Thursday 10 March 2011

Blue songs in Eurovision




Desperately searching Youtube for a leak of Blue's Eurovision song I came across a number of Eurovision entries with Blue in the title or artist. Since we have to wait a whole day to hear the real Blue song I thought I'd share these with you.

Luxembourg: Vicky - L'amour Est Bleu (Love Is Blue) - 4th in 1967



Austria: Blue Danube - Du Bist Musik - 8th in 1980



Germany: Lena Valaitis - Johnny Blue - 2nd in 1981



Austria: Systems In Blue & Thomas Forstner - Nur Ein Lied (Only A Song) - 5th in 1989




Iceland: Jónsi - Heaven - 19th in 2004


Ok I'm struggling a little now but when I think of 'blue' songs in Eurovision this is the first that comes into my mind with the lyric in the chorus 'blend your colours with my blue'. Watch him sing his little heart out and come 19th in 2004.



p.s. It's not the Jónsi of Sigur Ros fame.


And finally, vaguely related, the Blue Man Group's performance at last year's Melodifestivalen final in Sweden. Maybe Blue should dress like this for their performance!



Monday 7 March 2011

Melodifestivalen 2011 Final




So after a rather surprising Andra Chansen result Sara Varga and The Moniker complete the lineup for the Melodifestivalen final at the Globe Arena in Stockholm on Saturday. This is the order they will perform.

Eric Saade is the favourite to win, having been top of the Swedish iTunes chart and favourite with the bookies. However as we've seen with previous years anything can happen.

1. Danny Saucedo - In the club (Figge Boström, Peter Boström, Danny Saucedo)
2. Sara Varga - Spring för livet (Sara Varga, Fredrik Boström)
3. The Moniker - Oh my God! (Daniel Karlsson)
4. Brolle - 7 days and 7 nights (Brolle)
5. Linda Bengtzing - E del fet på mej (Pontus Assarsson, Thomas G:son, Jörgen Ringqvist, Daniel Barkman)
6. Nicke Borg - Leaving home (Jojo Borg Larsson, Nicke Borg, Fredrik Thomander, Anders Wikström)
7. Swingfly - Me and my drum (Teron Beal, Patrik Magnusson, Johan Ramström, Swingfly)
8. Sanna Nielsen - I'm in love (Irini Michas, Peter Boström, Thomas G:son, Bobby Ljunggren)
9. The Playtones - The King (Fredrik Kempe, Peter Kvint)
10. Eric Saade - Popular (Fredrik Kempe)

Youtube playlist of the 10 songs:



Friday 4 March 2011

Beginner's guide to Andra Chansen

As Sweden's journey to choose its 2011 Eurovision representative reaches its penultimate phase I thought it worth explaining how the second chance round works. You've probably worked out by now that in each semi final 2 songs go direct to the final and 2 songs go to Andra Chansen.

In Andra Chansen rather than the 2 songs with the most votes going to the final, the songs compete against each other in a series of duels.

So, first thing to note about Andra Chansen - because of the duels only one from each of these 'pots' can go to through to the final:

One of these to the final:
Jenny Silver
Love Generation
Loreen
Sara Varga

One of these to the final:
The Moniker
Linda Pritchard
Shirley’s Angels
Pernilla Andersson


This is how it will work on the night:


Duel 1
Jenny Silver – Something In Your Eyes
vs
Love Generation – Dance Alone





Duel 2
Loreen – My Heart Is Refusing Me
vs
Sara Varga – Spring för livet





So the second round will be Jenny or Love Generation vs Loreen or Sara and the winner will go to the final.


Duel 3
The Moniker – Oh My God!
vs
Linda Pritchard – I’m Alive





Duel 4
Shirley’s Angels – I Thought It Was Forever
vs
Pernilla Andersson - Desperados





So the second round will be The Moniker or Linda vs Shirley’s Angels or Pernilla and the winner will go to the final.

So just to reiterate

One of these to the final:
Jenny Silver
Love Generation
Loreen
Sara Varga

One of these to the final:
The Moniker
Linda Pritchard
Shirley’s Angels
Pernilla Andersson

I really hope Sweden choose Loreen and Linda Pritchard to the final.