good evening Düsseldorf

The grand final of the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest was hosted by Germany in Düsseldorf, as last year's winner was the German entry.

While the results are known by morning Australian time, Australia's national and mostly government-funded multilingual and multicultural broadcaster SBS broadcasts the semi-finals and final at peak viewing times in the evenings.

In fact, Eurovision has a very strong and long-time following in Australia, aside from many Australians having migrated from many of the song entrant countries, there is the kitsch value, which resonates well with a broadly Australian sense of humour.

Winners, Ell and Nikki with "Running Scared" for Azerbaijan


Last year's winner Lena, for Germany, with 'Taken By a Stranger'


Moldova may not have won but those hats begged an explanation (photo not from actual final but a dress rehearsal - by Pieter Van den Berghe of EBU)

Photos below from Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa) via Deutsche Welle

Sweden's Eric Saade might have been trying to be Popular by channeling the goddess Kali

Denmark's A Friend in London tried to find a New Tomorrow. Why do Danish musicians always sing in English?

Germany's Lena was Taken By a Stranger, it seems they might be extra-terrestrials

Lena's Satellite auf Deutsch - 'Schland, oh, Schland'

Last month, I wrote about the Eurovision Song Contest. In mentioning the winning song, I had a gripe that though the entry was from Germany, the song 'Satellite' itself was sung in English.

Not all is lost. A German-language version has been covered, albeit a spoof for the World Cup Fußball.



From Der Spiegel

A prank video by university students in Germany has brought two of the country's recent obsessions together. But now, what started as a prank has ended in a recording contract with one of the world's largest entertainment companies and looks set to become a big hit in the next few weeks.

Inspired by Germany's victory in the Eurovision song contest in late May, the students, from the town of Münster, performed a parody of the winning song "Satellite," performed by Lena Meyer-Landrut. But the group changed the lyrics of the catchy pop song into an homage to the German national football team, now competing the the World Cup in South Africa. Instead of "Love, oh, Love," the refrain became "Schland, oh, Schland" -- football shorthand for Deutschland (Germany).

The idea of making the Eurovision hit song World Cup-friendly came from student Christian Landgraf. He changed the lyrics and recorded the new version with his brother Matthias and several friends.

Two days later, they made a video to accompany the music. One of the students dressed up as Lena, complete with a brunette wig and danced around in a Münster park, the extras bedecked in red, gold and black scarves and the national football team's shirts. The entire video was shot in under an hour. The group, which began calling itself Uwu Lena, created a web page and the video was posted on YouTube last Thursday.

Read more

Schön!

good evening Oslo

The final of the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest is on TV tonight, hosted by Norway in Oslo, as last year's winner was the Norwegian entry.

This year, I stayed up through all of the counting... "good evening Oslo, here are the results from the Swedish vote. Eight points go to United Kingdom, huit point pwarnt pour Royaume-Uni ... twelve points go to Greece, douze points pwarnt pour La Grèce" etc. Actually, United Kingdom didn't do so well this year.

Again, there was no longer the undignified nul point pwarnt awarded, as 39 voting countries award points for 1-7, then 8, 10 and 12 so there would be lots with nul point anyway.

Tonight's telecast isn't live so we already knew who the winner is.

Lena Meyer-Landrut from Germany with Satellite



Unfortunately, Lena sung in English.

The Belarusian entry sung about butterflies


As always, there is usually a 'boy' band dressed in white. This year, it was Greece


The best part of the broadcast was the Norwegian performance between the entries and voting. The ultimate flashmob all over Europe.

good evening Moscow

The final of the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest is on TV tonight, hosted by Russia in Moscow, as last year's winner was Russian.

I am not going to stay up to watch all the counting though... "good evening Moscow, here are the results from the Swedish vote. Eight points go to United Kingdom, , huit point pwarnt pour Royaume-Uni ... twelve points go to Greece, douze points pwarnt pour La Grèce" etc

This year, the undignified nul point pwarnt is no longer awarded. Makes sense really. A country is getting nothing, so there is no point (ha ha ha, I made a pun) in mentioning it. In any case, only 8, 10 and 12 points awarded are now announced to cut down on the time.

Tonight's telecast isn't live so we already know who the winner is.

Alexander Rybak from Norway with Fairytale



The entry from Greece - Sakis Rouvas singing This is our night - was written by Australians. Oh my. Perhaps that is why he didn't win. Sakis needs to ensure when he goes shopping for shirts, that they actually fit.



The entry from Germany - Alex Swings Oscar Sings singing Miss Kiss Kiss Bang - was unfortunately in English so didn't deserve to win anyway. US burlesque artist Dita Von Teese was just a prop. Oscar Loya may as well have been one too. The photo must have been taken at the semi-final as Dita was more covered in the final (as 'ordered').

good evening Belgrade

The final of the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest is on TV tonight, hosted by Serbia in Belgrade, as last year's winner was Serbian.

I am not going to stay up to watch all the counting though... "good evening Belgrade, here are the results from the Finnish vote. United Kingdom, one point, Royaume-Uni, un point pwarnt... Greece, twelve points, La Grèce, douze points pwarnt" etc

Tonight's telecast isn't live so we already know who the winner is.

Dima Bilan from Russia with Believe.


Dima Bilan worked up such a sweat that he had to unbutton his shirt

REUTERS

Dima Bilan of Russia celebrates on stage after winning the Eurovision Song Contest in Belgrade

The Latvian entry was dressed as pirates. No wonder they didn't win.



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I made up for yesterday's vegging by cleaning the bathroom while I had a shower this morning, followed by some tidying and house cleaning.

Declan, Nell and Olivia came over for lunch and I made a frittata with bacon, leek, brussels sprouts and zuchini, with melted cheese on top.

good evening Belgrade

It's Eurovision song contest time again with the final on this weekend.

The Belgian entry by Flemish group Ishtar called O Julissi is sung in a made up language.

Eurovision Song Contest 2008 Semi-Final (1)

Performer: Ishtar
Song title: O Julissi
Song writer(s): Michel Vangheluwe
Song composer(s): Michel Vangheluwe

O julissi na jalyni,
O julissi na dytini
O bulo diti non slukati
Sestrone dina katsu.

O julissi na ti buku
O julissi na katinu
Dvoranu mojani bidna
Marusi naja otcha tu

Pokoli sestro moja kona
Pokoli meni dita boja
Jalina pitsu marusinja
Kolosali krokodili

O julissi na jalyni,
O julissi na dytini
O bulo diti non slukati
Sestrone dina katsu.

O julissi na ti buku
O julissi na katinu
Dvoranu mojani bidna
Marusi naja otcha tu

(solo)

Pokoli sestro moja kona
Pokoli meni dita boja
Jalina pitsu marusinja
Kolosali krokodili

O julissi na jalyni,
O julissi na dytini
O bulo diti non slukati
Sestrone dina katsu.

O julissi na slukati
O julissi na kotchali
Od nu je dvorian ne si bili
Precko sti budo najali

O julissi na ja

O julissi na jalyni,
O julissi na dytini
O bulo diti non slukati
Sestrone dina katsu.

O julissi na jalyni,
O julissi na dytini
O bulo diti non slukati
Sestrone dina katsu.



I don't think much of their chances, singing in Euro-babble.

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I returned to work today. Three more days to go before the weekend.

good evening Helsinki

The final of the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest is on TV tonight, hosted by Finland in Helsinki.

I am not going to stay up to watch all the counting though... "good evening Helsinki, here are the results from the Finnish vote. United Kingdom, one point, Royaume-Uni, un point pwarnt... Greece, twelve points, La Grèce, douze points pwarnt" etc

Delayed telecast means that we already know who the winner is.

(Pictures and comments from Guardian website.) The winner is...

Serbia: Marija Serifovic with "Prayer" (Molitva). Serifovic is, it’s fair to say, a peripherally successful singer in her native Serbia, which chimes more with the Eurovision entrants we know and love. Backing singers with sashes is always a winner.

(My) honourable mentions...

Greece: Sarbel with "Yassou Maria". A keen advocate of modern laiko music, Sarbel says: I can't tell you whether Eurovision helps my career or not, because I don't know. It's very dangerous.” Crikey, what’s he planning?

Spain: D'Nash with "I Love You Mi Vida". Recently changed their name from NASH to D'NASH, due to the existence of a rapper called NACH, which sounds similar. It’s a small world and you don’t want to confuse people, hence the t-shirts.

Reading the lyrics on subtitle is always fun. They are so lame. Thank goodness for Terry Wogan.

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Didn't do much today. Where did the day go? Devi came over in the afternoon as I woke from a nap. She picked up an old clunky computer for her sister.