Eurovision 2011

[UnquietDad]

Getting in early here..

Our song by Blue is, disappointingly, shit. As shame, as this year the UK has the right idea, teaming up songwriters with an established act rather than any of the combinations of choice which have been used in the past.

However, .

It has a choon worthy of the Pet Shop Boys, a pretty-boy in a cool jacket, and exploding glass. Give up, everyone else.

That was a high concept outfit all right. She went from looking like a babushka doll a the start to almost the Romanov eagle right at the end; all she needed was an extra head.

The UK does pop music in general so well, and yet does Eurovision so badly (half a dozen occasions in the last 50 years aside). Why is that? We always send something so dated and tired-sounding, with no oomph and a tinny production.

And yet this is the country which gave the world The Beatles, Queen, Soft Cell, Erasure, the Pet Shop Boys, Bananarama, Blur, Saint Etienne - all of whom have songs which wouldn't sound out of place on Eurovision, and could have won.

It's because the powers that be - and various sections of the UK public - think they know what a 'eurovision' song is. THey are wrong. It isn't trite, gay pop. It's a song contest.

Something kind of crashed and burned (IMO) with the UK's songs around the Buck's Fizz time. Not a brilliant entry by any means (and not one on my favourites playlist) but it was of its time. Since then, the UK seems to have regurgitated various versions of that. As the songs have slipped down the votings, fewer credible people have wanted to be involved, "famous" or relatively famous (at least already professional singers) aren't involved anymore.
Let's face it, an awful lot of the last 20 yrs or so entries from the UK couldn't actually sing, and have sunk into oblivion not just on the Eurovision front, but generally.
Every now and then they try to resurrect things (Michael Ball- no doubt picked to rival Johnny Eurovision Logan, Lord Lloyd-Webber etc) but it just doesn't work, because LLW even tried to go Eurovisiony. If he'd written one of his thumping, legs apart bellowy ballady musical theatre things we might have done better, but then he'd have had to find someone that could actually deliver it.

Ever so slightly embarassed bump.......

Just put this on, why are so many of them singing in English this year?
Though I have to admit it's a bit easier than watching England's entry and wondering what language they're singing in for a few moments and then realising...

Is anyone watching the semi?

Old hag in bacofoil count - I make it 5?
Portugal - bonkers / brilliant.
Finland - sub James Blunt drivel from eminently smackable youth. But I think it may win.