Eurovision's British entry - political voting or a flop?

[darth vader]

Wot no Eurovision questions? For those that watched it, do you think the UK got 'nil point' through political voting in protest of our involvement with Iraq, or more simply it was a pile of pish that didn't deserve a vote?

[froggequene]

I had heard Jemini before the Eurovision and to be honest, it wasn't a fantastically brillant song but it was by no means the worst thing I have ever heard. On the night she was badly off key, some people only hear the songs for the first time on the night so the voting public may have been put off but I do think that it was political. I still can't believe Turkey nearly won or that Russia managed to stay in the top 3 most of the night, there were way better songs then either of those 2.

[Moog]

Uh... Turkey did win didn't they?! And talking of Turkeys Gemini were woeful... all they needed were some cats and dogs wailing in the background... she was so out of key she was almost in another key!

[treaclefight]

bless them, jemini have claimed technical problems got the better of them and that as its a live show they had to soldier on, they were by no mean the only pile of pish performing that night and i'm sure political voting played some part in keeping them on nil points. but as i've said elsewhere a lesbian snog will over-ride any political voting. anyway i think there may be a certain kudos attached to getting nil point these days.

[froggequene]

Didn't see my faux pas until now, was thinking of something else at the time, Belgium most probably. I was enjoying the whole spectacle right up until the point where the voting started and the whole thing left a bad taste in my mouth.

[sft42]

OK folks it was a combination of all the things listed above my answer (though to be fair if there was technical problems I can sympathise) but the song itself isn't a eurovision song.....think Bucks Fizz....think Save all your Kisses for Me...these are bubbly europap that appeals to the continent and will win...songs with a strong hook and jangly bits.....Bye Baby was written for the British singles market and really would never have won....this is why it's rare to get established big name entering for the UK...that plus the shame if they didn't win.

[Andromeda]

Sft42 - one word - Sonia. Yes, the song was dire, yes there were major technical difficulties on the night (I am pretty sure that it was technical difficulties and not appalling singing! - Turkey had the same problem second time round) Political voting? Of course - for example greece always gives Cyprus 12. Having said that there was something very weird going on. Belgium's was terrible and it came second!!! Madness, pure madness.

Andy

[darth vader]

OK i've heard a few others' opinions now you can hear mine. The song was a loser. It was not a very catchy tune in my honest opinion, the girl (though she made an effort) didn't dress very well i thought, she sang out of tune - i am convinced this is nerves and nothing to do with technicalities or any of the "i couldn't hear" cr@p they're trying to use as an excuse - she sang the first verse out of tune, the second she was fine on, but the third went slightly out of tune again - that's nerves if you ask me. The lad was over enthusiastic and bizarre to say the least. All this equals nil point in my opinion. I am pretty sure that similarly to the UK's way of choosing, the other countries use phone voting to select their winners, so it was the people that chose the winners, and i don't think politics plays a major part for this reason. Yes the Greeks always give Cyprus 12 and vice versa, yes the scandinavian countries always give each other good marks, and yes (as shown this year with Russia finishing 3rd) the eastern bloc countries tend to vote Russia highly. I don't think however this has got doodle to do with our invasion of Iraq. Responding to some of your comments: Yes sft42 i think previously songs have had to be "europap" to win but times are changing and so are the quality of songs - there were a few IMHO that would make good chart hits (certainly considering the "pap" we have to put up with these days!) including the Russian, Belgium, Norwegian, Romanian, and Bosnia Herzigerzigovalovawovanova entries, though unfortunately it seems a europap entry won - sorry but i didn't like the Turkish entry so there you go! Andromeda - i had my money on Belgium to win as i thought it was very "Enya-esque" and i liked it, which just goes to show we all have different tastes (and would certainly explain what we often think is bizarre voting). Anyway a nice debate so three stars to all of you!

[hal]

good grief!

[treaclefight]

lmao, maybe one day the presenter will ask for the points from..say...france...and they willl reply that all the songs were awful and they really couldnt single anyone out as being the best/worst and arent going to vote. we could all get nil point. ive yet to hear a song i really like. (thats a lie, i thought 'let is swing let it rock n roll' by the norwegian duo many years ago was ok)

[woodpam]

It only surprises me that more songs don't end up with nil points. After all you've only got to find twelve (?) songs better to make sure the others all get nil points. The British entry could have come 13th on every country's list and therefore been in the middle of the field of 26 and still ended up with no points at all. It was a miserable song, badly sung, the Jemini stylist obviously had a bad day when the outfits were chosen and the song really didn't deserve to be in the top twelve of any country's vote.

[darth vader]

quite agree, woodpam - everyone sort of "assumes" UK was the worst song of the whole 26, though only 10 selections (not 13 - points go 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12) are allowed by each country, so in theory our half-note-higher attempt could have come 11th in each country's poll

[darth vader]

Ok i've just bought the CD of the ESC (no comments on how sad i am please!) and heard the UK entry and i can definitely say the live performance was a complete pile of poo compared with the CD version so there you go, definitely not politics IMHO

[Yai]

No they were just **** in my opinion. Obviously hardly anyone even from the UK voted for them so it can't be that political.

[gilf]

There has always been a tradition of political voting, this year more so than ever. However I dont think its political in the sense of Iraq etc just a general well give our mates a few votes along the way. Gemini were rubbish on the night but so to was the entry from Estonia which up untill their near neighbours gave them a few scrappy 1 points were just as likely to get nil. Apart from that the bloke from Gemini looked like he had forgot his out fit and had to pop into the scouts jumble sale 10 mins before the show. I thought the T.A.T.U entry was not only dreadfull but performed by the Cat from the Belgium entry.