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Eurovision Song Contest - Belgrade 2008

(February 2008)

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RW
Robert Williams Founding member
Tumble Tower posted:
N.B. Although some sites, including this one, quote the UK's 2008 placing as joint 23rd with Germany and Poland, the Eurovision final scoreboard, which I consider and trust as the official source, quotes the UK as 25th.

As it says here: http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/12003 "the use of this rule [the tie-break rule for positions other than winning] is disputed but generally does not affect the results too much."

It would have had some relevance in the days of the relegation system, and possibly even up until last year if two or more entries had tied in tenth position, when it would presumably have been used to determine which had automatic entry to the following year's final.

However I personally don't much like the use of this rule when it has no bearing on the result, and prefer to show songs with the same score in a 'joint' position. Besides, coming joint 23rd sounds slightly better than 25th!
SO
SOL
Tumble Tower posted:
Well what can I say about the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest the last few years?
2003 Jemini "Cry Baby" 0 points, 26th out of 26
2004 James Fox "Hold On To Our Love" 29 points, 16th out of 24
2005 Javine "Touch My Fire" 18 points, 22nd out of 24
2006 Daz Sampson "Teenage Life" 25 points, 19th out of 24
2007 Scooch "Flying the Flag (For You)" 19 points, 23rd out of 24
2008 Andy Abraham "Even If" 14 points, 25th out of 25

N.B. Although some sites, including this one, quote the UK's 2008 placing as joint 23rd with Germany and Poland, the Eurovision final scoreboard, which I consider and trust as the official source, quotes the UK as 25th.

The styles were as follows:
2003: difficult to describe
2004: male solo ballad
2005: eastern style drums/dance (imitation of 2003 and 2004 winners?)
2006: rap
2007: ABBAesque pop
2008: near imitation of Estonia 2001 winner "Come On Everybody" (Tanel & Dave)

Well if the last six years (2003 to 2008 inclusive) are anything to go by, it seems that whatever we enter, we do badly. I think we need to take our selection more seriously. We need a selection of songs which will impress other countries.

1) What's needed is something that's got simple lyrics, so whatever is you mother tongue, you can quickly pick up the English. The chorus should be catchy and title instantly memorable. One shouldn't need on-screen / website lyrics to pick up the chorus / title. There should also be a catchy, memorable middle eight to break up the song. "Qele Qele" from Armenia's song was instantly memorable, so was "Peace Will Come" from Georgia's song.

2) A catchy tune also helps.

3) Some songs have fared well with the minimum of dancing, but it can help to have arm movents to accompany a ballad. Whatever dance routine is included, it must be appropriate to fit the lyrics and tune.

4) One should be able to remember most of the song after hearing it a couple of times. Within a week or two of "Eurovision: Your Decision 2008", I'd completely forgotten Andy Abraham's song. What impression was that to other countries on the night?

Last night I had the BBCi lyrics / captions up, and just before Norway's song it said:

"Norway's intense selection process included three semi finals, a second chance heat and a grand final."

Evidently Norway must take their selection more seriously than us. Perhaps we should follow in their footsteps. I wonder how many songs people there have to choose from at the outset? Here we only had six, and I don't think that was enough.

If all this doesn't work, how about we go for something bizarrely different no-one's thought of. I don't mean a puppet like Dustin the Turkey! About half an hour ago it suddenly occurred to me someone ought to write a lullaby and submit that to represent the UK. Something similar to the CBeebies goodnight song "The Time Has Come To Say Goodnight" (longer), or the childrens' Christmas carol "Rocking" (its first line is "Little Jesus sweetly sleep"), but again, NOT a Christmassey lullaby for Eurovision. I wonder if a lullaby would impress the other contenders (finalists and non-finalists) in Eurovision? It would certainly be different, and make us stand out from the crowd, if nothing else!


As you've pointed out, over the last 5 years we have had six different styles of music, each with their own themes. I don't think it matters what we enter into the contest, we are always going to come bottom of the table, hence why the beeb should withdraw our funding of it.
JO
Jon
623058 posted:
Harry hill should get it

You are very wrong for suggesting that, I don't think he'd suit the role. I say Ken Bruce should commentate on the Final with Paddy O'Connell staying on Semi's and the final on Radio 2, with O'Connell eventually getting the big job, in the years to come assuming that Terry does quit.
:-(
A former member
well what about 2002? before the war...........

2002 Jessica Garlick Come Back. we come third with that 2 years before 5 new country come in.
BR
Brekkie
Robert Williams posted:
However I personally don't much like the use of this rule when it has no bearing on the result, and prefer to show songs with the same score in a 'joint' position. Besides, coming joint 23rd sounds slightly better than 25th!


Just go for "last" - that covers both basis.
SO
SOL
623058 posted:
well what about 2002? before the war...........

2002 Jessica Garlick Come Back. we come third with that 2 years before 5 new country come in.


Sorry what's the point you're trying to make?
JO
Jon
I think he's trying to say, people don't like us because of the war, and we cant just blame our performances on block voting.
SO
SOL
That's true, but that only backs up the case that it's due to political voting and not due to the night's performances.

The BBC axed Grandstand and TOTP, two of the UK's best known and loved programmes. Why won't they scrap Eurovision as it obviously no longer works?
MI
m_in_m
SOL posted:
That's true, but that only backs up the case that it's due to political voting and not due to the night's performances.

The BBC axed Grandstand and TOTP, two of the UK's best known and loved programmes. Why won't they scrap Eurovision as it obviously no longer works?


They contribute considerably to it financially, plus it is a ratings winner. I could see some MP's up in arms if they said they were going to stop covering it.
JO
Jon
SOL posted:


The BBC axed Grandstand and TOTP, two of the UK's best known and loved programmes. Why won't they scrap Eurovision as it obviously no longer works?

It gets the viewers though and you cant argue with that and if they jumped out ITV would jump at the chance to show it.
AG
AxG
34.7% viewing audience (7.1 million viewers)
Peak: 49.8% (9.3million)

Breakdown:
Between 20.00- 21.00: 5.2m (25%)
Between 21.00-22.00: 7.4m (34%)
Between 22.00-23.00: 8.5m (42%)
Between 23.00-23.15: 8.6m (50%)
SO
SOL
It may have been a ratings winner, however, even that's meant to be on the decline. The point is, if the BBC don't actively do something soon, they'll end up showing something that no one will be interested in watching any longer in the UK.

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