Random thoughts about Eurovision

[shewhomust]

I don't know why, given my resistance to television in general, I have such a weakness for the Eurovision Song Contest. But everyone has a secret indulgence for some form of junk food, and Eurovision is mine. At least it's essentially sociable: it's a programme to share with friends, to settle down for the evening in front of the television with food and drink and company, and argue about which songs and dance routines and costumes are best (or worst, or strangest).

So last night durham_rambler and I invited over a friend who we knew would join in this pointless activity, and lured in a passing valydiarosada, and gathered up food and drink, and set about the serious business of awarding points for whatever pleased us: points for singing in your own language (and, in the case of Latvia, points for singing in Italian while wearing a top hat), points for pinkness of costume (won by France, who also lost points for singing in Franglais. We suspect that les Fatals Picards were not taking this entirely seriously), The Swedish entry gained points for androgyny, and for most familiar music (eventually identified as Love Grows Where My Rosemary Goes); runner up was the German entry (with bonus points for retro appeal), always on the point of lapsing into Mac the Knife. Most baffling entry was Ukraine, the bookies' favourite: why were the band dressed as blue meanies in aluminium foil? (and no, finding the subtitles didn't help); most blatantly anious to please was Romania, whose song switched language with each verse.

Not that this won them many votes - but then, the voting is a whole other can of worms. It's always been political, but this year seemed more blatant than I remember it in the past: possibly the decision to cut short the reporting by giving each country's lower choices en bloc emphasised the partisan nature of the top choices, or possibly the switch from national juries to a phone-in vote removed any chance of limiting the popularity contest aspect of the vote. For whatever reason, the result was as inscrutable as ever: Turkey, whose song (and singer) I profoundly disliked, did inexplicably well. The much-reviled Scooch (who were certainly better than last-year's ill-judged entry) may have paid the price for the UK's anti-Europeanism, but were saved from last place by the Irish entry (a piece of saccharine pseudo-traditionalism, complete with bodhran) doing even worse. It's all a mystery...

And I really don't know what to say about Serbia's victory, so I will evade the issue by remarking instead that the opening sequence (last year's winners, Lordi, in fields of ice and flames) was spectacular, and that I enjoyed the trapeze artiste at the interval.

Comments

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Mmph. I saw fragments. Don't see how Scooch can conceivably be better than anything (tho' I confess I didn't see last year's, so have no concept of the UK entry but Scooch were pathetic, and the song was worse).

Also, I thought the trapeze artiste was dangerously clumsy, hurrying into her holds (perhaps to keep in time with the music?) - until I realised she was on a safety cable, which takes the danger out of the equation and leaves you with unqualified clumsiness. I wasn't impressed.

And previous qualifying rounds take half the fun out of it, and I hate the new voting arrangements, and and and. Grouch, grouch.

(When I was a kid, I was told that the judges sat in a room without a TV, so as to judge the songs uninfluenced by floorshows or physical beauty or any other immaterial distraction; I've no idea whether or not that's true, but phone votes are the antithesis of that, and a truly shoddy idea. Besides being, as we know, corrupt...)

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

Sweetie, I hadn't realised you were at a loose end, or I'd have invited you to join us...

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Not sure I was at a loose end, really; have a horrible feeling I was supposed to be doing something, but couldn't (and still can't) remember what. Still, no wrathy where-were-you? phonecalls. So far.

Besides, having declined Stephen's barbecue in order to shelve, it seemed only right to go on shelving. Which is why I only saw fragments...

[sovay]

points for singing in your own language (and, in the case of Latvia, points for singing in Italian while wearing a top hat)

Definite points for Latvia.

[desperance.livejournal.com]

I liked Latvia; half a dozen men in toppers & close harmony. Fine singing, I thought.

[artistatlarge.livejournal.com]

I wish wish WISH we could see it over here!! Will simply have to content myself with this vicarious look through your eyes.

Still have fond memories of watching it, all the way back when I was in Form Three.
(The British entry was called "let me be the one", as memory serves. It didn't win.)

[fjm.livejournal.com]

Serbia coudl *sing*. Shame about the dancers tho' who were a terribe distraction from the tubby girl with the fabulou voice.

We loved Ukraine, France and Sweden. How can you not love a band in silver foil nazi costumes where the song leader is wearing fake breasts?

"We" by the way included Clute, trapped in his very first Eurovision evening by the television in a Swedish dining room. I haven't yet had the Clutean parsing of this particular experience,

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

I wish we could have pooled our resources: this is exactly the approach we value.

[desperance.livejournal.com]

I haven't yet had the Clutean parsing of this particular experience

Do share, when you do...