Eurovision 2008 Song of the Day
Norway: Hold On Be Strong, Maria Haukaas Storeng
I may have gone on the record previously as saying that this was a weak entry for Norway. However, having listened to it many times, seen it performed, and accosted the singer herself, I now realise how wrong I was. Hold On Be Strong is a storming ballad, with lyrics in the best Norwegian tradition of introspective analysis of the self. Sings Maria:
Love can be hard sometimes,
Yes, it can catch you off guard like bad crimes,
Yes, it can make you depressed and angry,
Make you say: “Why me, why won’t anybody try me?”
More subtle than Sweden or Iceland, and just downright better than Denmark, Maria’s paean to loneliness and love needs to go through to the final to show the likes of Ireland, Spain and Estonia how it should be done. And for the UK, it should be a lesson in how to bring so-called ‘credibility’ to the contest, but actually making the song memorable.
Norway, ten points. Norvège, dix points. Catchy!
Eurovision Legend of the Day
United Kingdom: Don’t Play That Song Again, Nikki French
‘One of Britain’s top female singing exports’, the amazing Nikki French represented the United Kingdom in 2000 with Don’t Play That Song Again. Sadly, that’s just what many people did do, but they are just WRONG. Simply unappreciated by the UK public (that actually selected her and then sent the song to number 34 in the charts) and the European voters, who decided that Denmark’s Brødrene Olsen, with their Cher-stealing Fly On The Wings Of Love should win, Nikki actually did all of her song without the assistance of the vocoder, and with a routine, so she was actually better. Still very much on the circuit, we all adore Nikki French. Rumours that Kelly Llorenna is doing it next year have been unsubstantiated. Deeper voices do travel further, though, so that’s a plus.
How Eurovision can save the UK
No judging on the night. This year’s pre-selection was an utter disgrace, not only for the way that Terry Wogan was given actual power in terms of deciding who would go through to the final, but also for the way that the performers were judged by John Barrowman and Carrie Grant in the manner of The X-Factor. It wasn’t an amateur talent contest, these were industry professionals who wanted to enter the contest to gain more attention for their music, not naïve beginners with DADS WHO ARE DEAD. To sit there whilst the judges tore their performances to shreds was an utter humiliation for all concerned, and surely career-damaging. Getting rid of ridiculous judging panels can save the UK.
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Precisely, who’s bright idea was it to give actual power to Terry Wogan, the man who couldn’t even read the correct winner last year and who obviously hates everything that’s done well in Eurovision in recent years? And because of that we’ve got Andy bloody Abraham.