Eurovision Song Contest: Greece, Latvia and Spain

Greece
Loucas Yiorkas Feat. Stereo Mike – Watch my dance
Greece has been in the Eurovision Song Contest 31 times since 1974. They've won it once, in 2005 with Helena Paparizou – My number one, and their worst place ever is number 20 in 1998. In the last seven years they've always ended up among the top 10.
But me personally, I think that will end this year, because… Greece, I'm not liking this, and I’ll tell you the simple truth why. Including the above mentioned winning song in 2005 here’s a sample of what I've come to expect from Greece:
2004 Sakis Rouvas – Shake it
2007 Sarbel – Yassou Maria
2009 Sakis Rouvas – This is our night
2010 Giorgos Alkaios & Friends – Opa
And this year they’re doing a… rap, and that just isn’t my thing, and I certainly don’t want that from Greece. Watch my dance isn’t exactly bad, I can see that it has some good qualities, and the refrain isn’t half bad, and surely some people will like this, me… not so much… I want something fun, something happy, something Greek from Greece, that’s my opinion anyway…
Greece – 3 points

Latvia
Musiqq – Angel in disguise
Latvia first entered the Eurovision Song Contest in 2000 and has participated every year since then. They've won it once, in 2002 with Marie N – I wanna (which I never quite understood, by the way, because I didn't care much for it at all), but they've also failed to qualify for the final 3 times.
One of my favourite Eurovision songs actually comes from Latvia, that in their first year in the competition, back in 2000, when Brainstorm sang My Star and came in third place. What a wonderful song!
But this year it’s Musiqq with Angel in disguise, and this is ok, but nothing more, and when they get to the spot when even these guys feel the need to do a bit of rapping… please, leave that to Eminem (whom I actually quite like, so it’s not that I don’t like rap, it’s just got to be done right). This song doesn't leave much of an impression on me I'm afraid, I get a bit bored…
Latvia – 3 points

Spain
Lucia Perez – Que me quiten lo bailao
Spain has been in every Eurovision Song Contest since 1961. They've won it twice, in 1968 and 1969 (in 1969 they had to share the victory with 3 other countries), and their worst placement came in 2009 when they ended up as number 23. In 1999 Spain became one of the big 4 in Eurovision, that is, the 4 countries that don’t have to go through the semi-finals, because they contribute so much financially to the contest that they’re automatically qualified for the final.
The first time I heard this year’s entry, I wasn't too keen, but the more I listen to it, the more it grows on me, it isn't half bad. It can of course not compete with earlier Spanish entries like David Civera – Dile que le quiero in 2001 and Ramón – Para llenarme de ti in 2004, but still, it is a quite good, happy, party-song, the kind we like in Eurovision, and it most certainly is Spanish. I quite often like it when countries sing in their own language and ad a touch that tells us what kind of culture it comes from. Don’t think Spain will win this year though:
Spain – 6 points