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Every Eurovision Song: They Were Robbed! Written by on June 29, 2014

The summer months may be stretching out until we can start (potentially) hearing some of the entries for the 2015 Song Contest, but that just leaves you more time to join Ewan in his quest to listen to every single song that has taken to the Eurovision stage before we arrive in Austria next year.

You can follow along with the project, song by song, at Every Eurovision Song on Tumblr (and you can follow the site there so you never miss a post), but if you can’t manage at 1356 songs, we’ll be posting weekly highlights here on ESC Insight.

Every Eurovision Song, week 4 gallery

Every Eurovision Song, week 4 gallery

United Kingdom 1965: I Belong, by Kathy Kirby

This is arguably the most contemporary song at the Contest in its first decade, and it didn’t win!!!

I’m going to blame the running order. The winning song in 1965 (Luxembourg’s ‘Poupée de cire, poupée de son’) performed 15th and scored 32 points. Kirby managed 26 points and second place… but sang from the now-dreaded second spot on the running order.

We. Were. Robbed.

Everything is here from the hit parade of the year. There’s the brash Merseybeat sound, coupled with a powerful female singer. There’s a versatility and deft touch through the structure of the song, with Kirby being delicate when needed and showing ‘GIrl Power’ long before it had a name when the song allows her to demand that she belongs.

Seriously, listen at the charts that week in the UK… ‘The Last Time‘ by The Rolling Stones, ‘Yes I Will‘ by The Hollies, ‘The Game of Love‘ by Wayne Fontana…

…and Kathy Kirby pulling a Sanna Nielsen and popping into the charts at #36. She deserved more from the Eurovision Song Contest.

(via Every Eurovision Song on Tumblr)

Switzerland 1986: Pas pour moi, by Daniela Simmons

The hair! The shoulder pads! Yes, we’re deep in the eighties, but we’;re at a song that actually lifts itself out of the sea of pop and delivers something that’s rather special. Reminding me of Elkie Brooks, Simmons takes to the piano (presumably miming, although I need to check the last point at which someone played their own instruments on stage) and belts out this almost chanson-esque pop number, with a carefree manner that covers the darkness in the lyrics.

Being sung in French means that much of the story will pass you buy, but Simmons is putting aside a hedonistic lifestyle and refuses to turn any more tricks on the dance floors, leaving all of to the younger generation.

Which pretty much describes the clichéd view of the Euroclub. No wonder this finished the 86 Contest with a silver medal. It’s like holding up a mirror to the OGAE membership!

(via Every Eurovision Song on Tumblr)

Italy 1989: Avrei voluto, by Anna Oxa & Fausto Leali

Ahhh the good old power ballad done in the typical Italian style (the tall leggy, lithe. blonde, paired up with someone sporting the Italian Plumber look popularised by Nintendo who rightly shouldn’t have a chance with said female.

As is often the case with the music of the late eighties and nineties, they are fighting against the orchestra, not working with them. This really should be a soft-rock number, dry ice pouring across the stage, a chandelier in the middle of the room, not a piano and violin offsetting a rather steady and slow-tempo bass guitar.

THere’s a great song here, but the subtle changes needed to make it work live have diluted it… and this would be the right time to head to the preview video.

(via Every Eurovision Song on Tumblr)

Romania 2006: Tornero, by Mihai Trăistariu

Hands down, I love this track. It’s infectious, there’s a brilliant ‘stomp and shout the title’ section, it demands to be sung along to, and it fills the dance floor. It rightly went on to become a hit around Europe after the performance, and is still remembered with a fond heart to this day.

Bravo Romania, bravo.

It also had the advantage of working well live, even with TVR doing their best to go all artsy and overload the staging with guyliner and some interpretive dance from Romania’s only Helena Bonham-Carter tribute act.

(via Every Eurovision Song on Tumblr)

Who Shall We Listen To Next?

You can follow the project every day at Every Eurovision Song, or check back here on ESC Insight for the weekly highlights. We’ve passed 100 songs in the ‘completed’ counter, but there’s a lot of great music waiting to be listened to this summer!

About The Author: Ewan Spence

British Academy (BAFTA) nominated broadcaster and writer Ewan Spence is the voice behind The Unofficial Eurovision Song Contest Podcast and one of the driving forces behind ESC Insight. Having had an online presence since 1994, he is a noted commentator around the intersection of the media, internet, technology, mobility and how it affects us all. Based in Edinburgh, Scotland, his work has appeared on the BBC, The Stage, STV, and The Times. You can follow Ewan on Twitter (@ewan) and Facebook (facebook.com/ewanspence).

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