Eurovision: making our minds up - Times Online
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Eurovision: making our minds upTimes Online, UK - May 21, 2008Eurovision is a trivial competition that reveals a truth that some Britons find profoundly uncomfortable: Europe, or at least the nations that participate ... |
Eurovision: making our minds up - Times Online All of that, and because there is sod all on any other channel on a Saturday evening.David Leslie, Perth, Scotlandyes, why don't the UK send someone great? Also enter our fantastic competition Young Photographer:Do you have what it takes to be a Times photographer?Surprise Yourself:Your brain is capable of more than you might think...Property Guides:Need help with your property? Also part of the block are Turkey,Albania, Greece, Cyprus, Bulgaria and Hungary. Also, many of the ex-Soviet and Jugoslav countries have big minority populations from the other ex-states, eg. Although Ireland and the UK have ablockette of their own, one ally isn't enough to break the block votinghandicap. Although, if anything, he'stalking them up. And at the same time, around 11 million Britons will relish -albeit via a mechanism of incredulous ridicule - songs from some newEuropean neighbours that many of us have barely registered. And, so, one of the greatestBritish songwriters of the last 25 years withdrew his offer. Any other country will have said to hell with the rules andfast-tracked him directly in to the contest. Anything more thanthat...well, if I win, I'll probably collapse on the floor.”This may not sound like much of a Positive Mental Attitude, but Abraham willbe right to be cautious about his prospects. As Serbiaromped to victory the great man mused: “We need to build a wall.” Sir Terrywas referring to block voting, the phenomenon whereby clusters of countriesvote for each other to boost their chances of success. Because in the 11 contests since 1997, the United Kingdomhas won a spot in the top ten only twice (Imaani, second place in 1998, andJessica Garlick, third in 2002). But itlater emerged that we beat Ireland at all only because Malta, which awardedScooch 12 of its 19 points, voted for us as a protest vote against theiniquities of block voting. But ourlast victory, courtesy of Katrina and co, was way back on May 3, 1997. Can anyone tell me why our Eurovision entry is more often than not little more than a pub band, when we have so many amazing singers and bands here...it does seem ridiculous. Dana International, the Israeli transsexual who won in 1998 andwho has written this year's Israeli entry, said this week: “They took overthe competition and because of them Eurovision still exists. Despite what thered-top says, Andy Abraham's Eurovision 2008 effort, Even If, isn'tour worst-ever effort. Dustin's number, IrelandeDouze Pointe, was effectively a Eurovision protest song, exhorting theContinent to end the Emerald Isle's years in the cold. Eurovision is a victim of its own rules. Even in the years when wesubmitted decent if cheesy fare by the likes of Cliff Richard, Coco andBardo, we knew that our songs were still better than everyone else's.Now, much of the best pop music is made in mainland Europe. Explore the wonders of the Golden State. Famously,Morrissey briefly showed an interest in representing the UK. Germany routinely gives Turkey its top vote, and Ireland goes for Poland; that's because of the number of those nationals resident there who vote for their homeland. His default take on Britishness accords with the viewthat the rest of Europe has of us. If countries are exchanging votes because they have similar cultural tastes and like each other's music, that is perfectly valid. If it is such a great song what chart position has it got to in the UK? If you can't get through the contest on Sir Terry's commentary, tune out entirely. In 2003 came the ignominy of our first ever“nul points”, courtesy of Jemini's Cry Baby. In mainland Europe, it's easy to pop across borders and vote abroad for yourselves.Suaimhneas, Dublin, IrelandThe article states that much of the best pop music is now made in mainland Europe! In return, we getautomatic qualification for the final. It also teaches us quite a bit about the culture of the "new countries" with the introduction clips. It fell on deaf earsand was, according to reports from Belgrade, even booed by “Eurovisionpurists”.Ireland tried to break the block-vote deadlock with comedy. It has transformed the Eurovision balance of power. It makes the whole thing worthwhile.Victoria, Sydney, AustraliaFor heaven's sake, no more licence money for this non-sense. It was farcical and ridiculous.Jem, Essex, Why analyse the voting in terms of 'alliances'? It was so obvious that block voting had taken place. Its heart isthe former constituents of Yugoslavia; Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia,Bosnia-Herzegovina and FYR Macedonia. It's not just the UnitedKingdom that is feeling the effects of block voting; other Europeancountries not included in the Eastern family have had their egos offendedtoo. Jake, Belgrade, SerbiaOne more thing..some of the countries are not even in Europe.. Just like our national football team'sinability to seize the glory in the penalty shoot-out, it all rather smacksof knowing our place, deep down, in the modern world.But even as recently as last year, it didn't have to be like this. Latvia has a huge Russian minority that can vote for Russia to win, so Latvia will always be guaranteed to give Russia points. Let a private tv channel pick up the bill. Let them pay for it themselves if they want to play politics. Let's not do an Austria.“As far as I'm concerned about the whole so-called block voting, there's notreally a lot that I can do about it,” says Andy. Let's not get a persecution complexabout something as unserious as Eurovison. News International Limited, 1 Virginia St, London E98 1XY, is the holding company for the News International group and is registered in England No 81701. Now Eurovision is a public vote, hisfanbase alone will have ensured victory, whatever the song was like.Incredibly though, he was told he will have to compete with the likes of Scooch and Justin Hawkins for his place.For heavens sake! Now it is just politics and is a complete farce. Only Ireland has won it more often (seven times). ORF, itsnational broadcaster, regally announced that it was orf. Ouraloofness was a corollary of the fact that - Abba aside - we knew that wewere better at pop than all the other European nations put together. Play our brand new interactive game: with added functionality and daily prizesCareer/JobsSkip Career/JobsForget burnout, boreout is the new office diseaseAre you irritable when you return from work? Please read our Privacy Policy.To inquire about a licence to reproduce material from Times Online, The Times or The Sunday Times, click here.This website is published by a member of the News International Group. Plus enter our great competitionSport Safety :We explore leisure activities that are safe and suitable for all of the familyPerfect Pets:Times Online's new TV show helps you make the right decisions for your petTotally California:Are you California dreaming? Politics has always seemed a part of Eurovision, but a quality song, well sung, will highlight this, or win.Andy Lewis, Chelmsford, EnglandExactly, Frank of Newcastle. Scooch won second to last place only because of that protest vote fromisolated Malta, which doesn't even have Ireland on its side. Since 1999every winner has been a member of a Euro voting block. Some of it is evenofficially represented in this year's contest - for instance, the French popstar Sébastien Tellier with the arpeggiating Beach Boys thrill of Divine.The roles have been reversed. Take it for what it is - gloriously camp, with shades of being both brilliant and hideous in equal measure and enjoy the show with plenty of alcohol ! Thanks to victories fromSandie Shaw, Lulu, Brotherhood of Man, Bucks Fizz, and Katrina and TheWaves, the UK ranks joint second in the all-time Eurovision Song Contestwinners league. That will be fair!Mark, London, UKEstonia and Russia are certainly not in the same block but: year after year Russia gets full points from Estonia. That is an extremely longtime ago.Andy Abraham - the former dustman limbering up to represent us at the 2008final in Belgrade on Saturday - is under no illusions about his chances. That is priceless exposure for a former runner-up on TheX-Factor . Thatwas Tony Blair's first full day as Prime Minister. The “Viking Empire” or NordicBlock has eight members; Iceland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Latvia,Lithuania and Estonia. The Eastern Block also has eight members: Russia,Ukraine, Armenia, Georgia, Poland, Belarus, Moldova and Romania.The most potent block, 11 nations strong, is the Balkan Block. The new semi-final voting system is scandalous.Vicky Hall, Bolton, The sharp rise in alcohol-related illness since UK last won Eurovision is the issue of the day, Emma. The real problem for the UK is poor entries. The singing binman will have had to enlist sixdentists' drills if he wanted to outcrap Scooch's Flying The Flag (for You),but - of course, he won't win. The trend has beenfuelled by the rush of new nations flocking to Eurovison in the aftermath ofperestroika. The voting system needs changing!Janne, London, Soory Sonny but I disagree. There is a Balkan bloc but UK always vote for Ireland.Sonny Anderson, Cambridge , United KingdomWhen I was a child I remember the whole family watching Eurovision and there was actually a chance for anyone to win. These bloc comments are ridiculous, and Poland in a bloc with Russia when Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, Belarus & Russia never gives any points to Poland! These have been lean years for Britain.It was last year's dismal showing from Scooch (Flying the Flag (for You)came second last) that proved too much even for Sir Terry Wogan. They love it as is, and take it deadlyseriously. They treat itwith the respect that Western Europe treated it with years ago.” Dr Gatherersays: “They still have some of the original spirit of the Eurovision SongContest. This is not about music it's about politics and showing the darkest sides of Europe (are some of these countries even in Europe???)....Nick, London, UKThere is no conspiracy of block voting. To suddenly stopseeing the joke, to storm out of Eurovision in a huff will be pathetic. Trap 2 as well - no way!rod, cumbria, cumbriaBut the reasons behind the block voting aren't a "moot point" at all. Visually it is dull and the big 4 miss out from early exposure in the semis. Vote quality!John Morgan, old Stratford, United KingdomI think that this year Britain finally sent GOOD song! We are one of theso-called “Big Four”; along with Germany, Spain and France, the BBCcontributes around 40 per cent of the cost of the contest. Wecan afford to treat Eurovision like a joke. Weshould treat it like Wimbledon: a fantastic spectacle that we have only theslimmest chance of ever winning again. What matters to our prospects of victory is that they are doingit.Dr Gatherer identifies three voting blocks. When it was announced that even the losers of the twosemi-finals will be able to vote in this year's final - thus setting thescene for all the block-vote regulars to douze points for each other withtheir usual abandon this weekend, Austria threw an almighty wobbly. When Scooch came second last, it was Ireland they beat. Why should our TV license via the BBC pay for this sham. 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