The Eurovision Song Contest final takes place this evening, and here in fully-cabled Belgium I can zap between British, Belgian, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Polish, Turkish and Greek simultaneous coverage of the competition, although nothing can match the sardonic comments of an increasingly inebriated Terry Wogan with his trenchant observations, especially when it comes to the voting. Look out for "the old Balkan two-step" when any of the former Yugoslavian countries are being judged, Belarus and Ukraine will cravenly vote for Russia or risk losing their oil supplies again, and Cyprus may finally give douze points to Turkey as well as to Greece this year. From a cursory glance at some of the entries, I see that tonight's line-up in Belgrade will feature the usual smattering of fancy dress (Latvia) and novelty acts (Dustin the Turkey from Ireland, in a blatant attempt to throw the competition, which has cost them a fortune over the years).
Belgium is putting up an song in a made-up language, no doubt a symbolic gesture to its warring Flemish and Walloon communities. The language barrier has always been a sticky wicket in the history of Eurovision. To get around it many countries have resorted to gibberish along the lines of "La la la" or "Boom bang-a-bang". Check out the winners over the years - I think "Diggi-Loo Diggi-Ley" (Sweden, 1984) takes the biscuit. I do hope that this attempt to bridge the language divide isn't taken up by the Commission and used for the basis of a Directive. Otherwise, Eurobabble could become the official language of Europe, or the Boomshakalaka Confederation as it may come to be known.
I always thought this number from "Hair" would have been a Eurovision winner.
Belgium is putting up an song in a made-up language, no doubt a symbolic gesture to its warring Flemish and Walloon communities. The language barrier has always been a sticky wicket in the history of Eurovision. To get around it many countries have resorted to gibberish along the lines of "La la la" or "Boom bang-a-bang". Check out the winners over the years - I think "Diggi-Loo Diggi-Ley" (Sweden, 1984) takes the biscuit. I do hope that this attempt to bridge the language divide isn't taken up by the Commission and used for the basis of a Directive. Otherwise, Eurobabble could become the official language of Europe, or the Boomshakalaka Confederation as it may come to be known.
I always thought this number from "Hair" would have been a Eurovision winner.
20 comments:
I often wonder whether the competition would be fairer if everyone were singing in Esperanto. It might provide a level playing field for all competitors - and it would solve the Belgians' problem too.
Esperanto is a planned language which belongs to no one country or group of states. Take a look at www.esperanto.net
I speak it - and sing in it from time to time!
Is it true the French entry is being sung in English? What a blow for the republic! There was a Norwegian entry in the 1980s which was actually a political song. I think the title, translated into English, was Don't drop your neutron bomb on me. It scored "nul points" from all the judges. Good morning starshine would win with its eyes closed, of course.
Belgium submitted an absolutely dreadful contribution in a "manmade" language.
That's why Bill Chapman's remark suggesting Esperanto, which is also a living language, is such an excellent idea.
In future perhaps the Belgians should check http://www.lernu.net
God, i miss the Eurovision! I'm forced to get it via youTube but I tell you this, Estonia was robbed in the heats. What the eurvision needs is more hive 5s and exploding accordions. Keep old Tel on his toes.
Thank you for reminding me. I nearly forgot. I haven't missed a Eurovision
for the last 5 years
GB, if this is English, I'm a Dutchman:
I’m
Looking for a band today
I see the Chivers anyway
Through my eyes
OH oh oh i'm
I’m alone in life to say
I love the Chivers anyway
‘Cause Chivers look divine
Look away
They try to find the Milky Way
They love to drink it everyday
No no no you
You and I, It's like you said
I’m not a Chivers anyway
You look fine
Oh oh oh I
I’m alone in life to say
I love the Chivers anyway
Cause Chivers look divine
Look away
They try to find the Milky Way
I
Toi et moi C'est comme tu sais
Comment mon coeur a succombe
Oh oh oh I'm
Looking for a band today
I see the Chivers anyway
I ‘ll be a Chivers guy some day
In my mind
Is it me, or is there some subliminal advertising in that song? This is Eurovision under Sarkozy. It's not nice.
Sam, you're damn right, that Estonian entry was a dead cert, although I think our Tel might have exploded if he'd had to watch a man humping a piano.
Guru, are you having a Eurovision party and putting bets on? I'll have a fiver on the alien from Sweden.
Bill and Brian, there's more chance of debates in the European Parliament being held in Latin than in Esperanto. Give it up and learn something useful.
Oh and I apologize, the Israeli entry is apparently not Dana International in men's clothes but someone else entirely -- the song was co-written by Dana Int. I've edited my piece so as to avoid being sued.
Well thank goodness I missed all that. 'My ol' mans a dustman' would have done better.
I don't know, I can't believe Putin watches that. Political influence of the Eurovision, yeh, like that time when Eddie Edwards inspired a generation of British ski jumpers.
This isn't the first time that Belgium's entry was entirely in Gibberish - I think (only think) that it was Sergio who did the same several years ago and we woz robbed! It was damn good, all things considering.
Gambo, next year you and I should dress up as Pearly King and Pearly Queen and give them a dose of the Lambeth Walk. Oi!
Jake, I don't think the voting is political really, more to do with cultural kinship. UK and Ireland vote for each other too. Wogan's mutterings about pulling out because it's too Eastern Europe heavy these days smack of sour grapes. What passes for a good song in Milton Keynes won't necessarily get them dancing in the streets of Omsk.
Zoe, the Smurfs should represent Belgium. Every year.
You're on Daphne.
(You’re wonderful ‘Meet Meat’ review has got me salivating – I must rush out to buy a couple of best fillets immediately.)
It's all just a gigantic multinational game of Mornington Crescent really, isn't it? Better than bombing each other, at least.
It is lovely! In the nuddy do you think?
Wasn't there a Chivers jam? And why does everybody hate us?
Gambo, you're not remotely vegetarian are you? I am flattered that anyone reads my nosh blog other than Tippler, the editor of UpFront, who shamelessly plunders it.
Autolycus, Aunty should be appointed to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony, but they'd only fight each other over who was flat and who came in late, etc. It would end up like The Beatles. Real politics are more like Mornington Crescent - making up the rules as you go along.
Pat, why not? It's about the only cheap trick that hasn't yet been done on Eurovision.
After further research, I have learned there is a new French comedy film called "Steak", in which the "Chivers" are a gang of men whose trademark is dorky clothing and extreme cosmetic surgery.
Come back Michel Colucci, France needs you now.
The only Eurovision group I've EVER heard is Abba. They were darn talented. I don't have a clue what the new folks sound like, how was the winner? Well, oh my, isn't he cute?
"Chivers" explained: "chiver" in French slang means to gash someone with a knife, much as we use the word "chiv" in English - hence this gang of chaps who like to go under the knife are known as "chivers". Nothing to do with marmalade, sadly. 10 euros goes to Ena B.McChe of Schaerbeek for that useful information.
Watching the future Mrs Robert de Niro sing is almost impossible thanks to Treat William's HORRIBLE wig..perhaps the worst in movie history..and do something with those eyebrows!
Luckily we were spared from the Eurovision debacle out here in the Colonies. So many of the Euro Bloggers have been put in a tizzy over this show...it seems to be about as useless at harbouring goodwill as the UN?
When will the world finally accept that Ingulash won the Darwinian Language Race because of it's whorelike ability to take in any other sound and make it it's own?
It's a done deal.
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