I just switched channels. The 2008 Eurovision song contest semi-final, live from Belgrade, Serbia resembled a cheap cabaret show, covered in an expensive high-tech wrapping. Mariah Carey body-doubles from Poland, weird Nordic groups with outrageously loud, atonal mega-show packaging that hurt my ears, no, this was no music contest, this was an attempt by 40+ musically obscure countries (hello Russia, hello Azerbaijan!) to prove they could get away with raping a musical heritage that was not theirs. While I admired the rare Transylvanian (whatever) acts that desperately tried to remain authentic, most countries/acts kept on pretending to be an MTV music video from LA. They failed.
Basically, they all forgot one basic prerequisite to really be that great star: ‘talent’, a commodity replaced by exploding fireworks, fake exotic (but mostly plain weird) charm and equally fake boob-jobs. Time for some real music. Oh, Belgium dropped out almost instantly, after a disgraceful act presented a song in a non-existent language. Really 
[My screen capture from the 2008 Eurovision song contest website (watch the final Sat May 24 and have a laugh!): Poland tried to sell some lingerie, hoping we wouldn't listen to the music]
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Peter, you always share the most interesting bits of info on life near you. I looked around at all the videos (kept seeing the Russian fellow–lots of him). Yeah, some pretty cheesy stuff I’d say. LOL on the lingerie. I doubt they sold much, but I bet they got lots of lookers who didn’t care a bit about the music.
[Author's comment: "Thanks Shirley! Like you found out, it was all packaging this year - it felt like watching an Elvis imitators contest from Russia on some cheap TV channel at 5 a.m. And oh yes, provocatively flashing body parts really appeared to be the 2008 trend
Where are the good old days when Abba won this contest back in the 70s, producing a huge number of classic hits. "]
Comment by Shirley — May 23, 2008 @ 1:14 am |
Now that gives me more of a perspective on Eurovision’s history. My hubby is a huge Abba fan. I enjoy them, too. It’s really fun, feel good music. We still have their albums (old school as the kids say). One of our favorite songs of theirs is, When I Kissed the Teacher, as I used to be a teacher! I just had to go watch the video on You Tube. LOL Boy, these current competitors are nothing like Abba for sure.
[Blog author comment: "Abba was absolutely huge in Europe Shirley: I recall that the kids in school even had Abba sing alongs in the city park. This Swedish group did more to promote English than any other band I remember. 'When I kissed the teacher': yes, those where the days - these days it's "when I attacked the teacher', along with weird groups from former Russia who only present a 3rd rate copy of what once was a great concept. I stopped watching several years ago, when impoverished republics started dumping their copycat musical junk on stage. Great to hear you were a teacher. A friend of mine taught Maths in a downtown public highschool, until the violence and personal security issues made him look for a more rewarding position." ]
Comment by Shirley — May 23, 2008 @ 2:37 am |
that so sounds like something that i would set the new world record of changing the channel if that came on my TV. not that i don’t mind seeing skimpy outfits on ladies…
[Blog author comment: "Same feeling here furiousball: for a few minutes I can have fun watching campy super-blondes showing off their best bits, but pressing mute kept it amusing. This "contest" has become a truly weird outdated mix, dating back to an era (the 50s) when color TV was a new invention that needed 'big shows'. Few of these current 2008 'competitors' have a great voice but most have no real songs, with many only flashing body parts, hoping they can somehow cash in on this huge European TV exposure."]
Comment by furiousball — May 23, 2008 @ 5:09 pm |
[...] Euro Trash: the 2008 Eurovision song contest Filed under: Concert, Controversy, Eurosong, Eurovision, Multiculturalism, TV, entertainment, europe, media, music, television, trash — Peter @ 12:15 am Tags: contest, Eurovision, song, TV I just switched channels. The 2008 Eurovision song contest semi-final, live from Belgrade, Serbia resembled a cheap cabaret show, covered in an expensive high-tech wrapping. Mariah Carey body-doubles from Poland, weird Nordic groups with outrageously loud, ato Source: Euro Trash: the 2008 Eurovision song contest [...]
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