Once again the winner was a song and act for which I just cannot fathom the reason why it won. But win it did - and a runaway victory too, given maximum points by the majority of the 42 participating countries.
The singer, Loreen, with her song 'Euphoria', sounding every bit the electro-pop we heard so much of in the early 1980s, wasn't exactly bad, but I would have placed it in about 10th place out of the 26 finalists. I'm a great fan of retro-pop, but if attempted in an after-era it's got to be done with a twinkle and a wink. It's killed by over-earnestness as, in my opinion, this was. However, it has already been a big hit in a great part of Europe so what do I know?
My own telephone-vote was for Italy - an up-beat Amy Winehouse/Lily Allen-type number with a conspicuous nod to jazz. It came 10th. My second choice would have been Moldova (actually coming 11th) and then my number three, Malta, to my intense displeasure, only finished 21st!
The final results:-
1. Sweden
2. Russia (the 'grannies!)
3. Serbia (another song which I didn't rate at all.)
4. Azerbaijan (ditto)
5. Albania (ditto)
And the British entry, sung by 'The Hump'? It came second from last, just above Norway. I thought it deserved better but it was stymied from the start by drawing the short straw and having to appear first. I won't row back from my opinion that it had a fair chance of even winning, or at least of getting a good position. I still maintain it was a brave and imaginative choice of singer. It ought to have come in the top half at least, I reckon. But still, we did better than in some recent years. In 3 of the last 10 contests we have actually come last!
Anyway, it's some relief that it's now all over - and next year we will have it coming from a much less contentious location.
Now better get down to those film blogs again. I've got quite a number to write about.
It's weird how some songs got so many votes, yet I dont even remember them being sung!
ReplyDeleteYes, I find that's the usual thing for me too, Stephen. If the songs were judged on 'forgetability' the final placings would look pretty much the same as they turned out.
DeleteSweden??? - I don't get it!
ReplyDeleteI'm in complete agreement with your three choices. All were feel-good songs and maximum points should have been awarded for all the hotties performing in them.
I'm delighted and surprised (but maybe I shouldn't be) at your agreement, Paul. I do tend to go for 'happy-sounding' songs rather than the angst-y type which the winner personified. But it does seem that Europe likes to have a big ballad, even if it's a bit derivative.
DeleteYes, 'hottie-points' would be a good idea - in which case Moldova ought to have scored more - but then to have them taken away again for wearing those silly trousers!
Your comment on Moldova scoring hottie-points gave me a good laugh today.
DeleteSerbia - how did I miss it? Absolutely fantastic! You don't need to understand the language to appreciate the song and performance. After my second listening, I discovered that they provided an English translation which even added more to my enjoyment of the spong and the performer.
Paul, because of what you say I've just given Serbia another play to see what I'd missed. But sorry - my opinion hasn't improved. It sounds pretty unexceptional to me - standard Eurovision fare. Must admit, though, that I didn't use the translation facility. Maybe that will make all the difference, but I doubt it.
DeleteSometimes I think I don't just live in another hemisphere, but on another planet. Who votes for some this stuff?
ReplyDeleteI think Albania may have been the very worst, just behind Russia. Why are they in the top five? Or even the top twenty!
Serbia, on the other hand, I thought was great and deserved its high ranking.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed that next year Americans will be able to watch.
Exactly Cubby. It's maddening to see what deplorable tastes some people have. ;-)
DeleteBut Russia wasn't really that bad, was it? I thought it probably deserved its place - in any case in the Top 5.
I'm with you on Albania having been the absolute pits.
But, as I tell Paul above, I STILL can't see the attraction of the Serbian entry. To me there's nothing there that we haven't heard before - and done better.
For at least a couple of years Australian viewers have been carrying the contest live so it surely can't be long before at least one of the American channels will cover it - AND you'd be able to enjoy it as an afternoon entertainment unlike us who had to wait up until nearly 23.30 before it was over. (It finished at 3.30 a.m. Azerbaijani time!)
But now come the mutterings that Britain should pull out as it's been doing so badly in recent years. (We last won in 1997, which really wasn't TOO long ago.) But we've got to stick in there. Quitting will show our behaviour as sour grapes. Anyway, it's all only a game!