I was introduced to the Eurovision Song Contest when I was an exchange student in Sweden, oh about 36 years ago. The Swedes treated the ESC with as much reverence, respect, and interest as Ingemar Stenmark or Björn Borg's accomplishments on the world sporting stage. It was, and I think still remains (at least in Scandinavia), a mark of national pride to excel in the contest. ABBA's international career was essentially launched here with "Waterloo," and other memorable moments include Celine Dion singing for Switzerland, and such songs as "Save All Your Kisses for Me" and "Eres Tu," which got some international play in the 1970s.Part of the fascination, however, is not with musical accomplishment. There is just so much kitsch-- bad costume gimmicks (here at 1:50 min.), hilarious English lyrics, plain bad singing, and controversial voting-- it's just a spectacle to watch. And I'm so glad that live web streaming on www.eurovision.tv makes it possible to enjoy the song contest in metropolitan Atlanta.
I already have the two CD compilation of candidate songs, and have watched the semifinals Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. France is tipped to win, but predictions can be tricky. My favorites include Estonia and Azerbaijan's entries.
If you want to experience Eurovision, tune in at 3pm EST this afternoon, Saturday May 14th! It's in Düsseldorf's Turnhalle this year. We've laid on Wurst and Sauerkraut in honor of that fact. Let the show begin!
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