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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be annoyed at how bad our Eurovision song is?

230 replies

AngeloMysterioso · 06/05/2025 15:11

We have any number of really talented songwriters, singers and musicians in the UK. And yet the best we could come up with is a few minutes of what I could only describe as sonic chaos with three girls yelling
what
the
hell
just
HAPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEENED
over and over again.

It’s not even that it’s boring, or not fun or quirky enough. It’s actually annoying, and I find myself getting more and more irritated every time I hear it which thanks to Radio 2 playing it every hour or so is distressingly often.

How have we gone from the fab Sam Ryder to Olly Alexander cavorting in a dirty toilet and now this crap??

OP posts:
the80sweregreat · 13/05/2025 10:38

I liked Mae Muller’s song too.

RaraRachael · 13/05/2025 10:49

I heard Milkshake Man this morning - awful but not on a par of awfulness with our effort - that's in a league of its own.

the80sweregreat · 13/05/2025 10:58

No, I’d rather listen to milkshake man than our one (and I loath our entry. )
It reminded me of the novelty records you used to get in the 80s!

BestOfTimesBlurstOfTimes · 13/05/2025 11:59

ObelixtheGaul · 07/05/2025 07:41

I miss the really local acts you used to get in Eurovision. You know, the ones where performers were in national dress doing a song in the style of a traditional regional folk number.

A lot of that got lost when the competition moved to nations having to qualify in 1992 and I think it's a shame. Of course these songs were more often found down the bottom of the right hand side of the board, whilst the generic pop/ballad tunes battled it out for the top spot.

If you see that sort of song now, it's done as a gimmick.

Albania is amazing this year! Traditional instruments at the start, the female singer has been wearing a twist on traditional clothes, they’re singing in Albanian, but it’s a modern fresh song. Love it!

ObelixtheGaul · 13/05/2025 12:41

BestOfTimesBlurstOfTimes · 13/05/2025 11:59

Albania is amazing this year! Traditional instruments at the start, the female singer has been wearing a twist on traditional clothes, they’re singing in Albanian, but it’s a modern fresh song. Love it!

Good, I will look forward to that one. I only watch the final.

DefinitelyMaybe92 · 13/05/2025 12:44

I’ve always thought we should have gone down the folk/sea-shanty route as that has had a bit of a resurgence online in recent years. Songs that actually nod to the heritage of a country seem to go down surprisingly well.

AnAlpacaForChristmasPleaseSanta · 13/05/2025 14:03

the80sweregreat · 13/05/2025 10:17

Gina G was robbed of a win !

She so was!

I liked Mae Muller's song too and was surprised by how badly she scored on the night. Until I got home and watched the performance, then it all made sense 😬.

Cattenberg · 13/05/2025 18:26

RaraRachael · 12/05/2025 11:59

I think playing this year's UK effort will probably turn people off from watching on Saturday 😅.

I'm not surprised it was a collaborative effort as that's exactly what it sounds like - a mish mash of styles stuck together with no direction or substance.

Yes, that's what it sounds like to me. It has lots of energy, but doesn't flow properly, so it can't really take off. I thought I heard a hint of ABBA after the first minute or so, then it was on to something else.

CatherineDurrant · 13/05/2025 19:08

Talented group let down by a "song".
I hope this raises their profile anyway.

EleanorReally · 14/05/2025 06:36

i liked ollie alexander's song as well as sam ryder

ObelixtheGaul · 14/05/2025 09:44

I will say that we never know, though. I've often been surprised at how the voting goes on the night, even from the juries. Some pretty dire numbers make it on to the left side of the board.

Interestingly, Olly's song wasn't a complete washout with the juries. It was the public that totally sank it.

the80sweregreat · 14/05/2025 09:46

The Switzerland one that won it last year was pretty bad , so you never know , they may like our effort and the girls are charismatic enough to pull it off! ( even though I hate it myself )

TheNinkyNonkyIsATardis · 14/05/2025 12:10

ObelixtheGaul · 14/05/2025 09:44

I will say that we never know, though. I've often been surprised at how the voting goes on the night, even from the juries. Some pretty dire numbers make it on to the left side of the board.

Interestingly, Olly's song wasn't a complete washout with the juries. It was the public that totally sank it.

I guess it comes from the fact the juries scores come from the live rehearsal the night before, and in part how you watch it.

Apparently France butchered their jury show last year which could have robbed them as a win. I certainly loved their performance for the public.

And when it comes to the night - I was in a noisy bar in Turin when Italy's song came on. My friend from home messaged to say they tanked the vocals, which you absolutely couldn't tell when it was all drowned out by a hundred drunk Italians (my sincere apologies to the neighbourhoods of Turin affected by my rendition of Spaceman on the way back that night).

My husband and I rewatched it sober at home a few days later and understood the voting a lot better :D

ConnieHeart · 14/05/2025 15:18

the80sweregreat · 13/05/2025 10:38

I liked Mae Muller’s song too.

It was fine as an ordinary pop song but had no standout qualities imo. She didn't perform it very well on the night but wasn't a particularly difficult song to sing. It was never going to show off any amazing vocals whoever sang it

IfYouPutASausageInItItsNotAViennetta · 14/05/2025 15:39

the80sweregreat · 14/05/2025 09:46

The Switzerland one that won it last year was pretty bad , so you never know , they may like our effort and the girls are charismatic enough to pull it off! ( even though I hate it myself )

Whilst I don't especially buy the 'it's all political' argument that so many people cling to every single year, I do think some acts with a popular or sympathetic message (based on the Eurovision fan demographic) get the votes irrespective of the actual song.

Nemo did it last year; Ukraine did it in 2022.

I reckon a lot of first-time performers struggle with the enormity of it all - both the size of the venue and the knowledge of how many people across the world are watching.

Singers with a background in musical theatre tend to have good strong, powerful, confident voices, so hopefully that may go in the RM girls' favour this year (even though I'm personally not a particular fan of the mish-mash contrapuntal nature of the song).

TheNinkyNonkyIsATardis · 14/05/2025 16:15

IfYouPutASausageInItItsNotAViennetta · 14/05/2025 15:39

Whilst I don't especially buy the 'it's all political' argument that so many people cling to every single year, I do think some acts with a popular or sympathetic message (based on the Eurovision fan demographic) get the votes irrespective of the actual song.

Nemo did it last year; Ukraine did it in 2022.

I reckon a lot of first-time performers struggle with the enormity of it all - both the size of the venue and the knowledge of how many people across the world are watching.

Singers with a background in musical theatre tend to have good strong, powerful, confident voices, so hopefully that may go in the RM girls' favour this year (even though I'm personally not a particular fan of the mish-mash contrapuntal nature of the song).

I think it's a fine line to tread.

Eurovision fandoms tend to fight shy of "gay for the sake of being gay". Ireland's first gay kiss on stage didn't attract major points, Olly went seedy toilet gay etc.

But songs that are queer experience (exqueerience?) but ALSO have a broader self-realisation meaning connect really well. Rise like a Phoenix was very relatable about "I overcame people who hated me" way, and The Code, aside from a few references to non-binary, was relatable about struggling to work out you are and your life improving once you cracked it. But other songs have performed strongly with a similar theme minus the queer factor - Estonia's Bridges and One's Lights and Shadows come to mind.

Queer themes seem to win out over GAY GAY GAY fanbait.

TheNinkyNonkyIsATardis · 14/05/2025 16:17

And for what it's worth, I thought The Code was brilliant! It was very cleverly staged, technically difficult and delivered with energy and passion. Put Nemo in a different league. I don't see how you could find it "crap" even if you didn't like it.

mathanxiety · 14/05/2025 16:32

Troubledwords · 12/05/2025 07:05

I've heard the UK song on the radio several times, but yet to hear, in full, a single song that we will be able to vote for. I've heard snippets when they've done a eurovision segment but where's the songs. Do other countries also not allow the songs to be played beforehand?

They're all on YouTube- full length performances...

IfYouPutASausageInItItsNotAViennetta · 14/05/2025 16:50

TheNinkyNonkyIsATardis · 14/05/2025 16:17

And for what it's worth, I thought The Code was brilliant! It was very cleverly staged, technically difficult and delivered with energy and passion. Put Nemo in a different league. I don't see how you could find it "crap" even if you didn't like it.

Fair enough. I didn't think it was crap; just that there were several better ones.

With a song like Rise Like A Phoenix, irrespective of the LGBTQ angle to it, it was simply an amazingly great song, performed outstandingly and thus a worthy winner.

TheNinkyNonkyIsATardis · 14/05/2025 17:21

IfYouPutASausageInItItsNotAViennetta · 14/05/2025 16:50

Fair enough. I didn't think it was crap; just that there were several better ones.

With a song like Rise Like A Phoenix, irrespective of the LGBTQ angle to it, it was simply an amazingly great song, performed outstandingly and thus a worthy winner.

Rise Like a Phoenix was epic, I got to see Conchita sing in Liverpool, it was perfect - they had a phoenix drone show appear, it was breathtaking!

I had a few different favourites, but France and Switzerland were incredible last year.

One song I think is crap this year is Portugal - I can't believe it qualified.

RaraRachael · 14/05/2025 17:54

I have no memory of last year's winning song but remember wondering how he could balance on the staging.

The year that Phoenix won, it was the only song I liked in the whole contest

ObelixtheGaul · 14/05/2025 18:34

IfYouPutASausageInItItsNotAViennetta · 14/05/2025 15:39

Whilst I don't especially buy the 'it's all political' argument that so many people cling to every single year, I do think some acts with a popular or sympathetic message (based on the Eurovision fan demographic) get the votes irrespective of the actual song.

Nemo did it last year; Ukraine did it in 2022.

I reckon a lot of first-time performers struggle with the enormity of it all - both the size of the venue and the knowledge of how many people across the world are watching.

Singers with a background in musical theatre tend to have good strong, powerful, confident voices, so hopefully that may go in the RM girls' favour this year (even though I'm personally not a particular fan of the mish-mash contrapuntal nature of the song).

I don't usually buy the 'political' angle altogether, but back when Terry Wogan presented it there was a whiff of neighbours voting for neighbours. Terry noticed it and commented on it.

And I do think 'Tattoo' which got Sweden the win the year before last was a vote for Sweden to host. It was well sung but an absolute dirge of a song.

5foot5 · 14/05/2025 18:59

NewGoldFox · 13/05/2025 09:45

I’m expecting the on stage performance to make it a fuller experience. I think it’s quite catchy and with good staging could do ok.

I agree with this.

I don't get all the extremes of hate coming off this thread. The song really isn't that bad. It probably isn't winning material but I will be surprised if it is in the "null point" zone.

I think it is a reasonably catchy tune, they have good voices and harmonise well and maybe their musical theatre background will help the performance. Also they have been doing some gigs in Europe so have been getting it out there.

I watched the first semi last night and think it could stand up well with any of those.

sandgreen · 16/05/2025 07:23

Got to say, their performance won me over last night. I’ve changed my mind and think they could do well. They looked and sounded good, performed well and stood out from the crowd. I’m still not a fan of the lyrics, but the build up of the chorus and even all the previously annoying tempo changes gave it a decent Eurovision-y energy that I enjoyed.

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