Eurovision 2015 - 2018....

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Can someone tell me what Eurovision Song contest 2015 is ?

Something that Sixtus Beckmesser would win.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Something that Sixtus Beckmesser would win.

Very well put.

[gradus]

Re 1864 I agree its perhaps a little specialised for UK TV but we like it as my wife's great grandfather was an officer in the Danish army at the defence of Dybbol. Absolutley fascinating for her to see the uniforms and period detail.
Re Eurovision, a dreadful winning song but with clever animated video production - it seemed to relate back to the 50's film with Gene Kelly dancing with Disney cartoon characters but of course Disney did it without digital aids.

[Petrushka]

I hate...the German dubbing over of English-spoken films

I was in Munich in 1987 and had a most bizarre experience of this. The TV was showing The Glenn Miller Story and I switched on just as Miller (James Stewart) and his orchestra were playing in one of the London Parks when a V1 rocket came over. There were lots of dubbed shouts of Achtung etc. Most odd.

Incidentally, I'm reminded that my father saw Glenn Miller and his orchestra at the Corn Exchange in Bedford in 1944.

[Richard Tarleton]

Something that Sixtus Beckmesser would win.

Only without Beckmesser's dress sense.

I watched the 1967 one in the packed common room of a student hostel in Paris, on a grainy black and white TV through a haze of cigarette smoke. Sandie Shaw won, with Puppet on a String. The host city was Vienna, same as last night. There the similarity ends. It's mildly amusing to compare the set, and the audience, who would have looked equally at home at the New Year's Day concert.

I haven't watched since 1974, when a certain group from Sweden blew everyone else away.

[Serial_Apologist]

I was in Munich in 1987 and had a most bizarre experience of this. The TV was showing The Glenn Miller Story and I switched on just as Miller (James Stewart) and his orchestra were playing in one of the London Parks when a V1 rocket came over. There were lots of dubbed shouts of Achtung etc. Most odd.

Incidentally, I'm reminded that my father saw Glenn Miller and his orchestra at the Corn Exchange in Bedford in 1944.

Which of course continues in the hands of his nephew John Miller:

http://www.johnmillerorchestra.com

[Anastasius]

Is it just me or are this year's selection even more dismal than usual and are the singers just not very good or is the link to their backing not good - intonation appears poor - it seems that many are singing under the note. Now we have Mahler 2 finale for the voting interval - best tune on all evening.

Many thanks, cloughie. Just watched the interval music and thought it rather fun !

[gurnemanz]

Only without Beckmesser's dress sense.

I watched the 1967 one in the packed common room of a student hostel in Paris, on a grainy black and white TV through a haze of cigarette smoke. Sandie Shaw won, with Puppet on a String. The host city was Vienna, same as last night. There the similarity ends. It's mildly amusing to compare the set, and the audience, who would have looked equally at home at the New Year's Day concert.

I haven't watched since 1974, when a certain group from Sweden blew everyone else away.

Thanks for that clip. I enjoyed the bassoon oompahs.

[teamsaint]

Its that time again.
Eurovision, not 2015.

Can’t remember the last time I watched , or even heard a British entry, but for those interested, here is the 2018 UK entry from SuRie.

http://www.musicweek.com/media/read/it-s-a-perfect-mix-between-a-spectacle-and-a-classy-performance-team-surie-on-her-eurovision-masterplan/072450

And apparently there is a masterplan, which is good.

FWIW I thought it was not bad actually, and quite catchy on first listen, which must help. She seems to have something about her too.

[Richard Tarleton]

I learnt yesterday that, in 1974, the UK jury [? - can't remember how this was done in those days] didn't award Abba's Waterloo any points . I watched the contest live in 1974, but had forgotten that detail. Here's Katie Boyle introducing the 1974 show from Brighton. Elnett rules OK. It said in her obituary recently that one year - it may have been 1974 - just before they went live the producer noted that she was showing VPL, so she smoothly removed the offending garment and went commando for the evening.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Indeed - Waterloo received nil points from the UK, Italy, Belgium, Monaco, and Greece. (But then, Sweden didn't think much of Olivia Neutron-Bomb's Long Live Love- like much of the rest of Europe (except Italy, who thought it was the best song of the evening!) and the singer herself.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurovision_Song_Contest_1974#Scoreboard

[Richard Tarleton]

Indeed - Waterloo received nil points from the UK, Italy, Belgium, Monaco, and Greece. (But then, Sweden didn't think much of Olivia Neutron-Bomb's Long Live Love- like much of the rest of Europe (except Italy, who thought it was the best song of the evening!) and the singer herself.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurovi...974#Scoreboard

Extraordinary - it was bleedin' obvious that Abba were in a league of their own, even then. As Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid might have said, who were those people?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Extraordinary - it was bleedin' obvious that Abba were in a league of their own, even then. As Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid might have said, who were those people?

- Well, quite: they probably thought that including an actually good song was in violation of Eurovision traditions and not something to be encouraged.

[LMcD]

I was watching the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest with a friend. As soon as ABBA had finished (I believe they were one of the earlier acts) I turned to said friend and commented 'there's no real point in continuing with this contest, 'cos we've just heard the winners'.
As we head for inevitable failure again in this year's contest, my spirits are buoyed by the thought that, yet again, the FA Cup will be won by an English team.

(A few minutes later....)
I've just watched our entry for this year's contest - pretty poor IMVHO. I didn't spend too long 'making my mind up' as to its chances of success. I understand the bookies have it at 66/1 if any of you are feeling brave....

[cloughie]

Will be out singing in a concert tomorrow - record for catch-up? Maybe, but then again.....