Switzerland decided to disqualify the winner of its 1992 national final and sent the runner-up to Malmö instead. Daisy Auvray did her best to convince Europe that a little bit of blues would do us all good on a Saturday night.
In the preview, host Lydia Capolicchio called it "a pleasant number for all of you who enjoy taking your clothes off in a rhytmical manner" while Swedish commentator Björn Kjellman declared it by far the worst song in the running.
A Swedish tabloid wondered why the originally chosen song had been disqualified, "hopefully not because it was inferior to this one".
It can be questioned how much a song like this added to a pop contest in 1992, but it did sound better with the orchestra than most of the others.
Daisy Auvray - Mister Music Man (Switzerland 1992)
The song that won the national final was disqualified because it had already been rejected by the French languaged selection jury before being translated into German and accepted by the German branch of the broadcaster.
Apparently, this was against the Swiss rule book and Géraldine Olivier had to stay home.
If it is inferior or not, I leave for you to decide. (But my money is actually on Daisy.)
Géraldine Olivier - Soleil Soleil (Switzerland 1992 disqualified)
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Veronika Fischer didn't stand a chance
"East German stars come up in the East and go down in the West." That was a catch phrase with quite a bit of truth to it among musicians in the German Democratic Republic.
No matter how popular and acclaimed you were in East, very few of the musicians who fled to the West maintained any kind of star status there.
When the Wall had fallen, top singer Tamara Danz stated that the GDR had no freedom of speech, but in the West, instead, there was the dictatorship of commercialism. There was no room for creating art unless nobody was willing to buy.
Veronika Fischer already knew this. After four top-selling albums to her name, she left for the West in 1981 and tried to maintain the same level of artistry in her new country. It proved to be not too easy.
She had always been a wild child - humourous and whimsical at one moment, deeply sincere the next, then experimental, then jazzy. Far too irregular to be a perfect record label product, in other words.
In 1983, she entered the German selection for Eurovision (to be held on home ground in Munich) with a song rather reminiscent of some of the ballads on her albums back East.
Veronika Fischer - Unendlich weit (Germany 1983 national final)
Slow, demanding and better suited to be an almost six minutes long album track, this song was strongly applauded in the studio but stood no chance in the voting and ended second last.
Veronika Fischer - Unendlich weit (album version)
Oddly enough, when released as a single (in its pre-selection format), its B-side was Veronika's version if "Wir beide gegen den Wind", the song Wenche Myhre performed at the same national final.
Veronika's material turned more schlager and less experimental, and she managed to keep her career alive and is still an active and loved performer today.
I think Veronika is a unique talent and can't help but wonder how different the outcome might have been, had she been able to bring some of her older material to Eurovision instead. Would the West have understood?
Veronika Fischer und Band - He, wir fahr'n mit dem Zug
Veronika Fischer und Band - Hans im Glück
Veronika Fischer und Band - Blues von den letzte Gelegenheit
No matter how popular and acclaimed you were in East, very few of the musicians who fled to the West maintained any kind of star status there.
When the Wall had fallen, top singer Tamara Danz stated that the GDR had no freedom of speech, but in the West, instead, there was the dictatorship of commercialism. There was no room for creating art unless nobody was willing to buy.
Veronika Fischer already knew this. After four top-selling albums to her name, she left for the West in 1981 and tried to maintain the same level of artistry in her new country. It proved to be not too easy.
She had always been a wild child - humourous and whimsical at one moment, deeply sincere the next, then experimental, then jazzy. Far too irregular to be a perfect record label product, in other words.
In 1983, she entered the German selection for Eurovision (to be held on home ground in Munich) with a song rather reminiscent of some of the ballads on her albums back East.
Veronika Fischer - Unendlich weit (Germany 1983 national final)
Slow, demanding and better suited to be an almost six minutes long album track, this song was strongly applauded in the studio but stood no chance in the voting and ended second last.
Veronika Fischer - Unendlich weit (album version)
Oddly enough, when released as a single (in its pre-selection format), its B-side was Veronika's version if "Wir beide gegen den Wind", the song Wenche Myhre performed at the same national final.
Veronika's material turned more schlager and less experimental, and she managed to keep her career alive and is still an active and loved performer today.
I think Veronika is a unique talent and can't help but wonder how different the outcome might have been, had she been able to bring some of her older material to Eurovision instead. Would the West have understood?
Veronika Fischer und Band - He, wir fahr'n mit dem Zug
Veronika Fischer und Band - Hans im Glück
Veronika Fischer und Band - Blues von den letzte Gelegenheit
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Tobson's Wish List: Antti Tuisku for Finland
This would be one of my biggest wishes on the list, actually. You see, I think the Eurovision Song Contest is the best pop contest there is and every country should send their best names in pop into competition.
Antti Tuisku is indeed one of the biggest names in pop in Finland. He is the biggest success to come out of the Pop Idols format domestically and after winning Tanssi tähtien kanssa (Finland's Strictly Come Dancing) he has crossed over from youth icon to a real household name.
He has a distinct look, a distinct sound and he largely divides opinions. Just like any Pop Star should. Few other Finnish pop acts could dance the rumba one week, then make a Christmas album, then go on tour for full crowds.
In many ways, he is Finland's own Kylie Minogue. And he sure knows how to work a song.
Antti Tuisku - Ei aikaa
Antti Tuiski - Juuret
Antti Tuisku - En kiellä
Since the list of contenders for next year's Finnish final is already official, I know for a fact this wish won't come true. Not for 2012, at least.
But here's hoping for the future.
Antti Tuisku is indeed one of the biggest names in pop in Finland. He is the biggest success to come out of the Pop Idols format domestically and after winning Tanssi tähtien kanssa (Finland's Strictly Come Dancing) he has crossed over from youth icon to a real household name.
He has a distinct look, a distinct sound and he largely divides opinions. Just like any Pop Star should. Few other Finnish pop acts could dance the rumba one week, then make a Christmas album, then go on tour for full crowds.
In many ways, he is Finland's own Kylie Minogue. And he sure knows how to work a song.
Antti Tuisku - Ei aikaa
Antti Tuiski - Juuret
Antti Tuisku - En kiellä
Since the list of contenders for next year's Finnish final is already official, I know for a fact this wish won't come true. Not for 2012, at least.
But here's hoping for the future.
Song Of The Day: Lithuania 2010
How about going a little bit crazy? Offer Europe some funk, some kazoo, some rather gorgeous legs? No?
Lithuania's best placing to date came with another humourous effort, a joking protest song, in 2006, so nobody can blame them for trying the concept again.
And in all fairness, InCulto had remembered to pack a far better song in their suitcase when leaving for Oslo than LT United had in Athens. And compared to the other bunch, who were unhappy about the fact nobody ever votes for Lithuania at eurovision, InCulto had a little bit of a message in their entry.
Lithuania and its brothers in the East feel like second class countries in Europe, and when they go west it is only to end up as second class citizens who clean other people's homes and then wash other people's dishes. And who's going to tell them they are wrong?
Right or wrong, the voters remain relatively unmoved and this anthem for anyone who ever felt a bit outside in the Europan family did not make it to the final.
InCulto - East European Funk (Lithuania 2010)
I think they should, though. It is a rare thing at Eurovision to come across humour songs that actually are a bit funny. And InCulto amuse me very much.
They already did back in 2006, when their entry "Welcome To Lithuania" ended second in the national final.
InCulto - Welcome To Lithuania (Lithuania 2006 national final)
Lithuania's best placing to date came with another humourous effort, a joking protest song, in 2006, so nobody can blame them for trying the concept again.
And in all fairness, InCulto had remembered to pack a far better song in their suitcase when leaving for Oslo than LT United had in Athens. And compared to the other bunch, who were unhappy about the fact nobody ever votes for Lithuania at eurovision, InCulto had a little bit of a message in their entry.
Lithuania and its brothers in the East feel like second class countries in Europe, and when they go west it is only to end up as second class citizens who clean other people's homes and then wash other people's dishes. And who's going to tell them they are wrong?
Right or wrong, the voters remain relatively unmoved and this anthem for anyone who ever felt a bit outside in the Europan family did not make it to the final.
InCulto - East European Funk (Lithuania 2010)
I think they should, though. It is a rare thing at Eurovision to come across humour songs that actually are a bit funny. And InCulto amuse me very much.
They already did back in 2006, when their entry "Welcome To Lithuania" ended second in the national final.
InCulto - Welcome To Lithuania (Lithuania 2006 national final)
Greece 1974: everybody freeze!
Greece made its debut at the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest in Brighton, and when I first heard this song, from a not too scratchy vinyl single record, I could not believe how it could fail to score better. I found it happy, clappy, dancy and bouncy.
And the studio version, also used for the preview clip, really is infectuous and bouncy.
Marinella - Krassi, thalassa ke t'agori mou (Greece 1974 preview)
The live version, however, is not. I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw this performance for the first time. I'm not sure I ever saw a eurosong performed with such a lack of zeal, passion and attack.
Marinella is of course the Greek goddess statue personified, she is excused. And she does pick up a tambourine by the end, in a vain attempt to save the day.
But what are those backing singers up to? How can you perform such a happy song without transpiring the slightest hint of happiness? Sing such a swinging entry without moving a muscle? Suddenly the verdict of the judges started making more sense, I must give them that.
Marinella - Krassi, thalassa ke t'agori mou (Greece 1974)
And the studio version, also used for the preview clip, really is infectuous and bouncy.
Marinella - Krassi, thalassa ke t'agori mou (Greece 1974 preview)
The live version, however, is not. I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw this performance for the first time. I'm not sure I ever saw a eurosong performed with such a lack of zeal, passion and attack.
Marinella is of course the Greek goddess statue personified, she is excused. And she does pick up a tambourine by the end, in a vain attempt to save the day.
But what are those backing singers up to? How can you perform such a happy song without transpiring the slightest hint of happiness? Sing such a swinging entry without moving a muscle? Suddenly the verdict of the judges started making more sense, I must give them that.
Marinella - Krassi, thalassa ke t'agori mou (Greece 1974)
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Finland 2012: 40 songs are online
Finland is re-inventing its national selection for Eurovision, trying to wash as much of the ESC out of the mix as only possible.
The classic name "Euroviisut" has been ditched for the new "UMK" (The Competition for New Music), which is supposed to be an independent hit song contest in its own right.
The winner will also be Finland's entrant for Baku, but focus will be put exclusively on finding hit songs that could storm the domestic hit charts. Eurovision is just a bonus, the icing on the cake for the winner.
Out of 540 submitted entries, a professional jury has whittled the number of songs down to forty hopefuls that were published online this week for everyone to hear and see.
The audience can vote for the songs online, but that is just a fun feature. In the end the jury will select the twelve finalists as they please, not necessarily paying any attention to what the audience has liked.
The hottest names of contemporary Finnish music are keeping as firm a distance from this new competition as they have done with Euroviisut for the last few years, but among the forty contenders there are quite a few songs that could turn out quite nicely with some work.
There are bit too many hastily produced electropop entries and the old Finnish lack of decent choruses persists. But here and there, you can find some pretty good pop songs. Finland surely has a chance for 2012.
And there is a song in Swedish - for the first time since 1994. I keep my fingers crossed for Pernilla Karlsson to make it far in the competition and for her not to change the language during the competition.
For the time being, you can find the forty songs here. Which one would you like to see in Baku?
The classic name "Euroviisut" has been ditched for the new "UMK" (The Competition for New Music), which is supposed to be an independent hit song contest in its own right.
The winner will also be Finland's entrant for Baku, but focus will be put exclusively on finding hit songs that could storm the domestic hit charts. Eurovision is just a bonus, the icing on the cake for the winner.
Out of 540 submitted entries, a professional jury has whittled the number of songs down to forty hopefuls that were published online this week for everyone to hear and see.
The audience can vote for the songs online, but that is just a fun feature. In the end the jury will select the twelve finalists as they please, not necessarily paying any attention to what the audience has liked.
The hottest names of contemporary Finnish music are keeping as firm a distance from this new competition as they have done with Euroviisut for the last few years, but among the forty contenders there are quite a few songs that could turn out quite nicely with some work.
There are bit too many hastily produced electropop entries and the old Finnish lack of decent choruses persists. But here and there, you can find some pretty good pop songs. Finland surely has a chance for 2012.
And there is a song in Swedish - for the first time since 1994. I keep my fingers crossed for Pernilla Karlsson to make it far in the competition and for her not to change the language during the competition.
For the time being, you can find the forty songs here. Which one would you like to see in Baku?
ESC reject: Yugoslavia 1987
Josipa Lisac was still in her teens when she first entered a Yugoslav national final for Eurovision. She never won, but manage to turn into a megastar - a monument of pop art with a very special place in domestic showbiz.
She is not only a singer, but also an actress and a style icon with her very own sense of fashion.
When she returned to the Yugoslav final in 1987, Josipa was the sensation of the evening with her modern sound, great presence and a most flamboyant hairdo (that would be outright dangerous if worn in public during rush hour).
This didn't matter much as the juries remained unmoved and left her in ninth place, sending super bouncy Novi Fosili off to Brussels instead, where they equalled the best Yugoslav placing until then.
Since then, Josipa the Great has not bothered to enter any national selections again, but her 1987 selection entry has turned into an evergreen, also covered by Slovenian singer Nuša Derenda.
Josipa Lisac - Gdje Dunav ljubi nebo (Yugoslavia 1987 national final)
She is not only a singer, but also an actress and a style icon with her very own sense of fashion.
When she returned to the Yugoslav final in 1987, Josipa was the sensation of the evening with her modern sound, great presence and a most flamboyant hairdo (that would be outright dangerous if worn in public during rush hour).
This didn't matter much as the juries remained unmoved and left her in ninth place, sending super bouncy Novi Fosili off to Brussels instead, where they equalled the best Yugoslav placing until then.
Since then, Josipa the Great has not bothered to enter any national selections again, but her 1987 selection entry has turned into an evergreen, also covered by Slovenian singer Nuša Derenda.
Josipa Lisac - Gdje Dunav ljubi nebo (Yugoslavia 1987 national final)
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