Fud Leclerc also did 4 times for Belgium (1956, 58, 60, 62).

 

Oops, I had a feeling there might be somebody

7. UNITED KINGDOM 1997 - Katrina and the Waves - Love Shine A Light

I nearly forgot to include this one - how could I?? It's pretty much part of the last remaining shreds of our dignity before the 21st Century, and, dare I say it, eastern Europe took over! One of the final songs to have won purely on the merit of the song - not artist record, not performance, and certainly not "political" voting! Another "shivers down the spine" song (especially when performed at Congratulations last year), Katrina outperformed Ireland's second placed song by well over 70 points, and has become an all time classic, and signiture song of the contest. I never used to be fussed on this song, but in the last few years it has definitely earned the position of 7th favourite; on my mp3 player if nothing else. So here is the UK's most recent winner in action - enjoy!

 

[flash=450,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xW0YUxjiE9M.swf

6. MALTA 2005 - Chiara - Angel

Here is the song that probably deserved to win in 2005, but second place is a very respectable showing for a country that doesn't really benefit from neighbourly voting, and performed very early in the draw. I don't think there are many Eurovision fans who haven't been rooting for Malta for the last few years, as they've come so close several times and are pretty consistant with their songs. After her 1998 entry (my number 49), I really wanted Chiara to do well. I didn't mind her second place as Helena was still a worthy winner - now all Malta needs is for Chiara to return with a big ballad soon, in a year filled with OTT entries. This was the most played song from 2005 on my iPod. Definitely the most well-recieved song in the hall that night, here is Chiara's powerful performance of "Angel"

 

[flash=450,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4ADjqJNGps.swf

Edited December 1, 200618 yr by Peter30

5. GERMANY 1975 - Joy Fleming - Ein Lied Kann Eine Brucke Sein

So at number five is a song that proves just how unpredictable the Eurovision Song Contest is. Probably Germany's best loved Eurovision song and Eurovision singer brought them one of their worst results ever - finishing 17th out of 20 in 1975. Still, despite this, it has become something of a cult favourite at Eurovision and is probably guaranteed to feature on every Eurovision clip show around the continent. I didn't really think much of this song until earlier this year, but I can't stop playing it and I simply can't fathom why it finished so low!! I can only assume it was the American influence in a time when it was still frowned upon at the Contest. Still, Joy belted out a memorable performance, with one of my all-time favourite conducters at Eurovision! Here it is!

 

[flash=450,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsZjatIZxGE.swf

Edited December 1, 200618 yr by Peter30

I'm so embarrassed!!! Some of you may have noticed that for the last few days, Joy Fleming has been in my chart as number 6. It seems that I completely overlooked Chiara's "Angel" and skipped her. Joy is in fact number 5, and Angel is number 6.

 

Everything is put right now :P

Chiara has produced two great songs. :wub: I think The One I Love is far superior though. ^_^

4. AUSTRIA 2000 - The Rounder Girls - All To You

The Rounder Girls make number four - a group who some may have forgotten about. They performed last for Austria in 2000, meaning that most people had gone to put the kettle on or to get a pen and paper to take down the voting numbers. Not only that, but there performance wasn't all that memorable and they finished 14th - hardly spectacular. Indeed, I had forgotten all about them until I heard the mp3 of this song. I suppose it is subjective but I just love it! I was thinking to myself how on earth I hadn't paid more attention to the song - then I looked at the video of the performance. Unfortunately their charisma and charm couldn't make up for their tunelessness on the night, but purely on the merit of the song, which is fantastic, it deserves to make my number 4. Here is All To You...

 

[flash=450,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPsDzY5pORI.swf

I voted for that in 2000. :rofl: I don't like it anymore though. :lol: It was unlucky to do as bad as it did, being on last and very different.

I voted for that in 2000. :rofl: I don't like it anymore though. :lol: It was unlucky to do as bad as it did, being on last and very different.

 

I suppose performing at the very end isn't as good a position as people think. By the last song, 99% of the viewers have made up their minds who they will be voting for and it would take a pretty special song to change that. The ideal position would probably be 3-5 songs before the end.

7 - Powerful song

6 - Very good

5 - Joy was robbed! Great song and kick-ass performance, even though she looks like the Witch of Oz.

4 - So cute!

OK we're into the Top 3...and to be honest my numbers two and three are very close and I like them almost equally. The order of them tends to change depending on my mood, but at the moment, at number three I would have to choose....

 

3. ICELAND 2003 - Birgitta - Open Your Heart

Well there had to be one didn't there! Keeping the strong trend of Icelandic entries going, this is my favourite one of all time, and my favourite Eurovision song of the 21st Century. What a great show opener. Birgitta gave the one of the most confident, and arguably the best vocal performance of the night. She looked beautiful all in white, with a great piece of pop music that even Terry Wogan had to admit was fantastic! It ended up being the soundtrack of my summer, and interestingly, the only song in my Top 10 that I actually voted for on the night, despite feeling guilty about it because of my bet on tATu! So here is Birgitta with her performance of "Open Your Heart."

 

[flash=450,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiZbGX3UWso.swf

 

Number two coming soon, as well as my all time favourite Eurovision song!!

 

 

Ooh I did like that song!!! It deserved more than 81 points too...

And the song pipped at the post is.....

 

2. DENMARK 1989 - Birthe Kjaer - Vi Maler Byen Rod

The biggest injustice in the history of the Contest has got to be that this didn't win!! Even though the best song has a tendency of failing to win, this didn't even come 2nd!! And it was beaten by arguably the worst Eurovision winner of all time - Rock Me!! Oh well, this is a song that I really got into about a year ago, not having heard of it before I went to see "Congratulations" in Copenhagan. I decided to put some Danish songs on my mp3 player to familiarise myself, and I just got hooked to this one!! The kind of song that has you humming along for ages afterwards, despite it not being in English. Birthe's status in her home country and her elegance and experience did bring the Contest up a notch, and she also brought us one of those great Eurovision gimmicks (see 3 minutes into the video). Sorry about the bad quality, but this is Gloria Hunn- I mean Birthe Kjaer's 1989 entry, my runner up, "Vi Maler Byen Rod" complete with Wogan commentary at the start :D

 

[flash=450,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Vvz47l4QXc.swf

 

Not long left now! I'll give a rundown next and a few little stats and I shall reveal my all time favourite Eurovision song on Christmas Eve :P

So here's the rundown from 50-2

 

50. ICELAND 2005 - Selma - If I Had Your Love

49. MALTA 1998 - Chiara - The One That I Love

48. FINLAND 2006 - Lordi - Hard Rock Hallelujah

47. RUSSIA 2003 - t.A.T.u. - Ne Ver Ne Boisia

46. NORWAY 2003 - Justin Hasselgard - I'm Not Afraid To Move On

45. SLOVENIA 2001 - Nusa Derenda - Energy

44. RUSSIA 2001 - Muimy Troll - Lady Alpine Blue

43. NORWAY 2005 - Wig Wam - In My Dreams

42. SLOVENIA 2002 - Sestre - Samo Ljubezen

41. UKRAINE 2004 - Ruslana - Wild Dances

 

40. SPAIN 1969 - Salomé - Vivo Cantando

39. GERMANY 2001 - Michelle - Wer Liebe Lebt / To Live For Love

38. ICELAND 1991 - Stefan & Eyri - Nina

37. DENMARK 2000 - Olsen Brothers - Fly On The Wings Of Love

36. CYPRUS 1982 - Anna Vissi - Mono I Agapi / Love Is A Lonely Weekend

35. ESTONIA 2006 - Sandra - Through My Window

34. IRELAND 1994 - Paul Harrington & Charlie McGettigan - Rock and Roll Kids

33. ICELAND 2000 - Agust and Telma - Tell Me

32. GERMANY 2004 - Max - Can't Wait Until Tonight

31. FINLAND 1977 - Monica Aspelund - Lapponia

 

30. UNITED KINGDOM 2002 - Jessica Garlick - Come Back

29. POLAND 2004 - Blue Café - Love Song

28. GREECE 2001 - Antique - Die For You

27. LUXEMBOURG 1972 - Vicky Leandros - Aprés Toi

26. ICELAND 2004 - Jonsi - Heaven

25. DENMARK 2002 - Malene Winther Mortensen - Tell Me Who You Are

24. ICELAND 2006 - Silvia Night - Congratulations

23. NETHERLANDS 2003 - Esther Hart - One More Night

22. DENMARK 2005 - Jakob Sveistrup - Talking To You

21. NORWAY 1985 - The Bobbysocks - La Det Svinge / Let It Swing

 

20. GREECE 2006 - Anna Vissi - Everything

19. ESTONIA 2003 - Rufus - Eighties Coming Back

18. DENMARK 2001 - Rollo & King - Never Ever Let You Go

17. UNITED KINGDOM 1976 - Brotherhood of Man - Save Your Kisses For Me

16. ICELAND 1999 - Selma - All Out Of Luck

15. NETHERLANDS 1975 - Teach-in - Ding Dinge Dong

14. SWEDEN 2006 - Carola - Invincible

13. GREECE 2005 - Helena Paparizou - My Number One

12. GREECE 1980 - Anna Vissi - Autostop

11. GERMANY 2006 - Texas Lightning - No No Never

 

10. IRELAND 1992 - Linda Martin - Why Me?

9. ANDORRA 2004 - Marta Roure - Jugarem Estimar-Nos

8. SWITZERLAND 1956 - Lys Assia - Refrain

7. UNITED KINGDOM 1997 - Katrina and the Waves - Love Shine A Light

6. MALTA 2005 - Chiara - Angel

5. GERMANY 1975 - Joy Fleming - Ein Lied Kann Eine Brucke Sein / Bridge Of Love

4. AUSTRIA 2000 - The Rounder Girls - All To You

3. ICELAND 2003 - Birgitta - Open Your Heart

2. DENMARK 1989 - Birthe Kjaer - Vi Maler Byen Rod / I'm Chasing Butterflies

 

Languages:

English: 31

Bi-lingual*: 6

French: 2

Greek: 2

Russian: 1

Slovenian: 1

Icelandic: 1

Finnish: 1

Spanish: 1

Catalan: 1

Norwegian: 1

Danish: 1

 

The six bi-lingual songs were "Wild Dances" (English / Ukranian), "Wer Liebe Lebt" (German / English), "Can't Wait Until Tonight" (English / Turkish), "Love Song" (English / Spanish), "Die For You" (Greek / English) and "Ein Lied Kann Eine Brucke Sein" (German / English).

 

Three out of the four German songs in my chart have been bi-lingual, Texas Lightning being the exception, although they did perform an English / Greek version of "No no never" at a press conference prior to the contest this year. It was fantastic :P

 

With the partial English songs included, 3 out of 4 songs in my chart are in English, with the next most popular language, Greek, very far behind with 3 songs (Two entirely in Greek and one partially).

 

Decades:

1950s (56-59) - 1

1960s - 1

1970s - 4

1980s - 4

1990s - 7

2000s - 32

 

Well you can see where my preference is in terms of Eurovision songs!! Bear in mind of course that I only started watching in 1998, and all the songs from before then are songs that I've got to know in recent years. Six out of ten songs so far have been from post-2000, but will my favourite be a recent song or an oldie? Find out on Christmas eve!

Countries:

Iceland - 7

Denmark - 5

Germany - 4

Greece - 4

Norway - 3

UK - 3

Estonia - 2

Slovenia - 2

Malta - 2

Finland - 2

Russia - 2

Netherlands - 2

Ireland - 2

Austria - 1

Switzerland - 1

Andorra - 1

Sweden - 1

Luxembourg - 1

Poland - 1

Cyprus - 1

Spain - 1

Ukraine - 1

 

As I've said all along, Iceland is by far my favourite Eurovision country, taking up 7 out of my Top 50, with Denmark their special friends, behind with 5, which surprised me a little. However I do have a soft spot for German and Greek entries, and both rightfully have 4 entries in my Top 50. This means that 40% of my chart is taken up by these four countries! The UK is just behind again with 3 entries and Ireland has two.

 

Altogether, 23 countries feature in my Top 50. If you have correctly counted my list above, you'll notice there are only 22, meaning my winning song is from a country that has not yet been mentioned! Notable countries that I haven't included are Portugal, Israel, France, Belgium, Turkey, Latvia and Italy, but is it any of those?

 

My favourite Eurovision song will be revealed on Christmas Eve :D

 

What I'd give them all out of ten...

 

09. ICELAND 2005 - Selma - If I Had Your Love

09. MALTA 1998 - Chiara - The One That I Love

07. FINLAND 2006 - Lordi - Hard Rock Hallelujah

07. RUSSIA 2003 - t.A.T.u. - Ne Ver Ne Boisia

06. NORWAY 2003 - Justin Hasselgard - I'm Not Afraid To Move On

08. SLOVENIA 2001 - Nusa Derenda - Energy

03. RUSSIA 2001 - Muimy Troll - Lady Alpine Blue

05. NORWAY 2005 - Wig Wam - In My Dreams

05. SLOVENIA 2002 - Sestre - Samo Ljubezen

08. UKRAINE 2004 - Ruslana - Wild Dances

 

??. SPAIN 1969 - Salomé - Vivo Cantando

10. GERMANY 2001 - Michelle - Wer Liebe Lebt / To Live For Love

??. ICELAND 1991 - Stefan & Eyri - Nina

07. DENMARK 2000 - Olsen Brothers - Fly On The Wings Of Love

??. CYPRUS 1982 - Anna Vissi - Mono I Agapi / Love Is A Lonely Weekend

09. ESTONIA 2006 - Sandra - Through My Window

07. IRELAND 1994 - Paul Harrington & Charlie McGettigan - Rock and Roll Kids

07. ICELAND 2000 - Agust and Telma - Tell Me

07. GERMANY 2004 - Max - Can't Wait Until Tonight

??. FINLAND 1977 - Monica Aspelund - Lapponia

 

10. UNITED KINGDOM 2002 - Jessica Garlick - Come Back

06. POLAND 2004 - Blue Café - Love Song

10. GREECE 2001 - Antique - Die For You

??. LUXEMBOURG 1972 - Vicky Leandros - Aprés Toi

01. ICELAND 2004 - Jonsi - Heaven

06. DENMARK 2002 - Malene Winther Mortensen - Tell Me Who You Are

07. ICELAND 2006 - Silvia Night - Congratulations

08. NETHERLANDS 2003 - Esther Hart - One More Night

06. DENMARK 2005 - Jakob Sveistrup - Talking To You

??. NORWAY 1985 - The Bobbysocks - La Det Svinge / Let It Swing

 

10. GREECE 2006 - Anna Vissi - Everything

07. ESTONIA 2003 - Rufus - Eighties Coming Back

10. DENMARK 2001 - Rollo & King - Never Ever Let You Go

10. UNITED KINGDOM 1976 - Brotherhood of Man - Save Your Kisses For Me

08. ICELAND 1999 - Selma - All Out Of Luck

??. NETHERLANDS 1975 - Teach-in - Ding Dinge Dong

10. SWEDEN 2006 - Carola - Invincible

10. GREECE 2005 - Helena Paparizou - My Number One

??. GREECE 1980 - Anna Vissi - Autostop

06. GERMANY 2006 - Texas Lightning - No No Never

 

06. IRELAND 1992 - Linda Martin - Why Me?

??. ANDORRA 2004 - Marta Roure - Jugarem Estimar-Nos

??. SWITZERLAND 1956 - Lys Assia - Refrain

10. UNITED KINGDOM 1997 - Katrina and the Waves - Love Shine A Light

08. MALTA 2005 - Chiara - Angel

??. GERMANY 1975 - Joy Fleming - Ein Lied Kann Eine Brucke Sein / Bridge Of Love

07. AUSTRIA 2000 - The Rounder Girls - All To You

08. ICELAND 2003 - Birgitta - Open Your Heart

??. DENMARK 1989 - Birthe Kjaer - Vi Maler Byen Rod / I'm Chasing Butterflies

 

As for your #1, I hope it's Edsilia Rombley for Netherlands 1998. :D

 

 

If you look back through the thread I've posted videos of these:

SPAIN 1969 - Salomé - Vivo Cantando

CYPRUS 1982 - Anna Vissi - Mono I Agapi / Love Is A Lonely Weekend

LUXEMBOURG 1972 - Vicky Leandros - Aprés Toi

NORWAY 1985 - The Bobbysocks - La Det Svinge / Let It Swing

GREECE 1980 - Anna Vissi - Autostop

ANDORRA 2004 - Marta Roure - Jugarem Estimar-Nos

SWITZERLAND 1956 - Lys Assia - Refrain

GERMANY 1975 - Joy Fleming - Ein Lied Kann Eine Brucke Sein / Bridge Of Love

DENMARK 1989 - Birthe Kjaer - Vi Maler Byen Rod / I'm Chasing Butterflies

 

And I could send you mp3s of some of the others if you want :)

 

As for your #1, I hope it's Edsilia Rombley for Netherlands 1998.

 

And sorry but it's not! It's from a country that's not been mentioned yet :P

Edited December 22, 200618 yr by Peter30

If you look back through the thread I've posted videos of these:

SPAIN 1969 - Salomé - Vivo Cantando

CYPRUS 1982 - Anna Vissi - Mono I Agapi / Love Is A Lonely Weekend

LUXEMBOURG 1972 - Vicky Leandros - Aprés Toi

NORWAY 1985 - The Bobbysocks - La Det Svinge / Let It Swing

GREECE 1980 - Anna Vissi - Autostop

ANDORRA 2004 - Marta Roure - Jugarem Estimar-Nos

SWITZERLAND 1956 - Lys Assia - Refrain

GERMANY 1975 - Joy Fleming - Ein Lied Kann Eine Brucke Sein / Bridge Of Love

DENMARK 1989 - Birthe Kjaer - Vi Maler Byen Rod / I'm Chasing Butterflies

 

And I could send you mp3s of some of the others if you want :)

And sorry but it's not! It's from a country that's not been mentioned yet :P

I shall watch some later. :D And I reckon your #1 will be an Israeli entry then. :funky:

Great to see Birgitta there...the song made No.1 in my chart in May 2003...the best song of that year by a country mile :-)