Where are our girls???

They were wanted my many fans, including myself, to go to Eurovision, this year they got the portuguese ticket to Athens, but where are they now???

I mean, I also feared for my life after that "french revolution finale" in our Festival da Canção, but everything has quiet down and its now time for promotion, promotion, promotion.

I waited anxiously for the preview videos and for a new remix on Coisas de nada. The moment they were on eurovision.tv I rushed to see them, forgeting that I was from Portugal and that RTP doenst give a damm about ESC. I mean, videos are expensive, but are they that expensive RTP?????

Well, not all is bad since I read on OGAE Portugal site that the new version of the song will be released in early April.

When other contestants are running like crazy all around Europe, where are NONSTOP?

I really hope that if they are not making any tour at least they are taking singing and dance lessons, and will give us a spectacular show in Athens.

Even if their song is not our best ever, we have a chance to send for the first time in some years a popular pop group to the Eurovision. This could help increase the popularity of the show here, specially in younger audiences. But RTP should do their job and promote the event, if we are to continue like this next year we will be sending some nobody, wanna be star, like last year.

As always I start the Eurovision season saying we should leave the contest but I always end up supporting our song. I was happy that NONSTOP were in our Festival, I like their others songs from previous albums so I support them and hope they score well in Athens. This would be good for us fans, but specialy to them, if they want to continue their carear.

Grils, you promised you where gonna make us dance, so: DO IT!

Song of the Week: In your eyes.

After listening to the new version of the Irish song for this year contest I decided that in these third Song of the Week I would honour Eurovision most successful country: Ireland. From the seven possible choices I picked out In your eyes, winner of the 1993 ESC, performed flawlessly by Niamh Kavanagh.
In your eyes was Ireland 5th victory and it is in my opinion a very underrated song.
This beautiful ballad has the power to take us back to a time when slow songs and simple acts could still win Eurovision…
Maybe in 2006 a ballad will triumph again and why not Every song is a cry for love?!

In your eyes

Showing no emotion, my feelings locked inside
I made myself an island, trying to take my heart and hide
I built a wall around me, afraid of letting go
But suddenly an open door I never saw before

In your eyes (Your eyes)
I see the light leading me home again
It's heaven in your arms, my love
My heart is in your hands
(Heaven in your arms)
In your eyes (Your eyes)
Seems so right
I see forever in your smile
This woman is a child again
(In your eyes)

Love's been building bridges between your heart and mine
I'm safe here on my island, but I'm out on the edge this time
I built a wall around me, thought I'd save myself the pain
Your touch swept me away, now I'll never play it safe again

In your eyes (Your eyes)
I see the light leading me home again
It's heaven in your arms, my love
My heart is in your hands
(Heaven in your arms)
In your eyes (Your eyes)
Seems so right
I see forever in your smile
This woman is a child again
(In your eyes)

I've never been this close
How do I know love will survive?
I'm walking a tightrope
Here, in your arms, I'm alive

I'm in your eyes (Your eyes)
I see the light
I see forever in your smile
This woman is a child again

I'm in your eyes (In your eyes)
(I see the light leading me home again)
I see the light, I see the light
(It's heaven in your arms, my love)
My heart is in your hands)
Whoa...
(In your eyes, feels so right)
I see forever in your smile
This woman is a child again
When I look in your eyes

An Albanese swimming pool, Anna Vissi's soap opera, the Monegasque manual on how to make an ESC song in 3 minutes, Sílvia Night and ... Lordi.

Some years before MTV, the Eurovision Song Contest started giving viewers a first glimpse of each year’s songs with the preview videos. In those early days, they were almost all postcards of the participating countries. This tradition remains until today. Doce for example made their video, in swimsuits, in the sunny beaches of the Algarve. Mary Spiteri, in one of my all time favourite videos, walked around the streets of Malta, always with her purse on her shoulder.... This year we have the beautiful city of Mostar, serving has the perfect stage for the Bosnia&Herzegovina song.
There were also the drama videos: Betty Mensiego in 1979, with her white fur coat. Ami Aspelund's Fantasiaa, also in fur coat... And this year greek, soap opera like, video. How old is Anna Vissi???
Off course, there were also some crazy but modern (for their time) videos in the past. For instance, Jürgen Marcus back in 1976. Or, Tommy Seebach, in 1979, with Disco Tango. Nowadays, videos give us an idea on what the stage performance will be like and also an opportunity to practice each song choreography!!! Some countries don’t even bother to make videos and send the national finals performances. Even if the singers sang out of tune they still send it. The best example of this is the Portuguese video. And then, there are videos that are just simply too good to be truth. Like the Albanese videos of 2004 and 2006 (scary swimming pool), Spain 1994, Portugal 1992 (with Dina dressed has Carmen Miranda), Malta 1992, the Turkish videos with the singers dressed in training suits... And Monaco, big brother, video for La coco-dance. For all these reasons I think the preview videos are a very funny part of the ESC, sometimes ignored by national broadcasters, but a real treasure for the fans. From this year contest my favs are Silvia Night and Lordi, both so mad that they are vintage already.

Song of the week: Waterloo.

In the countdown to the Eurovision Song Contest 2006, Song of the week will look back at some historical eurovision winners. And what better song to start with them Waterloo, which was the swedish first eurovision winner back in 1974, performed by the unforgetable group ABBA.
This song also won these year Congratulations, being voted the best eurovision song ever.

Waterloo

My my, at Waterloo Napoleon did surrender
Oh yeah, and I have met my destiny in quite a similar way
The history book on the shelf is always repeating itself

Waterloo - I was defeated, you won the war
Waterloo - promise to love you for ever more
Waterloo - couldn't escape if I wanted to
Waterloo - knowing my fate is to be with you
Wa-Wa-Wa-Wa-Waterloo - finally facing my Waterloo

My my, I tried to hold you back but you were stronger
Oh yeah, and now it seems my only chance is giving up the fight
And how could I ever refuse?
I feel like I win when I lose

Waterloo - I was defeated, you won the war
Waterloo - promise to love you for ever more
Waterloo - couldn't escape if I wanted to
Waterloo - knowing my fate is to be with you
Wa-Wa-Wa-Wa-Waterloo - finally facing my Waterloo

So how could I ever refuse?
I feel like I win when I lose

Waterloo - couldn't escape if I wanted to
Waterloo - knowing my fate is to be with you
Wa-Wa-Wa-Wa-Waterloo - finally facing my Waterloo
Ooh... Waterloo - knowing my fate is to be with you
Wa-Wa-Wa-Wa-Waterloo - finally facing my Waterloo

Biographies, videos, photos, songs...

Now, that all national finals are over and the big night its only a few weeks away, I tought it would be nice if we could get to know this year singers a little bit better so, here is a list of official websites I found in a quick google search.

I would have prefered to make personnal interviews with each singer but the budget of this blog doesnt allow it...

Belarus: http://www.polinasmolova.ru/
Belgium: http://www.kateryan.be/
Bulgaria: http://www.marianapopova.com/
Croatia: http://www.severina.com/
Cyrpus: http://www.annetartani.gr/
Finland: http://www.lordi.org/
FYROM: http://www.m2.com.mk/elena/
Germany: http://www.texaslightning.net/
Iceland: http://www.silvianott.com/
Ireland: http://www.briankennedy.co.uk/
Lituania: http://www.ltunited.com/
Malta : http://www.fabriziofaniello.de/
Norway : http://www.christine.bz/
Poland: http://www.ichtroje.pl/
Portugal: http://eventos.clix.pt/nonstop/
Romania: http://www.mihai-traistariu.go.ro/
Russia : http://www.bilandima.ru/
Slovenia: http://www.anzej.com/
Sweden: http://www.carola.com/
The Netherlands: http://www.treble.nl/
Turky: http://www.sibeltuzun.com/

Ukraine: http://www.tinakarol.com.ua/

Please Lisbon may we have your votes ... quickly!!!

First they took out the orchestra, to save the host country some money. In the same year (1999), the free language rule was introduced again, to make the whole contest more international!!? In 2004, because there where far to many countries taking part in ESC, the semi-final concept was introduced. And now the votes are gonne...
I imagine that to prevent neighbourhood voting we will have regional quarter-finals in a few years (countries of the South quarter-final with Portugal, Spain, France, Cyprus and Greece. The central europe quarter-final with Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland and Austria. The nordic quarter-final. The former USSR quarter-final. The Balkan quarter-final). That is if good old ESC still exists after this bad songs year and with these crazy changes.
The EBU says that the viewing figures of the contest are comming down, specially during the voting.
I dont not exactly what the viewnig figures have been like in the last couple of years, but I dont think that cutting on the votes will make more people watch the entire show. Its like the Oscars giving minor awards on the ground of the Kodak Theather. It just didnt work and it wont work in ESC either.
The Eurovision Song Contest happens only once a year. The costs of the show are supported by the participating nations, by publicity and merchandising. The winning artist always gets a n.º 1 single in a couple of charts. Prime time commercials also give a lot of money to national broadcasters. So, what is the problem? Why change a winning formula?!
The Eurovision Song Contest its not only good because of the songs, its a tradition. A moment where european countrys gather to celebrate music and happiness, but its also a contest. Announcing the 1 to 7 votes on screen and reading only the top marks will just make the all thing too fast and mechanical.
Please EBU we want and like to feel the rythm, but dont take away the emotions...

Parlez-vous français?

Parlez-vous français?
La langue d'amour et de l'été...

The french language is still seen by many today has one of the most romantic in the World. The first Eurovision Song Contest winner Refrain, was sang in french by Lys Assia in the distant year of 1956... After that, more 13 other eurovision winning songs where in the french language:1958, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1965, 1969, 971, 1972, 1973, 1977, 1983, 1986 and 1988, representing France, Luxembourg, Monaco, Belgium and Switzerland.
The last song to win in french was Ne partez pas sans moi, sang by the now famous Céline Dion, representing Switzerland. Then the english language took over and since the introduction of the free language rule in 1999, most eurovision songs are sang in that language. Even the 2001 french song had some parts in english.
This year we will have two songs in french: Vous c’est nous by Virginie, representing France and La coco-dance, sang by Severine, representing Monaco. Both songs were made public yesterday, with the monegasque one being released to the world on a swedish radio!!!
What can we say of this two songs... Vous c’est nous was written by a singer/ composer/ songwriter from Rwanda. The song has a clear african touch, a very refreshing sound, but, ends up being a bit boring and repetitive. The singer didn't appear to be very happy singing it; she barely moved on stage, making the song very lifeless. Maybe she was just nervous, maybe this was not a song for her... Or maybe this is just France trying to get null points...
La Coco-dance could have been the first monegasque entrant for the Junior ESC!! The singer is ok, nothing special with an average voice. However, that caribean feel has actually growned on me. With a nice performance on stage this could surprise many. We feel the rhythm with this song....

Song of the week: Mono i agapi.

Celebrating the greek national final that will take place tonight, here are the lyrics of the last song Anna Vissi sang in the Eurovision, when she represented Cyprus in 1982, with the beautiful ballad Mono i agapi.

Only love – Mono i agapi

Nothing stays, nothing lives
Everything is erased, vanished like the sun in the rain
But above me, above you
Above everything there's

Only love, only love
Only love, and lives at every instant
Only love, only love
Only love, and lives

What's our life, little if you think of it
You would close your eyes, you wouldn't want to see
But behind the mistakes, the human torture
Above everything there's

Only love, only love
Only love, and lives at every instant
Only love, only love
Only love, and lives

Our life passes by, and whatever leaves we're in pain
It doesn't come back, but something holds us together

Only love, only love
Only love, and lives at every instant
Only love, only love
Only love, and lives

Only love, only love
Only love, and lives

(This is an english translation of the original greeck lyrics. For more translations of Eurovision songs go to: http://diggiloo.net/)

Melodifestivalen 2006

And then the nearly impossible happen, Nanna did not win and Martin and the Martinettes went to Kiev to sing about crazy Las Vegas nights.
Sweden should know better them sending a song about some american city (remember San Francisco back in 1997?). In Kiev, Martin got only 30 points and ended up in 19th place among 24 other songs. These was Sweden worse result since 1992, when the now coordinator of Melodifestivalen, Christer Bjorkman sang Imorgan ar en annan dag and came second last (among 23 songs).
Next saturday they will decide on who will go to Athens. In these very bad Eurovision year only a tsunami could stop them from going to the final. Even if the big Abba song of the year is already choosen...No, not Belgium nor Estonia, I mean Portugal.
Well, after 4 semifinals and a second chance round (which were not streamed online, shame on you SVT) 10 songs remain in the competition: 4 swedish ethnic songs (Linda, Magnus Carlsson, Carola and Kikki); 1 with some Liverpoolish influence (Andreas Johnson); a vintage song, with a touch of Paris (Bjorn Kjellman); a glam rock song (The Poodles); a very funny country song (Rednex); 1 anthem to love (Magnus Backlund) and a song where the Pet Shop Boys meet Abba (BWO).
The outcome of these contest seems to have been decided long ago, when the name of the performaners were made public. Carola will most probably fly to Athens with the help of her 3 wind machines, behave like the big ESC diva she is, and capture the contest like a stormwind.
No matter what happens, Melodifestivalen will always be one the biggets national preselections for ESC, with lots of diferent types of music and singers that can actually sing. These year they even had a samba, sang in portuguese, by Simone Moreno.
I cant decide on what my favourite song is, I like them all. From the semi’s I loved Etymon, wich sounded rather similar to Efharisto, which I also loved. But since blogs are supposed to be places where we give our own opinions, im going with Magnus Carlsson, he gave a very good performance and I just loved the thingie with the elastic strings. In second place Andreas Johnson and in third BWO.

To end my third post I say to RTP: get in touch with SVT and ask if they want to sell us Aeyah (the music of the Samba). These is the only way to put us in the Athens final, a samba made in Sweden, but with more portugalidade them Coisas de Nada. Or at least ask them for a copy of their final, so we can copy it and make a decent Festival da Canção next year, in which the director films more them just the singers mouths, eyes or legs.

O regresso do Festival da Canção

É verdade, a RTP decidiu mesmo trazer o (moribundo) Festival da Canção à ribalta, prometeu-nos um grande espectáculo, capaz de fazer reavivar as nossas memórias de anos passados e projectar o Festival no futuro. Eu confesso que gostei da ideia.
Já em tempos afirmei que era melhor a RTP desistir de vez destas andanças. O Festival da Eurovisão é um concurso de música pop, que se ganha com uma melodia que fique no ouvido logo a primeira e muita, muita promoção. Ora Portugal música pop não tem, e quanto a dinheiro para promoção é melhor nem se falar nisso que estamos embrulhados numa grande crise...
Mas, como bom fã (quase fanático) pelo ESC que sou, lá fui eu para o Centro de Congressos de Lisboa para assistir ao "grande espectáculo" prometido.
Bom, quanto as canções propriamente ditas não vou tecer grandes comentários. Segundo os seus autores eram todas canções excelentes, fruto de não mais do que 5 minutos de súbita inspiração na esplanada de qualquer café, mas que pela suas capacidades intrínsecas acabavam logo ali com o espírito desanimado dos portugueses, falando-nos de amor, paz, de almas novas e coisas que tais.
A minha favorita acabou por ser Bem mais além interpretada pelos Mariafolia. Vestidos de caretos de Trás-os-montes, uma coreografia ruslanica (ou quase) e uma melodia a atirar ao tradicional, eram o equívoco ideal para eu adorar.
Mas o momento alto do show não foram as canções, nem os merdleys, cantados em playback. O momento alto aconteceu realmente no fim do espectáculo com os apupos as vencedoras Nonstop e os gritos a chamar a outra vencedora, Vânia com a canção Sei quem sou(Portugal). Bom pelo menos ninguém atirou garrafas para o palco como na Sérvia & Montegro.
Eu, na minha modesta opinião acho que se todos os concorrentes e respectivos produtores conheciam as regras, ou seja, que seriam os votos do júri a desempatar no caso de duas ou mais canções acabarem com a mesma pontuação, ninguém tem nada que se queixar. Se não queriam participar com estas regras podiam sempre esperar pelo próximo festival. Se por acaso alguém suspeita de alguma irregularidade montenegrina nas votações, então tudo para a esquadra.
Enfim, tanto quanto se sabe em Atenas iremos ser representados pela girlsband Nonstop (descobertas num programa da SIC!!!) com a canção Coisas de Nada (também conhecida como Vem dançar).
Que os fãs se atirem à RTP pelo forma como o desempate foi decidido tudo bem, mas não culpem as pobres raparigas, que apenas fizeram o que lhes foi pedido e que se saiba não manipularam os votos. Elas até desafinaram e tudo...
Seja como for a RTP conseguiu o que queria, um festival à antiga, com claques aos gritos. Só que não estamos em 1974, as Nonstop não são o Paulo de Carvalho, nem a Vânia o José Cid...É pena.
Para o ano há mais, ou talvez não.

Este post exige dois agradecimentos: um ao OGAE Portugal que consegui os convites para os fãs assistirem ao evento, outro ao A.G. pela foto das vencedoras da noite.

Hello Europe, Lisbon calling...

No ano em que se comemoram os 50 anos do Festival da Eurovisão, e a poucos meses da sua 51.ª edição, que se realizará em Atenas, também eu decidi aderir à moda dos blogs, com um que se dedicará exclusivamente a este certame, bem como às selecções nacionais dos vários países participantes.

O meu objectivo não é criar mais um site de notícias sobre o ESC. Lisbon Calling... será um espaço de memórias e impressões sobre canções, cantores, actuações e polémicas do Festival Eurovisão da Canção, com um olhar especial sobre os concorrentes portugueses.

Convido todos os fãs, e os (ainda) não fãs, a partilharem comigo o fascínio por este acontecimento mítico da música europeia.