Eurovision 2024 (ish) – more reviews (ish)

(I had a Spotify playlist with all of the entries on in the background while at work the other day. I didn’t really ‘digest’ a lot of the entries because, background, and I also have this thing where I don’t always concentrate very well if I am listening to music, and girl has gotta pay for that Spotify subscription…)

LITHUANIA

Sounds like: something cool (*snort* I know, I am Gen X but this is cool right? It’s pretty frickin’ cool)

The Lithuanian national selection was really worth a watch.

(And that is only scratching the surface, you know)

I would LOVE for Lithuania to win. I have been fixated with the country since Blog Goddess Aistė sang “Strazdas” so beautifully in 1999. Go on, please give this Goddess the respect she so utterly deserves:

I love her

Back to 2024: I like that this song “Luktelk” is in Lithuanian (singing in a native language will always pick up an extra point for me). There is something really intense yet accessible about this song and it is definitely one of my 2024 highlights.

CROATIA

Sounds like: something Dead or Alive would have done in the eighties (talkin’ about Gen X, huh)

ITALY

Sounds like: a perfect Italian pop song

UNITED KINGDOM

Sounds like: “It’s A Sin” by the Pet Shop Boys (I have waffled on about my whole national identity in the past, but come on: GOOD LUCK OLLY!) (Olly is a big name to get, yes? Even I have heard the song “King”, and my Top 40/Radio One listening days are so far in the past you would not believe it #time)

UKRAINE:

Sounds like: again, something very cool. This sounds really creative.

FINLAAAAND:

Sounds like: something from a video game my brother and his friends would have enjoyed in the nineties

NETHERLANDS:

Sounds like: the nineties. Oh, for the halcyon days of this kind of thing…

Poing!

I actually have a soft spot for “Europapa” after reading the story behind the song. And yeah, there is a ravey bit about halfway through that had me slamming the ‘Like’ button on YouTube.

AUSTRIA

They had me at rave!!!

GERMANY

Germany is an unusual one in that they don’t seem to ‘get’ Eurovision (at least, not in recent years). I don’t know quite what it is. Germany is one of my absolute favourite countries for music and now I am trying to think of German Eurovision entries I have loved. Hmm, I hope to be back.

SWITZERLAND

Sounds like: something range-y and ambitious that is going to slay (sorry) with the right staging.

A lot of the other songs (to be fair, I was familiar with most of the songs featured here) kind of blended together.

Again, I may be back (I am off to think of German Eurovision entries!).

Bis bald!

Eurovision Song Contest 2024 *clears throat*

(I do that a lot, btw. Damn rhinitis! Hmm, alluring image to cultivate on the Internet right there…)

I PLEDGED (well, sort of) that I would go into this year’s Eurovision cold! (As cold as could be!)

(I am still a little put out at last year’s results. Well, it happened. I would love to be a juror one day. Oh, the POINTS I would give to some of the songs… #Power) (I would probably be a rubbish juror actually. I don’t like the bit at the end when the acts receive their public vote: you can tell it’s tough for many of the contestants. Justice for “Who The Hell Is Edgar?” ETC.)

I have heard some songs in their entirety.

Look, we’ll see how this goes, ok?

If anyone is interested *ahem* I made a playlist with some of the national final songs from this year (Lithuania, Estonia, Goddess Konstrakta from Serbia, RAAVE! from Austria).

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1yjfpUHxRqKf55RU44k6CO?si=6dBzPxkqReum9F_VwpYsMw&pi=e-CP17-xqsQVGi

I have watched Eurovision on and off since the 1980s.

My favourite Eurovision song of all time is this captivating masterpiece.

Goddess! Robbed! Babble! Etc…

My favourite songs from the last few years, hmm: Serbia from 2022/2023. Austria from 2023. Anouk (Netherlands). I honestly don’t know! Hold up, is it time for another playlist…

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0g68TA4oT3IJrHAF9Jk5js?si=BtdchOxRSZ6Id5WBjKZ-Yg&pi=e-Jq0QSIXkRJ-e

I like songs to be in native language if possible. I am a middle aged woman whose passport expired. Gimme different cultures, different languages! Give me that flavour, that excitement!

I am aware that I am getting older and some of the factors (things like TikTok integration) mean nothing to me (oh Viennaaaa). I really don’t want to sound like someone shouting at a cloud. I want to get the balance right (oh the title of a Depeche Mode song).

What have I heard so far, then?

Estonia – song with an incredibly long title that I am not going to look up as my cat is on my lap (Eesti, we are cool, right? We have a history!)

SOUNDS LIKE I have no idea

I completely and utterly love this and I am thrilled that this song will be representing Estonia in May. This is why I watch Eurovision! It’s in Estonian, it represents Estonian culture. The package is so fun and charming and clever and infectious. I might have to vote for this, you know. When did I last vote at Eurovision? I don’t always particularly care for the Estonian entries. I used to be a big fan of the Estonian music scene. Tallinn is home to this gem…

https://youtu.be/4j5M4N_NDPg?si=4Hrn_30A9ejbtCOA

(Does the embed work? It is the Depeche Mode bar in Tallinn. GOD. The sweetest perfection indeed.)

Sweden – Impossible

SOUNDS LIKE “Salva Mea” by Faithless (thank you Internet!)

Yes, Sweden has the ‘teacher’s pet’ tag for sure: they are good at what they do and I will always respect a competition like Melfest (they put the work in and it invariably pays off) but, yeah. It can be like eating Pringles (let’s NOT go there) instead of trying a new flavour, something different… I would love to hear Swedish language, for example. (When did Sweden last send a song in Swedish? It is a beautiful language.)

These singers (Marcus and Martinus) are adorable, and it is probably just as well I am not a juror because I don’t like to think of their little faces being disappointed in any way. Eurovision can be ruthless. Of course they will do well because Sweden (and the singers are Norwegian). The song is catchy. Good luck to them.

(I will be back…)

(I love Pringles btw. Way too much. And I always almost eat the original ones.)

Top of the Pops 1995/1988 (BBC 4 22/09/23) – *Independent Blog Post*

I haven’t written in a while, so why not?

Question, maybe rhetorical: why does 1995 feel like an eternity ago but 1988 less so? Is it because I was a teen in 1995?

I remember this time in 1995 so well. I went on a college trip to Strasbourg/Brussels. I remember the jacket that I wore (a suede jacket from Top Shop). I remember the cassette in my Walkman. (A Prince Greatest Hits compilation.) I remember falling asleep on a coach and waking up to find my fellow travellers laughing at me. (I dread to think what I must have looked like!)

Ooh, the TOTP studio has a swanky new look and a funky new theme! (Vince Clarke was behind this theme? Should I have known this?)

Our 1995 (first episode presenter) *drum roll* Ms Kylie Minogue! Kylie’s longevity takes my breath away. I’m part of the generation that grew up with her. You know, it wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest if Kylie keeps having hits for the next ten/fifteen years. She’s Kylie Minogue. I’ll admit that I haven’t always been fond of her (I was too cool for her Stock Aitken Waterman stuff nyaaah, and then there was what appeared to be Madonna cosplay in the early nineties) but these days I really, really like her.

Some songs from that episode:

MN8 – New Jack Swing. I get why it caught on (it’s catchy, very appealing to youth). (I am sure that one of the members of this band is/was married to the “Home and Away” actress Laura Vasquez.)

Scarlet – “Independent Love Song”. Oh God, this is so epic. This is how you do a debut single (but then, how do you better something this epic?). It is masterful and transcendent. The singer reminds me a little of the actress Michelle Holmes (“Rita Sue and Bob Too” etc etc).

Ini Kamoze. This song had legs. (Perhaps appropriate, as it comes from a movie about models.) I wouldn’t seek it out but it’s catchy, I don’t mute/skip it.

REM – “Crush With Eyeliner”. One of the (many) interesting things about these repeats is that I get to read the lyrics via the subtitles. I remember liking this at the time, but I never think of listening to REM these days.

Number One – iiiit’s Celine! I still don’t really ‘get’ this song, but of course Ms Dion is a vocalist par excellence. I think this song and the Scarlet song could also have been hits a decade earlier: they have that timeless quality.

Didn’t watch the second 1995 episode. I was back in my groove for the 1988 episode…

Hosts: Nicky Campbell and Andy Crane. I think they worked well together. NC can be a bit of an acquired taste as a TOTP presenter, so I think pairing him with affable Andy was a good move.

What happened in that evening’s “EastEnders” episode?!

Pet Shop Boys – “Domino Dancing”. PSB go freestyle! I really enjoyed this performance (loved the backing singers) but wish there hadn’t been such a buildup to Neil’s vocal at the beginning (it felt a bit awkward waiting for him to start singing).

Womack and Womack – “Teardrops”/Bill Withers – “Lovely Day”

Grouping the above songs together as they are favourites of my Mum, though not this 1988 remix of “Lovely Day”. Again, I wish the production had done something to ease the awkwardness of Mr. Withers, who was not on top miming form.

It’s such a classic, though: you can throw the “ah yeahs” at it but you can’t detract from the nucleus of what is a top quality song. I like to think of how many people got into Bill Withers following this remix, too (but I am with my Mum – of course – we prefer the original!).

Nicky tries to be smart about Rick Astley. No, Nicky: this wasn’t cool. It’s a prime time TV pop show, not some arty review thing on late night Channel Four. Nicky seems to be a really decent guy and I am sure he cringes watching this back. (Hell, if I’d had to introduce some of the stuff on TOTP as a superior younger person I’d have had to keep a lid on some of my feelings. I have just tried to find the clip of Jo Whiley’s utter disdain introducing Vanilla “No Way No Way” from back in the day.)

The playout track was “Riding on a Train” by Pasadenas. This is so perfectly 1988 I love it. How CAN this song be 35 years’ old? Where did the freakin’ time go…

(With that, I bid you goodbye!)

Top of the Pops – BBC Four – Episode 21/08/86 *Girls, Boys and Brother Louie*

Our hosts! Gary Davies and Bruno Brookes!

GD is arguably my favourite presenter from this time (aah, he and Janice Long. Gosh, she is missed). He makes it all look so easy, and I like how he doesn’t present with a supercilious air. This is his job, he’s good at it, he isn’t looking for cool points.

I don’t mind Bruno Brookes at all either. I grew up with him presenting the Top 40 on Radio One. I’ve seen a lot of goodwill towards Mark Goodier from the nineties kids (I guess I am technically a nineties kid as I came of age in that decade but I am so much more of an eighties kid in spirit): perhaps I have such sentiments for Mr. Brookes.

(Why does this text seem so small? Did they have Visionace capsules in 1986?)

(Listing below copied from the Popscene website)

(25) Depeche Mode – “A Question Of Time”

Oh my God, if it isn’t my favourite band! Heart emojis galore! The Mode! From my favourite album ever, “Black Celebration”! Happy Friday!

This song is of course an unadulterated classic (admittedly the lyrics are icky).

How exciting would this have been as a pop fan in 1986 (would I have liked DM in 1986? I was eight, sure, but I would listen religiously to the charts etc. I have no idea what I liked in 1986, really. My earliest faves like Thompson Twins and Nik Kershaw probably weren’t as visible. I don’t know. It was thirty-seven years ago, damn it!).

From the sublime to the…
(11) Prince – “Girls & Boys” (video)

Also sublime! Prince is a genius. He had the confidence and the vision to pull off things – ‘things’, how nebulous – that 99% of his contemporaries wouldn’t/couldn’t have dared. (I remember Justin Timberlake’s “Sexy Back” from back in the day. One needs mammoth quantities of self-confidence to even go there without being an immediate object of ridicule.)

Eighties me would have found this cool I am sure: Prince’s gang, the French lyrics, the charisma, the style.

(23) Bruce Hornsby & The Range – “The Way It Is”

Does Bruce Hornsby look like Hugh Dennis? (What was that about Visionace earlier…)

I have always liked this song. What else did Bruce Hornsby do? As much as I like this song, I have never investigated further. I think I would have to be in a particular mood. Maybe, one day.

(21) Janet Jackson – “When I Think Of You” (breaker)

I think this era of Janet’s is my favourite (the “Control” era). I really enjoy this!

(19) The Human League – “Human” (breaker)

Phil Oakey aah aaah swooooon

(18) Peter Cetera – “Glory Of Love” (breaker)

It’s a power ballad! You know, if I ever get married, I could walk down the aisle to this. Come ON, it’s a statement.

(15) Jermaine Stewart – “We Don’t Have To…” (breaker)

…what? Take Our Clothes Off, you say? Whatta choon!

(This is a great episode!)

(12) Modern Talking – “Brother Louie”

Schlager time! I am guessing this was a big holiday hit (without looking it up).

Did “Cheri Cheri Lady” ever make UK Top 40? That is ein Lied!

(1) Boris Gardiner – “I Want To Wake Up With You” (video)

This is pleasant enough but I wouldn’t seek it out. (Also – not Mr. Gardiner’s fault – he shares a name with a certain British politician, and I will leave it here.)

The model in this video is very pretty.

(28) The Communards – “Don’t Leave Me This Way” (video/credits)

It’s Ian Hislop Jimmy Somerville! Aaah BABY!

I am thinking that I haven’t given 1986 the credit it deserves. This was a storming episode.

I am off to rest my eyes…

Laterz.

TOTP 95 (January 95) – BBC 4 (Friday 14th July) *Tell Me When (Will I See Thunder Again)*

1995, eh? How did it happen? It’s 28 years’ ago? (Question mark key: pace yerself, woman.)

I feel more warmly (musically) towards 1995 than 1993 and 1994, for sure. I may not particularly like some of the Britpop oeuvre these days, but songs like “Alright” (Supergrass) and “Girl From Mars” (Ash) underpinned a summer where things really seemed to be more bright and positive in the UK.

(28 years though… He’ll hell hell! Hell! I said HELL!)

I was 16 in January 1995.

Our host (of the first episode) – Mr. Jack Dee.

The Human League – “Tell Me When”. Yay! That caption though (#JusticeForHeartLikeAWheel). Regular *cough* readers may be aware of my crush on Phil Oakey.

It’s not one of my favourite Human League songs (I prefer “Filling Up With Heaven” that came out later in ’95) but it’s always SO good to have them around. (If Phil is reading, of course: every single HL song is outstanding, a truly majestic experience!) The lyrics to this song are quite funky (if Phil wrote them/is reading: give him ALL of the awards, literary genius!). I wouldn’t have paid attention to lyrics at the time (I came of age during nineties rave, y’know).

This is of course from the HL album “Octopus” which features a song called “John Cleese, Is He Funny?” (A 2023 take on that title might be interesting…)

Philllll! Marry me! Sing for me! Philllll…

#JusticeForHeartLikeAWheel

PJ and Duncan – “Eternal Love”. Now, I was a weird teen. I wouldn’t have given this song the time of DAY as a younger teen, but maybe I was somehow making up for the lost time… I found this quite charming! (I liked it more then than I do now.)

Céline Dion – “Think Twice”. Céline is obviously an awesome singer, but I never really got the popularity of this particular song. It sounds a bit ‘highly regarded album track’ to me. I get the appeal of dramaramic songs like “It’s All Coming Back To Me Now”, and “Because You Loved Me” for the late night radio slot for loved up couples.

Rednex – “Cotton Eye Joe”. Yikes. It’s frenetic? If Céline is a cup of tea with biscuits, Rednex is a sugary canned drink.

Thunder – “Stand Up”. Aah. Teenage me would not like it when the Rock Chart would show up on “The Chart Show”. The Indie Chart would freak me out in earlier years (they are so weeeird, they have weird names like My Bloody Valentine!) and purist me would get cross if they stuck Lisa Stansfield or someone on the Dance Chart. (It’s not really dance!!1) I can’t remember anything about this (sorry) but Thunder rocked up in the 1990 repeat later in the evening.

Ini Kamoze – “Here Comes The Hotstepper”. Nineties model aesthetic! I never go back to listen to this, but tune!

Boyzone – “Love Me For A Reason”. God, Ronan Keating is only a year older than me. He’d have been 17 here. Similar to PJ and Duncan: I remember quite liking this at the time, even though it wouldn’t have been ‘cool’. Watching these boyband performances back as an adult, the whole manipulation of teenage girls for their pocket money is so obvious. You also think that these lads (and young women in girl bands) would have been promised a dream, but they couldn’t be honest about their sexualities/ended up with eating disorders/metetricious scumbags in the industry etc etc. Aren’t I a ray of sunshine this evening?

Stay Now!

Still number one… East 17, “Stay Another Day”! I like the fact that this song was ‘Christmassed Up’. There should be an experiment on other songs. Put some bells on “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers!

I won’t blog the other episode (I’m too tired) but a couple of observations:

I love “Set You Free” by N-Trance/Kelly Llorenna – it’s so joyous!

“Riverdance” was number one in Ireland for EIGHTEEN weeks? How did it take so long to ‘hit’ British charts, as Eurovision took place in May?

I love this song from Eurovision 1994, incidentally. It’s stunning.

Riverwhaaat?!

Laterz!

Top of the Pops 1994 – Christmas 94 (shown BBC4 – Fri 30th June) *Take That and Christmas Party*

Hold on a minute! We are nudging episodes from 1995? Seems like it was only yesterday that I was shrieking with joy over “Leave Them All Behind” by Ride rocking up in a 1992 episode. I am not a regular viewer of the nineties shows these days, because… I do like these shows being on BBC Four though: absolutely! There is something comforting about Fridays being the TOTP night.

Was I watching The Pops back in 1994? I was sixteen. I didn’t like the chart music very much and the dance music of the time wasn’t doing it for me either. Britpop was about to happen…

I quite like the Christmas episodes. There is something poignant about them. I think how excited I would have been about them as a youngster (clearly not as a sixteen year old, heh). I even used to try and watch the festive TOTP episodes until recently (I don’t think last year’s episode took place, or it was shunted to BBC Two). It’s Christmaaaas: let’s start on the Quality Street chocolates * and begin!

Our hosts: Gary, Robbie, Mark, Jason, Howard! It’s Take That! You can definitely see how Robbie became such a megastar: like him or not, he has powerful charisma.

January!

D:Ream! With…

New Labour, new…

Other January songs: “All For Love” by Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart and Sting makes me think of Beavis and Butthead sneering at the TV screen.

February 94. Mariah, my sister Arian! I muted this: I have just heard this song (and the Nilsson original) so many times. Mariah will understand: we are sister Arians yo (27th March babies, save the date).

The rest of Feb (?): Aaah where did that cover of “The Power of Love” come from? (Céline Dion, obvs!) I am sure Céline is a lovely lady but I have a loathe/loathe relationship with this song, and it is not a ‘thin line between love/hate’ thing either: I just haaate it! Aargh!

It don’t mean a thing if you ain’t got that… Funny to read that “Doop” was seemingly once an uber cool underground dance classic, when these days I would say it has a kitschy reputation. I don’t mind this song. I was probably dance starved at this time, desperate for a Belgian Rave Goddess to swing and sing into view.

Tony di Bart – “The Real Thing” Now, with respect, the mad success of this song confuses me a little bit. I don’t dislike it, but it has such a ‘New Entry at Number 32 before exiting the Top 40 the next week’ feel to me. It clearly struck a note with somebody (many bodies!).

Warrior Realness: the singer with Stiltskin! (Wasn’t that song from a jeans ad?)

Reggae OK: 94 had lots of it (Yes, yes, yes).

Do football teams still make records? “Come On You Reds” is quite fun, yes? (My knowledge of football is limited, I am sorry.)

I sang along with “Love Is All Around”. I muted “I Swear”. I am not totally against the vocal harmony ballads (I listen to “I Adore Mi Amor” by Color Me Badd to this very day) but I don’t think I have ever liked this song (sorry) and the name ‘All-4-One’ makes me think of those remote controls that merged the TV and the video.

Kate Pierson (B(C)52’s) is SUCH a Goddess!

“Swamp Thing” is enjoyable enough: it doesn’t hit the spot that my old ravey faves used to hit but it’s ok, I am happy enough to have it around.

(I am getting tired… It’s my age…)

Whigfield was so pretty. Didn’t Ann “Two Times” Lee sing on “Saturday Night”? I remember being taken aback to see this go straight in at number one on “The Chart Show”: I think it was the first time I had ever seen/heard about this song.

LOVE “Searching” by China Black.

I am too tired so am going to finish the entry here.

The Christmas ’94 number one: Tony, Brian, Terry, John! Stay Now!!!

I may not have liked most of the music but I am pleased I watched this episode. I felt quite comforted! Maybe I am not such a hard so-and-so after all…

I might just blog the ‘vintage’ vintage shows that were shown after this. (I want to write about Phil Oakey looking so damn handsome; indulge me…)

* other chocolates are available

Top of the Pops repeats on BBC Four – *general* *Top Shop Music*

It’s been a while…

Was Eurovision almost a month ago?

It has been a long time since I have written anything so why not do this?

This is a somewhat random entry but uhhh let’s say that structure is overrated…

1994

1994 (late period ’94) seems to have several songs that, while I don’t ‘dislike’ as such, I have zero desire to ever hear again. It’s a solid hit of the mute button, not a frantic push.

I didn’t really see yesterday’s ’94 episodes but I have read that “Connection” by Elastica featured. You know, one of these days I will listen to their famous debut album. I have read much about the Elastica/Wire comparisons. “The ‘A’ List” compilation by Wire is one of my favourite albums for sure, but I understand it is more accessible than a lot of their other (earlier) stuff (I wonder how songs like “Kidney Bingos” and “In Vivo” would have fared in the Britpop climate. They are so good).

I did see Snap feat Summer with “Welcome to Tomorrow”. I really like this song! What happened to Turbo B? (Hey, this was 29 years ago!)

The second China Black single “Stars”! This is quite lovely. I had forgotten that it made Top 20.

Also: ’90s Rave Queen Rozalla with a song I had forgotten! (What: 29 years ago? What vitamins am I not taking?) Listening to this song (“You Never Love The Same Way Twice”) made me think of going to Top Shop as a teen (I didn’t go often: the nearest branch was about an hour’s drive away from my town) and hearing this sort of music. I felt so cool. (Trust me: I didn’t often feel like that.) Top Shop Music should be a genre, like Yacht Rock is a genre. Hear me out, please! I think Snap/Summer and maybeeee China Black would fall into this category, too!

The title also made me think of the philosophical argument that a river is constantly changing (with the currents etc) and you never get the ‘same’ river. (This is fun!)

I aspired to Lisa Loeb’s look, very much, as a fellow brunette with glasses.

1979

Oh, this episode from last week was a corker. “Dance Away” by Roxy Music, Tubeway Army, ETC…

Eurovision 2023 – *Who the hell are the juries?*

Goodbye, Eurovision 2023! Liverpool: you put on a boss show. BBC: you did yourselves proud. Ukraine: we will always stand with you. (God, absolutely always.)

Just some random stuff from moi… (Off the top of my head really.)

Lovin’ his work: I loved Remo from Switzerland’s voice! I’d be inclined to find more of his music on Spotify.

What does that sound like? (1) – “Solo” by Blanka (Poland) A little ‘Ace of Base’ with the melody?

Dramarama: “Echo” by Iru (Georgia). This should have been epic but didn’t quite hit that spot. An experienced symphonic metal singer would have nailed that song to the wall. I loved the visuals and swirling dress!

What does that sound like? (2) – the Romanian entry. (“Ghetto Superstar” in places?)

So charismatic… Joker Out from Slovenia, and Noa from Israel.

So stressful… Waiting for the results. Poor Alessandra from Norway was suffering hard in that first semi-final,

So joyous… Gustaph from Belgium, and The Busker from Malta!

Dramarama (2) – the Albanian family entry. I didn’t initially ‘get’ this, but I now completely get it. This is what Eurovision is about for me!

Now, here we go…

I was 90% sure (before the contest) that Loreen/Sweden would win. She is LOREEN, a Eurovision Legend! She’s representing Sweden, who ace this thing! It wasn’t my favourite song and I don’t think her vocals were on point on the night (disclaimer: I am no expert) which is why the overwhelming jury support got to me a little bit (I know that the jury didn’t vote on that particular performance). On my Mastodon account, I compared this support to the reviews for the Oasis album “Be Here Now” in 1997 (*cough* fionanarama@toot.wales). Yes, the product was slick and good, and Loreen is a star, but was it that much better than the other songs? Sweden is seen as something of a teacher’s pet at Eurovision, and this kind of thing doesn’t help. Maybe Loreen was astonishing at the jury final? Which leads me to…

The juries. What are the requirements? (I know, I could look it up.) For example: my favourite song was from Serbia, but could I in good faith give it 12 points when Marco from Italy gave a spectacular vocal? Are the juries encouraged to vote for their favourites, or to vote for the best vocal performances? And how does that work? It’s easy to be impressed with vocal trickery (hey, I have the same birthday as Mariah Carey) but what about rap, metal vocal, vocal while doing intense choreography?

Would the juries be encouraged to go for contemporary ‘TikTok’/’Love Island’ songs (in which case: I won’t be waiting for that phone call) or the timeless, exquisitely sung ballads?

I would want to vote for native language songs, too, and songs redolent of the country’s culture. I have been watching this contest since the 1980s. (I did miss a few years.)

What about the Croatian entry etc? How would you score that? As a spectacle it is unmatched, and it is a talking point for sure.

It was awful during the televoting results to see the dejected faces of many of the artists. (Thank goodness there were no ‘zero points’ around.)

What happened to the public vote for “Who The Hell Is Edgar?”

I don’t know the answer re the overall voting situation with the juries and the public. I don’t think everyone is ever going to be happy. Perhaps an idea is to have a 75% public / 25% jury split. I am pleased the juries saved some of the songs from even lower placings.

I loved the Finnish song and performance (that intro is fi-yah) and I hope that Käärijä gets all the good things from his experience.

#StandWithUkraine

(Where were The Reynolds Girls?! Why was there no performance of “I’d Rather Jack” from the Liverpool Songbook? God: that would have been transcendental… *thuds*)

TOTP 94 (!) – shown on BBC Four, 28/04/23

I need a moment… These episodes are 29 years old?! Gasp gasp blow into paper bag

So, readers. I may have given the impression that I haaaate the music of 1994. Or, uhmm, don’t like it very much. (At all!)

Well, I found myself in front of BBC Four yesterday evening (part of me was expecting World Championship Snooker, to be honest) and… Did I switch to Netflix? Did I slam that ‘off’ button with alacrity? No, I did not! I stayed with the episodes (and posted on Mastodon a little, too!).

Just some thoughts, really…

Maxx. I am sure(ish) that the female vocalist is from my part of the world(ish) (next town to mine!). The Internet is not confirming this for me, or I am just not looking in the right places (maybe: Facebook? Remember this singer from a group almost 30 years ago yeah ok that probably only chart/Eurodance enthusiasts remember. What do you think? Local celebrities, an’ all!). The performance was giving some Storm “Time to Burn” (from 2000) (BANGER) video energy.

Level 42! They were getting airplay on Radio One in 1994? Had ‘the changes’ not been fully implemented? Was Matthew Bannister a ’42 fan? I don’t remember this song from the time but I do really like Level 42 (“It’s Over” is one of the best songs ever; it’s outstanding).

Speaking of Radio One changes and da yoof, Status Quo with their 100th appearance on the show! (Didn’t the Quo sue the One for not playing their records: around 1996 or so? Can the Internet confirm this one.)

Partying like it’s 1991: CeCe Peniston, Rozalla. Sigh. If only la Brambles were presenting too. 💔

Girl Power! It’s Shampoo! It was fun to see and hear this, though I wouldn’t have regarded this at the time.

Ant and Dec/PJ and Duncan! Fast forward 29 years, and these cheeky Geordie lads are the Kings of Light Entertainment.

Brand New Heavies. I love them deeply. N’Dea Davenport is made of fabulous. Was her tattoo real? Tattoos definitely were not such a thing at this time. (Unless you were my badass Uncle, heh.) (I just tried singing “Midnight at the Oasis” and a country twang crept in for sure. Readers: you try singing this without the twang creeping in. Unless you are in fact N’Dea Davenport, and if you are reading this blog I—)

DJ Miko. I had forgotten about this one! I think the 4 Non Blondes original is a bit of an acquired taste (obviously not that acquired, as it was a global hit). The rules on singing live have been relaxed, so there was no Lucinda Sieger/”Roobarb and Custard”/Kelly Overett moment (“Roobarb and Custard” singer corresponded with me on YouTube recently! I was honoured: the number of times I have used that performance to power through a difficult exercise session. She was lovely).

Not played, but in the Top 10: “Searching” by China Black. I love this song. It’s gorgeous! I loved CB’s follow up single (“Stars”) too. The CB album is not on Spotify. Should I actually buy my first CD album since, hell…

Wet Wet Wet – “Love Is All Around”. Holy smokes, this was ubiquitous. I wouldn’t go out of my way to listen to it, but it’s ok.

Laterz!

Eurovision 2023 – *review cont* – *Who the hell is Fiona?*

I guess my heart isn’t quite in this this year, you know. I will probably always watch Eurovision as long as it around, but I have been following this extravaganza for literal decades. I might be old enough to be the grandmother of some of the entrants (bleep, should I leave that in?!). Of course I have these feelings the very year Eurovision is in UK, and the likes of Loreen are back-back-baaack, but when the feelings hit, you have to acknowledge them.

Shall I review some more entries, anyway? I won’t do them all. I don’t want my Spotify Wrapped to be skewed by songs I don’t particularly like (what? It matters).

Austria: “Who The Hell Is Edgar?” Aah this is a standout! It’s creative and colourful and also thoughtful, while having the catchy “Poe Poe Poe” hook.

Ireland: “We Are One”. Sounds made for a mobile network commercial. I can just picture the ad: a whole group of people stood in a field to form a human heart, while this song rings in the background.

France and Spain: these are entries that reflect the cultures of their countries, and this is what attracts me to Eurovision. If I had any clout (EBU, you reading) I might implement something where songs in native language got some kind of scoreboard advantage. I don’t know how it would work though. GIVE ME songs in Armenian/Georgian/Azeri!

Croatia: aaah. This is the kind of entry that is flat out loathed by the fandom (purity of the contest!) yet loved by the ‘casuals’ (teehee, Croatia!). I will admit that I haven’t paid this entry too much attention but understand that it has a strong anti-war message, which may not be immediately apparent.

Malta: oh Malta, baby. Please, Eurovision Gods: give Malta a win one year, please! I remember speaking to a Maltese guy who confirmed that his country is Eurovision crazy. I don’t think they are winning with this year’s entry though.

Italia: I know I have mentioned this before, but Italian entries are like the musical equivalent of dark chocolate.

It’s music for grownups. It is! No corners are cut, not a note is out of place. Yes, Måneskin brought the rawk, but I think there was a slickness there too.

I don’t think it is music you can leave on in the background while you play a mobile game or whatever. It might not always be (oh God) Eurovision friendly, but I don’t think one can ever argue with the inherent quality.

I might be back. C’ya.