So, the countdown of all countdowns continues……

No 40

Country: Israel
Song: “The Silence That Remains”
Artist: Shiri Maimon
Year: 2005
Position: 4th

This is one of the most stunning ballads to come from Eurovision. Shiri’s performance was utterly faultless and so simply beautiful. Why has she only made it this far in my Top 100 I hear you cry? Simple, because there are other songs that I love more for overall performance as you will see when you go on in my cut throat list!!

No 39

Country: Ukraine
Song: “Show Me Your Love”
Artist: Tina Karol
Year: 2006
Position: 7th in Final

Tina Karol should have made it further up the leaderbord that year but 2006 was a very strong year with quailty songs. Don’t get me started on “Lordi”! Tina’s vocal was so strong, song was so catchy and the staging was great. I want her boots….for collection purposes only you understand!

No 38

Country: Ireland
Song: “Hold Me Now”
Artist: Johnny Logan
Year: 1980
Position: Winner

Johnny, Johnny, Johnny…where do we start? Johnny stole the show in 1980 with this beautiful ballad. He had a gorgeous velvet tone to his voice which made him an instant hit with the ladies and I’m sure some men!

No 37

Country: Estonia
Song: “Once In A Lifetime”
Artist: Ines
Year: 2000
Position: 4th

A very vibrant, confident performance from Ines. Still quite young, she carried it off effortlessly. The song is very catchy and memorable which is what you always expect in Eurovision! Not so sure about some of the clothes from the whole performance but a cute backing singer puts paid to that!

No 36

Song No 36:
Country: Ireland
Song: “In Your Eyes”
Artist: Niamh Kavanagh
Year: 1993
Position: Winner

Niamh Kavanagh was amazing back in 1993 with yet another fabulous ballad for Ireland. The arrangement for this song was so beautiful and I think it was perfectly matched for Niamh’s voice. Niamh has every reason to be very proud of this performance!

No 35

Country: Belgium
Song: “Je T’adore”
Artist: Kate Ryan
Year: 2006
Position: 12th in Semi Final

One of the best uses of michrophone stands I have ever seen! Amazingly addictive song and was one of the favourites to win in 2006 but unfortunately, the voice let her down in some parts but I think she still should have made it to the final!

No 34

Country: Norway
Song: “Hold On, Be Strong”
Artist: Maria Haukess Storeng
Year: 2008
Position: 4th in Final

I remember watching this online at the National Final and thinking, this has to be one of the favourites without seeing any of the other entries! How right I was this is an usually quirky pop ballad and I think it is fabulous! The improvments they made from the winning the Nationl Final up to the Eurovision itself were very welcome and the whole staging was perfect!

No 33

Country: Sweden
Song: “Listen To Your Hearbeat”
Artist: Friends
Year: 2001
Position: 5th

Another Swedish gem that I have very fond memories of, especially at private Eurovision parties! This was high energy, with a song so memorable, you could be singing it for days! Sweden are known for this type of schlager song and most of the time, they don’t disappoint!!

No 32

Country: Greece
Song: “Shake It”
Artist: Sakis Rouvas
Year: 2004
Position: 3rd in Final

I first listened to this on the official Eurovision CD and I thought it was good but I was expecting some older greasier slimy guy to come out singing it! Boy was I very, very wrong! What we actually got was an impossibly (but very real and very in your face and mind) perfect bodied Sakis Rouvas who put on a fast paced, sexy, stripping, romping performance!!  Wow is all I could muster to say for hours after!

No 31

Country: Sweden
Song: “Waterloo”
Artist: Abba
Year: 1974
Position: Winner

What a showstopper! Abba certainly stole the show in 1974 with the gripping “Waterloo”. This now hugely iconic song is played the world over and righly so. Abba had what you would call the “X Factor” nowadays, they just had everything, the looks, the voices, the songs, they had it all! It’s a pity personal relationships/marriages ruined things between them back in the early 80′s as they could have gone on for many more years!

No 30

Country: Estonia
Song: “Randajad”
Artist: Urbad Symphony
Year: 2009
Position: 6th in Final

An eerie haunting electro pop ballad which along with it being in their own language made this a winner for me. I do love songs being presented in their countries own language, there is an extra feeling of pride within it and the sound of the accent, the language and the music together give it that extra edge. This should have definintely placed higher in 2010 and should have wiped the floor with the quite poor (in my opinion) winner Lena with “Satellite”.

No 29

Country: Ukraine
Song: “Shady Lady”
Artist: Ani Lorak
Year: 2008
Position: 2nd in Final

I had heard great things coming from the Eurovision parties and rehearsels about Ani Lorak being amazing and I decided to wait to see for myself at the Semi Final. She certainly did not disappoint, she put on a very flashy,sexy, high octane show. A fabulous song helped her achieve many points from most countries earning her a very respectable 2nd place!

No 28

Country: Serbia & Montenegro
Song: “Lana Moje”
Artist: Zjelko Joksimovic
Year: 2004
Position: 2nd in Final

Another hugely popular ballad that went down a storm in the arena in Turkey. You can just tell from this and other songs written by Zjelko that he writes from the heart. This song would make the hairs stand up on the back of your neck! Stunning!

No 27

Country: Ireland
Song: “What’s Another Year”
Artist: Johnny Logan
Year: 1987
Position: Winner

Johnny was back in 1987 with another equally great ballad. The voice we all came to love was here again to show us what had been missing in Eurovision in the mid 80′s. It’s very hard to achieve success with another song in Eurovision once you have already won but Johnny did it with ease!

No 26

Country: United Kingdom
Song: “Love Shine A Light”
Artist: Katrina & The Waves
Year: 1997
Position: Winner

Although there were many good songs in particular in 1997′s Eurovision, this was always my favourite and I was willing with all my breath that this would win! A great song for Katrina and the Waves and brilliantly preformed. I always light up the minute I hear this song being played, quite aptly named really!

No 25

Country: Ukraine
Song: “Wild Dances”
Artist: Ruslana
Year: 2004
Position: Winner

I always liked this on cd but I LOVED it when it was on stage! Ruslana put 300% effort in to this and it certainly worked for her. Being a choreographer helped and this was an amazing show to watch and she deserved to win.

No 24

Country: Finland
Song: “Bye Bye Baby”
Artist: Cat Cat
Year: 1994
Position: 22nd

I have massively fond memories of this song and can never take my eyes off the performance even to this day! Shockingly awful but I just can’t get enough of these two! This was a welcome distraction from doing my homework back then!

No 23

Country: Spain
Song: “Dime”
Artist: Beth
Year: 2003
Position: 8th

Beth looked and sounded amazing with this fabulous performance. The outfit, while risqué to some, was welcomed by others and the dancers along with Beth gave a very polished routine! I wish Beth would return to Eurovision, either for Spain or anyone else as long as she comes back!

No 22

Country: Sweden
Song: “Se Pa Mig”
Artist: Jan Johanssen
Year: 1995
Position: 3rd

Jan could sing this without music anytime, anywhere! His voice was deep, raspy but in a wonderful way. I could listen to this song over and over and never get bored. This was a beautifully written song , however, I don’t think it would ever have sounded as good as it did with Jan singing it.

No 21

Country: Belarus
Song: “Love Me Tonight”
Artist: Anjelica Agurbash
Year: 2005
Position: 13th in Semi Final

Anjeclica’s performance brings me back to the unusual liking I have for mad looking people in Eurvosion. This was my favourite in 2004 when I got the cd and I loved her on stage (even if the vocals were not perfect), I was so upset when she didn’t get through. I just adored this wild, nutty looking woman presenting this song!

So….there you have songs 40 down to 21!

What do you think so far?

Which ones would you have further up in your list or not in your list at all maybe?

Who do you think will make next weeks final countdown (20-1)??

The year was 1974, the place Brighton, England, the event, the 19^th Eurovision song contest.

It would be five years before my miraculous birth so I wasn’t even a twinkle in my parent’s eyes but they must have had some insight because they bought several of the Eurovision singles on record for that year and when I was but a wee boy of eight I discovered them.  I always credit the 1993 Eurovision as been the year that started my love affair yet in truth it was 1974 and specifically records containing three of that years entrants; Tina Reynolds, Olivia Newton John and Abba.

In 1973 Luxemburg won the Eurovision with a song called ‘Tu te reconnaitrais’ by Anne-Marie David however they declined to host it due to the cost and the BBC graciously stepped in hence the Dome in Brighton. 

It would be a year of conspiracy theories and controversies and it would also be the year Greece made their debut with ‘Marinella’. 

Returning artists included:

Romuald for Monaco again in 1964 and also for Luxemburg in 1969.

Bendick Singers for Norway the previous year of 1973.

Gigliola Cinquetti for Italy in 1964 for which she won.

17 countries would perform and Ireland would place a respectable 7^th with Tina Reynolds song ‘Cross your heart’.  I love this song from childhood and its flip side on the record was a track called ‘What would I be’.   Lyrics included on that went…’What would I be if I weren’t me, maybe a cloud, maybe a tree and if I were a tree you’d be the gentle rain that falls on me.   And if that tree should fade and die, you’d be the ground on which I’d lie….’  Honestly I couldn’t make this up.  

France did not perform that year despite having a song and singer chosen.  ‘La vie a vingt-cinq ans’ by Dani was pulled when the same week of the Eurovision the French president Georges Pompidou passed away. 

Italy would place 2^nd but one wonders if that was more to do with the conspiracy theories that surrounded it.  The song entitled ‘Si’ which of course means ‘Yes’ was banned from Italian TV because at the same time the Italian referendum on Divorce was going on and they felt the song might influence peoples votes through subliminal messages.  No wonder the Italians left the Eurovision we all know them to be passionate but we can add a little crazy into the mix.  They must have been pulling their hair out when Dustin was singing about his Douze points, now I wonder why that didn’t work, hhmm!!!!

England would place 4^th however singer Olivia Newton John would claim that (and I agree entirely) had she sung her favourite of the choices given her ‘Angel Eyes’ she may have done better.  The song ‘Long live love’ was chosen by the British people (its funny how they never learn to leave it in professional’s hands rather then the public, get a clue Britain).  Olivia would go on to star in one of the most beloved musicals of all time ‘Grease’ in 1978. 

The biggest controversy (probably ever in Eurovision history) which came to light after its performance surrounded Portugals entry by Paulo de Carvalho ‘E depois do adeus’.  The song was used as a signal to launch the Carnation Revolution.  The song alerted the rebel soldiers to begin the coup and fight to reclaim democracy in Portugal from an authoritarian dictatorship.  Thousands of ordinary Portuguese fled to the streets to join with the military insurgents.  The result was the end of the secret police, the Estado Novo (new state) and the unpopular colonial war.  A new constitution ended up been drafted, political prisoners were freed, censorship was prohibited, free speech was declared and overseas colonies were given their independence and all on the wake of a song at Eurovision.

Of course the year’s winner was Sweden with Abba and ‘Waterloo’.  The song went on to become voted the best song of the Eurovision song contest when it celebrated its 50^th anniversary in 2005.   The group Abba were launched on an unsuspecting world and Abbamania followed.  They became as popular as the Beatles and their influence was widespread.  To this day their songs are covered by other artists and collectively were turned into a world smash musical, ‘Mamma Mia’.

   Its songs began my love of Eurovision and it was a year that launched a revolution, Olivia Newton John and Abba. That is why 1974 is historically one of the best, if not thee best.

Well would you Adam and Eve it!

When Abba stormed to victory in the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest in Brighton with Waterloo how many points do you think they were awarded by the host country?

Nul points. Nada.

Waterloo went on to top the British singles chart and the band score eight more British Number 1s before disbanding in 1980. Their Greatest Hits Collection, ABBA: GOLD has sold 4 million copies in the UK. Mamma Mia! the musical debuted in London’s West End and the movie version is one of the highest grossing cinema releases in British history.

A surprising bit of ESC trivia on this Sunday morning!