Eurovision Song Contest: Israel, Albania and Sweden

Israel
Dana International – Ding Dong
Israel first entered Eurovision Song Contest in 1973, since then they've participated in the competition 33 times. 3 times they have won the competition and twice they have not qualified for the Final. This year’s artist representing Israel, Dana International, has actually won the competition before, in 1998, with the song Diva. Personally I think that the winning songs of 1978 Izhar Cohen & the Alphabeta: A-Ba-Ni-Bi and 1979 Gali Atari & Milk and Honey: Hallelujah were better. My all time favourite Eurovision song from Israel though was in 1987 when two guys called Datner & Kushnir sang a funny song and did a Blues Brothers act along with it.
But back to this year, when Dana International is once again entering the competition and the song is… ok… nothing more, nothing less, doesn't exactly bore me but doesn't exactly excite me either.
Israel – 3 points

Albania
Aurela Gaçe – Feel the passion
Albania’s first participation in Eurovision Song Contest was in 2004 and since then they've participated every year. Their best place ever is number 7, in their first year 2004 when Anjeza Shahini sang The Image of You, a song that I quite liked, twice they've not qualified for the final.
As for this year’s song, it’s one of those ok minus songs… Hard to grade because it obviously isn't good, but among those that are in the bottom half of the table, how bad is it really? When I first listened to it, I gave it 3 points, when I listened to it again today it just felt to noisy and annoying, so now I'm down to a:
Albania – 2 points

Sweden
Eric Saade – Popular
Sweden’s first time in Eurovision Song Contest was back in 1958 and since then they've only stayed away from 3 competitions. They have won 4 times, the first time with the extremely famous Abba – Waterloo in 1974 and the last time in 1999 with Charlotte Nilsson – Take me to your heaven, also an extremely good song if you ask me. Last year was the first time Sweden didn't qualify for the final, and I worry about them this year as well.
I always used to say that Sweden would always have a good Eurovision song, much better than Norway, but in the last few years, I've not liked at all the songs that Sweden’s come up with. The last time they really had a huge favourite for me was when they came in number 5 in 2006 with Carola and Invincible.
This year it’s Eric Saade singing Popular. First of all, I have to state the obvious, the drumming on this song is taken directly from Boney M – Rasputin, just had to say it, because for me, I think it is the drumming that is so attractive with this song. Ok, so the song itself isn't THAT bad, it’s a fast, party-song, and the guy is handsome, but… I’m not too keen on his voice. I keep thinking, this song would've been a whole lot better with a better singer. It is hard to predict if they’ll go through to the final, the song is not half bad, but still reminds me of so much that’s been done before – but then again, it is very catchy and even though it’s not one of my favourites this year, this is still the song that I keep humming to myself all day through.
Sweden – 5 points