Recently, I’ve been taking up a heck of a lot of arguements that are difficult to win. Footballers are grossly underpaid (which they are, compared to the work top actors and top musicians do, hell even top businessmen get paid more) has been probably my greatest success, England’s football team have always been rubbish.
But the most difficult has been this.
Eurovision Voting is not politicial.
For those of you who are unaware, the Eurovision song contest is a Europe wide (with a few wierd countries like Israel) music competition. In the past few years, there has been a shift for the winners, from western to eastern Europe. This coincided with the explosion of countries in Europe, with the former Yugoslavia and USSR increasing in countries rather quickly. And – in recent years – the winners have come from the eastern bloc, or from Scandanavia.
And the Brits have been struggling.
This year, we came last, which is not unlike what we usually do. I think since 2000 we have been 16th once, and that’s our best place. We have to enter as well, as we throw the most money at the competition (along with Germany, France and Spain, who also did rubbish – but Spain had a terrible song), so it’s a bit of a humiliation for us, and we blame the political voting.
I’m not going to say that there’s no political voting, but don’t you think that maybe, just maybe countries that share the same amount of history as one another maybe like the same taste in music? It just seems a little obvious, plus when Ireland and the UK were dominating in the mid 90′s, it was largely because we had a similar taste and voted fairly heavily for each other.
I’m not saying that every single vote isn’t legit, but given the eastern bloc their due. They seem to want it more than us. I thought we had a fairly forgettable song and not surprised that we did rubbish, both the Spain and the Bosnia songs were terrible, but you remembered them. Lets let them keep the Eurovision, we half heartedly enter, and we see people act strangely in front of the camera (like that totally doable Serbian chick who did the outside broadcasts in Belgrade).
One eastern bloc country has got it spot on, and that’s Latvia – go for the pissed British and Irish voters (who both voted heavily for this song). In my eyes, Eurovision 2009 should’ve been in Riga next year with this number:
My scandal was why the bloody hell did this not win.
Comments: 7 Comments
Rhys Wynne, the author of this blog, is a 20 something web designer from Colwyn Bay. 
I think we should just save our money – which would be better used elsewhere – and withdraw from the competition.
We know that won’t happen so I think we just need better songs.
Didn’t watch this years so I can’t say much else.
I think your spot on rhys. I think its just a case of a similar taste in music between the eastern bloc countries etc. Its a telephone vote at he end of the day. (not that they cant be fixed obviously).
The one thing that does worry me is the apparent lack of enthusiasm coming from Sir Wogan on his arrival back in the UK. Its doubtful that hes going to be in moscow next year and i, like the majority or viewers, watch this “show” to listen to terry. Without him, the viewing figures in the UK will collapse.
My vote was with Greece.
Yeah, the reason we don’t win is because we enter crap songs, that would have done well in the mid 90′s.
I’m entering next year!
Wish I could see the other entries, but all these shows including the famous American Idol, beat logic.
Spot on with the Latvians.
And I get the him and her duo singing, fine but whats with Pirate Bez behind them?
Random.
I think you’re wrong on both counts.
1) Footballers are paid too much, as are politicians, actors, etc.
2) Most of Eurovision is about the politics.
And because I said it, it’s automatically right.
I think you’re probably right with that. I don’t know why some countries bothering with entering though. Some of the songs are just crap!