The Eurovision Song Contest 2012

I am an incurable Eurovision fan and have been watching the Eurovision Song Contest live on TV since 1978. Naturally, I was so glad - almost delirious - to see on Tuesday's first semi-final that Greece and Cyprus got the golden ticket to tomorrow's Grand Final. Congratulations to both of our amazing girls! Here they are at the first semi-final:

Ivi Adamou sings La La Love for Cyprus

 

And here is Eleftheria Eleftheriou also from Cyprus, who sings Aphrodisiac for Greece 

 

The Eurovision Song Contest is 56 years old today. Here's how all started half a century ago,  on May 24, 1956:

Already for 56 years, the Eurovision Song Contest is Europe's favourite TV show. After more than five decades featuring some 1,100 songs, the contest has become a modern classic, strongly embedded into Europe's collective mind. ..
In 1955, the EBU came up with the idea of an international song contest whereby countries, represeted by their respective public broadcasters, would participate in one television show, to be transmitted simultaneously in all represented nations.

This was conceived during a meeting in Monaco in 1955 by Marcel Bezençon, a Frenchman working for the EBU. The competition was based upon the Italian Festival di Sanremo, held for the first time in 1951, and was also seen as a technological experiment in live television: in those days, it was a very ambitious project to join many countries together in a wide-area international network.

Satellite television did not exist yet at that time, and the Eurovision Network comprised a terrestrial microwave network. Le Grand-Prix Eurovision de la Chanson Européenne was born!
Without interruption, the Eurovision Song Contest has been broadcast every year since 1956, which makes it one of the longest-running television programmes in the world. In 2003, the first ever Junior Eurovision Song Contest took place, while the Eurovision Song Contest celebrated her 50th anniversity 2005. Viewers picked ABBA's Waterloo as best ever Eurovision Song Contest song.

2008 running saw a record of 43 represented countries, as Azerbaijan and San Marino joined the family.The competition has been broadcast throughout Europe, but also in Australia, Canada, Egypt, Hong Kong, India, Jordan, Korea, New Zealand and the United States, even though these countries do not participate.

(Information collected from Eurovision )

Eurovision 2005: Elena Paparizou gave Greece the victory for the first time with her amazing Number One. 

 

And this is the best Eurovision song ever picked by viewers all over Europe! Waterloo by ABBA - Eurovision winner  1974

 

Finally, here are the 26 finalists from all over Europe for Eurovision 2012

My Best Eurovision Song Ever! Johnny Logan and Hold Me Now for Ireland - Eurovision winner 1987

 

 

 

Comments

[Jeff]

Sounds like a great show! I listened to the songs you posted here and loved Aphrodisiac most! Second best: Waterloo!!!

[Stefania]

Well, like almost every year, I'm organising a Eurovision night. Some friends are coming over to watch the show together. I hope the best for Ivi and Cyprus.

[Alexia M]

I watched both semi-finals this week and was very glad to see that Cyprus and Greece passed in the first semi-final. They are both great songs. But I am only allowed to vote only one country for up to 20 times so my vote goes to...Cyprus! As for my country, I was very disappointed with the Dutch entry and Joan Franka. She has a good voice and she has sung great songs here in The Netherlands. That's why she got the national vote. The Indian feathers on her head were such a bad idea! Good luck to Cyprus tonight! La la Love...I love that song!!!

[Karolina]

Although I really loved the Hungarian, the Swedish and the French entries, my favorite is Cyprus!!! I will vote tonight for La La Love! What a song! And what a great voice!

[Haruko N]

I have never heard of this song contest before. Who decides which countries to participate?

[Jean-Paul Bouvier]

J'adore la chanson grecque!!! Ce soir ma vote ira en Grèce!

[Jean-Paul Bouvier]

Ah oui, à propos, je suis d'accord que la meilleure chanson Eurovision c'est Waterloo! Pourtant j'ai beaucoup aimé Vicky Leandros, qui est d'origine grecque si je ne me trompe pas, et qui a chanté Après Toi pour Luxembourg en 1972. Bonne chance à France et à Chypre.

[Lakis Ioannou]

Most countries of the eastern European block did not make it through on the first semi-final. Funnily enough,most of them passed the second semi-final leaving out countries like Switzerland and the Netherlands. (Iloved both Swiss and Dutch entries) Do you want to bet? Tonight each one of all these countries will vote each other, so I know the winner! One of them!! I also know that Greece and Cyprus vote each other but that's only 2 countries! I loved Eleftheria's Aphrodisiac and she will have my vote tonight as well as the votes of the rest of the family. Good luck Greece!

[Agnes]

Sounds like a great show. (Similar to American Idol?)

[Sophia]

I watched the grand final last night and was a bit disappointed to see that Greece and Cyprus didn't get the place they deserved. I'll agree with Lakis that eastern European countries tend to vote each other - they are more than ten! Also Scandinavian countries vote each other. The Swedish entry was just a good performance in my opinion but nothing so special as to get 370 points. Israel did not pass at all and they had a great song!

[Christina]

I think the Cyprus and Greek entries got what they deserved. I wasn't impressed by either. What I hated most was the fact that Eleftheria, who sang for Greece, tried hard to copy Elena Paparizou - the 2005 winner - who gave Greece the one and only Eurovision victory. The Swedish entry was an amazing performance! I also liked Serbia and Azerbaijan.

[Laura]

Anastasia, I'm also a great Eurovision fan! I watched the show last night and was completely disappointed with the voting. Although the UK is one of the 5 countries that don't have to go through any semi-final, we haven't been doing well for the last 10 years or so! We used to be in the top 5 for years! Just like Cyprus and Greece , we're also 2 countries voting for one another - the UK and Ireland. I truly loved the Uk entry but...yes with so many eastern European countries around, it's hard to get to the top ten!

[Bertrand]

Of course, I am very glad for my country's great victory last night. Here in Sweden, we're still partying for Laureen's great performance that gave Sweden 370 points. I think she deserved it! But I am also very glad because Sweden gave Cyprus its 12 points! We loved the Cyprus entry!!!

[Olga P]

Eurovision χωρίς ευτράπελα γίνεται; Δεν γίνεται και φυσικά και στον τελικό της Eurovision 2012 είχαμε πολλά και διάφορα παράξενα και ... αστεία!
Πρώτο βγήκε στη σκηνή το Ηνωμένο Βασίλειο και ο Engelbert Humperdinck (τι όνομα Χριστέ μου! Πιο εύκολα λες σκουλικομυρμηγκότρυπα) μας θύμισε τον Σταμάτη Κόκοτα με τις φαβορίτες του! Ακολούθησε η γνωστή τσιρίδα – κλάψα της Αλβανίας, με την τραγουδίστρια να έχει πάντα επί κεφαλής σφηκοφωλιά και στο λαιμό φίδι φτιαγμένο από τα μαλλιά της...
Φυσικά, δεν έλειψαν ούτε οι τρομερές γιαγιάδες από το Μπουράνοβο της Ρωσίας, που άναψαν ξανά τον ξυλόφουρνο και έβαλαν μέσα το ταψί.
Μυστήριο εξακολουθεί να παραμένει τι έψησαν σε τούτο το ταψί...
Ημίγυμνους χορευτές που έκαναν κωλοτούμπες και τραγουδίστρια με μαύρο see through που άφηνε το μεταλλιζέ βρακάκι να φαίνεται (έτσι, για να μην λες ότι μόνο η Ελευθερία Ελευθερίου το έδειξε) έβγαλε στη σκηνή η Γαλλία (κι αυτή την είδαμε πρώτη φορά στον τελικό), ενώ η Ιταλίδα Nina Zilli αντέγραψε εντελώς το μαλλί της μακαρίτισσας της Amy Winehouse, φόρεσε φόρεμα – αλουμινόχαρτο που θα το ζήλευε κάθε μπουζουκόβια και συνδύασε το κόκκινο της γόβας με εκείνο του κραγιόν της!
Ακολούθησαν δύο γνωστοί από τον β' ημιτελικό: ο Ott Lepland με την... «Κούλα» του («πολύ κ*λ*παιδο ο Κυριάκος;) και ο Tooji της Νορβηγίας με την φάτσα του... Σαρμπέλ και τις κινήσεις αλά Σάκη Ρουβά (θα 'θελε να του μοιάσει του Έλληνα σταρ).
Φόρεμα – ουράνιο τόξο έβαλε η εκπρόσωπος του Αζερμπαϊτζάν: λευκό ξεκίνησε το αραχνοΰφαντο, πορτοκαλο-κίτρινο-μπορδο-ροδοκόκκινο κατέληξε (αυτό το χρώμα του ούτε η... Μοιραράκη δεν θα μπορούσε να το περιγράψει ), μην σου πω για τα φτερά που φορούσε έναντι επωμίδων η Sabina.
Καπετάνισσα και στον τελικό η Soluna από την Δανία που φαίνεται είναι το στυλ της το ναυτικό καπέλο και το κόκκινο σακάκι με τις χρυσές επωμίδες, ενώ, μετά την εμφάνιση της Ελλάδας, βγήκε η Loreen από την Σουηδία να μας θυμίσει πως το κοριτσάκι του «The Ring» μπορεί και να τραγουδήσει, αλλά και να... παλέψει με τον αέρα.
Ντυμένη σαν... Καρυάτιδα αλλά με τολμηρό σκίσιμο στο μπούστο και κοτσίδα – σημαδούρα στο κέντρο του κεφαλιού επέλεξε η Pastora της Ισπανίας που στο στήσιμο «έφερνε» στην Jennifer Lopez (προσπάθησε τουλάχιστον), ενώ ο εκπρόσωπος της Γερμανίας βγήκε με μάλλινο σκουφί και με φατσούλα που θύμιζε το pop idol που θα μπορούσε να έχει σε αφίσα κάθε εφηβικό δωμάτιο.
Μέχρι να πάμε στην ψηφοφορία, γέλασε το χειλάκι μας με τα διδυμάκια από την Ιρλανδία, που για ακόμα μία φορά μπήκαν στο... σιντριβάνι τους και έγιναν μούσκεμα, χαλώντας παράλληλα το Fido Dido μαλλί τους, αλλά και την Gaitana από την Ουκρανία που βγήκε στη σκηνή με τους χορευτές να φοράνε... χρωματιστές φουστανέλες και τα ροζ τριαντάφυλλα στο κεφάλι της ολίγον τι μαραμένα – μήπως αντί για λακ, να ψέκαζε την κουπ με νεράκι πριν βγει;

[Anastasia]

In the first and second semi-finals, 50% counts for the vote of the people and 50% the vote of the Eurovision committee. In the Grand Final, the people's vote only counts, which is fair enough to my mind.

[Anastasia]

Lakis, I think this is only natural. The eastern European countries share the same culture, love the same music, and most of them understand each other's language. Surely, Greece and Cyprus exchange 12 points but same goes for Ireland and the UK, Austria and Germany to mention only a few. I think Sweden deserved to be the winner. BUT, I also loved Estonia. The Estonian singer put tears in my eyes even though I did not understand one single word of the lyrics.

[Anastasia]

Yes, the show is quite similar to American Idol and quite different at the same time. The contestants represent their countries in the Eurovision Song Contest, they can also choose to sing in their own language or in English. Finally, the winner has to host the next Eurovision Song Contest. Hope we do better next year in Stockholm. :-)

[Anastasia]

Oh! I didn't like the Israeli entry at all and did not expect them to pass.

[Anastasia]

Congratulations to Laureen and Sweden!!! It was a great performane! And thαnk you for the 12 points!!! It was such a wonderful surprise.

[Anastasia]

Νάσαι καλά , Ολγα μου. Μ'έκανες και γέλασα. Φιλάκια!!!

[Constantinos T]

I really loved Euforia and the Swedish entry.

[Andreas]

I missed the show on Saturday but saw most songs at the semi-finals. Can't say I was impressed by the Swedish entry or the Russian song. Such a pity Switzerland did not pass - I love that song.

[Marilou Kyriacou]

I watched the show here in the UK and was shocked to see the UK coming last! BBC bosses have been told by fans of the Eurovision Song Contest that it's time to quit the show over its so-called political voting. The UK faced another humiliation in the Azerbaijan capital of Baku over the weekend, as entrant Engelbert Humperdinck limped home in second to last place. Viewers then flooded the BBC website with complaints over the voting, which saw the UK only receive a total of 12 points from Ireland, Latvia, Belgium and Estonia for Humperdinck's song 'Love Will Set You Free'.

One complaint read: “It doesn't matter who we have represent us things will always be the same and that's political PULL OUT AND DON'T BOTHER WASTING ANYMORE TIME OR MONEY!”
Celebrities even waded in, with 'This Morning' host Philip Schofield tweeting: “It's time to pull out.
'Not even Robbie [Williams] could win it for us, it's too political.”

Sweden scooped the first prize, with singer Loreen receiving 372 points for her song 'Euphoria'. Humperdinck, meanwhile, said that he enjoyed the experience despite the outcome.

“I want to thank everybody, especially my fans around the world for their words of support,” he said. “I did the best for my country, the rest was out of my hands.” [Daily Mail]

Italy pulled out for many years and rejoined the contest to please their fans. But who cares about music at the Eurovision Song Contest when almost half out of 26 countries belong to the Eastern block? Does Eurovision belong to Eastern Europe only? I wonder... As for the Swedish song, it was certainly not the best. Not to mention Russia that came second with all those old ladies singing nonsense!

[Laura]

There were no surprises at the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest, either in the result or the reaction to it. The bookmakers’ favourite, Sweden, won by a large margin while those with the fewest points brought out the usual claims that the voting system is a farce.

The Swedish entry, dance club tune ‘Euphoria’ performed by Loreen, garnered a huge 372 points, the second highest tally in the contest’s history (Norway scored 387 in the 2009 final). It had been expected to do well as the track had already reached Number 1 in the music charts of several European countries and few people deny that it was a worthy winner. Sweden was awarded a maximum 12 points by 18 out of the 42 countries that voted and only one country, Italy, gave it no points at all
There was nothing surprising either about the voting patterns. Greece was inevitably given a top score of 12 by Cyprus and Albania. The voting blocs stayed true to themselves: Sweden was given top points by all its Scandinavian and Baltic neighbours, Russia was able to count on the votes of former Soviet states, and Serbia finished in third place thanks largely to the 12 points it received from each of its Balkan chums Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro and Slovenia.

Another predictable factor to come out of the contest has been the response of the countries that didn’t do so well. The United Kingdom and France, who as among the biggest contributors to the event’s organisers EBU qualify automatically each year, received just 12 and 21 points respectively. The usual claims of unfairness in the voting system duly followed.

The United Kingdom, a country with a proud history in pop music but whose Eurovision results have been in freefall over the last 15 years, fielded Engelbert Humperdinck, a world famous crooner with hundreds of millions of record sales to his name. He finished second last. People in his native Leicester were outraged and some think the UK should boycott the competition if its superstars are going to be treated so dismissively. Leicester resident Alan Birchenall told one local website:

“It’s always been this way with the Eurovision Song Contest and we have to think about whether it’s worth entering it. It’s a stitch-up because countries vote for their friends and they just don’t like us Brits. It’s a bit of a clique.”
Another report, from the Daily Mail, describes how angry British viewers are asking the BBC to pull the UK out of the contest, quoting one as saying: “Once again the voting has been political, when will we in the UK learn we are not liked and no matter what song or who sings it we will not get anywhere. It is time for the UK to pull out of this biased contest so we are not humiliated year after year.”

And the French, who finished 22nd out of 26, feel equally as mistreated. Representing France was Anggun, who told reporters the result was “unfair for my team, for France Television and for France.” “We don’t deserve this,” she goes on. “We were told about geopolitical voting but didn’t really want to believe it.”

Until next year in Stockholm!

[Lisa A]

After the terrible earthquake that struck my area, it was impossible for me to be online for many days. Now, thank God, things are getting back to normal. I am very lucky because I only count damages in my house and not victims like so many other families. We watched the Eurovision song contest on the Internet because our TV is destroyed. What can I say? The suspense that used to exist before no longer exist. The voting is unfair. Italy is one of the 5 European countries that pass automatic without semi-finals like the UK, Germany, France and Spain. Italy stayed away from the contest for a few years. The reason is because they allow more than 10 eastern Europe countries to participate. So, all their votes go to each other. Add to this all the Scandinavian countries. There is political voting too. We are back in the last 2-3 years I think the many Eurovision fans of Italy wanted my country to go back. I also noticed that all the 5 countries didn't get a good place not only this year but also last 3-4 years because they have no real motivation.

I am not racist and I applaud every European country that participate from all over Europe - north, south, east, west. But the voting system must change before we see many other countries leave the show. In the 1980s and early 90s EBU judges from each country voted and it was more fair.

[Jim]

What more can I say when Britain's Engelbert Humperdinck finishes second last. The 76-year-old crooner gave an amazing performance with his ballad "Love Will Set You Free" Funnily enough, 80 year-old ladies from Russia finish top second thanks to all the 12 points they got from many ex-soviet countries.

[Lakis Ioannou]

There are issues like those between Azerbaijan and Armenia, two countries which are technically still at war. When 41 people in Azerbaijan voted for Armenia in 2009, they were hauled in by authorities as a threat to security!

[Nicos Nicolaides]

Gone are the golden Eurovision Song Contests. Johnny Logan, alias Mr Eurovision won the contest 3 times for Ireland I still hum in the car or in the shower What's Another Year (1980) or Hold Me Now (1987). And let us not forget Terminal 3 for Linda Martin in 1992. And then who can forget Italy and Toto Cutugno in 1990 with "Insieme 1992" Celine Dion - the great French-Canadian singer was the 1988 Eurovision winner in Dublin with "Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi" and gave Switzerland its second victory after the very first Eurovision show in 1956. And then our own Elena Paparizou - a Greek-Swedish who finished first for Greece in 2005 thanks to the Scandinavian countries!

Let us not forget the 5 UK victories - Sandie Shaw in 1967, Lulu in 1969, Brotherhood of Man in 1976, Bucks Fizz in 1981, Love Shine a Light in 1997.

[Anastasia]

I was so glad to see Lys Assia amongst the honoured guests - the very first Eurovision winner who gave Switzerland its first victory in 1956. 56 years later, she's still so beautiful! I also loved the Swiss song.

[Anastasia]

Engelbert Humperdinck is my second best favourite singer after Neil Diamond! My favourite song is Lonely Table Just for One. I also loved "Love will set you free" Such a great ballad that truly deserved the first place.

[Lakis Ioannou]

I didn't really watch the Eurovision Song Contest - just on and off. I think my predictions were very close to the final result: Four out of the top ten are eastern European countries or ex soviet countries if you like: 2. Russia, 3. Serbia, 5. Albania, 6. Estonia. And then, Anastasia, you say there is no political voting? If you take a look at the detailed results at http://www.eurovision.tv/page/baku-2012 you will see that all four ex soviet countries got those places because of all the 12 points that they got from other eastern European countries such as Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Hungary etc etc. Last but not least, to me it is sacrilege to vote UK's Engelbert Humperdinck second last! The bottom line is the Eurovision Song Contest no longer cares for great voices and great performances.

[Katie White]

This Eurovision Song Contest sounds like a thriller!!! Thanks for sharing the videos.

[Anastasia]

Despite some problems in the voting system, the Eurovision Song Contest is the world's oldest live music show that has been on uninterruptedly since 1956. And I believe it's great entertainment! My top three favourites this year: 1. UK, 2. Greece, 3. Estonia. I also loved the Swedish and Spanish entries.

[Sophia]

Just like in any family, disputes in the European family are inevitable. What matters is that despite our differences, we share a lot in common. The Eurovision Song Contest is a great show and great fun to watch too!