# My Very First EuroVision Song Contest...come make your predictions! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 13, 2003, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-very-first-eurovision-song-contest-come-make-your-predictions/174940 "2003-05-13T13:18:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2003, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-very-first-eurovision-song-contest-come-make-your-predictions/174940/61 "2003-05-15T12:15:19Z")
From the Norwegian point of view, the problem with the E.S.C. is that we keep sending them Jahn Teigen, and they keep sending him **back**. Clearly this strategy isn’t working. This year, don’t worry, you’re all being spared ol’ Rubber Face. Instead, you get to see the first runner-up in the Mark Hamill Look-Alike Contest. ---
**Author:** ![auRa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c4cdca/32.png) [@auRa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auRa)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-very-first-eurovision-song-contest-come-make-your-predictions/174940/62 "2003-05-16T06:11:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kantalooppi \* > \*\*Well, in Finland, this contest is pretty much biannual, so there’s no fun this year - not even seeing the press crow about some Greek musician’s cousin’s friend’s mother saying that Finnish entry might win and this being a certain sign that this year Finland’s entry is not going to be scored like the crap it is. \*\* The funny thing is, I don’t think Finland’s entries are really any more crap than the others. I mean, sure, we gave the viewers “Bye Bye Baby”. But “Ooh, ah, just a little bit” isn’t that much better, is it? Or “Diggiloo, diggiley”? ---
**Author:** ![TPWombat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbce88/32.png) [@TPWombat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TPWombat)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-very-first-eurovision-song-contest-come-make-your-predictions/174940/63 "2003-05-16T11:38:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by popeye\_partridge \* > **I´m going to miss Wogan´s comments this year. They´re always the best part:)** No Wogan???:eek: ---
**Author:** ![everton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-very-first-eurovision-song-contest-come-make-your-predictions/174940/64 "2003-05-16T11:52:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by popeye\_partridge \* > For my part I´ll go with Spain winning - for no other reason than the fact \*\*that´s where I am. \*\* Wogan _will_ be doing his usual hatchet job for [BBC1, live from Riga](http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/eurovision/whatson/). ---
**Author:** ![big\_alex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e56c9b/32.png) [@big\_alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/big_alex)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-very-first-eurovision-song-contest-come-make-your-predictions/174940/65 "2003-05-16T12:20:57Z")
Gildo loves you! ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-very-first-eurovision-song-contest-come-make-your-predictions/174940/66 "2003-05-16T12:42:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by auRa \* > \*\*The funny thing is, I don’t think Finland’s entries are really any more crap than the others. I mean, sure, we gave the viewers “Bye Bye Baby”. But “Ooh, ah, just a little bit” isn’t that much better, is it? Or “Diggiloo, diggiley”? \*\* You did once enter Pedro Hietanen. Cool. Very cool IMO. And talking about “Diggiloo, diggiley” (shudder): Two English Sweden-based performers once noticed that Sweden first won the E.S.C. with a song called “Waterloo” and then again with “Diggiloo, diggiley”. Their conclusion was that we Swedes have a preoccupation with toilets. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-very-first-eurovision-song-contest-come-make-your-predictions/174940/67 "2003-05-16T12:53:29Z")
“Eres Tu” by Mocedades? Yes, that WAS quite a big hit in the U.S., back when I was in grade school… around 1973 or 1974. I must have missed that one when scanning the list. VERY few non-English language songs ever become major hits here, and that was one. Other than that, “Dominique” by Souer Sourire (the Singing Nun), “Sukiyaki,” “La Bamba” and “Der Komissar” are among the very few I can think of. ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-very-first-eurovision-song-contest-come-make-your-predictions/174940/68 "2003-05-16T13:17:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by astorian \* > VERY few non-English language songs ever become major hits here, and that was one. Other than that, “Dominique” by Souer Sourire (the Singing Nun), “Sukiyaki,” “La Bamba” and “Der Komissar” are among the very few I can think of. What about “Neunundneunzig Luftballons”? ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-very-first-eurovision-song-contest-come-make-your-predictions/174940/69 "2003-05-16T15:44:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Floater \* > \*\*What about “Neunundneunzig Luftballons”? \*\* Oh yeah, Nena… forgot that one. I’m sure there are a few others, but the fact remains, Americans generally don’t buy non-English language records, which is a big part of the reason bands like Abba and the Scorpions always sang in English. ---
**Author:** ![Iteki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/eada6e/32.png) [@Iteki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iteki)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-very-first-eurovision-song-contest-come-make-your-predictions/174940/70 "2003-05-16T16:15:37Z")
Greeces entry last year was really good, they were from Sweden though, where the ESC is an art form. Jonas Gardells analysis of the “tonartsbyt” (change of key) is hillarious, and is used without fail in every Swedish entry 🙂 The Swedish commentators have apparantly gotten an official complain from whoever it is that is behind the ESC for being overly bitchy last year 😃 haha! ---
**Author:** ![auRa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c4cdca/32.png) [@auRa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auRa)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-very-first-eurovision-song-contest-come-make-your-predictions/174940/71 "2003-05-16T16:54:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Iteki \* > **Jonas Gardells analysis of the “tonartsbyt” (change of key) is hillarious, and is used without fail in every Swedish entry 🙂** Not just the Swedish entries… 🙂 Practically every Eurovision entry I have ever heard ends with a change of key. My friend and I spent last year’s televised contest yelling “annnnd… Yes! THERE IT IS!” ---
**Author:** ![Kantalooppi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a5b964/32.png) [@Kantalooppi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kantalooppi)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2003, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-very-first-eurovision-song-contest-come-make-your-predictions/174940/72 "2003-05-18T17:50:31Z")
> [@](#): > > The funny thing is, I don’t think Finland’s entries are really any more crap than the others. I mean, sure, we gave the viewers “Bye Bye Baby”. But “Ooh, ah, just a little bit” isn’t that much better, is it? Or “Diggiloo, diggiley”? I don’t know. It’s just that as Finns, we end up caring more about the crapness of our own tunes than those of the others. I mean, remember the year with that woman in the red jacket with the song with all the country names? Could it be any more forgettable? Yes, well, I could have forgotten the red jacket and the city names, but I’ve forced myself to remember them, because that was the year Finland could have nominated Nightwish but didn’t. ---
**Author:** ![eman77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f04885/32.png) [@eman77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eman77)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2003, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-very-first-eurovision-song-contest-come-make-your-predictions/174940/73 "2003-05-18T18:43:15Z")
Is Eurovision being held in Latvia this year? ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2003, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-very-first-eurovision-song-contest-come-make-your-predictions/174940/74 "2003-05-19T07:12:44Z")
Ayup. In Riga, and don’t you forget it. The people who organized the Norwegian national final wanted to fill the voting time with a parody of the “cultural” stuff the host nation usually adds to gaps in the show, and some not terribly bright soul decided to use balalaikas and Cossack dances. The Latvian press was Not Pleased. Guess this means the Norwegian entry won’t be getting any points from any of the Baltic nations this year… ---
**Author:** ![Anahita](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9a28c/32.png) [@Anahita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anahita)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2003, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-very-first-eurovision-song-contest-come-make-your-predictions/174940/75 "2003-05-24T19:05:47Z")
Yay!!! It’s starting SOON! ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2003, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-very-first-eurovision-song-contest-come-make-your-predictions/174940/76 "2003-05-24T19:08:29Z")
Is it just me or are the co-hosts almost embarrassingly unfunny? ---
**Author:** ![Anahita](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9a28c/32.png) [@Anahita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anahita)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2003, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-very-first-eurovision-song-contest-come-make-your-predictions/174940/77 "2003-05-24T19:09:21Z")
Oh, dear. This is going to be a long night!! ---
**Author:** ![Tansu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/67e7ee/32.png) [@Tansu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tansu)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2003, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-very-first-eurovision-song-contest-come-make-your-predictions/174940/78 "2003-05-24T19:10:48Z")
Austria. What the blue-green fornication? I need a bigger drink. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2003, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-very-first-eurovision-song-contest-come-make-your-predictions/174940/79 "2003-05-24T19:11:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ruadh \* > \*\*Is it just me or are the co-hosts almost embarrassingly unfunny? \*\* That’s EU law. They have to be. ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2003, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-very-first-eurovision-song-contest-come-make-your-predictions/174940/80 "2003-05-24T19:15:47Z")
I actually kind of liked that Austrian one :o [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-very-first-eurovision-song-contest-come-make-your-predictions/174940.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-very-first-eurovision-song-contest-come-make-your-predictions/174940.md?page=5)