Talk Elections

The Eurovision Song Contest 2012 will be the 57th annual Eurovision Song Contest. It will be held in Baku, Azerbaijan, following Azerbaijan's win in the 2011 Contest with Eldar & Nigar's song "Running Scared". The two semi-finals will be held on 22 May and 24 May 2012, and the final on 26 May 2012. The purpose of the semi-finals is to narrow down the participants to twenty-six who will compete for the victory. Ten countries from each semi final will qualify and will be joined in the final by Azerbaijan, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. Forty-three countries have announced their participation in the contest, with Montenegro returning, having last taken part in 2009, and Poland withdrawing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurovision_Song_Contest_2012

Austria's contribution will be this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_W2tbW64pQ

LOL. Mühlviertel-Hip-Hop with a song called "Shake your ass !" in dialect.

()

I wonder what would have happened if Austria sent transgender singer Conchita Wurst to Baku, who lost to the above mentioned "Tracksh**ttaz" by 51% to 49% ?
 
()

:)

I'm on team Iceland so far, although the rumours of Britain sending Atomic Kitten may change that.

Apparently, they sent a 75 year old guys which last success was in the 60's.

that was last year, and it was the friends of the guy who was meant to compete, but who died before the competition.

I think the biggest question here is why the hell is the Eurovision Song Contest being held in Azerbaijan?

Its in the European Broadcasting Area radius.

It's part of Europe, I'd say.

Because Azerbaijan won last year's competition.

The Caucasus is pretty clearly part of Europe?  And Europe does extend east as far as the Urals, which technically means that even Kazakhstan could participate if it so chose (a part of Kazakhstan larger than Germany is in "Europe").

Same story like the UEFA. Even Israel is considered "Europe" here.

Well, it's more for them to not be with the same sport events than Arab countries.

*does the research*

Okay, well that's awkward.

It cracks me up how Northern Africa can be considered part of the European Broadcasting Area.

On an unrelated note, here is a map of Europe.

()

It does not include mainland Turkey, it does not include the Caucasus, and it certainly does not extend eastward all the way to freakin' Vladivostok.

Going by that map, you're going to have to kick Cyprus and Malta out of the EU.

Malta's so small it's hard to tell, but it looks to me like it's put in with Europe.

As for Cyprus, works for me.

That said, I think I hijacked the thread for long enough.

Complaining about countries not meeting the formal definition of "Europe" is ridiculous, since Europe is a social construct and not a physical entity. That map of Europe is no more right than any number of other maps of Europe.

Not that you or I (or any other Americans other than Lief and Phil) care about soccer, but Israel is a member of UEFA and not whatever the Asian equivalent is.

This website has all the selected songs in a video wall:


http://www.sechuk.com/ESC12-Main.htm

Belarus changed its entry because of voting fraud  in their selection contest...Lukashenko "took firm actions againt irregularities to preserve the justice". Really, it has been reported as such. Almost hilarious considering the individual involved
So Alyona Lenskaya is out and the Litesound (the finished second in the selection on the night) will go Baku...if nothing else changes.

Belarus Eurovison dramas have become a common feature. Last year they had to change the song 2-3 times. IIRC they first tried to enter a song called "Born in Byelorussia". EBU (the federation of European TVs which oversees the contest) told them the lyrics were unsuitable*. They changed it but it was discovered that the music has been used in public before the fixed deadline. So they fabricated another gem: I Love Belarus.
They failed to reach the final...Lukashenko didn't take it well...

Ukraine is another country which is not strange to do similar mess...

*The 2010 original song was:

Diamonds and treats of the West
Come – check it out! Be my guest
You’re still remaining the best
Byelorussia

When everything will be gone
Your name will shine like the sun
You’re still remaining the one
Good old-fashioned

Round and round we go

Born in Belorussia, USSR time
Belorussia, crazy and so fine
Time is rushing, everything’s crashing
Passing by

Born in Belorussia, USSR time
Belorussia, got you on my mind
You’re my passion, do it old-fashioned
You and I

Russia has chosen this bunch of young hip-and-happening with it crowd



http://vimeo.com/38117172

Engelbert Humperdinck is suddenly looking young and hot!

In Greece they are reduced to host the Eurovision selection from shopping malls
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=F6Apd0_0CSs

I am surprised they can afford dancers. But maybe they picked them up from a gay disco for free.

"Took firm actions againt irregularities to preserve the justice" probably means that he massively rigged the contest so that the outcome suited his personal preferences. :P

The song they eventually chose seems to walk that line between "We really can't afford to take part" and "See, we are taking it seriously, honest."

The band they chose after getting rid of the previous winner has an Italian guy in it. The chap has been summoned to meet Lukashenko. Not sure if he came back...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0vQ9_BhU1M
Russia sent this babushkas.

Italy's  choice has been changed

(by, erm, the record company representing the singer)


http://youtu.be/g7B2Z0E35mw

San Marino presents a song about facebook...the lyrics include "do you want cyber sex again?"
And it's atrocious

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mx3c7JxUYs

In other crap entry news, don't miss Montenegro's Euro Neuro!

And here it is - the United Kingdom entry


http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/eurovision/2012/03/uk-music-video.shtml

A summary of all songs this year:

http://youtu.be/2Rr-j1takPw

I quite like this year's batch. Particularly Iceland, Romania, Moldova, UK, Malta, Romania, Israel, Ukraine, Italy, and Spain.

Edward Norton is on his way to Eurovision, singing one of the better songs this year:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3H7AILnPoio

Personally, I like Serbia's the best. And LOL at San Marino's.

It looks like this is today.

At least the semi finals.

I guess Austria will flop, because nobody will understand the Mühlviertler dialect they use for their rap.

LOL @ the Russian grannies.

Denmark was not bad though, reminds me of Alanis Morisette somehow.

I think that Sweden is the favourite this year, but the quality of the songs is very bad this year :(

JEdward are last in the running order. Gonna be fun.
Trivia- Both Greece and Cyprus acts won X Factor Greece.

The Austria act is called Trackshii.ttaz? That is one heck of a name.
Edit- The song is called "Shake your Bottom", or "Focki mitt dem Popo!"
Carrying on the proud Austrian tradition of calling things English swear words.

Jedward's song is so 12-year old Disney girls TV show style ...


"Focki mitt dem Popo!" is not correct. "Wockl mitt dem Popo!" it is.

"Focki mitt dem Popo!" would mean something like "Light something up with your ass" ... :P

I like the Austian Song, but I can't vote today, because Germany votes in the second Semifinal :(

I don't think they have a big chance for the final, but the most songs weren't better ;-)

The 10 qualified for the Final:

* Romania
* Moldova
* Iceland
* Hungary
* Denmark
* Albania
* Cyprus
* Greece
* Russia
* Ireland

I was right.

San Marino was robbed.

Now I have to make the difficult decision of waiting til Friday for the SBS replay or watching it online now before I find out who went through (skipped TB's post, luckily)

I quite liked the entry from Finland. The song was in Swedish, which I clearly find the most melodious of all Germanic languages. Too bad they Finland didn't make it to the finals.

No comment about Switzerland and Austria. :P

It's started!

I'm watching live online this year 'cos it normally gets spoiled for me by a rival tv network or an idiot friend. Opening sequence quite good, Australia got a lovely mention (skull!) and The Hump sang well.

Hungary is sounding rather flat, though.

Albania is wonderfully different, and has zero chance of winning...

Lithuania... stupid props aren't enough to hold this song up.

My prediction after all songs:

Sweden or Serbia will win. I voted for Sweden.

My 'vote'

12 Spain. Best voice of the night by far.
10 Estonia. Mainly 'cos he's my future husband.
8 United Kingdom For giving it a red hot go.
7 Iceland 'Cos I can actually imagine myself listening to it post-eurovision.
6 Italy 'Cos it was a bit different but still had the necessary Eurovision-ness.
5 Malta  DEM FEETS
4 Denmark Nothing special, but a strong performance and a catchy enough tune.
3 Ukraine Total rip-off of 'When Love Takes Over' but that's OK, it had me bopping.
2 Sweden I can't understand why it's the hot favourite, but it's not bad.
1 Russia For the fun factor.

Honourable mentions:

Cyprus, Serbia, Moldova, France, Albania, Turkey.

Sweden is the winner

Anything as good as Moldova 2010?

We sucked.

Very deserving winner.
In my opinion, the best possible top 3.

Strangely enough I agree that Sweden was a very deserving winner. I wonder why... ;)

Although I don't agree that it was the best possible top 3. IMO, Russia deserved to end up at the bottom. Just a plain awful song.

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSS
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
SSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! XDDDDXDDDDDDXDDDDDD 

... that is all. [/least constructive post in my lifetime]

How many times will we have to send Jedward before Europe comes around to Jed-mania?

What a horrible winner song! It's sad that the much nicer Swedish song, the Finnish entry, failed to make it to the finals.

Ah one of my flatmates already has. She was devestated they didn't do better.
Fortunatley I'm unaffected, think they're a bit creepy actually, and the song was really boring. I sort of liked their fountain though.

I'm not really a fan of what Sweden presented last night.....but whatever, none of it was all that good, and irrespective of the actual performances, Sweden is a good country to win it.

It turned out that Switzerland was 11th in the semi-final, missing the qualification for the grand final only by 8 points. That's a bad way to lose! I guess we have to pay Liechtenstein some money and encourage them to participate next year. This way, there will finally be a country which awards the Swiss entries 12 points every year. I mean, if Serbia has Montenegro and Greece has Cyprus, why shouldn't we have Liechtenstein? ;)

And there's some comfort for you, Tender. Austria finished last in the semi final, getting only 8 points. This means that you don't have to be annoyed about only losing by hair. ;)

http://www.eurovision.tv/page/history/by-year/contest?event=1573

My prediction that "Austria will flop" has gotten a new meaning ... :P

The result of the Australian vote, after Jedward crashed the party by telling their twitter followers to vote for them (and give 8 and 10 points to the countries coming last... pricks), still had Sweden winning by a landslide.

I was so disappointed by this. Lithuania should have won... no, Greece should have won, then Germany would have to pay for them to host it, lol.

He was lovely wasn't he :) Interesting trousers...

I really liked Albania; I'd never heard any of the songs until the semi-final and that blew me away. Serbia was a country that I thought was going to do well and inevitably it did. Although I can't say Sweden was my favourite, I wanted it to win because if it did it would be a good summer hit and a good country to host it next year.

Shame about the Hump :(

Russia should have won! Those old women are great!

Not everybody here at home was happy with our victory either.

The party-secretary of the Sweden Democrats complained the day afterward that he thought the singer wasn't white enough song should have been more culturally Swedish.

I think the Finnish song was the better song, actually, maybe it should have represented Sweden, and Euphoria for Finland?

It seems that fascists are everywhere idiots :D

The Swedish song isn't my kind of music, but the first time I heard it, I know that is an entry with a big chance to win.

The German result isn't bad, but not very good. I would have expected a few more points. Particularly from Austria, Switzerland and the Netherlands I hoped more than 3 points for Germany.

To be fair, it's far from clear that he meant anything like that.

Obviously you deserve to be annexed for this.

Here's the full Aussie vote:

http://www.eurovision.tv/page/news?id=australian_televoters_agree_with_2012_result

-

Sweden 72,186
Russia 55,270
Ireland 50,314
Italy 36,130
Denmark 33,638
Cyprus 27,538
Germany 24,958
Greece 22,328
Ukraine 22,172
Iceland 21,430
Moldova 21,220
Malta 20,878
Turkey 20,402
FYR Macedonia 18,842
Norway 17,694
Serbia 17,160
Lithuania 15,472
Spain 14,164
Romania 13,424
United Kingdom 12,862
France 12,150
Estonia 11,824
Albania 10,902
Azerbaijan 9,400
Bosnia & Herzegovina 8,776
Hungary 7,336

Also, I won this. Hoerah! Wunderbar! Gracias SBS! Tok!

http://www.sbs.com.au/eurovision/article/Win-an-Entertainment-Prize-Pack_39/

()