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Continuing the Search for Eurovision Perfection, #30 to #21 Written by on April 22, 2012 | 4 Comments

And we’re off again with the 4th part of our Euro countdown of the top 100 songs ever!

You may remember from last week, and the week before, and the week before that, I am counting down the top 100 Eurovision Songs from 1957-2011.  Things will obviously get jumbled up a little bit after Baku, but for now the 1,099 songs have been sorted into order to try and give us a little sense of what has been the most successful in the years since this mammoth competition hit our screens.

We’ve already seen some shockers, songs that we would have thought had scored very highly either miss the top 100 completely, or are waaaaaaay down the list.  Don’t forget, to get into the top 9% of all Eurovision songs you need to score more than 52% of the total points available to you.  Now we are hitting the top 30 you need to be getting 63% or more.  A very tall order indeed.

There’s a YouTube playlist of all Eurovision Songs in the top 100 if you fancy sitting back, relaxing and letting your computer play through each one in their entirety.  Just make sure you have about 5 hours spare.  Do your ironing, or something.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA956046B7AB9BA7C

As I have done for the last three weeks, I like to start off by looking at some of the more well-known songs that didn’t make the top 100, or point to a few entries that are a little interesting.

 

#957 – Bitaqat khub by Samira (Morocco, 1980, came 18th with 3.24%)

Morocco’s, and indeed Africa’s, only ever Euro-entry came a very disappointing 18th for them way back in distant 1980, the year that Irish Johnny Logan won.  Cough.  It’s a shame this didn’t do better, I would love to have seen more cultures open up to Eurovision, to date only Tunisia in addition to Morocco has ever even looked at a remote possibility of joining, and of course we had those rumours earlier in the year that Morocco may try again.  Interestingly, the only other African representative in Eurovision, although tenuously, was Spain in 2004 – Ramón was from Gran Canaria!  He is at #465.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5F6c4_WPJk

 

#195 – Tornerò by Mihai Trăistariu (Romania, 2006, came 4th with 39.82%)

And what a song.  This was amazing in the hall, if you had the chance to have been there you’ll agree.  A real Euro-Disco-classic, the songs did very well in 2006 coming in at no.4.  Alas, only 39.82% of the total votes available puts it at #195, nicely nestled between Dschinghis Khan at #196 and Jaques Raymond & Lily Castel (from Belgium, 1971) at #194.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pnw9ltj_E8&feature=related

 

#240 – Once in a Lifetime by Ines (Estonia, 2000, came 4th with 35.51%)

Another 4th-placer, this is so far my favourite entry from Estonia.  2000 was a very special year in my view for Eurovision, some great, great songs, this one especially.  Ines was also Tanel Padar’s girlfriend – he won the following year!  Trousers a little tight, perhaps, glad she wasn’t shy on the night.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OPxiBjNqc4

 

#906 – Krasi, thalasa ke t’ agori mu by Marinella (Greece, 1974, came 11th with 4.38%)

I love this.  You have no idea how much it makes me smile when I hear it – Greece’s first ever entry back in 1974 is just, so, Greek.  I just imagine sitting on a beach on Spetses and this is playing in the background.  Brilliant.  This was ABBA’s winning year of course, they stood no chance!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4hIWW86qa0

 

#323 – Puppet on a String by Sandie Shaw (United Kingdom, 1967, came 1st with 29.38%)

Eh? #323?  What?  Yes.  Probably one of the most known Eurovision songs ever poor Sandie only reaches up to #323 with a song almost everyone knows.  She went on record a few years back saying, apparently, she hated the song and ever taking part.  Ruined her career.  Worst thing she ever did.  B.S.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfeiCaRJgMY

 

 

Alright, already.  #30 to #21…

#30 – Nur die Liebe läßt uns leben by Mary Roos, (Germany, 1972, came 3rd with 62.94%)

Another ‘WTF?’ moment! But this is a good one – Mary belts this one out across the stage back in 1972 – stuff of classic Euro-campness. Yellow and black were the colours of choice for this one, it’s a real sing-a-long piece of Eurovision gold. Love it.

 

#29 – Terminal 3 by Linda Martin (Ireland, 1984, came 2nd with 63.43%)

Linda Martin’s first Eurovision try back in 1984, people not totally Euro-mad may not know that, but she finished an incredible 2nd with Terminal 3.  A very unusual song for its time but still sounds great.  Linda is back again this year managing Jedward I read, this should be very interesting.  Is that hair colour natural?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkDKRN1Y6_k

 

#28 – I Wanna by Marie N (Latvia, 2002, came 1st with 63.77%)

I still have no clue how this won.  The song I mean.  It was a clear cut case of style and performance over substance, but still I don’t hate it.  Marie was cute, confident, sassy and cheeky, I get that, but the song itself was not by any stretch of the imagination the best of 2002.  Still, Latvia did an extremely good job in 2003 hosting the thing so I can’t take that away, just wish it could have been something else that took the trophy…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAb6ozO0tk0

 

#27 – Let Me Be the One by The Shadows (United Kingdom, 1975, came 2nd with 63.89%)

Yet another UK 2nd-placer.  I like this, dated, but still sounds good.  The Shadows were of course already very famous, linked very strongly with Cliff Richard from way back in the 1950s, they represented the UK with a name a lot of people knew well.  Don’t forget, this was way before televoting so there were much fewer people to impress.  But they did.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qg-SbSu6pz8

 

#26 – In Your Eyes by Niamh Kavanagh (Ireland, 1993, came 1st with 64.93%)

Now I know I caused a stir last week with my, erm, less than full admiration for Eimear, this one is in full reverse of those comments.  I adore this song, and by far the best of Ireland’s wins I think.  This is classy, extremely well sung and captivating.  A well deserved winner in ’93.  Shame about Oslo Niamh but it was lovely to meet you!  Your Majesty.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHE8a-D9Zb4

 

#25 – Non ho l’età by Gigliola Cinquetti (Italy, 1964, came 1st with 65.33%)

Dramatic piano start, mesmerising performance, this was a stunning entry from Italy.  I generally love Italian entries and this is way up there as one of the best.  Such a unique song from 1964 and very different from all the other entries in so many different ways.  An easy winner.

 

#24 – What’s Another Year by Johnny Logan (Ireland, 1980, came 1st with 66.20%)

Johnny Logan.  Eurovision.  Aren’t they the same thing?  Recently very critical of the direction Eurovision is now taking, Johnny swept the board in 1980 with his heartfelt ballad of pain and woe.  I do love a bit of sax.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vccwzuttIQY

 

#23 – Wild Dances by Ruslana (Ukraine, 2004, came 1st with 66.67%)

Ruslana dances her way up in to the top 30.  Anyone who thought this wouldn’t win 2004 was a fool.  It was clear before the performance started that Lviv’s starlet was dancing her way to the top of the tree that year – nothing like this had been seen, or heard, before.  She’s not annoying at all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYnc7zQIy9o

 

#22 – Never Ever Let You Go by Rollo & King (Denmark, 2001, came 2nd with 67.05%)

So annoyingly catchy, this looked like it could have taken the second consecutive crown for Denmark – a win on home territory was freaking DR out, no doubt, but alas Estonia stole the scoring table.  I still find my foot involuntarily tapping to this, it is a great song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVAzSeCZBRE

 

#21 – Beg, Steal or Borrow by The New Seekers (United Kingdom, 1972, came 2nd with 67.06%)

And, another 2nd place for the UK.  Confidence was beginning to come back to a competition rocked by the 4-tie tie debacle of 1969, followed by a boycott of so many countries for the next couple of contests, but this was a sunny, bright and smiley entry from the UK.  Well routed in its time, harmonies and hairstyles carried this up the judges’ favourites list.  Totally adorable.

 

Hey, that’s this chunk of Euro-memorabilia done, next week I’ll have 20 to 11.  Things are getting very exciting now – just how are you all containing yourselves?

Don’t forget, we will be revealing the all-time number 1 song just before we jet off to Baku-by-the-Caspian-Sea, before I have to get my calculator out and start all over again with 2012’s results. Keeps me out of mischief anyway!

 

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Have Your Say

4 responses to “Continuing the Search for Eurovision Perfection, #30 to #21”

  1. Jaz says:

    “In Your Eyes”….sigh. I was only two when it won but today it’s one of may favourite winners ever.
    Also, I have to say that you are quite right in pointing out the extreme tightness of Ines’ trousers. I was watching her performance one day and my mother walked in, then immediaitely recoiled in horror from the, well…camel toe. That’s the onyl way I can describe it. Great song though!!

  2. Steven says:

    Indeed Jaz, I think the crease in her trousers being placed where it was did her no favours at all. Perhaps that was Tanel Padar’s fault.

  3. Louise H says:

    Am LOVING this! Can’t wait for the top ten.. it has to feature Rybak right?!

  4. Steven Newby says:

    All in good time…

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