Eurovision 2004

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Everyone excited yet?

Germany will win.

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 13:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Watching Eurovision with the subtitles on (they translate them!) is a pleasure.

― Robbie Lumsden (Wallace Stevens HQ), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 13:55 (twenty-two years ago)

wow the eurovision song contest. i can't wait.

what time is it now?

― father dougal (ken c), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 13:56 (twenty-two years ago)

I haven't heard the UK entry for this year. Last year's made me want to scrape the sound out of my ears.

― robster (robster), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 13:59 (twenty-two years ago)

I am excited, but not to the extent that I have followed this year's rule changes closely. Semi finals are tomorrow, yes? How may countries are eliminated at this stage? Does anyone get a bye? And is the judging/voting on the same basis as for the final?

― zebedee (zebedee), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 14:00 (twenty-two years ago)

oooh, i don't like change.

― Robbie Lumsden (Wallace Stevens HQ), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 14:01 (twenty-two years ago)

i thought it was more second division promotion play-off type thing...

swygart to thread!!

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 14:03 (twenty-two years ago)

Watching Eurovision with the subtitles on (they translate them!) is a pleasure.

yes! this is ace, the lyrics are translated and much hilarity ensues. i remember one years ago with a black man and a white woman singing "i am the chocolate" and "and i am the vanilla" respectively and then they both sang about what a great dessert they would make together!

― zappi (joni), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 14:07 (twenty-two years ago)

... play-off type thing...

oh yes! carsmile's got a lovely new concept (for the eurovision song contempt) right there!
just imagine the contemptants coming on the stage in pairs, and the one who manages to "sing off" the other getting promoted to the next round. and so on and so on. and before that, the group stage - oh yes - too. now that'd be entertainment.

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 14:14 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm excited. I was really disappointed this year that so many countries submitted English-language songs, it makes it less fun. But I've got a good feeling about this year, I think it might be the best since the year Dana International won it.

― Cathy (Cathy), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 14:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Dear God, Romania
http://www.eurovision.tv/english/img/05_romania_ladosi.jpg
Sample Lyrics
I admit I fell for you so badly!
And I admit you make my senses wild.
I know sometimes I might act and look foolish,
I admit, I admit
I’ll be your fool as long as you are mine, yes mine, just mine, alright, mine, yes mine, just mine.
JUST MINE!

― Madchen (Madchen), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 14:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Dear God, Serbia & Montenegro
http://www.eurovision.tv/english/img/03_serbia_orchestra.jpg
Sample Lyrics
Oh my fawn (1:1 translation)

When I think about you
I'm afraid I might fall for you again
I bite my bruised lips trying to forget the real pain

Oh my fawn, I even stopped grieving these days
I just ask the people whose words I can't hear
If you're still on your own
Oh my lassie, set off tonight
Go with who ever, doesn't matter
Find someone who reminds you of me
Then I'll try to stop loving you

Try to stop loving you

(In French the song's called Ma Biche)

― Madchen (Madchen), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 14:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh my lassie!

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 14:29 (twenty-two years ago)

romania pick up dad-votes all over the continent...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 14:31 (twenty-two years ago)

The Spanish (translated) lyrics are excellent too:

I loved her so
She was the blood in my veins
Not knowing her full moons
Belonged to someone else

― Madchen (Madchen), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 14:33 (twenty-two years ago)

This year is quite promising. Ukraine:

Just maybe I’m crazy,
The world spins round and round and round
shi-di-ri-di-duy, shi-di-ri-di-da-na
shi-di-ri-di-duy, shi-di-ri-di-da-na

I want you to want me as I dance
Round and round and round
shi-di-ri-di-duy, shi-di-ri-di-da-na
shi-di-ri-di-duy, shi-di-ri-di-da-na

Forever and ever go, go, go wild dancers!!

― Madchen (Madchen), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 14:35 (twenty-two years ago)

NB: anyone coming to my party should not read this thread, thnx

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 14:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Oi, I thought you had a plan of some kind to satisfy the Eurolovers?

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 14:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Yes, we're going to be serenaded by Army Of Lovers.

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 14:50 (twenty-two years ago)

I love Eurovision.

― jel -- (jel), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 16:08 (twenty-two years ago)

I love it too. Could someone please address zebedee's U&K questions re new rules and changes, as a matter of priority please? Thank you.

― penelope_111, Tuesday, 11 May 2004 16:10 (twenty-two years ago)

the Eurovision site helpfully explains all here:

http://www.eurovision.tv/english/1098.htm

22 out of 36 countries participate tonight, 10 of whom go forward to Saturday's final

― zebedee (zebedee), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 08:43 (twenty-two years ago)

I remember when ireland won year after year after year, and then something terrible happened and everything they've done since has sucked tremendous ass.

― ipsofacto (ipsofacto), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 08:46 (twenty-two years ago)

"something terrible happened "

they won lots and lots in a row and the ENTIRE COUNTRY would've gone bankrupt if they'd won again or summat, hence putting two priest from a small nobbly island up with a song about a horse who was lovely...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 08:50 (twenty-two years ago)

the semis, eh?

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 19:18 (twenty-two years ago)

Well that was a load of smelly horseshite.

The bit from Abba was a bit scabby. And what the hell was rib-challenged Cher doing in it?

― penelope_111, Wednesday, 12 May 2004 20:24 (twenty-two years ago)

You gotta love Ukraine, though.

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 21:04 (twenty-two years ago)

loving ukraine=?loving their eurovision entry

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 21:18 (twenty-two years ago)

swygart to thread!!

When he shows, tell him I'm working on a way to watch this.

― Barima (Barima), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 21:19 (twenty-two years ago)

*attempts contemplating the concept of "smellless horseshit"*

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 21:24 (twenty-two years ago)

*concludes "pooethic" sounds bettah in comparison*

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 21:27 (twenty-two years ago)

*clicks on link zebedee provides*

¡Viva España!

"Para llenarme de ti" ("To Fill Myself With You" -- eh, no double entendres there, huh?) sounds a great deal like a lot of other Spanish-language pop songs I'm used to hearing around here. It's actually kinda catchy, you know. And, um, well, there's the whole issue of my own personal bias here, you know. *laughs* (Oh wow, Ramón is from the Canary Islands! Even more of a personal connection considering the first settlers around here were from Las Canarias!)

But anyway -- as you were.

― Those Beautiful Lines (Dee the Lurker), Thursday, 13 May 2004 01:17 (twenty-two years ago)

semi-final results here:

http://www.eurovision.tv/english/1123.htm

last night's palaver clearly disproves Colin's opening statement on this thread. Germany won't win, even if they have the best song. The Balkan conspiracy will no doubt carry all again on Saturday.

The funniest moment was when they were opening the envelopes, supposedly at random, at the end. The Greek and Cyprus envelopes were obviously marked in some way to add a sense of drama to the occasion. With three envelopes left, bloke presenter (clearly out of his depth) hands woman presenter (rather more on the ball) with the Cyprus envelope. "No, not that one" she says shoving it back in his hands and grabbing the Macedonia envelope...

we should discuss the ABBA video more

― zebedee (zebedee), Thursday, 13 May 2004 10:11 (twenty-two years ago)

I liked the Abba video and I want to know where I can get a Bjorn puppet of my very own. Opinions were divided at Casa Tag. Three people seemed to like the Estonian quintet, I wasn't convinced. I was all for the Ukraine. The Greek one was spirited, I thought. I'm going to miss the final. I'll tape it of course, but it's obviously not the same.

― Tag (Tag), Thursday, 13 May 2004 10:22 (twenty-two years ago)

so was this on telly then?

how pissed off must you be (switzerland) to get NUL points in the semi!!

tag if you are watching it on sunday we could watch it at the same time and then have voting FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Thursday, 13 May 2004 10:38 (twenty-two years ago)

The Swiss number was like a second-rate comedian's parody of a Eurovision song.

I am no longer convinced that Germany will win, because they'll be singing right after the Netherlands in the finals -- and the songs are very, very similar (although Max Mutzke is by far the better, more interesting singer). Folks won't be as impressed by Max as they would be if he sang right after yet another Eurodisco tune.

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Thursday, 13 May 2004 11:46 (twenty-two years ago)

Isn't this year's Brit entry SENSITIVE INDIE-LITE?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Thursday, 13 May 2004 11:55 (twenty-two years ago)

Switzerland. The tune and music was OK, the singers were obviously more than capable judging by their acapella "Stand by me" backstage.

But the words "Celebrate", "Clap your hands" and "The world is a wonderful place" were a glass of water when you were expecting a medium buffet with a bottle of plonk...

― mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 13 May 2004 12:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Isn't this year's Brit entry SENSITIVE INDIE-LITE?

Acoustic guitar: check
2 days' beard growth: check

Still not heard the song but even by Eurovision standards it has the most banal lyric evah.

― robster (robster), Thursday, 13 May 2004 13:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Carsmile Steve, you are the first person in AGES I've known to get it right and put NUL and not NIL. I wuv you.

― Madchen (Madchen), Thursday, 13 May 2004 13:14 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm not sure about the Abba video but it still might be the best thing Mayall's done since he beat the gasman unconscious with a cricket bat in 1991.

Early-evening BBC3 was made for Eurovision season - Patrick O'Connell and Lorraine Kelly get to swan around Istanbul for the week, Paddy being sarky with the Eastern Bloc'ers, Lozza comforting the semifinal losers. It's compelling stuff. James Fox more or less admitted that he's trying to seduce his way around all the backing singers in an effort to conjure points from their respective countries - and Nic Roeg's directed his video! Fabulous!

If Malta can carry off their Billy Mackenzie-beefed-up-on-operasteroids-sings-with-Pizzicato-Five bouncy schtick on the night they must stand a chance.

There seem to be a few 35-ish had-a-go-at-this-in-the-80s performers this year. I'm all for it.

I'm gay until Saturday.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 13 May 2004 19:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Eurovision Drinking Game!

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 15 May 2004 15:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Barima - fantastic. If you can find a way, then email me.

Actually, I'll email you, but you emailing me is probably also a good idea.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Saturday, 15 May 2004 15:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Now I realize I've emailed you and won't be on again until tomorrow. Hmm. But yes, read the email, if you can then great, if not then no worries. Like I said in the email.

Christ.

Oh, and vote... I dunno. Sweden would appear to make Ed O happy and I like Ed O so vote for Sweden. Yeh.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Saturday, 15 May 2004 16:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Albania would also make me happy, but since Sweden have a shot and Albania will be lucky to make top 5, throw your vote with Sweden.

Oh, fuck it, Ruslana is luscious, vote for her (Ukraine), you know you want to.

― edward o (edwardo), Saturday, 15 May 2004 16:41 (twenty-two years ago)

(also, if someone would like to post the voting number for UK or Ireland here when the lines open, I'm interested in using an international calling card to skew the process)

― edward o (edwardo), Saturday, 15 May 2004 16:45 (twenty-two years ago)

(yes, I know that is SAD, but... would it work?)

― edward o (edwardo), Saturday, 15 May 2004 16:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Anyone planning on ilxoring during the final -- live comments, mocking each others' countries' entries and such?

― OleM (OleM), Saturday, 15 May 2004 17:51 (twenty-two years ago)

(BTW, Norwegian state broadcaster NRK is webtv'ing this -- not sure whether it'll work everywhere, but I guess it might. It's at www.nrk.no, Eurovision banner just right of main logo, then on next page "Se finalen direkte her" field top-rightish.)

― OleM (OleM), Saturday, 15 May 2004 18:02 (twenty-two years ago)

Argh forget it, passwords and stuff required.

― OleM (OleM), Saturday, 15 May 2004 18:04 (twenty-two years ago)

I think you can watch it live from the eurovision website
http://www.eurovision.tv

― jellybean (jellybean), Saturday, 15 May 2004 18:05 (twenty-two years ago)

this is annoying. the video stream on the website is about 1 minute slow. I was going to listen to it on the radio and watch it on the website.

I've nothing better to do tonight anyway

― jellybean (jellybean), Saturday, 15 May 2004 18:12 (twenty-two years ago)

That's the first time I've heard the Norwegian one. Actually I feared a bit worse.

― OleM (OleM), Saturday, 15 May 2004 18:21 (twenty-two years ago)

[Malta] Eek, it's Renee and Renato! With Paul King playing Renato!

― OleM (OleM), Saturday, 15 May 2004 18:36 (twenty-two years ago)

[Netherlands] Refreshingly minimal as Eurosong goes, sort of.

― OleM (OleM), Saturday, 15 May 2004 18:38 (twenty-two years ago)

[Germany] Alright, two of those in a row is enough. Bring on Eastern Euro Hybroid Maximalism!

― OleM (OleM), Saturday, 15 May 2004 18:39 (twenty-two years ago)

[Ukraine] That's the spirit.

*muses* Turkey and other countries have submitted this kind of local/hitech mix to this contest for what seems like decades, and to "us hip westerners" sounded hopelessly out of touch -- funny how changes in "our" pop trends ("kiss kiss" random example) have made "their" pop seem more current... :)

― OleM (OleM), Saturday, 15 May 2004 18:53 (twenty-two years ago)

[Macedonia] Wo, the rhythm here totally throws me

― OleM (OleM), Saturday, 15 May 2004 19:09 (twenty-two years ago)

what was that guy wearing?

― jellybean (jellybean), Saturday, 15 May 2004 19:11 (twenty-two years ago)

I know not the English word for such things. Nor Norwegian ones. Also, interweb tv screen v v small.

[Poland] That guy looks like momus! (prob only because interweb tv screen v v small) plus: great thing about this thing: noone bats eyelid when Poland goes Latin!

― OleM (OleM), Saturday, 15 May 2004 19:26 (twenty-two years ago)

That GB entry looks very dull after all the costumes and dancing of the previsous entry. Actually our entry reminds me of Bryan Adams. Maybe it's the hair.

― jellybean (jellybean), Saturday, 15 May 2004 19:28 (twenty-two years ago)

I can't believe that the backing singers are doing that handwaving thing.

― jellybean (jellybean), Saturday, 15 May 2004 19:29 (twenty-two years ago)

[UK] I get the feeling that just inserting one interesting quirk in some of these songs could have improved them out of all proportion.

That was xpost. Yes, prob the hair.

― OleM (OleM), Saturday, 15 May 2004 19:30 (twenty-two years ago)

[Turkey] Whoah he's giving it some! HE FO REAL (?) Whoooah again, peace signs, and artist/band called Athena (as in Greece) -- WAS WORLD PEACE JUST DECLARED?

― OleM (OleM), Saturday, 15 May 2004 19:36 (twenty-two years ago)

well if the Greeks vote for them because of their name.

― jellybean (jellybean), Saturday, 15 May 2004 19:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Us Nogs are notorious for 12ing the Swedes btw -- heard bad things about their entry this year, so this will be interesting...

― OleM (OleM), Saturday, 15 May 2004 19:40 (twenty-two years ago)

was that macedonia entry really in 7/4 time ?

― Snowy Mann (rdmanston), Saturday, 15 May 2004 19:51 (twenty-two years ago)

why is the riverdance lot on? this isn't in ireland..

― jellybean (jellybean), Saturday, 15 May 2004 19:57 (twenty-two years ago)

Mann: it threw me as I said, not sure. WE NEED DAN TO COUNT FOR US DAN WHERE ARE YOU

― OleM (OleM), Saturday, 15 May 2004 19:58 (twenty-two years ago)

They have rivers in Turkey as well, you know -- it's Saudi Arabia that lacks'em.

― OleM (OleM), Saturday, 15 May 2004 19:58 (twenty-two years ago)

(Since I've babbled so much here, I can also reveal that my votes were Netherlands, Macedonia, Ukraine, Russia, 2xTurkey and 2xPoland)

xvote: Andorra upping Spain, haha nonshocka

― OleM (OleM), Saturday, 15 May 2004 20:07 (twenty-two years ago)

I can't comment that much, cos I was cooking for about an hour of it.

but they've got nice graphics thing for the voting

― jellybean (jellybean), Saturday, 15 May 2004 20:09 (twenty-two years ago)

Yes, automatically updating the ranking: undisputed C

― OleM (OleM), Saturday, 15 May 2004 20:10 (twenty-two years ago)

[B&H vote] Wo, wo, wo: world peace has been declared. Or something. *falls asleep*

― OleM (OleM), Saturday, 15 May 2004 20:12 (twenty-two years ago)

ones i thought worth points: ukraine (yeeha), russia (poor perf but possibly pleasant song), bosnia & herz (haha moroder chuggachugga!)

audacious/bizarre/interesting: malta (coda bit), poland ( polish reggae?), turkey (ska-ish + punk bondage breeks!)

most classic 'eurovision pop' = sweden ?

― Snowy Mann (rdmanston), Saturday, 15 May 2004 20:13 (twenty-two years ago)

oh and whatever that macedonian guy was wearing, if they do it in black I WANT ONE

NOW

― Snowy Mann (rdmanston), Saturday, 15 May 2004 20:14 (twenty-two years ago)

*wakes* Snowy: we so agree, should have registered a Malta vote for the role-reversal coda thing -- it showed some ambition, goddamm. My Dutch vote was just W Europe representin'.

― OleM (OleM), Saturday, 15 May 2004 20:22 (twenty-two years ago)

my note next to Serbia & Montenegro: '0'

i am obviously deaf + understand nothing about international politicals innit

― Snowy Mann (rdmanston), Saturday, 15 May 2004 20:31 (twenty-two years ago)

OleM yr pt about local/hitech mix re-interpretation was spot on

― Snowy Mann (rdmanston), Saturday, 15 May 2004 20:35 (twenty-two years ago)

(In related news:

Why do you people magnify my mistakes?
The Eurovision Song Contest?
Rub my Heavenly Visage in it why don't you.
I'm not a happy God today.

-- God (thealmight...))

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Saturday, 15 May 2004 20:38 (twenty-two years ago)

i still vote 100 points for last year's estonian entry

god couldn't have felt bad about that one,surely

― Snowy Mann (rdmanston), Saturday, 15 May 2004 20:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Agreed with Snowy upthread, Sweden most classically 'Eurovision'. But Ukraine have surely won now (despite not having voted yet).

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Saturday, 15 May 2004 20:55 (twenty-two years ago)

omg we 12ed them swedes AGAIN! Fair enough in isolation (pffffft), but goddamm, the manyyear Nog commentator (plus others) always makes snide comments on neighbour/partisan/religion/whatever votes, and me it annoys. yes.

I am not happy with greece beating turkey, really.

― OleM (OleM), Saturday, 15 May 2004 20:59 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm not happy with bits of Russian commentary. To put it mildly.

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Saturday, 15 May 2004 21:01 (twenty-two years ago)

(That was easier before the "you can sing in whichever language" ruling, when one could defend oneself with "but we underSTOOD that tripe you were shouting, y swedes/nogs/luxembourgians")

eh, points from Sweden!

also, that Swede at least tried saying Crna Gora! 'Spect! Sweden was always more Continentally inclined heh heh! :)

― OleM (OleM), Saturday, 15 May 2004 21:02 (twenty-two years ago)

Yo t i i t! Not happy with ES commentary anyway, me, having that condescending idiot. That was good thing about webwatching.

― OleM (OleM), Saturday, 15 May 2004 21:04 (twenty-two years ago)

Hahaha just popped into livingroom to fill up wine glass, idiot commentator I just mentioned: "But Knut Anders Sørum did what he could, and gave his all, and this must just mean... that there's something wrong with... the taste of us Norwegians..." Hahahahahahahahahaha!!! God wot fuxxxorism...

― OleM (OleM), Saturday, 15 May 2004 21:09 (twenty-two years ago)

bbc3: ok wtf does 'joe mace' do for a living ?

― Snowy Mann (rdmanston), Saturday, 15 May 2004 21:25 (twenty-two years ago)

apart from pound cocaine up his arse

― Snowy Mann (rdmanston), Saturday, 15 May 2004 21:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Does one need an actual point to say
*falls asleep again, drunkenly this time*

― OleM (OleM), Saturday, 15 May 2004 21:33 (twenty-two years ago)

Not a classic year.

The Russian Avril Lavigne-a-like taking a big hissy fit at the end of her routine and shoving the oompaloompa-type backing dancers was funny, as was the link to the outside broadcast with the woman picking her nose. Greece and Malta were the biz though. Proper Eurovision, innit - ripping off of clothing and dodgy duetting...

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 16 May 2004 11:04 (twenty-two years ago)

I liked the one about anal sex. Sweden, I think.

― Eyeball Kicks (Eyeball Kicks), Sunday, 16 May 2004 11:07 (twenty-two years ago)

bit late now to comment on the show, who i voted for & result, i guess

so one general comment: interesting to note the strong influence of (a) Shakira, (b)Justin, and - more bizarrely - (c)Men At Work on many of this year's entries

― zebedee (zebedee), Monday, 17 May 2004 12:47 (twenty-two years ago)

I watched it last night. It just wasn't the same. But yes, Sweden got my vote. Although I would say that. The "it's about up-the-bum sex" notion certainly seemed to gain extra credibility from her gratuitous mike stand antics.

No complaints about the winner, it was...spirited. Does anyone apart from Terry really care that it's not a "song" contest anymore? Not me anyway, I want showbiz.

― Tag (Tag), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 08:03 (twenty-two years ago)

A tattoed ginger bloke playing ska? That'll be the Turkish entry, then.

― Mikey G (Mikey G), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 08:09 (twenty-two years ago)

To the extent that the Ukrainian entry was a total rip-off of "Gengis Kahn", both of my predictions were correct -- Max failed to win because he was the second boy-on-a-stool in a row, and a German entry (albeit one from years ago) won.

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 11:00 (twenty-two years ago)

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