Song of the Day: Switzerland 1974

Switzerland is another one of those countries who often bring out their little song into the Eurovision spotlight and you never know what the audience will make of it. Complete hit or miss. Sometimes pointless Swiss entries get loads of points (although it has been a while since this happened last) and sometimes brilliant little songs get completely overlooked for no apparent reason.

And this is where I want to hold up Piera Martell and cry for justice. What were the juries really thinking back in 1974?

According to her Eurovision biography, former construction worker Piera admired singers like Streisand and Minnelli and wanted to bring a flavour of that into the contest. I think her attempt comes pretty close.



Piera Martell - Mein Ruf nach Dir (Switzerland 1974)

Her song is admittedly a very classical schlager ballad that must have felt a bit old-school already back in Brighton, but what does it matter when it is as well crafted as this one? A delicious intro turns into a short verse that builds up to the big chorus and an even bigger finish, following a very fine key change. All presented in a classy green dress and a sense of drama in the delivery.

Three points was all it was worth according to the juries. Shared last place. Unbelievable.

In spite of this miscalculation, Piera had quite a good career in Switzerland throughout the 70's and even participated in the 1976 German pre-selection before retiring from the industry in 1981.



Piera Martell - Mein Ruf nach Dir (studio version)

Song of the Day: Finland 1968

On Wednesday, I will leave for Baku and there seems to be a million tiny things that needs tending to before that. It is easy to stress out a little bit and then I tend to think of Kristina Hautala.

Why is time in such a rush? Why can't the clocks just stop?

According to the lyrics, Kristina is afraid to be left alone and old with only memories of youth and love. I am, frankly speaking, more afraid of finding myself in Baku without chargers for my technical devices.

I'm also a bit concerned that some brilliant songs will completely miss out in the competition, just like "Kun kello käy" did in London 1968.

But this is not a time for worries - this is the time to rest a bit and enjoy the fact that there is plenty of good music in the world. Regardless if the juries understand or not.



Kristina Hautala - Kun kello käy (Finland 1968)

Songs of the Day: Portugal 1984 - 1985

Usually I content myself with just one Song of the Day, but since I haven't published any in a while I thought I could have two today. Are you with me on that? Splendid!

This year, I feel Portugal has selected rather a dull ballad for Eurovision which is a shame since Portuguese ballads often have been really good through the years.

In 1984, Maria Guinot sang her own poetic song about how, in the middle of the great silence, she suddenly finds the right words to say. Or how she, when being among so many people, can finally see who she truly is herself.

A touching and atmospheric entry, not quite as well recieved by the juries as it should have been.



Maria Guinot - Silencio e tanta gente (Portugal 1984)

The Portuguese grapes were, however, to turn even more sour the next year in Gothenburg. Their singer Adelaide, also co-writer of her song, recieved quite a lot of positive attention from the press - dubbed one of the classiest performers by one Swedish newspaper.

She belted out her dramatic ballad with gusto and conviction but completely failed to capture the hearts and votes of the jury. Only the Greek jury, voting last out of the nineteen participants, saved her the humiliation of a last place.

Adelaide, a contender for last place? I can't believe neither my ears nor my eyes, to be honest.



Adelaide - Penso em ti, eu sei (Portugal 1985)

Song of the Day: Netherlands 1964

I went through my blog statistics and noted that I have faithful readers both here and there.

One of the countries I had not expected to see on top ten when it comes to number of pageviews is Indonesia, but it is wonderful to see that you keep coming back.

I think that deserves some recognition, so my hommage to the readers in Indonesia is this song - the first Eurovision entry ever performed by an Indonesian-born singer.

Anneke Grönloh was (and is) a huge star in the Netherlands and sang a modern pop song one year too early. The juries were not ready and only awarded a grand total of two points for this fantastically catchy little ditty. One year later, France Gall was to go all the way to victory with another really modern entry.

So here's to lovely Anneke, and here's to Indonesia! Tobson bows to you!



Anneke Grönloh - Jij bent mijn leven (Netherlands 1964)

(As most of you are aware, there is no known video copy of Eurovision 1964 in existence. But the studio version is smashing too.)

Song of the Day: Norway 1992

Some songs just have everything against themselves, and one of them fell over poor sympathetic Merethe Trøan in the 1992 Norweigan final.

It really is a strange creation of a song, and it had the indecency of beating the two red hot favourites in the national heat, supposed to be a two horse race between Tor Endresen and Wenche Myhre.

It is really badly constructed, it has a clumsly verse that just goes on and on and on forever before the chorus comes into the picture.

It also has a really lamentable set of lyrics that are not only cliché-ridden on the verge of self-destruction but also dances in an off-beat fashion that gets in the way of the melody.

All of this delivered in such a good mood and with the widest smiles around.

It all should be unbearable, horrible and detestable, but somehow Merethe makes the whole thing work. I don't know how she does it, but she does and she deserves some kind of medal for it. All of these flaws and yet I am not bored once throughout three minutes. Well done.



Merethe Trøan - Visjoner (Norway 1992)

Song of the Day: Belgium 1971

I could be wrong here - please correct me if I am - but I think there is only one case in the history of the Eurovision Song Contest where the performer of a song had to be replaced at such short notice that there are different singers in the preview clip than live on stage.

Nicole and Hugo had won the 1971 Belgian national final and made a breathtakingly charming video clip, when Nicole fell ill and found herself unable to go to Dublin.



Nicole & Hugo - Goeiemorgen morgen (Belgium 1971 preview)

Instead old-timers Lily Castel and Jacques Raymond stepped in at short notice, famously rehearsing their choreography on the plane for Ireland. When arriving at the Gaiety Theatre, they realised the stage was too small for their act anyway, resulting in a somewhat drier, stiffer version of the song. Despite having many supporters beforehand, the Belgian song found itself in a lucklustre fourteenth place.



Jacques Raymond & Lily Castel - Goeiemorgen morgen (Belgium 1971)

In all fairness, the stage would have been too small also for the flamboyant steps of the original couple but maybe Nicole and Hugo had been able to add that final punch and extra bite that the performance would have needed to convince the juries. It is a very fine song, in a brilliant arrangement, and a shame that it is somewhat forgotten in the eurovision archives.

Nicole & Hugo would get a second chance at Eurovision - two years later they represented their country with the true evergreen "Baby Baby", landing in a highly undeserved last place. I think these two were pioneers within Eurovision showbiz - talented, funny, good-looking and daring - and they would deserve so much more respect for their craft.

Hats off for both of them!



Nicole & Hugo - Baby Baby (Belgium 1973)

Song of the Day: Netherlands 1997

I would really like to continue my review tonight, but I have had a very long day at work and will have an equally long day tomorrow, so I don't really have the time for lenghty updates.

Luckily, there is a eurovision entry that speaks about this problem, that nobody finds the time for important matters anymore.

Back in the day, I thought for a long time that this could be a contender. I thought the mix-up with the "Live And Let Die"-theme was funny and I thought Mrs Einstein to be an entertaining bunch of ladies straight out of Cougar Town.

Europe did not agree with me the slightest, and this catchy number and its jolly performers had to content themselves with five points and only the shared nul-pointer of Norway and Portugal behind them.



Mrs Einstein - Niemand heeft nog tijd (Netherlands 1997)

Song of the Day: Portugal 1967

In my 2012 review, I ask myself why Portugal keeps sending in songs in a style that Europe keeps rejecting time after time. But in all fairness, the Portuguese have tried very different sounds and styles through the years.

The fourth Portuguese entry was really something extravagant at Eurovision back in 1967 - a very deep, rough and interesting soul vibe that felt raw and unpolished in comparison to what other r'n'b reached the charts back in the day.

They have managed to beat quite some life and attack into the Austrian orchestra and Eduardo himself sings his heart out, investing all he's got into this song.

The earned him three little points in the end, but this is a musical eruption of a kind I wish Portugal would give us more often.



Eduardo Nascimento - O vento mudou (Portugal 1967)

Song of the Day: Israel 1985

In my review I mentioned Izhar Cohen and his impossibly cheerful backing group from Gothenburg 1985, so I felt like showing them to you all as well for reference.

But not for reference only.

It is a jolly good and catchy litte song, one if Israel's best ones in the 80's if you ask me. And the performance is a bit of a thriller as well.

Keep your eyes on the blonde backing singer, the one wearing what I'd call blue. Or green. You'd probably call it something else. The girl not wearing pink. She is happily dancing and happily smiling, but when she gets to the chorus you suspect she was hired for her dancing skills alone.

Her voice cuts through the first chorus like a chainsaw, and the reason I'm sure it must be her is because of what happens next.

During the second verse, her tiny microphone breaks free from her dress and starts living a life very much of its own. It takes a while before she notices it and decides to do something about it... and she hides it well. Blink and you will miss it.

A highly entertaining entry on many different levels indeed.



Izhar Cohen - Olé Olé (Israel 1985)

Song of the Day: Portugal 1986

Tonight Portugal will select their entry for Baku and I'm keeping my fingers crossed so hard they almost crack.

If there is one country I would wish success and a victory more than most, then it would be Portugal. Finland used to run neck to neck with them, sharing the dubious glory of being the country with the biggest number of participations without victory.

Then Finland won and Portugal is left alone with the title. Nobody else comes close.

Just like Finland, Europe has been harsh to Portugal through the years - even when the Portuguese have sent in strong, interesting, appealing entries (and they have!) the response has usually been lukewarm. Their best placing to date is a sixth place, and only a handful of times have they been among the pre-contest favourites.

1986 was a typical year when Portugal gave its all and the juries just refused to understand. Dora came in as a fresh breeze, singing last on the night, sporting a very fashionable outfit and the song had a distinctly modern feeling to it. All she got for that was twenty-eight points and a fourteenth place.

I wish that Portugal will select the best possible entry tonight and that the voters will be in a Portuguese mood come Baku.



Dora - Não sejas mau p'ra mim (Portugal 1986)

Song of the Day: Sweden 1998

Sweden sent off relatively unknown Jill Johnson to Birmingham to defend the national honour with the song "Kärleken är". Jill as well as the song impressed the greater public, but the singer recieved a lot of bad press concerning her styling, hair and clothing.

In Birmingham several different looks and styles were tried out, which probably distracted Jill from her main focus and on the night she didn't perform quite as well as in the national final.



Jill Johnson - Kärleken är (Sweden 1998 national final)

The song ended in tenth place and Jill moved on to greater fame and fortune with a more country-based repertoire, leaving "Kärleken är" a little bit in the shade.

But it is left with one important distinction - it is the last time to date that anyone has sung in Swedish at the Eurovision Song Contest.

Maybe it would be time for another song in Swedish soon?

Song of the Day: Austria 1982

Where do I begin? Where do I begin? I guess I could say that we have a complicated relationship, this song and I.

It behaves a little bit like a dear old friend that you are genuinely happy to see again.

Until this dear old friend stars acting out in bizarre ways; hopping and clapping and dancing in public, knocking over glasses and tables, raising disapproval from everyone around, making you wish you were somewhere else.

Or, at least, that you dear old friend could behave and not make you look like a fool when other people are around.

This is, really, an infectuous little number with a very distinct and easily retainable chorus. The recorded version has a typically early 80's freshness over it, and the prominent piano sound gives the whole package a very nice touch.



Mess - Sonntag (Austria 1982)

And then comes the live version. Where the piano is replaced with a horrid organ. Where the duo is almost frighteningly cheerful and upbeat. Where the dancing would knock down glasses and tables had there been any around.

You silently wish for the whole thing to end and you find yourself pinching your arm, desperately trying to remind yourself why you liked this friend in the first place.



Mess - Sonntag (Austria 1982)

Song of the Day: Switzerland 1985

Back in the 80's, when Eurovision was still commercially successful in the Nordic countries (before the big comedown of the 90's), we had ESC cover versions released on tape.

For many years, these cover versions were my truth and my originals.

And in the 1985 cover cassette, I was always fond of the Swiss entry. I found it catchy and easy to sing along to. In short, a very fun song.

In 1992, I found a sampler album with all the songs in original versions and got to hear the real singers for the first time in seven years. A very happy event in my life, but the Swiss disappointed me.

Later that same year, I got a video copy of the 1985 contest and was even more disappointed with the Swiss. What I always thought would be a quick-paced, snappy entry turned out to be a slack little duet, lacking the forza and attack it had on my cover tape.

Given that it was composed and conducted by a real musical legend, in the shape of Anita Kerr, makes it even more disappointing.

But Pino and Mariella look cute together, and the chorus is still catchy. At least that is something. And good enough for a 12th place.



Pino Gasparini & Mariella Farré - Piano Piano (Switzerland 1985)

Song of the Day: Russia 1997

Under many years, the ESC attracted mainly young, fairly unknown performers who often got to shine for one night and then disappeared into obscurity again once the spotlight was turned off.

But then - now and again, a real superstar tread out into the light and the whole atmosphere changed.

Alla Pugacheva wasn't just any old star either - she was the biggest Diva of the Soviet Union, so loved by the audience that she could afford being more outspoken than most, who unlike many others had survived the transition into the new realities of the Russian Federation without losing her popularity.

Her good friend, the late Swedish tv presenter Jacob Dahlin, had always talked to her about Eurovision, how grand it was and how she should be there. She told the Swedish press that she finally went there as a gesture to him.

And quite possibly as a bit of an ego rub.

For a few years, during the mid 80's when perestroika was the new big thing, Alla travelled Europe and was a welcome guest on several high-profile tv shows and song festivals and had quite a nice little career going for her.

Eurovision was a new chance for her to mingle in the international limelight and show the world she could still perform. She squeezed every single drop of emotion out of her bombastic chanson-esque entry and had the audience eat from her hand.

For some reason, the juries remain unimpressed (apart from the jury in Slovenia awarding her top points) and The Queen landed on a bleak 15th place.

Not that it in any way affected her career, but that is no way to treat royalty.



Alla Pugacheva - Prima Donna (Russia 1997)

Song of the Day: FYR Macedonia 2002

Apologies for the slight inactivity that has ruled this blog lately. Sorry for that, but I hope your new year has started well.

And we start off with a new Song of the Day, and this is a big favourite of mine. In fact, I think this is the best entry ever presented by the country in question.



Karolina - Od nas zavisi (FYR Macedonia 2002)

I could just as well have posted this under another old headline of mine: Songs only I like. It seems eurofans and the general audience alike have a hard time getting their head around this one.

I find it spellbinding, almost hypnotic, and very well delivered by Karolina. From the word go with the suggestive drum beat, to the chanting backing singers, I find this pure class.

Karolina has since blossomed into an even better performer and one of her country's top stars, and she came back to Eurovision five years later to better her scoring considerably with the admittedly more user-friendly "Mojot svet".

But for me, her 2002 effort stands out as a shining pearl in a line-up that felt fresh back then, but somehow failed to stand the test of time.



Karolina - Od nas zavisi (FYR Macedonia 2002 preview)

Song of the Day: Albania 2008

Despite Festivali i Këngës not quite being the right vehicle for finding the right song for Eurovision, the FiK jury got it right more times than they got it wrong.

This is an excellent example of when things go right and the winner both has a distinctly national flavour (or at least I think it is) as well as a really graspable chorus.

Olta Boka was very young when she won the national final, and perhaps her nerves got the better of her in the Belgrade final (this clip is from the semi final), but she compliments her song very well.



Olta Boka - Zemrën e lamë peng (Albania 2008)

Olta's song was also one of the songs that needed the least amount of revamping after the Festivali i Këngës. A slightly more crisp arrangement and the removal of the rather heavy choir parts was all it took.

A very good entry, in my book. Albania usually delivers, you know.



Olta Boka - Zemrën e lamë peng (Albania 2008 national final)

Song Of The Day: Yugoslavia 1984

To celebrate the return of Montenegro, my song of the day highlights one of their finest moments. Depending on how you see it.

Reliable sources claim that TV Titograd won the 1984 Yugoslav final due to extensive cheating (including lots of online whispering), and the song hasn't even got a very strong montenegrin connection at all.

Vlado Kalember was the former singer of Srebrna Krila from Zagreb. Izolda Barudžija had been a member of Aska (representing TV Beograd) in 1982, and in 1983 she provided backing vocals for Yugoslavia together with her sister Eleonora.

Their duet had apparently been turned down by TV Zagreb for the 1984 national final, possibly even with the same song. "Ciao amore" was credited to Montenegrin songwriters (as the rules stipulated this), but the rest of the duo's subsequent album was mainly written by Sarajevo-born Đorđe Novković.

In Luxembourg, Izolda and Vlado (credited as Ida & Vlado) bombed completely and ended second last out of nineteen participants. I never understood why the judges had to be so harsh (or how they could prefer drivel like that song from Switzerland) but those are the rules of the game.



Izolda & Vlado - Ciao amore (Yugoslavia 1984)

The fun doesn't end there, though. You should also check out the duo's hot and revealing video clip - a bit too much so for mainstream taste. Turkish television deemed it improper and refused to broadcast it during their preview show.

What do you say, is this too much skin for your liking?



Izolda & Vlado - Ciao amore (Yugoslavia 1984 preview clip)

Song Of The Day: Portugal 1973

When Portugal made its Eurovision debut, the country was still under harsh dictatorship and its first ten entries were all products of the totalitarian regime and its cultural rules.

Since you were not allowed to speak your mind, the domestic poets tried to sneak their lyrics past the strict censorship of the national broadcaster and win a place in the national song contest.

Ary Dos Santos played this game very well, he wrote the lyrics for no less than four winning songs, some of which had critical messages between the lines. "Tourada" being a very fine example of this.

The song is not exactly your typical pop hit, but it has a very persistent chorus that is catchy in its own little way.



Fernando Tordo - Tourada (Portugal 1973)

This lyric doesn't stand out as particularly dangerous to me but apparently it contains blistering criticism of the country's leadership as well as the double standards of a society that puts up with being controlled.

And somehow you can hear how scornful it is. It sounds really cheeky, obnoxious and arrogant in a refreshing way. Hearing it today, I'm sure it would still annoy the life out of somebody. Fernando Tordo is also a very likeable performer, almost as cheeky as the song itself.

It was also given quite an amusing preview clip, I must say.



Fernando Tordo - Tourada (Portugal 1973 preview clip)

Not only did it result (surprisingly) in one of Portugal's better placings, it is also (less surprisingly) a real evergreen on home ground. When covered by another of my favourite Portuguese ESC performers of recent years, it recieved a very enthusiastic response from the audience.




Rui Drumond - Tourada

Song Of The Day: Slovenia 1995

Slovenia had flopped rather a lot at their debut as independent country in 1993. Nine points was all they got and they had to stay out for one year as punishment.

In 1995, they were determined to do a lot better and sent in one of their biggest voices equipped with a warm, breezy, impressive song.



Darja Švajger - Prisluhni mi (Slovenia 1995 preview)

Just the kind of song that would sound fantastic with an orchestra, right? Think again. The RTÉ orchestra managed to take every ounce of punch out of the arrangement, so instead of bombastic it sounded a bit flat.

Darja still sang it beautifully enough to end in seventh place, still the best showing for independent Slovenia at the ESC.



Darja Švajger - Prisluhni mi (Slovenia 1995)

This song has stood the test of time really well and aged more gracefully than most of its competitors in Dublin. This became really clear when one of the contestants of Misija Eurovizija sung it the other night. Darja can be proud, and so can all of Slovenia.



Eva Boto - Prisluhni mi

Song Of The Day: Switzerland 1974

Maybe I have already posted this once or even twice, but for me this remains as massive a chorus as the Swiss Alpine Massive and I cannot quite grasp that it ended in shared last place with Germany, Norway and Portugal.

Piera Martell was said to be a construction worker who had decided to slip into showbiz, citing the likes of Liza Minnelli and Barbra Streisand as her biggest sources of inspiration.

Despite a spirited performance, this Swiss Streisand failed to impress the juries. Probably had she scored better with the current points system, introduced the year after in Stockholm.

Win or lose, Piera went home and cut herself a neat little career that lasted until 1981, when she decided to retire from the business altogether.



Piera Martell - Mein Ruf nach dir (Switzerland 1974)