# Brits, comment on Engelbert song for Eurovision 2012. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 16, 2012, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-comment-on-engelbert-song-for-eurovision-2012/618937 "2012-04-16T09:54:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Indian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@Indian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indian)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-comment-on-engelbert-song-for-eurovision-2012/618937/1 "2012-04-16T09:54:09Z")
1.[Love will set you free.](http://www.eurovision.tv/page/news?id=49523&_t=love_will_set_you_free_for_the_united_kingdom) Is this a winnable song? Wrong choice of singer? 1. BBC journalist Mark Beaumont says Engelbert is [cheesy inherently.](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-17429151)( scroll down to middle of page). Is it so? Please elaboarate. Non-Brits also welcome to comment.😉 ---
**Author:** ![Corcaigh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Corcaigh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corcaigh)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-comment-on-engelbert-song-for-eurovision-2012/618937/2 "2012-04-16T10:39:45Z")
It’s a nice song, but I don’t think it’s a Eurovision song, but then again Lordi managed to win a few years back! [the Irish entry](http://www.eurovision.tv/page/history/year/participant-profile/?song=27113) is a more typical Eurovision song. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-comment-on-engelbert-song-for-eurovision-2012/618937/3 "2012-04-16T10:50:44Z")
The quality of the song or the singer is absolutely, completely,irrelevant. What you have to remember is that the UK entry is very much tongue in cheek. We don’t expect to win it, the politics don’t allow it so we are having a bit of fun with it. We don’t take it seriously, we’ll get some fun from seeing Englebert up there and then can return the real business of Eurovision which is mocking four Lithuanian monks dressed as penguins singing “biff-a-boff-a-bingo (love me big)” ---
**Author:** ![Indian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@Indian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indian)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-comment-on-engelbert-song-for-eurovision-2012/618937/4 "2012-04-16T10:55:43Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > The quality of the song or the singer is absolutely, completely,irrelevant. > What you have to remember is that the UK entry is very much tongue in cheek. We don’t expect to win it, **the politics don’t allow it** so we are having a bit of fun with it. > > We don’t take it seriously, we’ll get some fun from seeing Englebert up there and then can return the real business of Eurovision which is mocking four Lithuanian monks dressed as penguins singing “biff-a-boff-a-bingo (love me big)” How does politics interfere? ---
**Author:** ![shantih](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@shantih](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shantih)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-comment-on-engelbert-song-for-eurovision-2012/618937/5 "2012-04-16T10:55:48Z")
I like it. It may be a bit schmalzy, but there’s nothing wrong with that. At least it isn’t overproduced and samey-sounding (if that makes sense). The UK certainly won’t be embarrassed by it, and I could see it pulling ahead of most of the pack. > [@Corcaigh](#): > > It’s a nice song, but I don’t think it’s a Eurovision song, but then again Lordi managed to win a few years back! > > [the Irish entry](http://www.eurovision.tv/page/history/year/participant-profile/?song=27113) is a more typical Eurovision song. Jedward is singing at the Eurovision again! Huzzah! I’m not sure what I think about Germany’s entry this year: [http://www.eurovision.tv/page/history/year/participant-profile/?song=26753](http://www.eurovision.tv/page/history/year/participant-profile/?song=26753) It’s been growing on me, but it didn’t rock my world at first hearing. Eh, it’s not like Europe is going to be fighting to vote for Germany, anyway. Yeah, everyone else gets the neighbor effect, but I guess we’re just not popular or anything. We didn’t want to win again, anyway. _pout_ ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-comment-on-engelbert-song-for-eurovision-2012/618937/6 "2012-04-16T11:07:30Z")
> [@indian](#): > > How does politics interfere? Too many enemies, not enough friends. As a country we simply aren’t very popular and regardless of the quality of the song, we aren’t going to get the countries voting for us. We don’t actually care though so it isn’t a problem, it is a pantomime to us not a serious music competition. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-comment-on-engelbert-song-for-eurovision-2012/618937/7 "2012-04-16T11:16:34Z")
> [@Corcaigh](#): > > [the Irish entry](http://www.eurovision.tv/page/history/year/participant-profile/?song=27113) is a more typical Eurovision song. Brilliant! I didn’t know they were entering again. I should point out that it isn’t just the UK that takes a humorous approach to Eurovison. The Irish, as can be seen here, know a good joke when they see it. Don’t be surprised if the UK and Ireland score each other quite highly. Of course if Ireland truly want to sweep the board all they need to do is get The Divine Comedy to enter [“My Lovely Horse”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzYzVMcgWhg), that…my friends, is a guaranteed win. ---
**Author:** ![Indian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@Indian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indian)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-comment-on-engelbert-song-for-eurovision-2012/618937/8 "2012-04-16T11:18:57Z")
Hmm… U.K won in 1997 and was placed 2nd in 1998. What has changed in 15 years to create so many enemies? ---
**Author:** ![PrettyVacant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/49beb7/32.png) [@PrettyVacant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PrettyVacant)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-comment-on-engelbert-song-for-eurovision-2012/618937/9 "2012-04-16T11:26:09Z")
life’s too short. ---
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-comment-on-engelbert-song-for-eurovision-2012/618937/10 "2012-04-16T11:26:22Z")
> [@indian](#): > > Hmm.. > > U.K won in 1997 and was placed 2nd in 1998. What has changed in 15 years to create so many enemies? Iraq for a start ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-comment-on-engelbert-song-for-eurovision-2012/618937/11 "2012-04-16T11:43:12Z")
> [@indian](#): > > Hmm.. > > U.K won in 1997 and was placed 2nd in 1998. What has changed in 15 years to create so many enemies? Iraq, as has been said, Afghanistan, The Labour party moves to align us more with the USA. The fallout from the Balkans war, the continued fallout from the USSR break-up and increased political distance between us and the idea of a European Union. But apart from that… ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-comment-on-engelbert-song-for-eurovision-2012/618937/12 "2012-04-16T11:43:57Z")
> [@indian](#): > > Hmm.. > > U.K won in 1997 and was placed 2nd in 1998. What has changed in 15 years to create so many enemies? > [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](#): > > Iraq for a start And an increased level of bloc voting as the enmities of the Cold War and Yugoslavia conflict fade over time. The Baltics, the Balkans, Scandinavia, Germany/Turkey, Greece/Cyprus, Romania/Moldova - even the former USSR states tend to stick together. The only support the UK can usually reliably count on is Malta and a few crumbs from Ireland. The UK is not the only country to consider the contest to be ridiculous - Germany, France and Spain have sent a few goofy entries and Ukraine excel in over-the-top silliness ([this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6HKwa-a6ac) being the best Eurovision entry ever). I still think the UK should bite the bullet and follow that example by getting Jonti Picking to write a Eurovision song. For example, I would love to see [this](http://www.weebls-stuff.com/songs/Pork/) performed live. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-comment-on-engelbert-song-for-eurovision-2012/618937/13 "2012-04-16T11:46:18Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > Iraq, as has been said, Afghanistan, The Labour party moves to align us more with the USA. The fallout from the Balkans war, the continued fallout from the USSR break-up and increased political distance between us and the idea of a European Union. > > But apart from that… That… and the fact that the eastern block all vote for each other, leaving the western europeans fighting it out for last place. At least Malta and Ireland still vote for us. ---
**Author:** ![Indian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@Indian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indian)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-comment-on-engelbert-song-for-eurovision-2012/618937/14 "2012-04-16T11:53:38Z")
Would love to hear from dopers. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-comment-on-engelbert-song-for-eurovision-2012/618937/15 "2012-04-16T11:54:08Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > That… and the fact that the eastern block all vote for each other, leaving the western europeans fighting it out for last place. Finland 2006 Norway 2009 Germany 2010 If they are leaving Western Europeans fighting it out for last place then they’re doing a really, really bad job of it. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-comment-on-engelbert-song-for-eurovision-2012/618937/16 "2012-04-16T12:39:39Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > Too many enemies, not enough friends. As a country we simply aren’t very popular and regardless of the quality of the song, we aren’t going to get the countries voting for us. You think \*you’ve \*got problems? ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-comment-on-engelbert-song-for-eurovision-2012/618937/17 "2012-04-16T12:47:00Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > You think \*you’ve \*got problems? Hey, you’ve won it before! Edit: Three times! Mind you, most folk will only remember Dana International, the quintessential Eurovision contestant. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-comment-on-engelbert-song-for-eurovision-2012/618937/18 "2012-04-16T12:49:29Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > You think \*you’ve \*got problems? You’re the ones we came second to in 1998. ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-comment-on-engelbert-song-for-eurovision-2012/618937/19 "2012-04-16T13:13:03Z")
> [@indian](#): > > Would love to hear from dopers. Man, the dude’s called _Engelbert Humperdinck_ Reginald Dwight’s got nothing on that. Anyone who wasn’t embracing their inner cheese would have gone for the deed poll long ago. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-comment-on-engelbert-song-for-eurovision-2012/618937/20 "2012-04-16T13:23:39Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > Man, the dude’s called _Engelbert Humperdinck_ > > Reginald Dwight’s got nothing on that. Anyone who wasn’t embracing their inner cheese would have gone for the deed poll long ago. His original name was Arnold Dorsey, although he was apparently nicknamed “Jerry”. He actually changed his name _to_ “Engelbert Humperdinck” [after considering a few other options](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckGmMO0zbJo). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-comment-on-engelbert-song-for-eurovision-2012/618937.md?page=2)