Eurovision 2008

[P-Bal]

He's also one of their biggest selling artists who won a world music award last year...

Terry won't quit. And as I have said before, and Mr Hunt too, a "block vote" can't win you the contest if people other than your neighbours don't vote!

[Simon R]

He's also one of their biggest selling artists who won a world music award last year...

And I don't think we've mentioned on here but he came second in 2006's Eurovish with another ballad. If that proves anything.

[P-Bal]

He also had a mullet.

[Si Hunt]

Not trying to reignite the debate, but just read this from chart expert James Masterton in his weekly blog:

Whilst you will see plenty of hand-wringing and grumbling over the result and the usual whining about Eastern Europe block voting in other places, I will simply maintain that Britain's continual failure to live up to our own high standards in the contest has little to do with regional politics and everything to do with our continual insistence on submitting songs that are both utterly useless and sadly indicative of a woeful ignorance of European musical tastes.

... which is what I've been saying all along. Well said that man.

Si.

[duncan]

That doesn't mean he is right.

[Si Hunt]

"When most say it, that'd d'make it true!"

Listen to Mother Tyler!

Si.

[duncan]

I prefer to listen to the facts.

In the 2008 contest the 9 participating countries of former USSR could award to themselves a theorical maximum of 402 points. Actually 307 of such points were awarded within the block, but only 95 points to the other 16 countries.
In the 2008 contest the 6 participating countries of former Yugoslavia could award to themselves a theorical maximum of 156 points. Actually 130 of such points were awarded within the block, but only 26 points to the other 19 countries.

What chance do the likes of the UK have if they are going to start so far behind each year?

[Llordllama]

Well dispite the voting I still enjoyed the show this year (though I keep telling myself that next year I'll turn off when it comes to the voting and just keep a tally in my own head!)

Still - the weasel seemed to enjoy himself a bit too much...
Randy Weasel salutes Spain

[Simon R]

What chance do the likes of the UK have if they are going to start so far behind each year?

Greece managed to come third.

[Pip Madeley]

Exception rather than the rule, surely?

[P-Bal]

In 2005 Greece came first and Malta second. Surely Malta, who didn't make it through the semi-final in 2007 or this year, are at an equal disadvantage to us in terms of voting? Similarly for Finland to win in 2006, but tank in 2007 and 2008 must imply that the song was either by dint of being catchy or gimmicky enough a clear winner over any percieved "block" voting. Yes Russia was helped in terms of neighbour, but a lot of other countries voted for them too! Ukraine went from winners in 2004 to the relegation zone in 2005, before hitting the winning formula of upbeat crowd pleaser which has seen them ride high for the last three years.

Perhaps the issue isn't that we're facing stiff European tactics, but that a lot of the other nations have upped their game?

[WhiteCrow]

The game has been upped - this year about half the songs I thought were very good. Typically there are only a few you feel are truely great songs.

That said, it's not the song, but where you come from which seems to matter. Which is a shame - this competition should be all about the music, and it's not even close.

[Si Hunt]

Regardless of what you thought of Andy, surely you all must admit that we neither sent our most respected or admired performer, nor exactly deliberated too long over the song. It was decided by one public vote after it had been heard twice - Simon made a good point in that in this day and age, when we are over-run by six week series staged purely to decide who gets to play Oliver or Joseph in the West End, the fact that our Eurovision entry is decided so quickly and offhandedly shows the level of enthusiasm the BBC or whoever have for choosing our entry. No offence to Andy (this time) but can't we do better than a talent show runner up who just lost his record contract? Or, to put it in a kinder way, can't we spend more time picking the song than doing it via one phone-in vote? We don't care enough about the songs we enter.

Si.

[Si Hunt]

Latest excuse from Wogan to explain why Andy didn't win - "racism"!

Hilarious! What next? Predjudice against the follically challenged? Hatred of ex-dustmen?

Si.

[Dirk Gently]

Hatred of ex-dustmen?

You know, you could have a point there.

[Simon R]

UK chart news - Greece's entry "Secret Combination" by Kalomoira is at 71 on the Hit Parade whilst Andy Abarahams is...out of the top 75 after one week.

Wah-wah-wah.

[Captain Tancredi]

Greece managed to come third.

Greece who came third, is the word that I've heard...sorry

[P-Bal]

Andy Abraham goes down as the least successful UK Eurovision chart entry since 1989 I believe. To not even make the top 40 is shocking, especially when you consider Scooch went top five last year.

[Larry]

Andy Abraham goes down as the least successful UK Eurovision chart entry since 1989 I believe. To not even make the top 40 is shocking, especially when you consider Scooch went top five last year.

didn't one of our entry get 0pts a few years back..

[duncan]

They did, but I think he is referring to the charts.

[P-Bal]

I surely am, hence "chart entry" and "top 40"...

Ahem! One week scraping the lower reaches of the sixties and out confirms him as the least succesful since 1989. Emma and Frances Ruffelle were bigger chart smashes... Even Samantha Janus!