Eurovision 2008 thread!

[Tsal]

The abomination that's called the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 is beginning with the first semifinals today.

What you can expect: a ton of cheezy europop songs that the performers attempt to make look like remakes of "Hey Mickey", a couple of Blink-182 -esque teen bands trying to get grandma votes with "youth energy", a single old schlager or a funny folk attempt. And probably a humour hand-puppet number that makes a Muppets song number look like a Broadway musical.

As a bonus, now, with the addition of Eastern European countries to the pot, you also get to hear a bunch of whiny ballads that sound like Celine Dion turned emo, a couple of folk-techno mixes emphasing the native culture and to see a couple of young East European Disco Stu wannabies with a mullet and pointy leather shoes. Yep, that about sums it up.

Finland is participating, again, with a humorous metal song. This time it's a Manowar-clone. Sweden is sending a young blonde to do a britney-ballad, IIRC. That's all I know - fortunately.

[XtreO]

No way I'm watching that crap.

The songs are practically retarded, same with the 'artists'. AND the whole thing is run over by the way-too-many eastern European states, all giving their votes of nervous friendship to the very country next to it. Was much easier when they were all united under Tito

[TrooperFarva]

How are the participants chosen? Not the countries, but the actual performers and writers?

[Vorago]

The Belgian entry:

Ishtar O julissi: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ML0oUhINr-E

It's sung in a gazzilion different languages, the lyrics are completely meaningless.

@Trooper: a televised contest in which the audience decides.

[Tsal]

Originally Posted by TrooperFarva

How are the participants chosen? Not the countries, but the actual performers and writers?

I suppose the most usual way is to have an open invitation for record companies to participate, and the national radio/tv company in each country then selects a dozen or so of the best entries (usually the "biggest" names) to the national finals. Usually this is a televised event where the audience can vote (=pay) via SMS etc.

You can also see this from the fact that many of the participants are familiar from Idols etc. singing competitions, the record companies marketing them aggressively. Since no serious artist wants anything to do with the Eurovision, the Idols-competitors are usually most known singers willing to take part.

[Vorago]

And they tend to be rather desperate, I might add.

[Tsal]

By the way, it appears that the Russian song was co-produced by Timbaland, and there was a real Stradivarius and a world-class violinist on the stage too. The stage show also featured a mini-icerink with a figure skater - Evgeni Plushenko, who's a three-time world champion and a olympic gold medalist. Russians aren't short of cash, it would seem

[caligula]

Guys, there was a female singer from Israel a couple of years ago, might have been 2004 or '05 and she was just fuc*+++ great. Great song and a great voice. Shiri Maimon, if I remember her name correctly. Ok...she was damn hot as well. I think she was ranked 4th or 5th back then.
Sometimes there're some cool songs and good performers, but I agree, most of it is just crap.

[redfish]

Originally Posted by caligula

Guys, there was a female singer from Israel a couple of years ago, might have been 2004 or '05 and she was just fuc*+++ great. Greast song and a great voice. Shiri Maimon, if I remember her name correctly. Ok...she was damn hot as well. I think she made no 4 or 5.

Was that the transexual?

The Eurovision is always made great by Terry Wogan, who gives it the proper respect and level of solemnity this event deserves.

[Baryonyx]

Originally Posted by redfish

Was that the transexual?

The Eurovision is always made great by Terry Wogan, who gives it the proper respect and level of solemnity this event deserves.

Terry is great, getting drunk as the evening wears on, insulting the performers and their countries. I hope England gets nil points again this year!

[Vorago]

I just voted for Dusty

I hope he makes it to the final, otherwise I'll be supporting Finland.

[Tsal]

Originally Posted by redfish

Was that the transexual?

Talking of which, I liked the Ukranian transsexual last year. Proper use of soviet kitsch and humour.

Wow, Finland into the finals. Quite a surprise, really!

[Vorago]

And Dusty?

[Vorago]

He didn't make it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVT1RraayjA

Oh I come, from a nation
What knows how to write a song
Oh Europe, where or where did it all go wrong?

COME ON!!!!!!

Irelande douze points

Drag acts and bad acts and Terry Wogan`s wig
Mad acts and sad acts, it was Johnny Logan`s gig

Shake your feathers and pop your beak
Shake em to the west and to the east
Wave euro hands and euro feet
Wiggle to the edge of the turkey beat

Irelande douze points
Irelande douze points
Irelande douze points
Do the funky beat

G O B gobble B L E Yeah

Hello Abba, hello Bono, hello Helsinki
Ola Prague, hello sailor, se la vie
Alvida sein Mama Mia, and god save the Queen
Bon joir Serbia, good day Austria
You know what I mean?

Shake your feathers and pop your beak
Shake em to the west and to the east
Wave euro hands and euro feet
Wiggle to the edge of the turkey beat

Shake your feathers and pop your beak
Shake em to the west and to the east
Wave euro hands and euro feet
Wiggle to the edge of the turkey beat

Irelande douze points
Irelande douze points
Irelande douze points
(and fart!)
Irelande douze points
Irelande douze points
Irelande douze points
Do the funky beat
COME ON!!

Give us another chance, we`re sorry for riverdance
Sure Flately he`s a yank
And the Danube flows through France
Block voting, shock voting
Give your 12 today
You`re all invited to Dublin Ireland
And we`ll party the Shamrock way

Irelande douze points
Irelande douze points
Irelande douze points
Irelande douze points
Irelande douze points
Do the funky beat
COME ON!!

Irelande douze points
Irelande douze points

Eastern Europe we love you
Do you like Irish stew?
Or goulash as it is to you?

Shake your feathers

Listen Bulgaria we love you
Belarus, Georgia, Montenegro,
Moldavia, Albania, Croatia,
Poland, Russia, Ukraine,
Macedonia, Love you Turkey
Hungary, Estonia, Slovakia,
Armenia, Bosnia Herzegovina
And don`t forget the Swiss!

[Ívar Þórólfsson]

Most, if not all the songs are rubbish but.............

The Turkish entry really surprised me, it's actually a decent rock song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95CPGT6RD24

[ksandvik]

Originally Posted by Tsal

Talking of which, I liked the Ukranian transsexual last year. Proper use of soviet kitsch and humour.

Wow, Finland into the finals. Quite a surprise, really!

Yay. --Kent

[sensible68]

Originally Posted by redfish

The Eurovision is always made great by Terry Wogan, who gives it the proper respect and level of solemnity this event deserves.

absolutely!

Ireland taking the noble 'oh no we don't want to win last time we won twice in a row it nearly bankrupted the country' approach

England's song last year was just too camp, trying far too hard.

[ROON]

Who remembers the old Lithuanian entry?

"We are the winners, of Eurovision, WE ARE, WE ARE!"

And the guy dancing to the 'violin solo', LMAO!!! I was in tears of laughter watching that.
It remains one of the coolest things I've ever seen on TV. Pure gold.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z75mLlg4uO0

I love Eurovision.

[Vorago]

Hahahahahahaha, hadn't seen that.

[ROON]

Originally Posted by Vorago

Hahahahahahaha, hadn't seen that.

What makes it even funnier is that they didn't win.