Well, it's almost that time of year again! I always like to get my thoughts about the
songs down so here's the first of my previews this year. These are the songs in the first semi-final, to be held on May 12th. It features 18
songs, 10 of which will qualify for the final on May 16th. There were 19 songs until Georgia decided to withdraw in protest that their song 'We
Don't Wanna Put In' (widely thought to be - and barely disguised as - an anti-Russian statement) was ordered to be re-written to remove the offending
line. The Georgians refused and withdrew. Oh well.
So, I'll give my thoughts on each entry, mark each out of 'douze points'
according to my own tastes, and also say whether I think they'll qualify or not.
You can watch all the videos of the competitors at various websites, including the official site (www.eurovision.tv) as well as the BBC website (www.bbc.co.uk/eurovision) and by searching on You Tube. The BBC may only be available in the
UK: the songs are listed by clicking on Contestants. There's also a separate, but not to be confused, Video section on the BBC - if you click the
Eurovision Superfans Have Their Say video you may just spot a familiar face mincing across the screen at about 46 seconds in…. 
1. Montenegro - Get Out Of My Life (Andrea Demirovic)
This is a good opener. It's an up-tempo pop song, widely thought to be ghost-written by
Ralph Siegel. Siegel was once Mr Eurovision in Germany, having written their only winner, Nicole's 1982 A Little Peace (Ein Bisschen Frieden), and a
plethora of their other entries since the early 70s. He's since rather fallen out of favour in Germany and has been trying to write for other countries. If
it's not him his hallmarks are all over this one. It's very catchy, and the promo video is one of the campest things you'll ever see. It's no
wonder she wants him out of her love life, she's just realised he's a big old whoopsie boy. Look out for the lovely mispronunciation at the start of
the second verse that sounds like "You are like a Moomin".
My points: 10 out of 12. Will it qualify? Yes.
2. Czech Republic - Aven Romale (Gypsy.cz)
This is an odd one. It's a Roma Gypsy band that blends hip-hop and rap with Romany folk
in their work. This sounds almost like a call to unite under a Roma banner, which could be seen as a blatant attempt to draw on the large Roma diaspora in
voting. Stylistically it's all over the place, with spoken asides, and for me it's just a little too busy for any of its component parts to shine
through. It's certainly unique though, and as such I have no idea how it may fare.
My points: 2 out of 12. Will it qualify? Don't know - but I'll say no.
3. Belgium - Copy Cat (Copy Cat)
One for Maurice here - or not, as the case may be! This is also unusual, but an interesting
premise. It's an Elvis impersonator singing from the point of view that Elvis was actually copying him, and is the real imposter! It's not exactly
flattering to Elvis, claiming he's 'too fat to rock and roll'. It goes on to imply that the reason Elvis is dead is that this singer hired a
contract killer to do away with him for 'dating my fair Priscilla' and claiming that 'nobody duplicating my jive will ever get away with that
alive'. Quite! And you thought the controversy was over with Georgia's withdrawal. There have been protests from the Belgian Elvis fan-club but as yet
they have not been successful in forcing the EBU to ask for a lyric change, and to be honest now I think it's probably too late for that. A real curio,
again I have no idea how well it may fare.
My points: 4 out of 12. Will it qualify? Maybe!
4. Belarus - Eyes That Never Lie (Petr Elfimov)
This is a very average rock number, sung by a long-haired, platinum-blond man who usually
dresses in pristine white jeans and t-shirt. It's so dated it may be already coming back around, but I don't think this is likely to trouble the
scoreboard, or make it beyond the first semi-final. It's quite, quite rubbish.
My points: nul points! Will it qualify? Never in a million years!
5. Sweden - La Voix (Malena Ernman)
A blend of faux-opera and pop - popera, if you will. This won the most nail-bitingly close
Swedish Melodifestivalen in years with the top public vote. It's very sleek and very well presented, but it just doesn't really do it for me at all,
although I do seem to be in the minority with that view. Some are saying they think this has Sweden's best chance of winning in years, but I wouldn't
be surprised if it doesn't qualify for the final, it could so go either way. I don't think it's a winner, but if it does a week in Stockholm in May
2010 wouldn't go amiss! But it could end up as one big flopera. (I'm sorry….)
My points: 5 out of 10. Will it qualify? Yes (despite my own views on it)
6. Armenia - Nor Par Jan Jan (Inga & Anush)
Armenia have done very well since their debut in 2006. Many
believe this is due to such a huge diaspora keen to exploit the opportunities of multiple televoting for their homeland's song (and certainly the keenness
to vote is higher in the countries who have more recently joined the Contest). This is one reason why the juries have been brought back to form a 50/50 split
this year, although that will only count for the final. This song is seen as a bit of an acid test for Armenia by many fans, being as it isn't that good
compared to their other entries. Thus if it fails to qualify it may shut many vocal detractors up. The two sisters who sing it are certainly full of character,
and they have worked hard to make something of the song, giving it its own dance routine since they won the local competition, but it really isn't that
good, and I think it could well be the country's first non-qualifier.
My points: 4 out of 12. Will it qualify? No.
7. Andorra - La Tevio Decisio (Susanne Georgi)
Bless little Andorra. They've been plugging away since 2004 and have yet to qualify for
the final. It's perhaps their initial insistence on having Catalan-speaking artists singing in Catalan that hampered them somewhat. Although even last year
their English-language song couldn't detract from the fright that was the singer's outfit, and left them still languishing in the semis. This year they
have an artist born in Andorra but living and well-known in Denmark as part of the duo Me & My. I fear that won't be enough to save them though, as the
song, pretty enough as it is, is quite unremarkable, and its only chance of qualification is a paucity of better songs, rather than its own merits.
My points: 3 out of 12. Will it qualify? No.
8. Switzerland - The Highest Highs (Lovebugs)
Now we're talking! This is the best song so far for me, despite it not being a style
I'd usually listen to. It's a bit indie-rocky-guitar-band-y. There's not a great deal to the lyrics, but I really like the tune. There is a market
for this kind of thing at Eurovision: Turkey came 7th with a similar song last year, even though it's not your typical Contest entry. It's
being tipped for top 10 in the final.
My points: douze points! Will it qualify? Yes.
9. Turkey - Dum Tek Tek (Hadise)
Like its neighbours Greece, after years of mediocre finishes Turkey seems to have
'got' Eurovision in recent times. Both have enjoyed very successful results, including their inaugural wins, in the 00s. This year's Turkish song
follows that successful Mediterranean pop formula and will very likely score highly again. Amongst fans this song is liked but felt to be a little tired. The
wide Turkish diaspora will undoubtedly see this sailing into the final (and it doesn't hurt that the artist lives and works in Belgium and is known in
Germany and The Netherlands), but the impact of the juries once there remains to be seen. Will they like this as much as the far-flung Turks and fan-boys? This
will be a crowd-pleaser though, I'm sure.
My points: 7 out of 12. Will it qualify? Yes.
10. Israel - There Must Be Another Way (Mira Awad and Noa)
This had grabbed many a headline already. Israel selected the very popular and
internationally known Jewish-Israeli singer Noa to sing their entry this year. Noa accepted, but only on the condition that her friend, Arab-Israeli Mira Awad
would duet with her. The Israeli broadcaster agreed, but it's been a contentious and divisive decision, with both sides claiming 'their' artists
are being used as pawns in Israeli propaganda. The singers see it somewhat differently, and to be fair, have worked together in the past. The song is
interesting. Israel are well known for sending banal songs of peace and love and lighting candles, but this takes a different approach with its sentiment of
trying to find a new solution to pain and fear, without just tritely proclaiming empty sentiment. It's sung in Hebrew, Arabic and English. Whilst not a
great song it's very nice and could find open ears, but does the run the risk of being seen as cynical.
My points: 7 out of 12. Will it qualify? Maybe.
11. Bulgaria - Illusion (Krassimir Avramov)
Another one that's difficult to call. This has a great big-budget video, although once
you see it performed on stage you realise just how much it manages to distract attention away from the song! The singer is, apparently, a rather rare
tenor-altino, and the song is written to showcase his voice. It sounds like another vaguely poperatic sound, although it's not actually. In the Bulgarian
final this was very strangely presented and seemed a bit of a mess, visually and vocally. It's going to depend heavily on how it's staged in Moscow,
but I fear it's not going to come across that well.
My points: 5 out of 12. Will it qualify? No.
12. Iceland - Is It True? (Yohanna)
This is a perfectly pleasant little ballad, with a very pleasing, if somewhat unremarkable
tune. It's the first solo-female ballad of the night, and as such may well do well, but if it does get to the final there will be plenty to compete with so
if it does get through, which I think it probably will, it will probably bomb in the final.
My points: 6 out of 12. Will it qualify? Yes.
13. FYR Macedonia - Nesto Sto Kje Ostane (Next Time)
The name of the performers says it all, really. Better luck… Still, you need a toilet break
and this is it. A very plain rock song that nobody will ever have the need to hear again after its 3 minutes on the stage.
My points: nul points! Will it qualify? No.
14. Romania - The Balkan Girls (Elena Gheorghe)
Now we've heard this all before as well, but I really like it! It's a fun
call-to-party song about, well, going out and having a good old knees-up really. Our singer tells us she's 'gonna start my weekend with gin, tonic and
lime'. I like her already! Later she sings of her hopes of finding something a little more meaningful amid the heady atmosphere of, one supposes, downtown
Bucharest, as she tells us of her intention to 'find a boy for a kiss' adding, like she's letting us into a secret, 'who knows, maybe he'll
be my prince?'. It's hard not to warm to such optimism and the typical Balkan-pop beat that drives it is something I really enjoy. I really hope to see
this on the Saturday night, though I have to be honest and say it may not have enough cross appeal.
My points: 10 out of 12. Will it qualify? Hopefully!
15. Finland - Lose Control (Waldo's People)
Right, time for an unashamed trip back to the 90s disco with this storming track. Waldo
raps before the instantly sing-a-long chorus cuts in (leaving us wanting a little less of Waldo and more of his People), giving us the kind of anthemic dance
number we fan-boys love. It's already going big in the hall at all the Eurovision parties I've been to (and I've been to a LOT already this year!).
There's a risk of it not having enough appeal to all the voters for it to end up doing a so-called 'Kate Ryan' (where Kate Ryan singing the big
fan-favourite from Belgium in 2006 sank without a trace in the semi final, a feat that Switzerland repeated the following year, and Sweden narrowly avoided in
2008) but I think we'll see it there in the final.
My points: 10 out of 12. Will it qualify? Yes.
16. Portugal - Todas As Ruas Do Amor (Flor-de-Lis)
Oh! I adore this one! This is one of the most achingly beautiful yet understated love
songs, with very sweet lyrics. This could only ever come from Portugal and is definitely one of my favourites this year. There are very high hopes that this
will qualify, but equal concern that it's just not instant enough to grab the attention of the televoters. I really hope this gets through: Portugal have
never won and yet have had some of the most beautiful songs over the years. Ooh I have to go and listen to this one again now…
My points: douze points! Will it qualify? Please!!!!
17. Malta - What If We? (Chiara)
You could be forgiven for thinking that Malta always send the same big old walloper singing
the same ballad because, well, they often do! This is Chiara (we like to call her Chihuahua, she's such a slender-Brenda) and she's back for her third
attempt. She finished 3rd in 1998, behind the UK's Imaani and winner Dana International, with a very nice ballad, sung very well. In 2005 she
was the runner-up behind Elena Paparizou for Greece, singing another nice ballad very well. This year she's back with - you guessed it - a very nice ballad
sung very well! Malta have not fared well of late, with the exception of Chihuahua's two previous songs, so, when she entered the national selection again
this year it was somewhat inevitable she would win. The only problem is, good as she is, this is by far the weakest of her three entries and it's unlikely
she'll repeat her former successes. I think it's borderline for qualification, and could join a number of other solo-female ballads (and definitely the
pre-qualified UK) if it does get through.
My points: 6 out of 12. Will it qualify? Maybe.
18. Bosnia & Herzegovina - Bistra Voda (Regina)
Well, where better to enter a song that laments the lost Socialist ideal than in a Contest
held in Mother Russia? This is a rousing Slavic anthem that is easily the best song entered by the Balkan states this year, so expect this to do very well
indeed! I really like it, and I like the use of the Soviet style visuals and evokes the spirit of a revolutionary May. Great stuff! The western viewers
won't get it at all.
My points: douze points! Will it qualify? Oh yes!
So, there you go, the first semi final. I think I have more qualifiers than there are
places but I usually tend to! I'll write up the second and the automatic finalists too soon.
Thoughts please!
Monty x
John
