1/22/2013

Semi 2

Welcome to the  2nd semi-final of ETNW 2013!

Below you will find a list of the entries in this semi and a link to the multi-upload site to download them. The songs should also go up on Noah's site shortly - I'll add that link ASAP. (Thanks again, Noah!)

If anyone has any grievances, please contact me directly at the email address you submitted your entries to instead of (or at least before) raising them on the MB.

Before we start, though, a reminder again about voting...

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Voting

1. If your entry is in this semi, you must vote. If you don't, your entry will be disqualified, regardless of whether it would have qualified or not.

2. Voting is also open to sponsors whose entries are in the other semi and non-participants.

3. Voting is in Eurovision style: 1-8, 10 & 12 points. You can't vote for your own entry.

4. The email address to send your votes to is the same as the one you submitted your entry to: etnw2013@gmail.com. Please make your subject line something like "Frank's Semi 2 votes".

5. The deadline for voting in Semi 2 is next Tuesday 29 January.

6. Remember that you are not simply voting for your favourite entries: your main criteria should still be how authentic you feel the entries are (i.e. how good a match they are for the year + country combination). For example, if you listen to one song and think "yep, that sounds exactly like what a Montenegrin entry in 1958 would have been like" and then another and think "I like that more than the Montenegro 1958 entry, but it's not as good a match", Montenegro 1958 - or whatever it is - should still get higher points. Then again, you might find 10 entries that you think are all good matches, in which case it then more or less comes down to taste ;) Take a look at the bios below for further details on each entry and why their sponsors think they make good matches.

The top 8 entries from each semi will qualify for the final plus the highest-scoring 9th placed song, to make a final - just like the semis - of 17 songs. Symmetry, symmetry... all is symmetry!

Did I miss anything? Let me know/ask if I have. Enjoy listening and voting, and good luck to all of the sponsors!

Oh, and remember that voting is still open for Semi 1 :)

Now, onto the songs...

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SEMI 2

01 Germany 1972 - Willst du mit mir geh'n (Daliah Lavi)
02 Monaco 1969 - 69... Année érotique (Serge Gainsbourg & Jane Birkin)
03 The Netherlands 1976 - Rock'n'Roll Star (Champagne)
04 France 1989 - Hélène (Roch Voisine)
05 Belgium 2002 - Real Life (Pascale Feront)
06 Spain 1978 - Cara de gitana (Daniel Magal)
07 Yugoslavia 1984 - Jabuke i vino (Zana & Željko Bebek)
08 France 2007 - Aime-moi (Perle Lama)
09 United Kingdom 2012 - What Makes You Beautiful (One Direction)
10 Greece 1997 - Ley ley ley (Giannis Kotsiras)
11 Albania 1988 - Nuk e harroj (Irma & Eranda)
12 Estonia 2006 - Why (Zandra)
13 Norway 2010 - Scared Of Heights (Espen Lind)
14 United Kingdom 2001 - I Like The Idea (Di-Mico)
15 Finland 1977 - Verushka (Hanne)
16 United Kingdom 1975 - My Little Lady (The Tremeloes)
17 Italy 1960 - Il cielo in una stanza (Mina)


Download link: http://www.multiupload.nl/SDL4KKT1W3

And Noah's link: www.eurobosniamp3.com/etnw/ETNW_2013_Semi_2.zip

And here are the bios...

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Germany 1972
Willst du mit mir geh'n - Daliah Lavi
Willst du mit mir geh'n was released by Israeli-born singer Daliah Lavi in 1971. Of Russian and German Jewish heritage, she was the most successful Jew in the German charts in the '70s and could easily have joined the likes of Katja Ebstein and Conny Froboess (and fellow foreigners such as Siw Malmkvist and Ireen Sheer) in the Eurovision Hall of Fame for the country. This song is one of her biggest schlagers and fits the style of German entries at the time.

Monaco 1969
69... Année érotique - Serge Gainsbourg & Jane Birkin
69... Année érotique was released by French/British duo Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin in (you guessed it) 1969. After his previous successes, Gainsbourg was again approached by TMC for an entry – which initially faced disqualification by the EBU for its sexually-charged nature. However, the powers that be soon relented when TMC threatened to replace the duo with a ghastly child in a blue suit singing about his mother.
 
The Netherlands 1976
Rock'n'Roll Star - Champagne
Rock'n'Roll Star was released by the Dutch band Champagne in 1976. They themselves have no Eurovision affiliation, but the composer would go on to take part in the Dutch national final. The Netherlands were on a wave of entering commercial, chart-oriented pop by successful artists at this time, and had a keen eye for trends (like ABBA, Champagne consists of two couples), so this top 3 hit in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany would have fitted in nicely.
 
France 1989
Hélène - Roch Voisine
Hélène was released by Canadian singer Roch Voisine in 1989 and became a huge hit in France and around the world. That year the French actually imported their entrant from Belgium, so if they'd looked a little further afield they might have found this singer and song. With its proper '80s melody and arrangement it would arguably have been a lot better than what they did send, too!
 
Belgium 2002
Real Life - Pascale Feront
Real Life was released by little-known Flemish singer Pascale Feront in 2002 – an unknown name being nothing unusual for ESC artists in Belgium. She is (or at least was) known on the dance scene, having been the vocalist with '90s dance act Absolom, and once made a record with Kate Ryan.
 
Spain 1978
Cara de gitana - Daniel Magal
Cara de gitana was released by Argentinean singer Daniel Magal in 1978. What's that you say ? A South American artist representing Spain? Well, it wouldn't be the first time (1964), and it wouldn't be the last (1979). And if you require any more convincing, scroll to 00:26. Can't beat that Eurovision sound!
 
Yugoslavia 1984
Jabuke i vino - Zana & Željko Bebek
Jabuke i vino was released by the band Zana featuring Željko Bebek in 1983. A slightly new-wave pop song with festival sound overtones, it fits snugly into the mid-'80s Yugoslav attempts to bring to the stage something contemporary but which could also be considered classic in its sound. Zana would make a couple of appearances in Yugoslav finals during the decade.
 
France 2007
Aime-moi - Perle Lama
Aime-moi was released by Martinique-born singer Perle Lama in 2007. She started singing at the age of 14 and soon made a name for herself in the musical style known as Zouk, which is typical of the Caribbean island. With many hit singles and four albums under her belt, she could well have been a likely choice by France TV, given their love of diversity.
 
United Kingdom 2012
What Makes You Beautiful - One Direction
What Makes You Beautiful was released by English/Irish boyband One Direction in 2011. When pondering their approach for 2012 the BBC considered a performer with years of stage experience (“We could send Engelbert Humperdinck – Europe loves him!”), but upon advice from the target audience (“Dear BBC, Please send One Direction, Love, Random teenager”) they thought: “Oh, OK. Why not.”
 
Greece 1997
Ley ley ley - Giannis Kotsiras
Ley ley ley was released by Greek singer Giannis Kotsiras in 1996. Greece was not sending well-known artists to ESC during this period, but while Kostiras is quite big in the country now, he was only just starting his career at the time of this song's release, which came from his first album. It has very strong ethnic elements, just like the songs Greece sent to the contest in the mid-'90s.
 
Albania 1988
Nuk e harroj - Irma & Eranda
Nuk e harroj was released by Albanian sisters Irma and Eranda Libohova in 1987 and was the winning entry in Festival i Këngës 26. Since Albania has always used this show to select their Eurovision entry, it stands to reason that had they been able to enter earlier, they would have done the same then.
 
Estonia 2006
Why - Zandra
Why was released by Swedish singer Zandra in 2006. Although she has no Eurovision connection bar having performed on stage with Charlotte Perrelli and Pernilla Wahlgren and having joined an ABBA tribute band since abandoning her short-lived solo career, the chances of Estonia choosing her and this song – given their track record at the time – are pretty good. Reminiscent as it is of Vanilla Ninja. And not being that far away from Gerli Padar.
 
Norway 2010
Scared Of Heights - Espen Lind
Scared Of Heights was released by Norwegian singer Espen Lind in 2008. Although he has no connection to Eurovision, his song somehow feels like a natural (and better) successor to Rybak's shenanigans from 2009. It may be slightly long, but being as repetitive as it is it could easily be cut down to fit the three-minute rule.
 
United Kingdom 2001
I Like The Idea - Di-Mico
I Like The Idea was released by Norwegian band Di-Mico in 2001. True, it's unlikely the UK would have chosen a group from Norway, but listen to it – it doesn't sound Norwegian, does it? It might possibly sound a bit Danish, but more than anything it's what the UK thinks sounds Eurovision. Besides, it's not like there's no precedent for Scandinavian acts in Song For Europe finals...
 
Finland 1977
Verushka - Hanne
Verushka was released by Finnish singer Hanne in 1977. It actually won the Finnish national final inn 1977, narrowly beating the big favourite Lapponia. It would go on to end 9th in London, largely thanks to the 12 points it received from Norway and Czechoslovakia. In Finland Verushka is considered one of the country's best Eurovision entries, although many feel that Lapponia would have fared better.
 
United Kingdom 1975
My Little Lady - The Tremeloes
My Little Lady was released by UK band The Tremeloes in 1968. Like The Shadows, the Tremeloes were still together and releasing records in the mid-'70s, were a household name in the UK and would have been known in Europe. While they have no connection to Eurovision, I feel their song is a plausible bridge between Long Live Love and Save Your Kisses For Me – it has a simple, upbeat tune and lyrics, typical of UK entries of the time, and even a 'lalalal' bit!
 
Italy 1960
Il cielo in una stanza - Mina
Il cielo in una stanza was released by Italian singer Mina in 1960. Although neither she nor the song had any connection to Eurovision, its success eclipsed that of the San Remo winner and Italian entry from that year, Romantica, and it would go on to become the biggest hit in Italy of 1960. Could it have inspired the songwriters behind later Italian winner Non ho l'eta?

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