I am exhausted today because last night was the Eurovision Song Contest! It was glorious weather so I spent the morning painting the garden fence (a garden update is due soon), then we went over to my friend’s house for a BBQ before we watched the show which (once you endure the hours of voting) finished at midnight. A non-stop day so I had no time for any #WeblogPoMo2024, meaning just broke my 9 day streak but that’s ok!
I fucking love Eurovision. I have since I was child! When I was a university I’d invite my friends into my halls room to watch (I took a tiny tv to uni) and after we all graduated that morphed into a tradition of an annual meet up. Now we all live all over the country we use it as a fixed event when everyone will get together.
I love it because
- It’s camp, it’s silly, it’s fun and just about everyone having a good time!
- It brings people together from all over “Europe” (and now Australia… Australia now being in the contest is so Eurovision and I love it). Entrants always talk about what a fun community experience it is.
- The music! From the silly to the emotional ballads! In recent years I think the songs have gotten better and better (but I do miss the wackier stuff).
- The spectacle! The staging is as important as the song, and every year things get crazier!
- The hosts and their often naff and awkward jokes!
During the pandemic I actually gained a deeper appreciation for it. The 2020 contest was cancelled and instead they aired a special show to showcase the entrants that wouldn’t get to compete, and the BBC had some special programming in tribute. I found it all incredibly moving and a true celebration of how it brings people together in difficult times.
I also found the Mission Eurovision Twitter and the hashtag fans used each Saturday night to rewatch an old contest on YouTube and tweet along. That was huge highlight of my time in lockdown, I had a great time and I really felt the joy and community it creates.
These days however I don’t think most of my friends are as invested in it as I am, and sometimes that means I’m getting more frustrated by people talking over the songs… and in more recent years we have to watch with my friend’s now 6 year old who insists on staying up and shouting questions over the whole thing (he is a very chatty child)… Finland’s entry this year caused such a furfor I heard none of it!
I do get it, we are in our thirties and people have kids… kids are loud… but it frustrates me not to hear the songs in a song contest!
In the past I’ve never paid much attention to the rounds before the grand final, I used to like to just be surprised and judge things on the night. But I think now, so I potentially get less annoyed (and we have a good few years left before this extroverted kid stops wanting to hang out with his parent’s friends!), I need to invest time in looking up the entrants beforehand!
This year’s show was a tense one, with all controversy (and booing) around the inclusion of Israel it did all feel on edge. There was an awkward tribute to ABBA on the 50th anniversary of their win, with their horrific hologram avatars because they still won’t appear together (I hate those things). I always love Petra Mede as a host but even she felt a little stiff. Actress Malin Ackerman (Silk Spectre in Watchmen to me!) was her co-host and I thought was fine. I was disappointed we got no Måns Zelmerlöw!
I’ve re-viewed the finalists from last night, and these were my personal top 5!
1. Croatia: Baby Lasagne – Rim Tim Tagi Dim
This was catchy and a performance that really got the crowd going!
2. Finland: Windows95man – No Rules!
This was ridiculous but the sneaky camera work was very fun to watch!
3. France: Slimane – Mon Amour
I don’t understand French but this was emotional, powerful and one of the best voices of the night!
4. Ireland: Bambie Thug – Doomsday Blue
This was an unexpected entry for Ireland, who typically enter the cheesiest pop or novelty contestants! I actually like the song, and what a performance!
5. United Kingdom: Olly Alexander – Dizzy
I actually liked our song this year, though I was perplexed by the choice to stage it in a grimy locker room which gave a seedy vibe that I’m not sure was Eurovision appropriate. The music video just had him dancing in a bedroom!
Honourable mention for Estonia: 5MINUST x Puuluup – (nendest) narkootikumidest ei tea me (küll) midagi’
I don’t understand Estonian so I had no idea what this song was about until I looked up a translation for the title, I just enjoyed the performance. I’m a sucker for middle aged men jumping about being silly at Eurovision, they were clearly having great fun!
Apparently the title in English is “ we don’t know anything about (these) drugs!” and is about police raiding their apartment as they deny the drugs are theirs.. oh wow! Great analysis on WiwiBloggs!
