A little diversion from the usual flavour of articles to start 2012, as I write both to keen Eurovision watchers, and to whoever will be working on the United Kingdom’s Eurovision Song Contest entry this year. Simply put, the UK need McFly.
The recent exploits of drummer Harry Judd (Strictly Come Dancing 2011 winner) and bassist Dougie Poynter (I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here 2011 winner) have put the band back into the public conscience following their fifth album Above The Noise hitting the Top 20 in November 2011 and putting them back on the music journalist’s radar.
Isn’t it time that they entered the biggest show on the planet? Isn’t it time that they entered something as a team? Isn’t it time for McFly to sing for the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest?
Not only are they winners in two of the biggest public voting “reality” contests in the UK (so they’re doing something right), they’re winners musically as well. Five Top 20 albums, eighteen Top 20 singles, seven UK number ones, sell out tours in the UK and the rest of the world… they’re far from the inexperienced singers sent by the UK in the first decade of the 21st Century.
McFly for Baku... Obviously
With no disrespect to Blue, who did an admirable job last year when called back to the front line of stadium singing, McFly will be approaching their peak form as May approaches. They’ll be finishing their “Up Close and Personal” tour around the UK, and there’s nothing like preparing you for the live show at Eurovision by performing twenty-six live shows beforehand. With the BBC likely looking for an internal selection once more, there’s no need for McFly to worry about losing to a fluke result in a Eurovision: Your country needs you to be making your mind up to select a Song for Europe national final, they can get the direct return ticket to Baku with little fuss or risk.
The song? Well, the boys are working on material for their sixth album, due out in summer 2012. Take one of their trademark anthemic songs from that batch, make sure it hits the three-minute rule, and we have our song for Europe.
The press love to support winners, and who better to get behind than the King of the Jungle and the Lord of the Dancefloor as they take on the best that Europe has to offer? The tabloids in the UK would lap it up, and McFly’s conversion from teen boy band to contemporary heroes would be complete.
There we have it – the boys are musically talented; they’ve proven themselves in the charts; they know how to talk to the public and get their votes; they can work their PR socks off the material is there; and the British media would love to support them.
It makes perfect sense, which is why it’s likely never going to happen. But we can ask.
Dear BBC,
We need Danny, Tom, Dougie, and Harry. We need McFly for Eurovision!
Who’s going to sign it with me?
Picture by Katie, Flickr CC.