subtle, gentle, melancholic ballad. It's warm yet depressing. There's an atmosphere of lonely abandonment. The orchestra is restrained throughout, while an acoustic guitar holds focus. In the song, Friderika is racked with guilt as she faces a difficult situation. Russia: Youddiph - Vechny strannik Russia's debut entry is notable for Youddiph's peculiar red dress/cloak. The arrangement contrasts relaxed verses with an explosive vocal chorus. While Youddiph faces separation from her (ex?) lover. The chorus leaps out effectively, which pushes it ahead of many other '94 ballads, but I've never fully connected to this one either. Poland: Edyta Górniak - To nie ja! Poland debuts at #2! Edyta sings the hell out of this. It's a showcase of her vocal talent. “To nie ja!” is an empowering song, where Edyta frees herself from the judgment and repression of others. She believes she's a good person, and that's what matters. The dress rehearsal sparked controversy because Edyta sung in English, which might be why the juries voted for it actually. A handful of countries requested Poland's disqualification, but were unsuccessful. I'll never understand how Ireland won over this. France: Nina Morato - Je suis un vrai garçon France provides the only "oddball" entry of '94. Nina employs odd vocal tics, shrieks, and jerky body movements. She even sneaks in a French expletive. This is a very '90s song, including the cynicism. “Je suis” plays on gender stereotypes, where Nina is the cheater that's avoiding confrontation. The WinnerSo Ireland pulls off the impossible – three consecutive wins. It's an unprecedented feat that I doubt will ever happen again. And that's not the only record Ireland breaks in '94. This is their 6th victory overall, more than any other country. And “Rock n Roll Kids” is the first song to surpass 200 points, shattering the points record. It's actually one of the strongest winners, percentage-wise. Despite all that... “Rock n Roll Kids” is probably my least favourite Eurovision winner ever. The bare bones arrangement is depressingly dull and monotonous – there's no climax. It doesn't build to anything. Indeed, Paul & Charlie do not “rock n roll anymore”. The orchestra is completely silent, instead focusing solely only on Paul's piano and Charlie's acoustic guitar. I prefer songs that are more dynamic. The lyrics, meanwhile, are basic and cheesy. Examples: “We were the rock 'n' roll kids / Rock 'n' roll was all we did” and “I was yours and you were mine / That was once upon a time”. But above all else, two middle-aged guys reminiscing over their youth does not appeal to me. The song is effective in evoking nostalgic memories. It's a remark on how much life changes. But this sentiment embodies what I dislike about mid 90's Eurovision. It's fixated on the past. Paul & Charlie long for their youth, without offering any thoughtful commentary on the matter. It's also Ireland employing the same formula three times in a row – a humble, introspective ballad sung by everyday man/woman, supported by simplistic staging and arrangement. I'm over it at this point. The English songs have such a disproportionate advantage. Verdict: TRASHHHHHHHH. My points go to....01. Hungary: Friderika Bayer - Kinek mondjam el vétkeimet? 02. Germany: MeKaDo - Wir geben 'ne Party 03. United Kingdom: Frances Ruffelle - We Will Be Free 04. Cyprus: Evridiki - Ime anthropos ki ego 05. Poland: Edyta Górniak - To nie ja! 06. France: Nina Morato - Je suis un vrai garçon 07. Finland: CatCat - Bye Bye Baby 08. Iceland: Sigga - Nætur 09. Bosnia & Herzegovina: Alma & Dejan - Ostani kraj mene 10. Austria: Petra Frey - Für den Frieden der Welt 11. Slovakia: Tublatanka - Nekonečná pieseň 12. Sweden: Marie Bergman & Roger Pontare - Stjärnorna 13. Russia: Youddiph - Vechny strannik 14. Portugal: Sara Tavares - Chamar a música 15. Croatia: Tony Cetinski - Nek' ti bude ljubav sva 16. Greece: Kostas Bigalis & The Sea Lovers - To trehandiri 17. Estonia: Silvi Vrait - Nagu merelaine 18. Romania: Dan Bittman - Dincolo de nori 19. Switzerland: Duilio - Sto pregando 20. Norway: Elisabeth Andreassen & Jan Werner Danielsen - Duett 21. Malta: Chris and Moira - More than Love 22. Ireland: Paul Harrington & Charlie McGettigan - Rock 'n' Roll Kids 23. Spain: Alejandro Abad - Ella no es ella 24. Lithuania: Ovidijus Vyšniauskas - Lopšinė mylimai 25. Netherlands: Willeke Alberti - Waar is de zon Leo ✔ Soundcl🕤ck born fearlessarrow kimberly Mylo13 💜 Future Captain
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Post by ry4n on May 4, 2020 7:32:37 GMT -5
Dublin 1995Host: Ireland Participants: 23 Voting method: 12-point system (juries only) Format: Relegation – bottom 7 of 1994 are excluded Winner: Secret Garden - Nocturne Country: Norway Points: 148 (56.1% of highest score possible) Language: Norwegian YouTube | Spotify | LyricsGeneral OverviewIreland, amazingly, hosts the Eurovision Song Contest on three consecutive occasions. I doubt any other country would agree to that. Incidentally, they stage the landmark 40th edition. The opening sequence indulges in Eurovision legacy, with a chronological montage of the 39 previous contests. And since I've reviewed them all, I recognize every clip! It triggers those nostalgic endorphins. Transitioning from that, the stage unfolds like a garage door to allow presenter Mary Kennedy to enter. The production is on par with 1994 so far. But that's where the spectacle wears off. The remainder of the 1995 contest does not live up to last year's impressiveness. The main stage design is more generic. The ambient dark lighting is the most striking aspect. Meanwhile, the interval act involves Gregorian chants... and it's dreary. A definite step down from Riverdance. The bottom seven of 1994 are relegated, while the five absentees return. The EBU decided to cut down the number of participants to 23. Switzerland misses out for the first time since joining in 1956. Which means Germany is the only country remaining with 100% participation. Finland, meanwhile, kicks off a decade-long stretch where they're relegated every other year. And Lithuania, following a nil-point result on their debut, opts to sit out until 1999. The 1995 entries are more varied than last year's ballad gluttony. Although the mid 90's continue to be ballad-heavy. Strangely, the English speaking countries do not dominate this year - the UK, Malta and Ireland all land in the midtable. Instead, the Nordic countries prevail, with Norway, Sweden and Denmark all occupying spots in the top 5. The suspense level in the vote reveal is moderate this year. Sweden lead early on, but Norway pulled ahead around the halfway point, while Spain had a late surge. Oddly, 70% of the top 10 perform within the final 9 slots of the running order. The Entries Poland: Justyna - Sama This is a very left-field song. It's kind of innovative, but also a confusing mess. “Sama” overlaps different genres and eras. There's traditional instruments, a classical orchestra and a 90's drum beat. It has a very dark, downbeat atmosphere too. Meanwhile, Justnya shifts from pensive softness to folk chanting to long, high-pitched notes. The lyrics are equally enigmatic, alluding to a sense of abandonment and possibly abuse? Her voice during the last minute or so is not my thing though. And that pipe instrument is painfully out of tune. Ireland: Eddie Friel - Dreamin' Eddie's performance is so lackadaisical that I assume Ireland were trying to ensure they finally lost. Indeed, Ireland aren't even close to winning this year. Eddie just sits on a stool, looking bored. While the song is straight out of the 1950's crooner era. The instrumental and backing vocals give that vibe. The song is dreamy, like sitting on a dock, and it drifts along, but I'm just not that into it. Germany: Stone & Stone - Verliebt in Dich It appears Germany's 3rd place in 1994 was a fluke, as they resume flopping in the 90's. In dead last this time! “Verliebt in Dich” is an uplifting devotion to God. The chorus goes for an epic feeling, with those catchy with those “oh-oh”'s and the backing vocalists, but the lead vocals fall flat in places, and the song's transitions aren't very clean. Bosnia & Herzegovina: Davorin Popović - Dvadeset prvi vijek Inoffensive, and fails to leave an impact on me. The chorus makes an attempt to stand out, but I forget it after the next song comes on. And the verses are like elevator music. Norway: Secret Garden - Nocturne WINNER (see below) Russia: Philipp Kirkorov - Kolybelnaya dlya vulkana A standard Eurovision ballad that's nothing special. Philipp metaphorically sings to a volcano, pleading it not to erupt. His performance is melodramatic, but his vocals are offputting, and the song's progression is just tedious. Phillip would go on to write and produce a bunch of famous Eurovision entries years later. Iceland: Bo Halldórsson - Núna Yay, another boring male ballad. The 1995 final mostly sucks so far. Bo seeks a night of passion, but the arrangement is more stiff than romantic. The song definitely builds to a climax with that electric guitar solo and the "Núna, ef þú vilt, mun nóttin!" final chorus start. But the song lacks any texture or flavour. Austria: Stella Jones - Die Welt dreht sich verkehrt Austria injects a dose of 90's R&B featuring some saxophone! “Die Welt” is breezy and Stella seems likeable. The song has good energy, but maybe the chorus could be catchier. Spain: Anabel Conde - Vuelve conmigo Spain leaps from near-relegation in 1994 to the runner-up position in 1995. Their fourth runner-up since their double win in '68/'69, and the last time they visit the top 5. So, Anabel delivers an impressive vocal performance. Her stage presence is poised and professional, while the song is fierce and ominous – she desperately needs this guy to “come back”. The “ven, ven” refrain is fiery and it's an effective hook. Turkey: Arzu Ece - Sev Turkey provides an uplifting ballad that encourages people to live, laugh, love, and adopt a positive attitude. Arzu pours compassion and empathy into her performance. I like the melody on this one. Croatia: Magazin & Lidija - Nostalgija Croatia is about to pull off six top 10's in seven years, and that run starts with “Nostalgija”. The song portrays nostalgia by pairing Magazin with an opera singer, Lidija. Plus a prominent violin. Lyrically, the duet finds comfort in memories while being separated from a loved one. The operatic "No-STAL-gija! No-STAL-gija!" refrain is pretty intense. I mean, the song is memorable, but I'm not sure if I'm interested in what it's going for. France: Nathalie Santamaria - Il me donne rendez-vous There's a smooth, buoyant rhythm, while Nathalie exudes effervescence on stage. The classical strings complement it. In the song, Nathalie falls for this guy's grand gestures (ie. flowers, a poem, jewelry, a Marquesas vacation, and a limousine ride). But she displays a bit of cynicism. The song is dark and bouncy in an intriguing way. This entry just feels "cool". Hungary: Csaba Szigeti - Új név a régi ház falán Back to the boring male ballads. This time with unbearable gravelly vocals. Hungary receives only 3 points in their second year for this. “Új név...” is one dreary piano ballad too. Lyrically, Csaba searches for an old acquaintance but can't find them. Belgium: Frédéric Etherlinck - La voix est libre This power ballad promotes the power of free speech – how words can affect positive change. It's an inspirational anthem where the chorus tries to soar, but the chorus melody is just annoying. Belgium return from relegation by... landing in the bottom 5 again. UK: Love City Groove - Love City Groove The most daring entry of 1995. The UK submits a rap song to Eurovision, in an attempt to modernize the contest. The juries were slightly favourable and awarded it 10th place. Thankfully, “Love City Groove” is not novelty rap. It's a chill and enjoyable song, where two members of the eponymous rap collective flirt with each other. It ultimately became the first Eurovision song to crack the top 10 on the UK singles chart in eight years. Which paves the path for their '96 entry nicely. Portugal: Tó Cruz - Baunilha e chocolate Bland AF. I couldn't even tell you how this song goes. Cruz praises the era of Portuguese exploration, because it allowed his interracial relationship to be possible. The song even includes the line “You are the cream in my dark tea”. Yeah it's cringe. Cyprus: Alexandros Panayi - Sti fotia Excellent staging. Alex delivers commanding stage presence and charm. He even enters under a floating bed sheet. The song offers Mediterranean vibes, accompanied by a booming, triumphant chorus. The verses are adventurous, liking riding the waves aboard a ship, and the intense chorus hits hard. Lyrically, Alex is committed to choosing his own path in life. Sweden: Jan Johansen - Se på mig Another top 3 for Sweden. “Se på mig” is a relaxed, comforting ballad, where Jan promises that he'll always be supportive. I like when his voice goes soft in the chorus. As well as the crisp drums and the guitar responses. Denmark: Aud Wilken - Fra Mols til Skagen I love the minimalist plunking. The arrangement is reflectively calm but not boring. In the song, Wilken faces distance from her lover during a depressing winter. The song is unusual in this charming 90s way. Her mannerisms on stage are a little exaggerated, though. Slovenia: Darja Švajger - Prisluhni mi Sure, it's a generic Eurovision vocal ballad, but Darja's voice is beautiful. I'll say the chorus is pretty good too. I like her '99 entry a little bit more though. Israel: Liora - Amen “Amen” is a church hymn ballad. Liora begins solo, but she's soon joined by the backing choir. The song then builds into a loud, unifying chorus. Israel have done this before. “Hallelujah” was magical, but this one gets tedious, although that last chorus is really powerful. It's still too religious for my liking though. Liora wanted to perform with candles on stage but producers rejected it. Interestingly, since Israel are absent from the next two contests, the next time we see them.. they win. Malta: Mike Spiteri - Keep Me In Mind A power ballad with raspy vocals that resembles a chart hit from 5 years ago. Which is on brand for Malta in the 90's. This chorus gets tiresome after a while too. In the lyrics, Mike's relationship is fizzling out, but he comes off quite needy. Greece: Elina Konstantopoulou - Pia prosefhi Greece channels Eastern elements again. “Pia prosefhi” is a haunting song encompassing outraged lyrics. Elina asks which prayer she should use for the heinous acts committed. It seems snarky. The song's atmosphere gives me the chills. The WinnerIreland finally loses... to a country that piggybacks off their style. 1995's winner, “Nocturne”, incorporates Celtic influences and the violinist (Fionnuala Sherry) is Irish. The other half of Secret Garden (composer Rolf Løvland) is Norwegian, though. Regardless, this is Norway's second victory; exactly one decade after their first. Interestingly, their 1985 winner also emulated the preceding one (Sweden). Norway has had an inconsistent trajectory during the interim – some entries performed well, others not so well. So “Nocturne” comprises just 24 words and 5 lines of lyrics. It's essentially an instrumental track. The sparse vocal sections appear at the very beginning and end, where the angelic-voiced Gunnhild Tvinnereim signals the transitions between day and night, and vice versa. The predominant instrument sandwiched between this is Fionnuala's violin, supplemented by a penny whistle and a nyckelharp. This was unprecedented in Eurovision. “Bandido” (Spain 1990) and “Rendez-vu” (Belgium 1983) employed lengthy instrumental sections, but nothing like this. Should “Nocturne” have been disqualified? Well, I personally love the song, so I don't care lol. “Nocturne” is reminiscent of a movie score. It's so atmospheric and melancholic. The darkly lit stage enhances the ambiance. The gradual, methodical pace conveys a sense of confronting anxieties. The minimalist nature paints the image of a lonely nighttime walk, deep in thought. And the climax around the 2/3 mark gives me goosebumps. Verdict: G.O.A.T. It's one of the best compositions in ESC history. These 90's winners are all over the place, quality-wise. My points go to....01. Spain: Anabel Conde - Vuelve conmigo 02. Norway: Secret Garden - Nocturne 03. Greece: Elina Konstantopoulou - Pia prosefhi 04. Denmark: Aud Wilken - Fra Mols til Skagen 05. France: Nathalie Santamaria - Il me donne rendez-vous 06. Cyprus: Alexandros Panayi - Sti fotia 07. United Kingdom: Love City Groove - Love City Groove 08. Austria: Stella Jones - Die Welt dreht sich verkehrt 09. Turkey: Arzu Ece - Sev 10. Slovenia: Darja Švajger - Prisluhni mi 11. Sweden: Jan Johansen - Se på mig 12. Croatia: Magazin & Lidija - Nostalgija 13. Israel: Liora - Amen 14. Germany: Stone & Stone - Verliebt in Dich 15. Poland: Justyna - Sama 16. Ireland: Eddie Friel - Dreamin' 17. Bosnia & Herzegovina: Davorin Popović - Dvadeset prvi vijek 18. Malta: Mike Spiteri - Keep Me In Mind 19. Belgium: Frédéric Etherlinck - La voix est libre 20. Iceland: Bo Halldórsson - Núna 21. Portugal: Tó Cruz - Baunilha e chocolate 22. Russia: Philipp Kirkorov - Kolybelnaya dlya vulkana 23. Hungary: Csaba Szigeti - Új név a régi ház falán I feel like I keep shoving the male singers to the bottom, but they've been pretty bad lately. Leo ✔ Soundcl🕤ck born fearlessarrow kimberly Mylo13 💜 Future Captain
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Post by Soundcl🕤ck on May 4, 2020 7:40:37 GMT -5
Beautiful song!!! One of the best in Eurovision history.
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Post by Future Captain on May 4, 2020 7:58:14 GMT -5
Not Norway doing Irish-style entries better than Ireland ever did
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born
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Post by born on May 4, 2020 8:08:06 GMT -5
This is an all time high in the history of Eurovision!
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Post by Leo ✔ on May 4, 2020 8:31:30 GMT -5
The top 2 of the contest being your top 2 and my top 2!! Sadly, Anabel's career was kinda boicotted for their own country. Funny how they didn't expect to do well but Anabel pulled those vocals.
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Post by ry4n on May 4, 2020 9:15:22 GMT -5
The top 2 of the contest being your top 2 and my top 2!! Sadly, Anabel's career was kinda boicotted for their own country. Funny how they didn't expect to do well but Anabel pulled those vocals. Her song grew on me the most (I watch every performance three times before finalizing my reviews). Spain has been impressing me lately! I see they have a few more top 10's before sinking to the bottom with the rest of the big 4.
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Post by born on May 4, 2020 10:53:35 GMT -5
Since everyone's sharing stories & cool info, let me add that the Cypriot performer (Alexandros Panayi) was also the backing vocalist (& vocal coach) for Helena Paparizou when she won in 2005 as well as other entrants such as Sergey Lazarev, Sakis Rouvas & Farid Mammadov!
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Post by kimberly on May 6, 2020 22:22:50 GMT -5
Just caught up, my favorite of the winners in the 90's so far is Carola. Loved her song in 2006 too!
"Nocturne" is a masterpiece. It has that same familiar-yet-unknown, thrilling-but-comforting sensation I get from songs like Beyoncé's "Love On Top" -- even though they are vastly different.
Ireland is boring. That's their brand. Thank god being bland doesn't win in the current state of Eurovision.
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Post by ry4n on May 7, 2020 12:02:16 GMT -5
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Post by ry4n on May 7, 2020 12:03:17 GMT -5
Oslo 1996 Host: Norway Participants: 23 (+7 DNQ's) Voting method: 12-point system (juries only) Format: 29 countries competed in a pre-qualify round – top 22 + host advanced to the Final Winner: Eimear Quinn - The Voice Country: Ireland Points: 162 (61.4% of highest score possible) Language: English YouTube | Spotify | LyricsGeneral OverviewThe 1996 contest is at a crossroads between the old-fashioned Eurovision and the approaching modern era. Firstly, the production values are excessive this year. Dublin '94 sure set the bar high. Secondly, presenters Ingvild Bryn and Morten Harket (lead singer of a-ha) are fun, casual and comedic. The previous post-Rome '91 presenters were none of those things. And finally, Gina G's global success rendered the jury system irrelevant. Oslo '96 is the flashiest Eurovision yet. The stage is essentially four stages in one. The orchestra is situated in the leftmost quadrant, while the performances alternate amongst the other three. The interval act, which is an ensemble of street performers, takes advantage by occupying all three simultaneously. The stage design also encompasses a moving overhead metal structure. The postcards, meanwhile, feature a brief “good luck” message from a local politician. And there's a pyro explosion upon the winner announcement. This is an experimental contest, visually speaking. The editors employ an editing trick in every entry, such as filters, graphics and random cuts to black-and-white. It's honestly distracting and unnecessary. Also, the performances are in wide screen (and letterboxed) for some reason, but everything else is in 4:3 aspect ratio. The most extravagant aspect, however, is the scoreboard. Oslo introduced a “blue screen” chamber, where a 3D holographic scoreboard is projected. Which is amazing technology for the time. Also notable: the Norwegian correspondent delivers the host country's votes in person, which is an amusing moment. So Eurovision had not produced a significant chart hit since, arguably, “Hold Me Now” nine years prior. The 1996 contest finally produced a mainstream hit with “Ooh Aah... Just A Little Bit”. The song became a mega-smash across Europe, topped the UK charts and it even reached #12 on the Billboard Hot 100. Surprisingly, the juries ranked it in eighth place. Instead, they opted to crown Ireland yet again. Gina G's success exposed that the jury system was broken. Consequently, five countries switched to televoting in 1997, with the rest following suit the year after. The relegation system was also flawed. In 1996, the EBU abandoned it in favour of a pre-qualifying round... where the juries listened to audio tapes. Which proved to be a worse idea. 29 countries competed, with the top 22 joining Norway in the Grand Final. The seven DNQ's were: Hungary, Germany, Denmark, Macedonia (who miss out on debuting), Russia, Israel, and Romania. Which means this is the first, and only, time Germany are absent from the Grand Final. And they were not pleased about that. Ultimately, it became a catalyst for the establishment of The Big 4/5 a few years later. And the EBU reinstated the relegation system in 1997. In the wake of “Nocturne”'s success, several of the 1996 entries highlight their instrumental aspect. Random fun fact: the next three years will see the host country land in second place. The Entries Turkey: Şebnem Paker - Beşinci Mevsim Turkey kicks things off with some coffeehouse jazz, including extended instrumental sections. The song exudes soft melancholy. Parker's relationship is lingering in the uncertain, waning autumn phase, and she wants to skip to the “fifth season”. The verses have a cool melody and a downbeat vibe, but I don't like her voice during the "Hep sondu, hep zordu..." parts. Editing trick: split mirror UK: Gina G - Ooh Aah... Just a Little Bit The UK continues their quest to modernize the contest. Last year they submitted rap, this year it's hi-NRG Eurodance. “Ooh Aah” is so kitsch, with that overpowering synth riff and the cheesy “ooh aah” bits. Still, within Eurovision context, it's almost revolutionary. I’ve seen comments that Gina's live vocal was lacking. But she still brings the necessary energy. The choreo is brisk and the outfits are bright. The UK were required to “simulate” the production live, as per EBU rules at the time, so two computers are included on stage. Still though, this song is waaaay too camp for me to fully love it. I enjoy it within the context of Eurovision, but not as much when compared to other 90s dance music, if that makes sense. Editing trick: black-and-white shots of the dancers Spain: Antonio Carbonell - ¡Ay, qué deseo! Spain attempted flamenco fusion in 1983; an entry that received nil points. They try it again in 1996 and the results aren't much better. The singing style just sounds ugly. It's essentially off-key wailing. The song channels beach imagery, where Antonio seeks a mysterious woman that evades him. Editing trick: multiple fades to black Portugal: Lúcia Moniz - O meu coração não tem cor By finishing in 6th place, this is Portugal's best result until Salvador in 2017. “O meu” employs a bizarre song structure, where the melody shifts gears several times. There's breezy verses, a descending melody bit, and a drumming chant. It's another Portuguese entry that praises the country's exploration escapades. The rhythm is an adventurous sea voyage that conveys dancing all over the world. Editing trick: multiple switches to black-and-white Cyprus: Constantinos - Mono gia mas A romantic seduction ballad. The arrangement is borderline dull, but Constantinos is a charmer, especially with that wink at the end. Editing trick: fuzzy filter Malta: Miriam Christine - In a Woman's Heart Malta (barely) extends their top 10 streak. The song includes a sombre 90's drum beat, while Miriam explains the susceptibility of a “woman's heart”. Editing trick: a glitter heart shape Croatia: Maja Blagdan - Sveta ljubav The highest note in Eurovision history! And she does it twice! My poor ears. In the song, Maja draws strength from “divine love”. The New Age structure captures that empowering vibe. I like how the chorus optimistically and bravely marches forward. The high notes are really random though. This is Croatia's (equal) best result ever at 4th place. Editing trick: low frame rate during the dance section Austria: George Nussbaumer - Weil's dr guat got Austria delivers an insane performance of frantic gospel. It even switches to hyper speed towards the end. The choreo and singing are so uplifting – indeed, the lyrics encourage enjoying life. Side note: the ensemble performs in the regional dialect Vorarlbergish. And oops at that backing singer starting too early at one point. Editing trick: none? Switzerland: Kathy Leander - Mon cœur l'aime Switzerland rewinds back to the French ballad era. This is incredibly bland. Kathy regrets breaking up with her lover. Editing trick: water ripple filter and a Vaseline filter Greece: Marianna Efstratiou - Emis forame to himona anixiatika Marianna returns from 1989. “Emis” is of the traditional kalamatianó genre. It's a triumphant arrangement, and it brings that unique Greek sound (there's just something alluring about that 7/8 time signature), but it needs more punch. I liked her other entry better. Her embrace with the backing singer is cute, though. The lyrics are down to Earth, describing the subtle interactions of a relationship. Editing trick: film strip on the side of the screen Estonia: Maarja-Liis Ilus & Ivo Linna - Kaelakee hääl Estonia begins a strong run of placements from here until they win/host. Their '96 entry is a duet between 15-year-old Maarja and 46-year-old Ivo. I will assume this portrays a father/daughter bond, otherwise that age difference is creepy. In the song, Maarja gives Ivo a seashell necklace as a memento while they're apart. Musically, it's little bland though. And I'd like this better without Ivo's raspy vocals. Maarja's solo melody is nice at least. Editing trick: black-and-white spotlight thing Norway: Elisabeth Andreassen - I evighet The home entry is the runner-up! This is Elisabeth's fourth time on the Eurovision stage – including a win for Norway in 1985 as one half of Bobbysocks! “I evighet” is a nice ballad. The vocal and the New Age-y instrumental have a pretty quality. Elisabeth's performance is professional too. Lyrically, she expresses how love is eternal. Editing trick: water ripple filter France: Dan Ar Braz & l'Héritage des Celtes - Diwanit Bugale France sinks to the bottom 5 after eight consecutive top 10's. “Diwanit Bugale” is a soothing lullaby that promotes the blossoming of children. It also incorporates Irish instrumentation. The singing is too soothing, however, to the point of lethargy. The group sounds like they're falling asleep. Just like Austria, France opts for a regional dialect – Breton. Editing trick: multiple fades to grey Slovenia: Regina - Dan najlepših sanj Regina basks in sunshiny love. It's a relaxing atmosphere, and I like the chorus, but this song is pretty forgettable. Editing trick: sunbeam filter Netherlands: Maxine & Franklin Brown - De eerste keer The Dutch entry involves the duet linking up after a long time of not speaking to each other. They express good chemistry on stage, while the song express a feelgood vibe of excitation. Editing trick: none? Belgium: Lisa del Bo - Liefde is een kaartspel Belgium serves a buoyant bop. The melody consistently flows well and Lisa displays confident stage presence. In the song, she compares love to a card game. There's controversy that Sweden's 2001 entry (“Listen to Your Heartbeat”) plagiarized the melody of “Liefde”... they are quite similar. Editing trick: revolving panel thing Ireland: Eimear Quinn - The Voice WINNER (see below) Editing trick: blurry filter Finland: Jasmine - Niin kaunis on taivas Finland finish in familiar territory: last place. It deserved better. “Niin” is a warm song, lead by Jasmine's acoustic guitar, where she cherishes a romantic walk at night. She's humbly charming on stage. Editing trick: film strip on the side of the screen Iceland: Anna Mjöll - Sjúbídú Iceland submits a tribute to the jazz era, namedropping several legendary musicians. Unfortunately, the song is highly repetitive (too many “shoo-bee-do”'s) and lethargically flat... either that, or I dislike jazz. What I do know is that those "shoo-bee-do's" get on my nerves. The staging is decent though. Editing trick: multiple switches to black-and-white Poland: Kasia Kowalska - Chcę znać swój grzech... A slow ballad, but Kasia displays heartbreaking fragility. It's a raw performance. She screams in anguish because her lover won't tell her what's wrong, and she assumes it's her fault. Editing trick: blue filter Bosnia & Herzegovina: Amila Glamočak - Za našu ljubav The instrumentation is calming at points, but this is fairly innocuous. And there's something about her vocals make the song a chore to get through - they impede the song’s flow. Editing trick: water ripple filter Slovakia: Marcel Palonder - Kým nás máš In 18th place, this is Slovakia's best result ever.. lol. “ Kým nás máš” is warm, and the chorus melody wants to leap out, but the song is just boring to me. The chorus is soooo sloooow. Editing trick: multiple fades to black and crystal wipe Sweden: One More Time - Den vilda Sweden perfects the New Age formula where the other countries flounder. “Den vilda” is melodic and magical. The instrumentation exudes pure bright spirits. The duo's light-voiced harmonies are beautiful. The lyrics are enigmatic and mysterious. It's basically a better version of “The Voice”. Editing trick: blurry ripple thing The WinnerLOL, back to Dublin in '97. Ireland cements their mid 90's dominance with four victories in five years. Ridiculous. “The Voice” is their most recent win, however. As much as I despise Ireland's win in 1994, at least there was excitement in it breaking all the records. This one is unnecessary. “The Voice” is a New Age, atmospheric song that channels Ireland's Celtic roots. Eimear Quinn explains that she's the “voice” of Mother Nature. The omnipresent force in the world. The day-dreamy instrumentation, plus the fuzzy filter, paint the image of green meadows in the rain. While I appreciate Ireland indulging in their heritage, “The Voice” is borderline bland and irritating. I keep expecting the final chorus to explode into a powerful anthem.. but it never reaches those heights. The final section just deflates into that flat “I am the voiiiiiiice” refrain. It's an underwhelming climax. Also, I'm not fond of Eimear Quinn's high-pitched vocal. She's supposed to sound angelic, but it's jarring and unnatural. Verdict: It's OK. Can Sweden please match Ireland's record soon? My points go to....01. Portugal: Lúcia Moniz - O meu coração não tem cor 02. Poland: Kasia Kowalska - Chcę znać swój grzech... 03. Netherlands: Maxine & Franklin Brown - De eerste keer 04. Sweden: One More Time - Den vilda 05. Norway: Elisabeth Andreassen - I evighet 06. Austria: George Nussbaumer - Weil's dr guat got 07. Belgium: Lisa del Bo - Liefde is een kaartspel 08. United Kingdom: Gina G - Ooh Aah... Just a Little Bit 09. Finland: Jasmine - Niin kaunis on taivas 10. Malta: Miriam Christine - In a Woman's Heart 11. Greece: Marianna Efstratiou - Emis forame to himona anixiatika 12. Turkey: Şebnem Paker - Beşinci Mevsim 13. Ireland: Eimear Quinn - The Voice 14. Croatia: Maja Blagdan - Sveta ljubav 15. Slovenia: Regina - Dan najlepših sanj 16. Estonia: Maarja-Liis Ilus & Ivo Linna - Kaelakee hääl 17. Cyprus: Constantinos - Mono gia mas 18. Slovakia: Marcel Palonder - Kým nás máš 19. Switzerland: Kathy Leander - Mon cœur l'aime 20. Bosnia & Herzegovina: Amila Glamočak - Za našu ljubav 21. France: Dan Ar Braz & l'Héritage des Celtes - Diwanit Bugale 22. Iceland: Anna Mjöll - Sjúbídú 23. Spain: Antonio Carbonell - ¡Ay, qué deseo! (this seemed like my wordiest write-up yet, but this contest has so many talking points) Leo ✔ Soundcl🕤ck born fearlessarrow kimberly Mylo13 💜 Future Captain
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born
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Post by born on May 7, 2020 14:42:49 GMT -5
This might be my favorite Irish winner.
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ry4n
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Post by ry4n on May 7, 2020 15:34:54 GMT -5
Bonus! The 1996 DNQ Flops
Might as well since I reviewed the DNQ's in '93, and I will comment on the semi-final flops in the modern ones. My reviews for the 7 DNQ's are based on the national final performances (they all had one).
Germany: Leon - Planet of Blue Germany attempts to send Hi-NRG Eurodance, but the UK beat them to the punch. "Planet of Blue"'s instrumental is more true to the genre. With the right staging, this could've been an amazing novelty entry. It's lyrically silly while being melodramatic - the countdown is on! Leon is about to blast off into space to observe the blue planet he loves. In that regard, perhaps it's ahead of its time. Also, the vocals aren't the greatest.
Denmark: Dorthe Andersen & Martin Loft - Kun med dig A fairly standard duet love ballad. Perhaps the orchestra could've added some oomph, because the arrangement is sparse on the national final.
Hungary: Gjon Delhusa - Fortuna A serviceable ballad with a heartfelt performance. Gjon asks the Greek goddess Fortuna to spread some good luck. The obscurity of the Hungarian language doesn't help win votes, though.
Israel: Galit Bell - Shalom Olam It's energetic and bouncy, but the lead singer's vocal is so scratchy. It's a unifying song that promotes peace.
F.Y.R. Macedonia: Kaliopi - Samo ti Yep, the same Kaliopi from the 2012 contest. At least she gets her redemption after not qualifying in '96. Her national final performance features anguished pleas, animated movement, and warm voices from the backing.
Romania: Monica Anghel & Sincron - Rugă pentru pacea lumii Such an LQ copy on YouTube. This came last in the pre-qualifying round. "Rugă" is a vocally intense ballad, where Monica is extremely upset over the misfortunes that have fallen upon Eastern Europe. She prays for world peace. The song sounds really dated though. And those backing vocals are a lot.
Russia: Andrey Kosinskiy - Ya eto ya This is pretty forgettable. I'm not used to Russia flopping this hard in Eurovision.
My full 1996 ranking: 01. Portugal: Lúcia Moniz - O meu coração não tem cor 02. Poland: Kasia Kowalska - Chcę znać swój grzech... 03. Netherlands: Maxine & Franklin Brown - De eerste keer 04. Sweden: One More Time - Den vilda 05. Norway: Elisabeth Andreassen - I evighet 06. Austria: George Nussbaumer - Weil's dr guat got 07. Germany: Leon - Planet of Blue 08. Belgium: Lisa del Bo - Liefde is een kaartspel 09. United Kingdom: Gina G - Ooh Aah... Just a Little Bit 10. Finland: Jasmine - Niin kaunis on taivas 11. Malta: Miriam Christine - In a Woman's Heart 12. Greece: Marianna Efstratiou - Emis forame to himona anixiatika 13. Turkey: Şebnem Paker - Beşinci Mevsim 14. Ireland: Eimear Quinn - The Voice 15. Croatia: Maja Blagdan - Sveta ljubav 16. Slovenia: Regina - Dan najlepših sanj 17. F.Y.R. Macedonia: Kaliopi - Samo ti 18. Estonia: Maarja-Liis Ilus & Ivo Linna - Kaelakee hääl 19. Hungary: Gjon Delhusa - Fortuna 20. Cyprus: Constantinos - Mono gia mas 21. Romania: Monica Anghel & Sincron - Rugă pentru pacea lumii 22. Slovakia: Marcel Palonder - Kým nás máš 23. Israel: Galit Bell - Shalom Olam 24. Denmark: Dorthe Andersen & Martin Loft - Kun med dig 25. Switzerland: Kathy Leander - Mon cœur l'aime 26. Russia: Andrey Kosinskiy - Ya eto ya 27. Bosnia & Herzegovina: Amila Glamočak - Za našu ljubav 28. France: Dan Ar Braz & l'Héritage des Celtes - Diwanit Bugale 29. Iceland: Anna Mjöll - Sjúbídú 30. Spain: Antonio Carbonell - ¡Ay, qué deseo!
Yeah... Germany's the only robbery here. The rest I can see why they didn't make it through.
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