The Eurovision Song Contest hasn't really hit here in America has it? Of course I think that maybe most people of a certain age know that ABBA was thrust into international Superstardom after 1974's win with 'Waterloo'. Okay, so maybe its just the Queens of a certain age that know that. Anyway for those who are unaware, the Eurovision Song Contest is a yearly event that started in 1956, in which European, and strangely some non European countries like Azerbijan and Israel, select one song to represent them. They all compete in a live televised event, this year being held in Moscow, and then through public voting, one song is selected as the winner. It's extremely popular in other parts of the world (sort of like Soccer) with some sources saying as many as 600 million viewers world wide have watched in recent years. There are a few more intricacies and exceptions but I fear I have already bored you with too much, so I will get to the point. Historically, the songs entries lean toward the saccharin as to have the widest and most cross-cultural appeal, but some of the entries this year are just beyond... beyond...well...just beyond. Of course my judgements include certain considerations, like the fact that what I consider to be good music may have less appeal in Croatia, that Hip Hop might have less social reference to Macedonian youth, and that cultural pride is also on the line here for these entrants. But seriously... I think you just need to hear some of them for yourselves. My two personal favorite worst songs of the 42 entrants so far are:
From Sweden, Malena Ernman 'La Voix'
From Greece, Sakis Rouvas 'This is Our Night'
There are still two more rounds of elimination before the May 16th Finale in Moscow when the winner will announced, and there is no telling if these two will be among the songs cut. To me they are so bad, that I love them. I sort of hope deep down that Greece will win the whole competition, because I have this vision of Sakis Rouvas' live performance complete with fire shooting up behind him each time he does one those ridiculous arm gestures, and gold and silver confetti being released from the ceiling during the final chorus. How does America not love this?
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