Tuesday, May 01, 2007

This Week: Eurovision Song Contest

Now I am going to tell you a little bit of a TV-phenomenon that is huge in Europe.
What I will tell you about is the annual Eurovision Song Contest!
ESC has turned totally trendy the last 10 years, or so! It has always been big, but now it is HOT! Everybody, more or less, takes an interest in this singing competition that is broadcasted throughout Europe!

The European Song Contest started in 1956. And it only seems to get bigger and bigger every year.
And now when we have so many “new” nations in Europe as well, all of them want to participate in the contest. However, only 14 countries are ready for the finale right now. The other 29 countries have to compete in a semi-final on May, 10, and I think about ten of those countries will go further to the big finale!!!
This year the big finale will take place in Helsinki! Last year Finland won for the first time!!! Hurray for Finland! I am so happy that they won.
So, yes, the winning country is always hosting the following year’s finale of the ESC!

Sweden has won the ESC four times. You can check all the winning songs out here!
The first time Sweden won was back in 1974. I was 8 years old and so very interested in the contest! Do you know what song it was? And do you know what group was made world famous thru that song? That is RIGHT!!! It was ABBA’s big break!!! After Waterloo nothing was the same!!
I so remember that night when they won in Brighton, England!!! It was the biggest thing ever! After that ABBA became my biggest idols!! And not only mine. Make it the whole country’s idols! or heck, make it the whole world! ABBA won and they conquered the world: they were here to stay.
I think ABBA is the ESC biggest success story! Hands down!
Enjoy the video here:




Then, fast forward to 1984!
A brand new Swedish group won the ESC this year, in Luxemburg. It was the Herrey Brothers with their song “Diggolo Diggiley”. I was 18 and not so impressed by the group, And I still don't like it all that much. No, the Herrey Brother’s never turned into an ABBA story. You can watch the video here:



The third time Sweden won was in 1991! In Rome, Italy.
The artist was Carola. Carola is one of the biggest and most famous singers in Sweden! She is huge!
I am NOT a fan of her. At all! But, again, I can admit that she had a catchy song.
Watch it here:



The fourth time you could see Sweden win was in 1999! In Jerusalem, Israel.
The artist was Charlotte Nilsson. Charlotte has since then changed her last name to Perreli after she got married.
I really did like this song, “Take Me To Your Heaven”.
You can watch her here:




I don’t think any American TV-company will broadcast this. Or, maybe I am wrong. I think I’ll have to re-search this a bit.

These are the winners from last year…Lordi, from Finland, singing “Hard rock Hallelujah”…




And this year Sweden is represented by the group, The Ark.
We’ll just have to see how it all goes in Helsinki on May, 12!

Do you think Sweden stands a chance with this song? Sung by The Ark?


Keep on Rocking! Yeah, keep on Rocking!!! Have a good Tuesday!

21 comments:

Humlan said...

Hade jag bara ljud på datorn, så skulle jag lyssna igenom din fina genomgång (fast jag skippar nog Carola...;)), tänk att det är så många gånger som vi har vunnit!

Jag har tittat runt lite på garner och det verkar betydligt billigare i USA (halva priset), men där jag handlade är det nästan FÖR billigt (såg jag efteråt), så jag är lite nervös för vad jag ska få.. Håll tummarna!

Desiree said...

Tack Annika, vilken kul sammanställning du har gjort. ABBA var ju så himla bra även om jag var för liten för att följa dem på tv det året de vann. Herrey´s var kul att kolla på, ganska töntiga faktiskt. Carola har väldigt bra röst. Kul att få lyssa på The Ark som jag faktiskt inte hört förut. Tycker det var en bra låt och att den absolut bör ha potential att komma långt. Lordi tyckte jag var så dåligt precis då det vann men desto mer jag lyssnar på deras låt dessto mer gillar jag den. Kanske kan man kolla på melodifestivalen via nätet?

Många härliga minnen väcktes till liv iallfall.

Keith said...

No, I don't think American TV would cover this. Though it would be fun to have something like this in the States. American Idol is popular and a song contest could be, too. As for the song by The Ark, I'm not really jazzed by it. Sounds too much like a song called "Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)" done in the 1970s by a group called Edison Lighthouse. Of course, with the previous winners from Sweden, ABBA rules!

Anne-Marie said...

Instämmer med Desiree att många minnen väcks till liv. Speciellt ABBA. De startade en ny sorts era helt enkelt. Och vi fick vara med om det. Kram!

Annika said...

Humlan:
Jag är så långt ifrån en Carola fan man kan komma!!!
Hutter, frys, skak...Tål'na inte!

Garnet. Du får kolla in kvaliteten...Och om det inte faller dig i smaken kanske jag kan ta med ett ngra nystan hem till Sthlm? kan man köpa garnet överallt här? Alltså på hobbyaffärer odyl???

Desiree:
Kul att du gillade det.
Tror faktiskt man kan kolla över nätet. Det bör gå!
Abba var BÄST!! Herrey's så töntiga, man skäms nästan när man ser dem på videon eller hur?
Ja, schlagern rules!!

Keith:
Simon Cowell knows about ESC for sure!!! It is HUGE in Europe!
I have to see if some cable station covers it here, but more than likely not. But, you can watch it over the computer.
Idol is the closest in this country, but Idol is everywhere else as well, England, Sweden, Finland, norway, France....
Looking forward to Idol tonight...
All right, now I have to look that song up on YouTube as you mentioned...The Ark sound-alike...

Annika said...

A-M:
Och jag blev kär i dem!!! Och den kärleken håller i sig än idag!! Minns så väl hur tagen jag blev den där kvällen när ABBA vann!!! Vilken grej!!!
Kram!

JaCal said...

What a fun post!! I've looked at all the clips - remembering... I really do miss this in the US - watching it in small window on your computer just isn't the same AND in the middle of the day.. Last year I was working, but was listening to the radio broadcast. So I heard Lordi but didn't see them... I have my doubts about The Ark - don't like it at all...

SweFlo said...

I have been loosly follwing the Swedish preliminaries, kind of fun! I was born in 1974, so I missed the Abba train, but I remember in 1983 when carola had her first appearance with Främling, that was huge for me. And when Herrey's started singing I was sold. I knew they would win or else... I was watching that Herrey clip a few weeks ago and was amazed how off key they were, and how awful that song really is... But their poster sure was on my wall. A few years ago I did a translation job for Per Herrey (who lives in CA) and I DID contemplate keeping the check for a few moments, after all it had his autograph on it.. but the money were better... :-)

Annika said...

Jacal:
I know!! I miss ESC as well!! No, it is not the same to watch it in the middle of the day on the computer. It should be a 20:00-21:00 time slot! No doubt. And you should watch it together with family and friends, and vote!! And discuss the clothes, the make-up..etc...Wonderful! MISS IT!!
I do NOT like The Ark either. What is so special about them? OR, maybe I just have to listen to them more. Maybe I'll like them then?

Sweflo:
Yes, I can understand that you must have been at a perfect age when the Herrey's won!! Gosh, when I look at that clip now I almost feel ashamed, but that is the way it was back then. Meanwhile ABBA looks so hip even though it is 33 years ago!
Funny that you did a translation job for Per Herrey! I hope the money was real good!!!

Tankevågor said...

Jag glömmer aldrig när ABBA vann. Minns precis var jag var och vad jag gjorde den kvällen. Sen var det helt hysteriskt i London. Man hörde ABBA i varje affär man var inne i hela tiden.
Ja ABBA är ju fortfarande poppis i London. Mama Mia går för fulla hus. :-)

Anonymous said...

Hi Annika!
Wonderful blog! Thank you for doing all the research & putting it all together. We used to watch the contest when we lived in Germany and always enjoyed it. Hope Sweden wins this year!
Margo

Annika said...

Londongirl:
Glömmer aldrig den kvällen :-)
Bodde du i London då?
ABBA var ju JÄTTESTORA i England!
Mamma Mia har jag sett här i US! Jösses VAD BRA den var! Skulle gärna se om den!

Margo:
Funt that you all used to watch the contest while living in Europe! It is so fun to watch it! Miss it here in the US.
We'll se how Sweden fare this year. I don't like the song all that much...

mintid said...

Har du hört The Arks calleth you callet I ? Den är suuuuuuper!
Tror absolut dom vann om dom ställde upp med den men den har ju funnit några år. Var ledmotiv till filmen Klassfesten där bla Björn Kjellman ( me like) var med... :)

Kram

Anonymous said...

I too had "Love grows (where my Rosemary goes)" in my head after listening to The Ark's song the first time. There were a lot of writing about this in Swedish press, but it seems like the songwriter decided that Ola Salo stole only a small part and that he won't sue them. :)

By the way, I heard somewhere that some US TV-company are considering buying the license for the ETC. I guess that would mean that they would broadcast the event. Anyway, I doubt it would be interesting for American viewers... (but maybe it would have an educational effect!) I watch it on my computer and I force Seb to watch it with me - but he just can't see the fun in it. I guess for us europeans, it's fun because it's such a tradition and it always makes you super patriotic - something we're not used to being.

Anyway. I have to listen through the songs for this year... I have been so busy studying and rubbing my growing belly that I just forgot about the whole thing...

Anonymous said...

Hello!
I like your Tuesday blog! (Can't understand the other days!)
What I really miss is a guy called Terry Wogan who used to (maybe he still does ,i haven't seen it in a while!) be the commentator for the english Eurovision song contest.
He used to say such funny things about everybody and even joke about the fact that we mostly never seemed to get many points!
There was always the hope for the next year though!

Annika said...

MinTid:
Klassträffen är en av mina favvisfilmer!!! Absolut!
Känner inte till The Ark sådär jättemkt. Borde nog lyssna på dom mer.
Kram!

Ida:
All right! I have got to find that song and just compare. So it was a big thing in Sweden then with those two songs.
That would be so cool if they did broadcast ESC here, but it would not be the same (just like Valborg).
But I'll keep my eyes open!
It is such a Euro thing...I wonder if Americans would appreciate it all...
I am sure you have a lot on you mind now!
Kram!!!

Miranda:
Hi and welcome to my blog!
I think I know what guy you're talking about! Very British dry humour.
I guess you just have to log onto the BBC come the 12th...
Blogging in english all tuesdays! Welcome back!!!

Monica said...

Vilket härligt inlägg, så mycket minnen. Abba är fortfarande bäst, Herreys såg jag på Liseberg och tyckte var sååååå bra, Carola-nja, bra röst men inte någon favorit, Charlotte har jag inte sett så mycket av, och Lourdi har jag bara sett på bild tidigare...så uppskattar helt klart tillbakablicken.

Jo, en annan världsstjärna som varit med i melodifestivalen är ju Celine Dion, som vann 1988.

Isle Dance said...

Thank you for sharing! I still love Abba and I think The Ark has a great chance!

Anonymous said...

I have listened twice to this years song by the Ark, but I don't think it'll have a chance. The tune is impossible to remember, there's nothing catchy about it. Unfortunately. His voice is okay.

Mie said...

Ha ha, tack snälla för nostalgitrippen!

I år missar jag tyvärr le grande finale:-( Jag ska på livekonsert med Sahara Hotnights i stället.

Lite otur att det var samma kväll för jag gillar verkligen att titta på Melodifestivalen. Både njuta o förfasas över bidragen;-)

Kram!

Annika said...

Monica:
Kul att du gillade inlägget. ABBA ja, BÄST!!! Utan protest!
Så kul med ESC.
Precis Celine Dion vann för Frankrike! Kan inte minnas låten. Måste se om den finns på Youtube.

Isle Dance:
Welcome to my blog!!!
ABBA is the best! Yes, we'll see about The Ark. I know that many people in Sweden think that The Ark stands a chance to win...
Personally, I really don't like the song.

Matilda:
No, I don't think so either...
Guess he's very charismatic, though..
will be fun to see how it goes on the 12th.

Mie:
Ha, ha...Det var bara roligt att lägga upp det här inlägget. Så kul att lyssna på sångerna och SE hur dom såg ut.
Kul för dig att gå på konsert! Slår säkert ESC!!

Kram!!