Eurovision 2021

[Rusty Nails]

I have read that Bill Bailey has offered to represent the UK next year.

A great idea as it would treat the whole pantomime with the gravitas it deserves.

 

[Eric Olthwaite]

But ITALY? HOW? WHY? WHO?

Just look at the world of music outside Eurovision.
Europeans simply do not understand pop music - never have, still don't.
Every so often there is a random mutation and some European comes up with a decent song, but you've just got to look at the history of rock/pop to appreciate they don't have a clue.

 

[Cathryn]

I can't believe we aren't talking about this.

Not how we got Nul Points of course (that's obvious - if you send an overweight dude wrapped in a leather venetian blind to sing out of tune like he's just left the pub, you aren't going to win).

BUt...

HOW DID ITALY WIN? Who voted for this? It doesn't have a tune!!

Personally I think Germany and the dancing willy hand should have aced it, with Iceland and the weirdo gang in second place. That was the spirit of eurovision right there!
I liked France, but thought is was a bit niche (it was about as French as a French song could possibly be - overtones of Piaf and Jaques Brel etc).

I didn't get the popularity of the swiss entry either. He seemed like a nice chap but the song was quite forgettable.
I liked Malta - thought that would do better.

But ITALY? HOW? WHY? WHO?

I loved Malta too. I've been singing that on Spotify all day. My husband is delighted.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I have read that Bill Bailey has offered to represent the UK next year.

A great idea as it would treat the whole pantomime with the gravitas it deserves.

He's got my vote - I might even watch it!!

 

[Mr Celine]

Just look at the world of music outside Eurovision.
Europeans simply do not understand pop music - never have, still don't.
Every so often there is a random mutation and some European comes up with a decent song, but you've just got to look at the history of rock/pop to appreciate they don't have a clue.

Which band had the most UK number ones in the 1970s?

 

[Eric Olthwaite]

Which band had the most UK number ones in the 1970s?

That was 40 years ago - ABBA was a random mutation. Name another act anywhere near as successful.

 

[classic33]

That was 40 years ago - ABBA was a random mutation. Name another act anywhere near as successful.

From the seventies?

 

[Unkraut]

But ITALY? HOW? WHY? WHO?

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Europeans simply do not understand pop music - never have, still don't.

Interesting comment!

Can you provide a wider list of which continents do and don't understand pop?

Also wondering which continent you're from...

 

[AndyRM]

Interesting comment!

Can you provide a wider list of which continents do and don't understand pop?

Also wondering which continent you're from...

Interesting isn't the word I'd have used, baffling more like!

 

[steveindenmark]

Thankfully Denmark did not qualify. In a strange way I think it is better than getting nul points. Thats what Brexit does for you.😄

Most certainly one of the most exciting LGBT events on the calendar. But apart from that it is dross.

 

[matticus]

I also really dislike the snide, sneering comments that Norton makes. Wogan was even worse. Like these European nations are our unsophisticated country cousins.

Putting Brexit and a crap song to one side, is it any wonder UK gets no votes with such a condescending attitude to other European nations?

They totally reflect the attitude of their audience; that is why they have both been so popular in the role.
Most UK viewers are sneering at the whole thing - that's how we (mostly) choose to enjoy it. They wouldn't have those jobs otherwise (I suspect it costs a mint to get either of them).

 

[matticus]

Just look at the world of music outside Eurovision.
Europeans simply do not understand pop music - never have, still don't.
Every so often there is a random mutation and some European comes up with a decent song, but you've just got to look at the history of rock/pop to appreciate they don't have a clue.

I totally agree. If you took out Scandinavia (Abba, Bjork) you'd have an even more convincing case. (Europe has some great folk music, they should probably promote that more.)

This isn't a xenophobic thing - I'm happy to admit the UK is crap at a lot of things. Food, weather you name it. I like to think that the UK (with a lot of help from the US) is the country that really does pop well. We should be happy about that, and not pretend that the rest are just as good!

 

[icowden]

I think I have found the issue:-

2020 - Most streamed UK artist Ed Sheeran, we send some bloke who wrote a good song and got a Brit Award 7 years ai
2019 - Lewis Capaldi, we send some bloke who won X Factor then disappeared
2018 - Ed Sheeran / Calvin Harris / Little Mix, we send some woman who wrote a song
2017 - Ed Sheeran / LIttle Mix / Dua Lipa, we send some woman who came 8th in X Factor
2016 - ColdPlay / Zayn Malik / Adele, we send two blokes who didn't win The Voice

It's almost like we don't want to win.

In the last 10 years we have sent two acts that people have actually heard of, Blue and Bonnie Tyler, both quite a long way past the prime of their careers.
I did see a good post from the comedy songwriter Mitch Benn who pointed out that he could write a song which would win Song of Europe (Uk selection process) OR Eurovision but not BOTH. In other words what the UK audience wants to select, isn't the same thing as what makes a good Eurovision song.

View: https://twitter.com/MitchBenn/status/1396413688068911108?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

 

[icowden]

I like to think that the UK (with a lot of help from the US) is the country that really does pop well. We should be happy about that, and not pretend that the rest are just as good!

We do pop that we like and that America likes. We do good pop that may play well on the Continent, but we DON'T send our best artists, or even our average artists. Other countries send their biggest stars. We send dross (see my previous post) then wonder why we lose.