Eurovision Song Contest 2007
This year semi-final and final for the Eurovision song contest will be held in Helsinki on Thursday the 10th of May and Saturday the 12th of May. I will be enjoying both on Playa Del Ingles!
United Kingdom was the last country to pick its contestant and did so last night, I watched their national final where six competitors fought for the right to represent their country in Helsinki. None of the songs were very good, I’d say that either Big Brovaz or Cyndi would have had the best chance to do well in the Eurovision final, but the British audience decided to send Scooch with their very poppy song Flying The Flag to the final.
I’ve been to the Eurovision web site and had a look at the competitors this year. Mainly based on their music I’ve tried to form an opinion on them, and I’ve also given them points according to the Eurovision rule: 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 10 – 12.
And just to make it clear before you start reading my comments, I don’t know much about music when it comes to what the different genres are called and so on, usually I don’t need to know, I know if I like a song or not and that’s enough. In my comments below though I’ve tried to give you an idea of whether a song is fast or slow, if it’s a nice light pop-kind of song or a bit harder. When I describe a song as being pop or rock or whatever I may be totally wrong, but hey, it’s the best I can do with my poor knowledge about music.
Albania – Frederik Ndoci – Hear my plea - 2
A totally insignificant ballade with a touch of ethnic music.
Andorra – Anonymous – Salvem El Món - 4
I’m sure I’ve heard this one before? A nice and catchy pop song but so similar to thousands that’ve been before.
Armenia – Hayko – Anytime you need - 1
Another insignificant ballade – without the touch of ethnic music.
Austria – Erik Papilaya – Get a life, get alive - 10
Like it! A pop-rock song that somehow partly reminds me of Bon Jovi’s songs
Belarus – Koldun – Work your magic - 7
Not bad. Kind of cute singer, and really handsome guitar player. Good pop song, more catchy than the one from Andorra, entertaining video.
Belgium- The KMG’s – LovePower - 3
Late 70s early 80s song? Boring and insignificant.
Bosnia & Herzegovina – Maria Šestić – Rjieka Bez Imena – 3
Sounds like the opening to what might be a nice ballade, but as the Eurovision site provides me with only about 30 seconds of this song I can’t really say.
Bulgaria – Elitsa Todorova & Stan Yankoulov – Water - 3
I think this is a good catchy dance song, with some good drumming rhythms in there as well, but for some reason I don’t care much for it.
Croatia – Dragonfly feat Dado Topić – Vjerujem U Ljubav - 1
Ouch – the female singer has a voice that hurts my ears. I think this song tries to be a rock ballade but it doesn’t succeed very well, I sort of feel it is all over the place and it doesn’t touch me at all.
Cyprus – Evridiki – Comme Ci, Comme Ça - 1
Boring insignificant pop-dance kind of song.
Czech Republic – Kábat – Mála Dáma – 3
Strange voice on this male singer, not necessarily unpleasant, but strange. When he sings he sounds like a heavy metal or death metal singer or something, but the song even though I guess it can be called a light rock song is not anywhere near that music genre. Not half bad, but…
Denmark – DQ – Drama Queen – 4
Very typical Eurovision song, it reminds me a lot of songs I’ve heard in the competition earlier years. Catchy and nice song performed by a drag artist, not by far the best I’ve heard in the “Eurovision genre” though.
Estonia – Gerli Padar – Partners in Crime - 6
Not half bad, I’d say above average nice pop song, catchy and stuff, nice rhythm.
Finland – Hanna Pakarinen – Leave me alone - 8
Yeah, I like this. Good voice, good rock song, this is a song I’d like to hear more than once.
France – Les Fatals Picards – L’amour À La Français - 5
Opens with some very charming English lyrics with French accent. I remember reading or hearing somewhere that France has really tried to find a good song to represent their country this year because they were so fed up with always ending up last (and France has been known to have some terribly bad songs through the years). The song this year is better than a lot of the songs representing France in previous years, more modern for one thing, fast and pop kind of song, but a bit exhausting. Not my favourite kind of music but I would be surprised if France ends up without any points this year though.
FYR Macedonia – Karolina – Mojot Svet - 7
Very ethnic song, more rock than pop I’d say. Not half bad.
Georgia – Sopho – Visionary Dream - 5
This is one of the new countries this year I think, and not a bad entry into Eurovision Song Contest. The song has some ethnic sound to it; rhythmic fast pop-dance kind of song, the female singer has a good voice. There is a certain greatness in this. Probably not one of my favourites though.
Germany – Roger Cicero – Frauen Regier’n Die Welt - 4
Blues-jazz song, a bit boring.
Greece – Sarbel – Yassou Maria - 8
The song is a mix of Latino and Greek sounds and rhythms. Not surprisingly I like this one, as I often do with the Greek songs for Eurovision. It’s not the best one I’ve heard from Greece, Sakis Rouvas with ‘Shake It’ a couple of years ago was a lot better, but still…
Hungaria – Magdi Rúzsa – Unsubstantial Blues – 5
Only about a minute of this song provided on the Eurovision site, but what I hear from it, it does sound like a fairly nice bluesy ballade.
Iceland – Eiríkur Hauksson – Valentine Lost - 7
A rock ballade, and there is greatness in this one, I like it.
Ireland – Dervish – They can’t stop the spring - 6
Not surprisingly a ballade with the typical Irish sound to it. Ireland has had many good ballades over the years in Eurovision Song Contest, I’m afraid this is not one of the best. It’s ok, but nothing more than that. I like the Irish sound to it though.
Israel – Teapacks – Push the button - 1
I must admit I don’t know what to call this genre of music, not pop, rock, blues or jazz that’s for sure. It’s kind of fast, and strange, and I don’t like it at all.
Latvia – Bonaparti.LV – Questa Notte - 5
A ballade with partly a bit of an opera sound to it. Not bad but a bit boring.
Lithuania – 4Fun – Love or leave - 1
Boring insignificant ballade.
Malta – Olivia Lewis – Vertigo - 4
A typical song from Malta: a ballade striving for greatness, but this one doesn’t really succeed. A bit of ethnic sound in there as well. An ok ballade I guess.
Moldova – Natalia Barbu – Fight - 6
I really liked the opening to this, and then it was a bit of a let down when the girl started singing, but it’s not bad, but not very special either. I’d pretty much call it a rock ballade, a bit faster than your average ballade though.
Montenegro – Stevan Faddy – Hajde Kroči - 3
Rock-pop song that doesn’t really do anything for me.
Netherlands – Edsilia Rombley – On top of the world - 5
Quite nice pop song with a catchy refrain.
Norway – Guri Schanke – Ven A Bailar Conmigo - 7
A nice Latino song, but even though I really want to like it because it’s Norwegian, I have to admit I’m not too thrilled about it. I don’t love it, as I sometimes do with the Norwegian songs (for example Wig Wam two years ago was excellent). But maybe it will do well in Eurovision then, since it seems every year I really love the Norwegian song, it doesn’t do well at all.
Poland – The Jet Set – Time to Party - 2
A bit of rap, a bit of pop, a bit of ballade – a bit of everything it seems and I don’t care much for it.
Portugal – Sabrina – Dança Comigo (Vem Ser Feliz) - 4
Also one of the songs that only have about half a minute on the Eurovision website, it sounds like a fairly average fast Latino song.
Romania – Todomondo – Liubi, Liubi, I love you - 3
A very simple song, almost as if it was made for children. They sing in several different languages: English, Italian, Spanish, Russian, French – and they also bring in typical ethnic sounds from the countries the different languages represent. It is interesting, but… It’s a bit too much I’d say.
Russia – Serebro – Song #1 - 6
Nice and catchy pop song, the part of it I’ve heard, only about 1 minute provided of this song on the Eurovision site.
Serbia – Marija Šerifović – Molitva - 4
A middle of the road kind of ballade.
Slovenia – Alenka Gotar – Svet Z Juga - 3
Almost a bit of opera to this song, great voice on this female singer. A fast ballade I’d call it. I don’t think it’s a bad song – but it’s not my kind of music.
Spain – D’Nash – I love you Mi Vida - 8
A fast Latino song with lots of rhythm, and I usually love those – this one I don’t exactly love, but still it is quite nice, and four cute guys as well.
Sweden – The Ark – The Worrying Kind - 7
There is something in this song that reminds me of a typical Eurovision song, even though it really isn’t. Perhaps it’s a newer version of the typical old Eurovision song from Sweden? I somewhat like it.
Switzerland – DJ Bobo – Vampires are alive - 7
Cool video. The song seem too light and joyful for the title though, too much dance, I would’ve wanted something darker. But still, fairly nice song and will probably do well in clubs for those who wants to dance.
Turkey – Kenan Doğulu – Shake it up Shekerim - 6
Nice rhythms, fast. Not bad.
Ukraine – Verka Serduchka – Dancing Lasha Tumbai - 0
There always must be one: a totally ridiculous looking artist with an even more silly song – and this year, this is the one. It’s dreadful.
United Kingdom – Scooch – Flying the flag (for you) - 5
A very average pop song with a catchy refrain, very typical Eurovision song, but not a very good one.
So, now that I have listened to all of the songs (some of them only in parts, but still…) I guess I can say that among this year’s competitors my favourites seem to be:
Austria – Erik Papilaya – Get a life, get alive - 10
Finland – Hanna Pakarinen – Leave me alone - 8
Greece – Sarbel – Yassou Maria - 8
Spain – D’Nash – I love you Mi Vida – 8
Belarus – Koldun – Work your magic - 7
FYR Macedonia – Karolina – Mojot Svet - 7
Iceland – Eiríkur Hauksson – Valentine Lost - 7
Norway – Guri Schanke – Ven A Bailar Conmigo - 7
Sweden – The Ark – The Worrying Kind - 7
Switzerland – DJ Bobo – Vampires are alive - 7
Who would I put my money on as the winner? I would never bet money on the winner of Eurovision Song Contest, because I never get it right anyway. Last year I really really wanted Lordi from Finland to win, but I didn’t think they’d have a snowball’s chance in hell of doing that, so when asked I said that my personal favourite was them but that I thought that… Oh, I don’t remember, but some other country would win – and then to my surprise and delight Lordi did actually win.
I have not been able to give a 12 to anyone this year. Listening to all the songs, I’ve been waiting and hoping for that one song when I’ll think OH YES I love this – it hasn’t come along. But the one 10’er I’ve given to quite a good song: Austria and Erik Papilaya, who knows, maybe he’ll be a winner too?
And when I see them on stage on the 10th and 12th of May I might even change my mind about who my favourites are.
United Kingdom was the last country to pick its contestant and did so last night, I watched their national final where six competitors fought for the right to represent their country in Helsinki. None of the songs were very good, I’d say that either Big Brovaz or Cyndi would have had the best chance to do well in the Eurovision final, but the British audience decided to send Scooch with their very poppy song Flying The Flag to the final.
I’ve been to the Eurovision web site and had a look at the competitors this year. Mainly based on their music I’ve tried to form an opinion on them, and I’ve also given them points according to the Eurovision rule: 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 10 – 12.
And just to make it clear before you start reading my comments, I don’t know much about music when it comes to what the different genres are called and so on, usually I don’t need to know, I know if I like a song or not and that’s enough. In my comments below though I’ve tried to give you an idea of whether a song is fast or slow, if it’s a nice light pop-kind of song or a bit harder. When I describe a song as being pop or rock or whatever I may be totally wrong, but hey, it’s the best I can do with my poor knowledge about music.
Albania – Frederik Ndoci – Hear my plea - 2
A totally insignificant ballade with a touch of ethnic music.
Andorra – Anonymous – Salvem El Món - 4
I’m sure I’ve heard this one before? A nice and catchy pop song but so similar to thousands that’ve been before.
Armenia – Hayko – Anytime you need - 1
Another insignificant ballade – without the touch of ethnic music.
Austria – Erik Papilaya – Get a life, get alive - 10
Like it! A pop-rock song that somehow partly reminds me of Bon Jovi’s songs
Belarus – Koldun – Work your magic - 7
Not bad. Kind of cute singer, and really handsome guitar player. Good pop song, more catchy than the one from Andorra, entertaining video.
Belgium- The KMG’s – LovePower - 3
Late 70s early 80s song? Boring and insignificant.
Bosnia & Herzegovina – Maria Šestić – Rjieka Bez Imena – 3
Sounds like the opening to what might be a nice ballade, but as the Eurovision site provides me with only about 30 seconds of this song I can’t really say.
Bulgaria – Elitsa Todorova & Stan Yankoulov – Water - 3
I think this is a good catchy dance song, with some good drumming rhythms in there as well, but for some reason I don’t care much for it.
Croatia – Dragonfly feat Dado Topić – Vjerujem U Ljubav - 1
Ouch – the female singer has a voice that hurts my ears. I think this song tries to be a rock ballade but it doesn’t succeed very well, I sort of feel it is all over the place and it doesn’t touch me at all.
Cyprus – Evridiki – Comme Ci, Comme Ça - 1
Boring insignificant pop-dance kind of song.
Czech Republic – Kábat – Mála Dáma – 3
Strange voice on this male singer, not necessarily unpleasant, but strange. When he sings he sounds like a heavy metal or death metal singer or something, but the song even though I guess it can be called a light rock song is not anywhere near that music genre. Not half bad, but…
Denmark – DQ – Drama Queen – 4
Very typical Eurovision song, it reminds me a lot of songs I’ve heard in the competition earlier years. Catchy and nice song performed by a drag artist, not by far the best I’ve heard in the “Eurovision genre” though.
Estonia – Gerli Padar – Partners in Crime - 6
Not half bad, I’d say above average nice pop song, catchy and stuff, nice rhythm.
Finland – Hanna Pakarinen – Leave me alone - 8
Yeah, I like this. Good voice, good rock song, this is a song I’d like to hear more than once.
France – Les Fatals Picards – L’amour À La Français - 5
Opens with some very charming English lyrics with French accent. I remember reading or hearing somewhere that France has really tried to find a good song to represent their country this year because they were so fed up with always ending up last (and France has been known to have some terribly bad songs through the years). The song this year is better than a lot of the songs representing France in previous years, more modern for one thing, fast and pop kind of song, but a bit exhausting. Not my favourite kind of music but I would be surprised if France ends up without any points this year though.
FYR Macedonia – Karolina – Mojot Svet - 7
Very ethnic song, more rock than pop I’d say. Not half bad.
Georgia – Sopho – Visionary Dream - 5
This is one of the new countries this year I think, and not a bad entry into Eurovision Song Contest. The song has some ethnic sound to it; rhythmic fast pop-dance kind of song, the female singer has a good voice. There is a certain greatness in this. Probably not one of my favourites though.
Germany – Roger Cicero – Frauen Regier’n Die Welt - 4
Blues-jazz song, a bit boring.
Greece – Sarbel – Yassou Maria - 8
The song is a mix of Latino and Greek sounds and rhythms. Not surprisingly I like this one, as I often do with the Greek songs for Eurovision. It’s not the best one I’ve heard from Greece, Sakis Rouvas with ‘Shake It’ a couple of years ago was a lot better, but still…
Hungaria – Magdi Rúzsa – Unsubstantial Blues – 5
Only about a minute of this song provided on the Eurovision site, but what I hear from it, it does sound like a fairly nice bluesy ballade.
Iceland – Eiríkur Hauksson – Valentine Lost - 7
A rock ballade, and there is greatness in this one, I like it.
Ireland – Dervish – They can’t stop the spring - 6
Not surprisingly a ballade with the typical Irish sound to it. Ireland has had many good ballades over the years in Eurovision Song Contest, I’m afraid this is not one of the best. It’s ok, but nothing more than that. I like the Irish sound to it though.
Israel – Teapacks – Push the button - 1
I must admit I don’t know what to call this genre of music, not pop, rock, blues or jazz that’s for sure. It’s kind of fast, and strange, and I don’t like it at all.
Latvia – Bonaparti.LV – Questa Notte - 5
A ballade with partly a bit of an opera sound to it. Not bad but a bit boring.
Lithuania – 4Fun – Love or leave - 1
Boring insignificant ballade.
Malta – Olivia Lewis – Vertigo - 4
A typical song from Malta: a ballade striving for greatness, but this one doesn’t really succeed. A bit of ethnic sound in there as well. An ok ballade I guess.
Moldova – Natalia Barbu – Fight - 6
I really liked the opening to this, and then it was a bit of a let down when the girl started singing, but it’s not bad, but not very special either. I’d pretty much call it a rock ballade, a bit faster than your average ballade though.
Montenegro – Stevan Faddy – Hajde Kroči - 3
Rock-pop song that doesn’t really do anything for me.
Netherlands – Edsilia Rombley – On top of the world - 5
Quite nice pop song with a catchy refrain.
Norway – Guri Schanke – Ven A Bailar Conmigo - 7
A nice Latino song, but even though I really want to like it because it’s Norwegian, I have to admit I’m not too thrilled about it. I don’t love it, as I sometimes do with the Norwegian songs (for example Wig Wam two years ago was excellent). But maybe it will do well in Eurovision then, since it seems every year I really love the Norwegian song, it doesn’t do well at all.
Poland – The Jet Set – Time to Party - 2
A bit of rap, a bit of pop, a bit of ballade – a bit of everything it seems and I don’t care much for it.
Portugal – Sabrina – Dança Comigo (Vem Ser Feliz) - 4
Also one of the songs that only have about half a minute on the Eurovision website, it sounds like a fairly average fast Latino song.
Romania – Todomondo – Liubi, Liubi, I love you - 3
A very simple song, almost as if it was made for children. They sing in several different languages: English, Italian, Spanish, Russian, French – and they also bring in typical ethnic sounds from the countries the different languages represent. It is interesting, but… It’s a bit too much I’d say.
Russia – Serebro – Song #1 - 6
Nice and catchy pop song, the part of it I’ve heard, only about 1 minute provided of this song on the Eurovision site.
Serbia – Marija Šerifović – Molitva - 4
A middle of the road kind of ballade.
Slovenia – Alenka Gotar – Svet Z Juga - 3
Almost a bit of opera to this song, great voice on this female singer. A fast ballade I’d call it. I don’t think it’s a bad song – but it’s not my kind of music.
Spain – D’Nash – I love you Mi Vida - 8
A fast Latino song with lots of rhythm, and I usually love those – this one I don’t exactly love, but still it is quite nice, and four cute guys as well.
Sweden – The Ark – The Worrying Kind - 7
There is something in this song that reminds me of a typical Eurovision song, even though it really isn’t. Perhaps it’s a newer version of the typical old Eurovision song from Sweden? I somewhat like it.
Switzerland – DJ Bobo – Vampires are alive - 7
Cool video. The song seem too light and joyful for the title though, too much dance, I would’ve wanted something darker. But still, fairly nice song and will probably do well in clubs for those who wants to dance.
Turkey – Kenan Doğulu – Shake it up Shekerim - 6
Nice rhythms, fast. Not bad.
Ukraine – Verka Serduchka – Dancing Lasha Tumbai - 0
There always must be one: a totally ridiculous looking artist with an even more silly song – and this year, this is the one. It’s dreadful.
United Kingdom – Scooch – Flying the flag (for you) - 5
A very average pop song with a catchy refrain, very typical Eurovision song, but not a very good one.
So, now that I have listened to all of the songs (some of them only in parts, but still…) I guess I can say that among this year’s competitors my favourites seem to be:
Austria – Erik Papilaya – Get a life, get alive - 10
Finland – Hanna Pakarinen – Leave me alone - 8
Greece – Sarbel – Yassou Maria - 8
Spain – D’Nash – I love you Mi Vida – 8
Belarus – Koldun – Work your magic - 7
FYR Macedonia – Karolina – Mojot Svet - 7
Iceland – Eiríkur Hauksson – Valentine Lost - 7
Norway – Guri Schanke – Ven A Bailar Conmigo - 7
Sweden – The Ark – The Worrying Kind - 7
Switzerland – DJ Bobo – Vampires are alive - 7
Who would I put my money on as the winner? I would never bet money on the winner of Eurovision Song Contest, because I never get it right anyway. Last year I really really wanted Lordi from Finland to win, but I didn’t think they’d have a snowball’s chance in hell of doing that, so when asked I said that my personal favourite was them but that I thought that… Oh, I don’t remember, but some other country would win – and then to my surprise and delight Lordi did actually win.
I have not been able to give a 12 to anyone this year. Listening to all the songs, I’ve been waiting and hoping for that one song when I’ll think OH YES I love this – it hasn’t come along. But the one 10’er I’ve given to quite a good song: Austria and Erik Papilaya, who knows, maybe he’ll be a winner too?
And when I see them on stage on the 10th and 12th of May I might even change my mind about who my favourites are.
posted by Lena M Bakke @ 6:20 PM
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