TI
Euch, Snow Patrol - they might be popular but I can't bear them.. And I though that Razorlight was half Swedish?
Besides, I thought the real purpose of Eurovision is for eastern European folk songs set to disco music.. I'm astonished how seriously people seem to be taking it.
Johnny83 posted:
Exactly. We could have had the likes of Razorlight, Snow Patrol or Morrissey (who was rumoured to be taking part) as our entry with a great song and we still would get nowhere, we'd get the same result if we had entered Crazy Frog (although I know he isn't British, thank God)
Euch, Snow Patrol - they might be popular but I can't bear them.. And I though that Razorlight was half Swedish?
Besides, I thought the real purpose of Eurovision is for eastern European folk songs set to disco music.. I'm astonished how seriously people seem to be taking it.
RM
Why would you be ashamed it's a lousy contest anyway?
Because Jemini was representing the United Kingdom (my country) in the Eurovision Song Contest 2003. As a Briton, I felt the UK had been let down, having had such an excellent track record in the past (five wins and a large number of second placings).
And we had to get an American in, to win last time!
I think Sonia was the last British person to get close to winning Eurovision for the UK (Gina G is Australian IIRC?).
Is winning Eurovision an accolade to be proud of anyway... that may explain why most our best musical talent stays away from it!
Tumble Tower posted:
Johnny83 posted:
Tumble Tower posted:
I felt ashamed to be British when Jemini finished last with nul points at the end of the 2003 Eurovision Song Contest.
Why would you be ashamed it's a lousy contest anyway?
Because Jemini was representing the United Kingdom (my country) in the Eurovision Song Contest 2003. As a Briton, I felt the UK had been let down, having had such an excellent track record in the past (five wins and a large number of second placings).
And we had to get an American in, to win last time!
I think Sonia was the last British person to get close to winning Eurovision for the UK (Gina G is Australian IIRC?).
Is winning Eurovision an accolade to be proud of anyway... that may explain why most our best musical talent stays away from it!
NG
And we had to get an American in, to win last time! I think Sonia was the last British person to get close to winning Eurovision for the UK (Gina G is Australian IIRC?).
Hmm - Imaani came a close second to Dana International in Birmingham in 1998, and Jessica Garlick tied for third with Sahlene from Estonia in 2002. Both are more recent than Sonia.
Gina G didn't do that well in the contest in comparison - though the record was more popular in the charts than the contest!
noggin
Founding member
Roger Mellie posted:
And we had to get an American in, to win last time!
I think Sonia was the last British person to get close to winning Eurovision for the UK (Gina G is Australian IIRC?).
Hmm - Imaani came a close second to Dana International in Birmingham in 1998, and Jessica Garlick tied for third with Sahlene from Estonia in 2002. Both are more recent than Sonia.
Gina G didn't do that well in the contest in comparison - though the record was more popular in the charts than the contest!
RM
And we had to get an American in, to win last time! I think Sonia was the last British person to get close to winning Eurovision for the UK (Gina G is Australian IIRC?).
Hmm - Imaani came a close second to Dana International in Birmingham in 1998, and Jessica Garlick tied for third with Sahlene from Estonia in 2002. Both are more recent than Sonia.
Gina G didn't do that well in the contest in comparison - though the record was more popular in the charts than the contest!
Thanks for jogging my memory. Whatever happend to Jessica Garlick and Imaani eh?
We can't forget Sonia though, she pops up on telly on occasion. Whether that is good or bad I'll leave you to decide
noggin posted:
Roger Mellie posted:
And we had to get an American in, to win last time!
I think Sonia was the last British person to get close to winning Eurovision for the UK (Gina G is Australian IIRC?).
Hmm - Imaani came a close second to Dana International in Birmingham in 1998, and Jessica Garlick tied for third with Sahlene from Estonia in 2002. Both are more recent than Sonia.
Gina G didn't do that well in the contest in comparison - though the record was more popular in the charts than the contest!
Thanks for jogging my memory. Whatever happend to Jessica Garlick and Imaani eh?
We can't forget Sonia though, she pops up on telly on occasion. Whether that is good or bad I'll leave you to decide
IS
It hasn't and never has had any connection with the EU.
Felek posted:
yes but nevertheless it is a way of bringing the EU community together, and political voting ruins what was meant to be a music competition
It hasn't and never has had any connection with the EU.
NG
The Eurovision Song Contest is not linked directly to the EU at all - and neither do entries have to come from EU countries.
After all - the EU was founded AFTER the first Eurovision Song Contest - and the UK was entering (from the second year - apparently we missed the closing date for entries for the first one?) long before we joined what is now the EU in 1973, along with Denmark and Ireland (who were also regular Eurovision entrants before this time I believe - Ireland certainly was having won with Dana already!).
Norway is still not a member of the EU - and they've been entering for years. Iceland, Switzerland, Russia, Ukrain, Belarus, some of the Balkans aren't in the EU - , and neither is Turkey, yet. Israel is a regular Eurovision competitor, and it is in the Middle East...
In fact there are 27 EU member states, and well over 40 Eurovision entrants this year...
The Eurovision Song Contest is a song contest arranged by the European Broadcast Union - and you don't have to be an EU member, or even within what is regarded conventionally as Europe, to enter. (Morocco in North Africa has entered in the past, and Lebanon nearly did - but they had to drop out when it became clear they would have issues with Israel's involvement)
noggin
Founding member
Felek posted:
yes but nevertheless it is a way of bringing the EU community together, and political voting ruins what was meant to be a music competition
The Eurovision Song Contest is not linked directly to the EU at all - and neither do entries have to come from EU countries.
After all - the EU was founded AFTER the first Eurovision Song Contest - and the UK was entering (from the second year - apparently we missed the closing date for entries for the first one?) long before we joined what is now the EU in 1973, along with Denmark and Ireland (who were also regular Eurovision entrants before this time I believe - Ireland certainly was having won with Dana already!).
Norway is still not a member of the EU - and they've been entering for years. Iceland, Switzerland, Russia, Ukrain, Belarus, some of the Balkans aren't in the EU - , and neither is Turkey, yet. Israel is a regular Eurovision competitor, and it is in the Middle East...
In fact there are 27 EU member states, and well over 40 Eurovision entrants this year...
The Eurovision Song Contest is a song contest arranged by the European Broadcast Union - and you don't have to be an EU member, or even within what is regarded conventionally as Europe, to enter. (Morocco in North Africa has entered in the past, and Lebanon nearly did - but they had to drop out when it became clear they would have issues with Israel's involvement)
PT
I seem to remember ironically that Imaani gave us one of the most blandest Eurovision songs that year.
RM
The Eurovision Song Contest is not linked directly to the EU at all - and neither do entries have to come from EU countries.
After all - the EU was founded AFTER the first Eurovision Song Contest - and the UK was entering (from the second year - apparently we missed the closing date for entries for the first one?) long before we joined what is now the EU in 1973, along with Denmark and Ireland (who were also regular Eurovision entrants before this time I believe - Ireland certainly was having won with Dana already!).
Norway is still not a member of the EU - and they've been entering for years. Iceland, Switzerland, Russia, Ukrain, Belarus, some of the Balkans aren't in the EU - , and neither is Turkey, yet. Israel is a regular Eurovision competitor, and it is in the Middle East...
In fact there are 27 EU member states, and well over 40 Eurovision entrants this year...
The Eurovision Song Contest is a song contest arranged by the European Broadcast Union - and you don't have to be an EU member, or even within what is regarded conventionally as Europe, to enter. (Morocco in North Africa has entered in the past, and Lebanon nearly did - but they had to drop out when it became clear they would have issues with Israel's involvement)
Just for the record EU was formed in 1992, by the signing of the Maastricht Treaty. Before that it was the EEC, formed in 1957; I believe Eurovision was first staged in 1956.
Norway have had two referenda on joining the EEC/EU, but the majority of the electorate prefers to stay with just the EEA-- last time they voted was 1994. Iceland have never applied. Turkey wants to be in the EU I believe, but I think its human-rights record has been an obstacle AIUI. I think the Swiss I quite happy to be outside the EU, with its unique trading-agreement with the EU (despite bullying from Brussels!).
noggin posted:
Felek posted:
yes but nevertheless it is a way of bringing the EU community together, and political voting ruins what was meant to be a music competition
The Eurovision Song Contest is not linked directly to the EU at all - and neither do entries have to come from EU countries.
After all - the EU was founded AFTER the first Eurovision Song Contest - and the UK was entering (from the second year - apparently we missed the closing date for entries for the first one?) long before we joined what is now the EU in 1973, along with Denmark and Ireland (who were also regular Eurovision entrants before this time I believe - Ireland certainly was having won with Dana already!).
Norway is still not a member of the EU - and they've been entering for years. Iceland, Switzerland, Russia, Ukrain, Belarus, some of the Balkans aren't in the EU - , and neither is Turkey, yet. Israel is a regular Eurovision competitor, and it is in the Middle East...
In fact there are 27 EU member states, and well over 40 Eurovision entrants this year...
The Eurovision Song Contest is a song contest arranged by the European Broadcast Union - and you don't have to be an EU member, or even within what is regarded conventionally as Europe, to enter. (Morocco in North Africa has entered in the past, and Lebanon nearly did - but they had to drop out when it became clear they would have issues with Israel's involvement)
Just for the record EU was formed in 1992, by the signing of the Maastricht Treaty. Before that it was the EEC, formed in 1957; I believe Eurovision was first staged in 1956.
Norway have had two referenda on joining the EEC/EU, but the majority of the electorate prefers to stay with just the EEA-- last time they voted was 1994. Iceland have never applied. Turkey wants to be in the EU I believe, but I think its human-rights record has been an obstacle AIUI. I think the Swiss I quite happy to be outside the EU, with its unique trading-agreement with the EU (despite bullying from Brussels!).
BO
So looks like the BBC are going to be showing this years ESC in HD w/ 5.1 sound. Source: http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/8331 [near the bottom]
I think its rather interesting that you have countries like the UK - who have the BBC to show such coverage and others, where their broadcasting systems are not even up to showing widescreen....
I think its rather interesting that you have countries like the UK - who have the BBC to show such coverage and others, where their broadcasting systems are not even up to showing widescreen....