# eurovision song contest
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eurovision-song-contest/65268
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [May 12, 2001, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eurovision-song-contest/65268 "2001-05-12T23:58:52Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@YOZZER2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YOZZER2001)
#### Post date: [May 12, 2001, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eurovision-song-contest/65268/1 "2001-05-12T23:58:52Z")
how the hell can russia and isreal be in the eurovision song contest? is there a new europe?
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### Author:  [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)
#### Post date: [May 13, 2001, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eurovision-song-contest/65268/2 "2001-05-13T00:11:47Z")
Because they are members of the European Broadcasing Union. See [http://www.ebu.ch/home\_2.html?/tv-cec\_home.html](http://www.ebu.ch/home_2.html?/tv-cec_home.html) for further details.
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### Author:  [@Beruang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beruang)
#### Post date: [May 13, 2001, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eurovision-song-contest/65268/3 "2001-05-13T01:46:32Z")
Moscow, the capital of Russia, is west of the Ural mountains and thus in Europe, as are many if not most of its largest cities like St. Petersburg and Volgograd.
– Beruang
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### Author:  [@YOZZER2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YOZZER2001)
#### Post date: [May 13, 2001, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eurovision-song-contest/65268/4 "2001-05-13T01:49:22Z")
well thats russia what about isreal?(i know they are members of the European Broadcasing Union.)☹
:D:D:D:D:D:D:D::D:D:D
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### Author:  [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)
#### Post date: [May 13, 2001, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eurovision-song-contest/65268/5 "2001-05-13T02:35:32Z")
Maybe the Arab Broadcasting Union wasn’t too keen on having Israel as a member and the EBU felt sorry for them.
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### Author:  [@Pjen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pjen)
#### Post date: [May 13, 2001, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eurovision-song-contest/65268/6 "2001-05-13T08:21:22Z")
IIRC any country bordering the mediterranean is eligible for membership.
Cite: [http://www.newsahead.com/BT/EVNSongMay01.htm](http://www.newsahead.com/BT/EVNSongMay01.htm)
‘The members of Eurovision, the Europe-led exchange of television programming of the European BroaIndcasting Union, are nationally-owned broadcast networks, such as the BBC. The 2001 line-up is expected to include Denmark, United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, France, Bosnia, Slovenia, Portugal, Poland, Greece, Lithuania, Latvia, Ireland, Russia, Israel, Sweden, Malta, Croatia, Estonia, Netherlands, Iceland, Norway and Turkey. Other eligible countries are Tunisia, Albania, Algeria, Belarus, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Egypt, Lebanon, Libya, Monaco, Morocco, San Marino, Syria, Vatican State and Ukraine.’
As you will see, Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Libya and Syria are shown as eligible. IIRC there was a north African entry a couple of years ago, although this may have been from Malta? Morocco had an entry in 1980. Further checking seems to suggest that only Morocco from Africa has entered the song contest. However, Eurovision (The European Broadcasting Union) is much more than the song contest- it involves exchange of news and programs. Only certai countries are shallow enough to enter the song contest and take it seriously!
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### Author:  [@MrDeath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDeath)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2001, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eurovision-song-contest/65268/7 "2001-05-14T03:53:28Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Pjen \*
> **The 2001 line-up is expected to include Denmark, United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, France, Bosnia, Slovenia, Portugal, Poland, Greece, Lithuania, Latvia, Ireland, Russia, Israel, Sweden, Malta, Croatia, Estonia, Netherlands, Iceland, Norway and Turkey. Other eligible countries are Tunisia, Albania, Algeria, Belarus, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Egypt, Lebanon, Libya, Monaco, Morocco, San Marino, Syria, Vatican State and Ukraine.'**
Anyone have any ideas why Finland, Cyprus, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Andorra, Slovakia, Hungary, Estonia, Serbia, Montenegro, Belgium, Romania and Macedonia aren’t on this list?
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### Author:  [@Pjen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pjen)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2001, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eurovision-song-contest/65268/8 "2001-05-14T06:09:36Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by MrDeath \*
> \*\*
>
> > [@](#):
> >
> > \*Originally posted by Pjen \*
> > **The 2001 line-up is expected to include Denmark, United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, France, Bosnia, Slovenia, Portugal, Poland, Greece, Lithuania, Latvia, Ireland, Russia, Israel, Sweden, Malta, Croatia, Estonia, Netherlands, Iceland, Norway and Turkey. Other eligible countries are Tunisia, Albania, Algeria, Belarus, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Egypt, Lebanon, Libya, Monaco, Morocco, San Marino, Syria, Vatican State and Ukraine.'**
>
> Anyone have any ideas why Finland, Cyprus, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Andorra, Slovakia, Hungary, Estonia, Serbia, Montenegro, Belgium, Romania and Macedonia aren’t on this list? \*\*
That is the line up for the song contest only. Because of the fragmentation of the various countries in Europe and applications from beyond, the song contest was etting unwieldy. They formulated new rules which IIRC state that major countries (France, UK, Germany, Italy, Spain) get automatic entry if they wish; any country that came in the top 15 of the previous year are also admitted, and there is some sort of play-off for the other ten or so places between the other member countries that did not fail to place in the previous year, thus keeping the numbers to just over 20.
Finland, Cyprus, Belgium have certainly participated before.
See:
[http://www.songcontest.nl/Countries/](http://www.songcontest.nl/Countries/)
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### Author:  [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2001, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eurovision-song-contest/65268/9 "2001-05-14T11:51:10Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by MrDeath \*
> \*\*
> Anyone have any ideas why Finland, Cyprus, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Andorra, Slovakia, Hungary, Estonia, Serbia, Montenegro, Belgium, Romania and Macedonia aren’t on this list? \*\*
1. They didn’t want to (as far as I know most of those countries have never taken part in the contest)
2. The number of paticipants is limited so if you don’t get enough points one year you’re excluded from next year’s contest and someone else gets a chance.
FYI Estonia won the this year’s contest and to honour that I walked around yesterday dressed in a T-shirt with a caption about the Interballtick Hash in Laulasmaa (“The singing land” in Estonian) last summner.
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### Author:  [@Pjen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pjen)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2001, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eurovision-song-contest/65268/10 "2001-05-14T12:04:38Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Floater \*
> \*\*
>
> > [@](#):
> >
> > \*Originally posted by MrDeath \*
> > \*\*
> > Anyone have any ideas why Finland, Cyprus, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Andorra, Slovakia, Hungary, Estonia, Serbia, Montenegro, Belgium, Romania and Macedonia aren’t on this list? \*\*
>
> 1. They didn’t want to (as far as I know most of those countries have never taken part in the contest)
> \*\*
From the link I provided above, the following have taken part:
Finland, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Slovakia, Hungary, Estonia, Belgium and Romania.
The others probably have too much respect for real msic to enter!
And, BTW, currently Serbia and Montenegro are still one state- the former Republic of Yugoslavia, but Montenegro may go its own way soon.
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### Author:  [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2001, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eurovision-song-contest/65268/11 "2001-05-14T12:37:25Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Pjen \*
> **They formulated new rules which IIRC state that major countries (France, UK, Germany, Italy, Spain) get automatic entry if they wish; …**
I don’t think any countries get automatic entry. The UK finished 15th this year and that was reported as ‘narrowly missing relegation’ from next year’s competition. I also think France was eliminated one year??
I expect that people here would probably have mixed views if Britain was eliminted, since we probably take the competition _least_ seriously out of all entrants, but it does have a strange comedy value so it would be a pity to miss out.
However, do I detect an Irish conspiracy to get relegated deliberately this year? 😉
The story seems to be that Ireland have won more often than any other country in recent years and it was getting too expensive for RTE to have to act as host all the time. Deliberately losing would put paid to that. Having said that, though, I fell asleep after about two songs and only woke up near the end of the voting so I’ve no idea how bad the song was.
The winner was, as usual, shite.
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### Author:  [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2001, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eurovision-song-contest/65268/12 "2001-05-14T12:50:08Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by everton \*
> \*\*However, do I detect an Irish conspiracy to get relegated deliberately this year? 😉
> \*\*
On the other hand the absolutely best song ever in the contest got zero points (I am of course referring to Spain’s entry in 1983 “¿Quien maneja mi barca?”, performed by Remedios Amaya) 😃
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### Author:  [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2001, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eurovision-song-contest/65268/13 "2001-05-14T13:07:01Z")
Actually, England, France, Germany and (I think) Spain **can’t** be relegated, due to the fact that they fork up most of the cash for this stupid contest (which I watched, God help me).
Best music of the evening was by Aqua, who were just there to entertain the crowds during the voting. (How does that woman jump around like that and still stay in her halter top? I’m guessing lots of tape.)
My “favorite” song: Greece’s entry. And consistent with my usual success in picking Eurovision winners, they came third. In retrospect I should have picked Denmark to win – their song was cheesy, goofy, and sounded like a mix between Barenaked Ladies and Tony Orlando and Dawn. Exactly the sort of thing they love for Eurovision.
Estonia’s song sounded to me like a disco version of an army cadence, but at least the prize went to a country not yet sufficiently jaded to realize how ridiculous the whole thing is.
As for Ireland, well… For me, nothing can ever surpass **My Lovely Horse**. 😃
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### Author:  [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2001, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eurovision-song-contest/65268/14 "2001-05-14T13:07:33Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Floater \*
> **"¿Quien maneja mi barca?"**
No sé. ¿El mismo quién hunde mi Real Madrid? 🙂
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### Author:  [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2001, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eurovision-song-contest/65268/15 "2001-05-14T13:13:34Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by jr8 \*
> **Best music of the evening was by Aqua, who were just there to entertain the crowds during the voting. (How does that woman jump around like that and still stay in her halter top? I’m guessing lots of tape.)**
Hmm, should’ve stayed awake for that!
> [@](#):
>
> **As for Ireland, well… For me, nothing can ever surpass My Lovely Horse. 😃**
Feck My Lovely Horse
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### Author:  [@Pjen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pjen)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2001, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eurovision-song-contest/65268/16 "2001-05-14T16:30:16Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by everton \*
> \*\*
>
> > [@](#):
> >
> > \*Originally posted by Pjen \*
> > **They formulated new rules which IIRC state that major countries (France, UK, Germany, Italy, Spain) get automatic entry if they wish; …**
>
> I don’t think any countries get automatic entry. The UK finished 15th this year and that was reported as ‘narrowly missing relegation’ from next year’s competition. I also think France was eliminated one year??\*\*
Cite: [http://www.ebu.ch/home\_2.html?tv-cec\_home.html](http://www.ebu.ch/home_2.html?tv-cec_home.html)
I too thought that Britain was nearly out next year, but came across the official page with the rules which states that the big countries have automatic entry. These are new rules, so France may have been excluded by previous rules.
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### Author:  [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2001, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eurovision-song-contest/65268/17 "2001-05-14T16:44:44Z")
Thanks for that **Pjen**. My quote about the UK was based on Terry Wogan’s comments last night and the Big Breakfast news this morning; the France thing was just a vague memory – may not be true at all.
BTW, [here’s](http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/northern_ireland/newsid_1329000/1329839.stm) the BBC’s take on Ireland’s reaction to relegation.
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### Author:  [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2001, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eurovision-song-contest/65268/18 "2001-05-14T17:12:08Z")
So to sum up: Israel, Portugal, The Netherlands, Latvia, Poland, Ireland, Iceland and Norway all have to sit out next year, and Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, Macedonia, Romania and Switzerland get to compete.
I dunno what’s happened to Hungary, Luxembourg, etc. – maybe they’ve got better things to do?
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### Author:  [@Montfort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Montfort)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2001, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eurovision-song-contest/65268/19 "2001-05-14T22:19:06Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by jr8 \*
> **Best music of the evening was by Aqua, who were just there to entertain the crowds during the voting. (How does that woman jump around like that and still stay in her halter top? I’m guessing lots of tape.)**
Swedish breasts are wondrous things. 😉
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### Author:  [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)
#### Post date: [May 15, 2001, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eurovision-song-contest/65268/20 "2001-05-15T08:24:43Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Montfort \*
> \*\*Swedish breasts are wondrous things. 😉 \*\*
I believe they’re actually Danish breasts. I’ll have to go back and, ahem, check more closely. 😃
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