Eurovision 2007 - Helsinki

Ireland's song deserved top 15?????? That out of tune, pathetically warbled dirge??

Well what a bloody waste of time, effort and money again. People who moan about/blame Scooch for coming 23rd and try to analysize the outcome by "performance = result " are naive. It's nothing to do with Scooch, who put there hearts and soul into the competition and final performance (as have many other UK entries have do so in the past) - it's the "United Kingdom" tag and the little icon of the Union Flag, that shoots the UK in the foot, even before the BBC remember, "oh we've gotta pull summot together for that Eurovision again".

Every year the media and internet forums say "the song is too weak", "the act is sh*t", "we are now the laughing stock of Europe" or "we need to take it seriously" - but isn't Eurovision surposed to be "sh*t", "weak" and fun - we never took it "seriously" from day one because the ESC isn't serious - "Puppet On String", "Power To All Our Friends", "Making Your Mind Up" and "Love Shine A Light" to name just afew of our highlights - aren't exactly thought-provoking - but are great.

...and Scooch we're great, as was Daz Sampson last year and even Jemini in 2003 - if you could change history and enter this decades UK entries inplace of Cliff Richard or Lulu, for example, the results would be right up there .

Ireland, UK, France, Spain, Germany, Sweden etc finishing in the botton half this year - and the year before, for that matter - and probably the year before that illustrates that the whole concept of taking the ESC "seriously" (which East Europe does) has murdered our great sparkling, camp love-fest and caused Western Europe to fall flat on it's arse in the competition. Ukraine with "Danzing Lasha Tumbai" was right where Eurovision should be - but it's sad that other such "sh*t" songs like that this year didn't get equal/similar praise and attention - Switzerland "Vampires Are Alive", Demark "Drama Queen", UK "Flying the Flag (for You)", Sweden "Worrying Kind", Belguim "LovePower" etc. The list of genres of music Western Europe has dipped into, in hope of moving up a place or two in the final table, has been immense. Bubblegum Dance, Country, Rap, Power Balland, Glam Rock, Disco etc.

So heres to the same results next year...maybe we need shock withdrawals by Western entries, for the EBU to stop pussy-footing about and accepting the destruction of their baby.

Oh and in general, last nights production in Helsinki was crap and samey-samey - apart from the British designed/constructed stage and wall of lights .

Well I was judjing on the music video for it, which sounded good, I just re watched the performance, and she was off key. Alot. She was probably nervous, and she was probably a Gaelgoir, a native Irish speaker, because the ways she sang with a differnt accent.

Well actually I thought Daz Sampson was dire last year . A mockney doing some instantly forgettable rap. I doubt if you asked people off the top of their heads to sing the chorus of Daz's entry, many people would remember it.

The year before that was so instantly forgettable, I can't even remember what the act/song was called. In fact I would say all our entries for the 2000s have been bland, with the exception of Scooch.

Least Sooch made an effort this year, a bit of humour, the airline steward motif stuck in the mind and I think the song was catchy (now the chorus of that more people will remember); I'm sure I'll remember it in the future, unlike Daz or whoever the year before.

Sadly I think we are on a hiding to nothing these days even with a decent song, since political voting is the order of the day. Firstly, the Iraq war has severely dented our standing internationally.

Secondly, as Sir Terry rightly points out, it's the old pals act. Especially with the old Soviet countries, which explains why there were no western European countries really in the running this year.

The excellent (IMO) entry from Sweden and the good entry from Germany were drowned out by all the ~ia countries voting for each other this year. I saw a clip of Denmark's entry the other day, I thought it was great-- yet it didn't make the final! It was much better than the supposed favourite Ukraine anyway, which just had a few nonsense lyrics on loop.

Anyway our losing (again) is just like the contest as a whole. Inconsequential.

http://file034a.bebo.com/0/large/2007/05/13/15/4027811607a4366045955b576608919l.jpg
^ ^ ^ Maybe some day ... ^ ^ ^


It just shows how out of touch RTE are with their audience, not to mention the European one. The entry was chosen by viewers of The Late Late Show , Dervish had been chosen in advance by some genius in RTE and viewers only had the choice of three songs.

They don't seem to realise that you need a really great entry (like Lordi) to beat political voting. They also need to learn that of the many Irish people that watch Eurovision, very few of them actually vote! The people that do vote are mostly kids texting in so even if Dervish had done a good job they wouldn't have stood a chance.

I think a body like IRMA should be given the task of choosing a Eurovision entry - maybe they'd have some idea what stands a chance in Europe. RTE are still entering the type of song that won the contest for them 20 years ago! Eurosong failed, You're A Star failed, The Late Late Show Eurovision Special has failed. RTE have no idea what they're at.

At the moment the Eurovision "Song Contest" is far from a contest and it's definately not determined by the quality of songs!

There was nothing good about that appalling mess we submitted. It was so highly cliched and embarrassingly folksy, complete with utterly mortifying five guys in the background clutching banjos, accordions and the like.

And do you know what? Chances are we'll gloss it over, and probably submit something as equally appalling next year chosen by exactly the same staid, safe, Late-Late show type, 60+ audience who buy in to the *nice* idea of the red-headed, green eyed, drunken Irish dancing at the cross-roads until dawn.

Either that, or it'll be more of the Mickey/Joe/Brian type boll-ocks ballad that hasn't had any more then a slim to none chance in succeeding in the last ten years.

Well in the last 6 or 7 years, apart from 10th place in 2006, we've constantly done miserably in the Eurovision.

I would suggest a band from Bundoran Donegal, The Screaming orphans.

Their myspace
The song that automatically plays I would suggestTheir myspace[/URL]

That will just make it easier for Eastern Europe to take over

I think it has to be a new song every year (but I'm not sure how exactly they define "new)

EDIT: It reminds me of the Corrs but it's not to bad. But they'd need to add loads on stage top make it a Eurovision song.

Also, Andorra's song was awesome. I don't know how they didn't get through the semis. I know the song isn't new, but I think something like that would be sucessful.

I just realised who the Ukranian entry reminded me of.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/eurovision/2007/includes/col1/media/verka69.jpg

http://www.tvradiobits.co.uk/eightieszone/LookandRead3.jpg