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Sunday, May 31, 2015

Eurovision that I love/hate!



Our first full year in Spain was the year 2000. That was the year we first heard of and experienced Fallas. As May rolled around we were still in shock over Fallas when there arose an excitement and expectation over something called Eurovision. The first two run-offs had been held and it was time for the final event. All the buzz was over where would you be to observe the show because it was going to be something to see.

In fact, Eurovision celebrated its 60th anniversary this year. It is a big event, in the same league as football's World Cup, Baseball's World Series, and, in my opinion it stands above all of the talent shows. This is the real event between countries that try to send their absolute best.

I have come to hate the event at the same time as I love it because of the intrusion of politics. tThat becomes evident in the voting process, yet it is still wonderful to see such diverse countries finally come together to choose a winner.

As everybody now knows, Sweden was the overall winner for 2015. I don't feel strongly against them, but my personal choice was Italy, the very last country to present their song. My reasoning is that they did not rely on special stage effects as part of their presentation, but rather it was all about the music. Three males, in the style of the Three Sopranos, sang their hearts out in an absolute splendid performances that was strong, inspired, and fabulous. They made magic, but the voting placed them third, behind Sweden and Russia. I did agree that the Russian song was splendid, but for me, Putin and the Ukraine kept getting in the way of my enjoyment of it. Politics do matter, but this was one case where politics was overcome.

Spain's Edurne presented a very serious competitive song that belonged in the first five, or at least the first ten final places, but instead it finished in 21st place. It is a memorable song performed by a highly talented young woman who will go far, but without the political support it had to settle for what it got. Having said
 that Austria was the host country because of Conchita, a man in drag who aced the competition last year by signing a flawless song, as a woman. This year, Austria didn't get one point, which suggests that their entry would have been disqualified had not Austria been the host country. Worse than that, Germany also failed to get one point. We have no excuse for that.

I have come to the conculsion that in order to win you must present a grade AAA song in a manner that will stick in the voters minds. Last year it was Conchita, the bearded lady that no-one could forget. This year it was Sweden with a song that was delightful, but that I no longer remember the tune, but I do remember the cartoon that accompanied it. I will probably still remember that by the time next year's Eurovision comes around, so clever was it.

Perhaps the award should have gone to the creator of the cartoon.

Eurovision. Love it or hate it, but it is not to be ignored.

Copyright (c) 2015  Eugene Carmichael