Ghoulian

Is there a platinum version for having listened all the way through from the other semi without even knowing if it will qualify?

This is such a beautiful and immersive track!

Your actual entry is much better than any of these.

Well this is very up my street - hope it ends your drought.

Despite that I can vouch that Semi 1 is very good: about 15 I’d like to vote for on 1st listen.

BJSC 187: Serafina Steer - Night Before Mutiny While it isn’t in our nature to copy others’ ideas, the NHTV team were inspired by Skall’s latest winner by Julianna Barwick to check out some folk singers who played the harp. We came across this extraordinary piece by London musician Serafina Steer. She is a long time collaborator with Jarvis Cocker who produced this track for her album “The Moths Are Real”. It’s an interesting lyrical story and the mutiny is implicit rather than explicit. The track starts with a harp solo and ends in a glistening blend of instrumental sounds and waves. The video is quite cool too, filming synchronised swimmers at a lido. The visuals don’t have anything to do with the lyrics but do work rather beautifully.

Fitting that we’re frozen I suppose

My notes: Year Artist Song Language Final Points Semi Points 2005 Kaffe "Lorraine" English Failed to qualify 19 49 Not an exciting number and the "Lorraine in the rain" rhyme is a little naff 2006 Mariana Popova "Let Me Cry" English 17 36 Top 10 2007 Elitsa and Stoyan "Water" Bulgarian 5 157 6 146 Top 10 2008 Deep Zone and Balthazar "DJ, Take Me Away" English Failed to qualify 11 56 Top 10 2009 Krassimir Avramov "Illusion" English 16 7 It has a camp charm but it's a rather over the top and melodramatic duet 2010 Miro "Angel si ti" (Ангел си ти) Bulgarian, English 15 19 A fairly ordinary piece of dance pop, but it's pleasant enough 2011 Poli Genova "Na inat" (На инат) Bulgarian 12 48 Top 10 2012 Sofi Marinova "Love Unlimited" Bulgarian 11 45 Top 10 2013 Elitsa and Stoyan "Samo shampioni" (Само шампиони) Bulgarian 12 45 Top 10 2016 Poli Genova "If Love Was a Crime" English, Bulgarian 4 307 5 220 Top 10 2017 Kristian Kostov "Beautiful Mess" English 2 615 1 403 Top 10 2018 Equinox "Bones" English 14 166 7 177 Top 10 2020 Victoria ◇ "Tears Getting Sober" English ◇ Contest cancelled[a] On paper I should like this but it plods a little and I find it slightly formulaic 2021 Victoria "Growing Up Is Getting Old" English 11 170 3 250 This has something of the John Lewis advert about it, and I don't really connect with it 2022 Intelligent Music Project "Intention" English Failed to qualify 16 29 I appreciate going down the rock avenue but this doesn't go hard enough and is a little bland 2026 Dara "Bangaranga" English 1 516 1 278 Top 10

Klaxons but should have been Cassie vs Shakedown.

Also between Daniel and Craig - went for the former.

My favourite post this week was @TheSnake saying he really liked “Bloddstream” although it might sound better without the hiccuping noises.

Nice to have “Loser” here!

When Doves Cry Self Control Eyes Without A Face Careless Whisper Madam Butterfly

Country 10: Bulgaria Our reigning champions have had a short and relatively broken history in the contest. After joining in 2005, they sat out in 2014, 2015, 2019 and 2023 to 2025 before their spectacular return this year, in all cases citing financial constraints as the reason for not participating. Including 2020 that gives them a total of 16 entries. What is incredible is that the semis have been relatively unkind to them, with only 6 qualifications out of a possible 15. However their record once they reach the final is stunning by modern contest standards, with 4 out of 6 top 5 finishes covering positions 1, 2, 4 and 5. Overall I think they have brought a very high standard to the contest, including a few deserved strong results and some underrated DNQs.

13th position in my 1st contest and now 13th longest in my 2nd!

Gah have fallen behind again. The last 5 in my order: “Part Of Me” has very little going for it in my opinion: that’s actually the one I’d have much much lower. “Troublemaker” is just average commercial pop as others have said. “Good Feeling” is one of Flo Rida’s better records certainly but far from essential. “Call My Name” is one of Cheryl’s best singles absolutely: it has a bit of sparkle in the production and a driving energy. “Bom Bom” I’ve always rather enjoyed: it’s nice when the charts throw up a one off like that.

I think “Starboy” has only got better over time and I’d rather hear it than “Blinding Lights” so I put that 1st. “Sunflower” would complete my top 3. “Perfect” for worst: have never enjoyed that, though I do have a soft spot for “Thinking Out Loud”. 1 Starboy 2 Blinding Lights 3 Sunflower 4 Sweater Weather 5 One Dance 6 As It Was 7 Someone You Loved 8 Stay 9 Shape Of You 10 Perfect

I don’t think that’s ever happened. “Man I Need” only did 1.1 million last year though so I can’t see it doing that, although at this rate it could have a shot at 1 million three years in a row. I doubt “Ordinaey” will do more than another 500k this year, but I think whatever it does will be the best ever second highest year for a song. (Wrote that before seeing Jim’s reply.)

Both Laura Branigan’s big hits had originals done by Italian singers. Her “Self Control” version I find incredibly rousing and it tops this group ahead of a beautiful discovery from Billy Idol. 9 Laura Branigan Self Control She's essentially a 2 hit wonder and both are excellent covers, but this one I particularly find a majestic rendition 9 Billy Idol Eyes Without A Face 1st solo Top 40 for this UK singer: I find this a really beautiful and tender song with interesting instrumental parts 8 Mighty Wah! Come Back The last hit under this "Wah!" name, championed by John Peel and it's a great song with an almost Britpop sound 8 Echo And The Bunnymen Seven Seas A lovely jangly and lyrically very surreal and intriguing track with nautical imagery about escaping emotional pain 7 Queen It's A Hard Life This feels like a return to their earlier and simpler sound, but it's a lovely song and a great vocal performance 7 Hazell Dean Whatever I Do (Wherever I Go) Her highest peaking hit and a SAW production, but a very effective and powerful song in the "I Will Survive" style 6 The Kane Gang Closest Thing To Heaven 1st and biggest Top 40 for this UK trio: it isn't game changing but a really atmospheric piece of sophisti-pop 6 Divine You Think You're A Man 1st Top 40 for this US singer and drag queen: the vocals are slightly raucous but it's a good song and gay anthem 5 neil Hole In My Shoe A spoof cover of the psychedelic song: it does bring a smile to my face and retain some of the original's beauty 5 Blancmange The Day Before You Came A fun and quirky cover, and I like some of the details like lyrical changes, but overall their original hits are better 4 Windjammer Tossing And Turning Only hit for this US soul group with an unremarkable but competently made and sung post disco style track 4 Phil Fearon And Galaxy Everybody's Laughing Their 3rd Top 10: I haven't hugely enjoyed any of them, but this is another very harmless and funky pop song 3 Shakatak Down On The Street Their last Top 40: overall I find that this one fades into the background, despite being one of their biggest hits 3 Black Lace Agadoo Biggest hit for this novelty act: it's well remembered and has some merit even if it's also a rather grating listen 2 Jeffrey Osborne On The Wings Of Love His 2nd and last Top 40: I thought the other wasn't bad but this is very much in the syrupy and clichéd ballad lane 1984 Group 14: 4 04/08/1984 George Michael Careless Whisper 1 12-2-{1}-1-1-2-2-3-5-11-18-20-26-34-38-52-60->17 #1455 28/07/1984 Rod Stewart Some Guys Have All The Luck 15 42-32-25-20-19-{15}-20-25-42-55->10 #1456 28/07/1984 Tracey Ullman Sunglasses 18 51-36-26-19-{18}-21-30-42-68->9 #1457 14/07/1984 Band Of Gold Love Songs Are Back Again (Medley) 24 67-43-41-39-30-{24}-27-27-35-50-71->11 #1458 21/07/1984 Trevor Walters Stuck On You 9 68-55-44-23-15-{9}-10-16-22-35-50-61->12 #1459 11/08/1984 Howard Jones Like To Get To Know You Well 4 33-10-{4}-4-4-5-12-20-31-40-59-75->12 #1460 04/08/1984 AC/DC Nervous Shakedown 35 49-{35}-35-39-49->5 #1461 04/08/1984 The S.O.S. Band Just The Way You Like It 32 45-37-{32}-37-48-55-74->7 #1462 14/07/1984 A Flock Of Seagulls The More You Live, The More You Love 26 68-64-53-43-40-29-28-{26}-31-36-62->11 #1463 18/08/1984 Iron Maiden 2 Minutes To Midnight 11 27-{11}-14-25-39-65->6 #1464 11/08/1984 Miami Sound Machine Dr Beat 6 41-28-16-7-7-7-{6}-11-18-26-35-43-55-69->14 #1465 11/08/1984 Elton John Passengers 5 52-30-15-6-{5}-6-10-22-30-39-54->11 #1466 11/08/1984 The Pointer Sisters I Need You 25 43-34-29-{25}-29-30-43-52-75->9 #1467 18/08/1984 David Sylvian The Ink In The Well 36 37-{36}-58->3 #1468 18/08/1984 Tears For Fears Mothers Talk 14 38-22-17-{14}-18-30-40-70->8

It has to be LP for me but I’d be very happy with either winning.

I do totally get where Tafty’s coming from. I’m a perfectionist and I’ll want to listen to every song in my semi at least three times in full. Others might only listen once and skip it after a few minutes once they realise it isn’t for them and that’s fine, but I can’t do that. I might well love the long song but it’s adding 1.5 hours to my listening workload if I stick to my usual approach. It’s actually fine for me as it’s generally easy enough to listen while working, but it’s certainly not unreasonable for someone to raise that as a PRACTICAL rather than an artistic concern. I think as long as huge songs are very much the exception it’s probably OK though, and I wouldn’t be in favour of capping the entry length.

No - it’s back to its #93 peak.

She should make it next week, and Taylor the week after.

2 Dino and Béatrice - Putnici (1999, 7th) This was their first top 10 finish and really set the tone for the kind of ethnic style they would be using later on. It’s a beautiful and enchanting duet, with a very distinctive accompaniment including a violin and another traditional stringed instrument. Dino is one of former Yugoslavia’s most renowned musicians, and of course he would be back… 1 Dino Merlin - Love In Rewind (2011, 6th) 2011 wasn’t all bad. From the 2nd place death slot in the final there was this gem. It’s wonderfully catchy, but also has a lovely and folk charm to it and interesting, quirky lyrics. To me this really stands out as something unique in the contest’s history.

After selling virtually nothing for several weeks, “I Run” now seems to have recovered a little and is holding at #49.