The Final

Welcome to the final of The Eurovision That Never Was 2015!

Thanks to everyone who’s taking part! Get listening, but make sure you read the information about voting below (and in previous posts) and the bios before you do actually vote.

Here are this year’s entries…

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01 Iceland 1989 – Nú er ég léttur (Geirmundur Valtýsson)

02 Hungary 1980 – Don Quijote (Newton Family)

03 Sweden 1999 – Linjen i min hand (Elisa)

04 Germany 1966 – So alt wie die Welt (Brigitt Petry)

05 United Kingdom 1984 – Marvellous Guy (Girl Talk)              

06 Italy 2013 – Nonostante tutto (Antonio Maggio)

07 Poland 1973 – Malgośka (Maryla Rodowicz)

08 Yugoslavia 1969 – Više se nećeš vratiti (Mišo Kovač)

09 Belgium 1993 – In de regen gedanst (Yasmine)

10 Austria 1987 – Krähenfüße (Stefanie Werger)

11 Italy 1977 – Piano piano m’innamorai di te (Collage)

12 Armenia 2007 – Ore yev nerkan (Sofi)

13 Netherlands 2014 – Like the World Is Ending (Richard Marx)

14 Czechoslovakia 1985 – Neposlušné tenisky (Lucie Bílá)

15 Netherlands 2002 – I Really Don’t Think So (K-Otic)

16 Yugoslavia 1988 – Zauvjek tvoj (Divlje Jagode)

17 Israel 1972 – Yih’yeh pa’am tov (Yigal Bashan)

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…thanks to random.org! And here's the link to download them...

Links:

http://multiupload.biz/ul_4gjrhr0v4pwv

http://multiupload.biz/ss_4gjrhr0v4pwv

http://multiupload.biz/sw_4gjrhr0v4pwv

http://multiupload.biz/mz_4gjrhr0v4pwv

http://multiupload.biz/nv_4gjrhr0v4pwv

Hopefully one of those should work!

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Voting

1. You must vote. If you don't, you’ll be disqualified. Simple as that. (You'll also be disqualified if you let anyone know what your entry is prior to the sponsor revelations.)

2. Voting is also open to non-participants.

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

4. The email address for your votes is the same as per submissions: etnw2015@gmail.com. Please make your email subject line “Name’s votes”. Using your name, obviously ;)

5. The deadline for voting is next Tuesday 3 February.

6. Remember that you’re not simply voting for your favourites: you should reward good matches. (Go back and read the earlier posts if you’re still not sure how to go about it.) Of course, if you find 10 entries you think are all perfectly authentic, you can then rank them according to taste.

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Bios

01 Iceland 1989 – Nú er ég léttur (Geirmundur Valtýsson)

This song was originally written by Skagafjörður-born Geirmundur way back in 1972. He tried repeatedly to be chosen as Iceland's representative at Eurovision, being overlooked in 1986, 1987, 1988 and – the biggest blow –1990, when another member of his band actually won with a very Geirmundurish song, went to ESC and brought Iceland its best result for years. If only Geirmundur had waited and entered this song in 1989, the year he didn't compete: it’s a perfect example of the kind of songs Icelanders loved and cherished as proper Eurovision songs.

02 Hungary 1980 – Don Quijote (Newton Family)

Don Quijote was produced by the Hungarian disco outfit Neoton Familia in late 1979. Inspired by the group’s popularity in the Far East with the kind of stuff that had brought Germany success at ESC with Dschinghis Khan, the Hungarian state broadcaster unilaterally decided, very late in the day, to enter the 1980 edition of the contest. They were punished by both the juries and their Soviet overlords for doing so, however, and drew the Iron Curtain over their participation for another decade and a half.

03 Sweden 1999 – Linjen i min hand (Elisa)

This song was released by Swedish singer Elisa in 1999. After Tusen och en natt was disqualified from Melodifestivalen that year due to the lyrics illegally advertising the title of a book, the first reserve entry was selected instead: Linjen i min hand, performed by Elisa. It then went on to narrowly win the contest and represent Sweden in Jerusalem, where the English version (Take me with your hands) ended second behind Iceland.

[The above biography may contain elements of fiction.]

04 Germany 1966 – So alt wie die Welt (Brigitt Petry)

Having defected from East Germany the previous year, Deutsche Schlager Festspiele contestant Brigitt Petry released So alt wie die Welt in 1966. Dramatic, building ballads with sweeping orchestration often represented Germany in the ESC of the 1960s, so it would not appear too fanciful to imagine Petry enjoying success seeking Eurovision glory in Luxembourg.

05 United Kingdom 1984 – Marvellous Guy (Girl Talk)

Marvellous Guy was one of several singles released by sisters Karen and Julie Wright in the mid-’80s. This bouncy number could easily have taken part in Song for Europe in its year of release, and the fact the girls were young (13 and 14) and that Karen had written the song herself would probably have gained them bonus points. It’s not too dissimilar to the UK entry that year by Belle and the Devotions.

06 Italy 2013 – Nonostante tutto (Antonio Maggio)

This song was released by Italian singer Antonio Maggio in 2012. It’s a song that speaks for itself and which lets people judge it for themselves.

07 Poland 1973 – Malgośka (Maryla Rodowicz)

This song was released by Polish diva-in-the-making Maryla Rodowicz in 1973. She remains one of the biggest singers in her country and would have been one of the first to represent it at ESC in the ’70s. Having taken part in various Polish and international festivals, but also in the World Cup Opening Ceremony in 1974 in Munich, it’s logical that Eurovision would have been her next step. She wouldn’t have necessarily fared that well, but could have given the fans a crazy performance to remember.

08 Yugoslavia 1969 – Više se nećeš vratiti (Mišo Kovač)

Croatian-born Mišo Kovač, who took part in the Yugoslav preselection for Eurovision in 1970, had released this song the previous year. It is a typical composition of the Yugoslav music scene around that time and fits well into the mood of Yugoslav late-’60s and early-’70s entries.

09 Belgium 1993 – In de regen gedanst (Yasmine)

In de regen gedanst was released by Flemish singer (and ESC 2006 spokesperson) Yasmine in 1993. Just like Ingeborg and Clouseau’s Koen Wauters, Yasmine at the time was at the beginning of a long career not only as a singer but also as a TV personality. She could easily have used the exposure at the time to launch such a career. Moreover, this song – which is exactly three minutes in length – is catchy enough to be a Eurovision entry.

10 Austria 1987 – Krähenfüße (Stefanie Werger)

Krähenfüsse was released in 1987 by Stefanie Werger, who co-wrote that year’s ESC entry for Austria. She was an established name in Austrian music by ’87, at about the same level of fame as Wilfried who came a year later, so she wouldn’t have been an unlikely choice. Although not a typical ESC type of singer, she may have been inspired by Monica Törnell of Sweden the year before who had a similar look and sound. 1987 was a mixed bag musically, so this song wouldn’t have been out of place – it might even have done (slightly) better than Gary Lux.

11 Italy 1977 – Piano piano m’innamorai di te (Collage)

This song was released in 1977 by the Sardegna-based band Collage – who are so Italian, and sound so Italian. And Italian ESC entries actually sound very Italian, don’t they? This lot took part in San Remo a few times, but is San Remo actually the Italian national final? And anyway, is there an Italian artist who has never competed at San Remo? I don't think so.

12 Armenia 2007 – Ore yev nerkan (Sofi)

Ore yev nerkan was released in 2007 by Sofi Mkheyan – who would go on to duet on her debut album the following year with Sirusho. The song won the Hit of the Year award at the Armenian National Awards in 2007, so if they’d only figured out Sirusho's formula a year earlier, they might then have sent this up-tempo song instead of Anytime You Need. Just imagine the hot dancers on stage and voila, you’re ready to vote!

13 Netherlands 2014 – Like the World Is Ending (Richard Marx)

This song was released by American singer Richard Marx in 2014. It screams ‘Calm After the Storm’, from the very first second. And since the Nethies went American last year, why not vice versa?

14 Czechoslovakia 1985 – Neposlušné tenisky (Lucie Bílá)

This song was released by the Czech-born Lucie Bílá in 1985. Then 19 years old, she would go on to become one of the Czech Republic's most famous divas. It wasn't all doom and gloom behind the Iron Curtain in the ’80s, and Československá Televize would have followed ESC 1984 (which included a Czechoslovak interval act) so they knew that cheerful little tunes like this had the potential to do well in the competition. As such, it could well have been their pick for Gothenburg had they been taking part.

15 The Netherlands 2002 – I Really Don’t Think So (K-Otic)

This song was released by the Dutch group K-Otic in 2001. If the Netherlands hadn’t been relegated that year the group could well have been selected for Tallinn, as they were one of the most popular bands that year. The late ’90s and early ’00s had tons of girl- and boybands after all, and the Netherlands was no exception. The song itself is slick pop, and very MOR – a style of song the Dutch entered in the contest frequently between 1998 and 2003.

16 Yugoslavia 1988 – Zauvjek tvoj (Divlje Jagode)

This song was released by the band Divlje Jagode in 1988 – a period when they were one of the biggest bands in the former Yugoslavia. The song represents a genre that is not necessarily associated with Eurovision, but in spite of (or even because of) this the country may well have pitched Divlje Jagode for that year’s competition in Ireland.

17 Israel 1972 – Yih’yeh pa’am tov (Yigal Bashan)

This song was performed by Yigal Bashan at the Israel Song Festival in 1974, but seems a bit dated for that year, which is why it may have been a good match for a couple of years earlier. Though the said festival would only become the selector for Israel's Eurovision entry starting in 1978, many of its songs would have made plausible ESC entries. This one has the full orchestration typical of many of ESC entries in the early ’70s and seems designed for ESC rules – at almost exactly three minutes long.

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Good luck to all the sponsors! I hope you enjoy this year’s contest.