Another week, and the build-up to the unofficial start of the Eurovision 2015 season on September the 1st continues with the announcement of the dates of theMaltese National Final, more details about Junior Eurovision revealed, and we’re sure lots of songwriters working away to have something ready for the submission process in their own countries.
And our Every Eurovision Song project continues as well. The 200 song mark has been passed, and Ewan continues in his quest to listen to and review every song that has taken to the competitive stage at the Eurovision Song Contest finals.
These are the highlights of the music from the last week…
Every Eurovision Song, week 5 gallery
Yugoslavia 1968: Jedan Dan, by Dubrovački Trubaduri
As ‘Every Eurovision Song’ progresses, I look forward to 1968 coming up on the random-ish year selector – every song seems fabulous (so far), every performance is one to be treasured, and it really feels like a Contest on top of its game.
Sure, the Yugoslavian act from that year is the act that every cheap comedy clip show will turn to for ‘early’ Eurovision, but stepping back from the costumes (which aren’t that far off some of Liberace’s numbers in the same era) ‘Jedan Dan‘ should be rightly remembered for the music as well as the red and black catwalk courtiers.
Yes, it sidesteps the modern pop sound for a more traditional approach, but it’s one that sounds fresh, and is chock full of musical hooks and motifs that I can’t help smiling at and recalling with ease.
The Dubrovnik Troubadors were already popular back home, and the Contest gave them a flurry of international recognition and touring. And of course the constant repetition of their ‘68 appearance on clip shows means they will never be forgotten.
(via Every Eurovision Song on Tumblr)
Finland 1977, Lapponia, by Monica Aspelund
Here’s why I’m enjoying Every Eurovision Song… because once, maybe twice a week if I’m lucky, I come across a track in the Song Contest archives that grabs my attention and makes me listen… really listen… to it.
‘Lapponia‘ is arresting, it’s memorable, it’s instantly catchy, and it demands to be replayed the second Aspelund hits the last note,
This is one of those songs where the live version is even better than the studio version. The marching beat, the patriotism, and the pride that Aspelund throws behind what is, after all, a very simple musical construction, is what makes the live broadcast Eurovision such a spectacle.
Okay there’s one iffy high note during the live performance (you can’t miss it unfortunately) which probably doomed this to a lowly placing in the Top Ten, but the powers that be knew a good thing when they hear it, and the inclusion of ‘Lapponia‘ on the 50th Anniversary CD as Finland’s entry shows the high regard the Eurovision world has for this song.
And you know what? It’s well deserved.
(via Every Eurovision Song on Tumblr)
Portugal 1983: Esta balada que te dou, by Armando Gama
Long before Joaquin Phoenix decided to drop out and become a singer, another teen American star tried to pull the same trick and hide out in Portugal, working on his piano ballads.
This is, quite clearly, Scott Baio, with an American ballad called ‘Linda, Linda; that was been roughly translated into Portugese.
Joking aside… I like this! Singer-songwriter Armando ‘Chachi’ Gama has crafted a ballad that shifts sensuously underneath the lyrics, his vote captures the highs and lows, and he has the confidence in the material to look and sound honest on stage. He must have spent some happy days writing this one.
…and when I look at the final score I cannot believe this was as low as thirteenth on the night.
(via Every Eurovision Song on Tumblr)
Croatia 1995: Nostalgija, by Magazin & Lidija
In modern parlance this should be Magazin ft. Lidija Horvat-Dunjko, as Croatia’s leading folk music band (and national treasures) decided to head to the Eurovision Song Contest with one of the country’s top soprano singers.
The result is a song with a haunting beauty that easily stands out in a sea of three minute pop song. Horvat-Dunjko’s vocals hark back to Contests of old, while the arrangement with the live orchestra is actually far more impressive than the studio version. Sometimes it helps to have a legion of musicians helping you out.
‘Nostalgija’ perhaps not the best choice of phrase to have for your singalong chorus – it’s easy to stumble over and doesn’t quite scan, but Horvat-Dunjko makes it work, and even though the final note comes up a little bit short, her experience manages to (just) cover it.
Eurovision was still 100% jury voting, so the technicality of this song probably helped – I doubt it would get as a strong a vote from a public vote. Still, there’s nothing wrong with playing to your strengths in front of the juries!
(Via Every Eurovision Song on Tumblr)
Slovenia 2014, Round and Round, by Tinkara Kovač
I find it interesting (in a Q.I. sort of way) that Kovač was pushing for a more traditional approach to music and the return of live instruments on the Song Contest stage when the presentation of ‘Round and Round‘ is probably one of the most forward thinking and revolutionary moments of the Song Contest.
The camerawork, the framing, the shots, the look…. this is pure and utter Bayhem.
Yes, I’m putting my colours on the mast here. ‘Round and Round’ is the perfect synthesis of Hollywood auteur Michael Bay. Seriously, go and watch ‘What is Bayhem‘ and come back and watch the live performance of Slovenia’s 2014 song.
The camera never stops, there is a constant infusion of movement on screen, there are always two directions on display, Kovač’s focus moves from in-vision to out of vision of subjects, and the whole thing is a spectacular excess of production values. The backdrop is used as part of the television performance as opposed to being something for the audience in the venue, parallax is exploited as often as possible. We just need some slo-mo and a steadicam with a telephoto lens and we’re there…
The song is nice, with a mumsy BBC Radio 2 feel. I could happily leave it on repeat as it asks you to do (how meta). It might not be stunning as a song.. but as a three minute short film, it rightly made it through to Saturday night.
(Via Every Eurovision Song on Tumblr)
Who’s Next On The Stage?
You can follow the project every day at EveryEurovisionSong.com, or check back here on ESC Insight for the weekly highlights. 202 songs completed…
Finland 1977 – great song.It’s beyond comprehension that this didn’t win or at least higher placed during 1977 contest. When I think about it, this may be a bit too early for Eurovision. A few years later it just may have done the trick.However it something statics in the presentation,which doesn’t fit the song.
Croatia 1995 – Again a very good and strong song. it’s quite complicated in its construction but it helps the song and not distracting from the song.
Slovenia 2014-I liked the song from first hearing, so you don’t hear any complaints from me about it.
Portugal 1983 – That Linda Linda from the chorus sounds familiar.Somewhere there is an English song who used the same musical and lyrical phrases.I just can’t find it, but I’m quite sure it’s out there.
Yugoslavia 1968 – another surprise. i am not familiar with the song, but now I wish i can put my hands on it.Is there a chance to get it somewhere(together with the one from Ireland from the same year)?
In regard to my last question-It seems that I can get them on iTune.
It’s that 1968 Contest… again… a vintage year so far!