I hit on a notion this year to try to watch Eurovision selections from around Europe in bars in London, in much the same way that I watch football.
But whereas football is popular with pub-goers, Eurovision, it seems, is not. There was nothing on show at Norwegian, Danish and Finnish venues. Similarly, an Armenian cultural centre was all closed up, and the Greeks and Portuguese preferred football.
My one happy constant was the Swedish Church in Marylebone which week after week showed Melodifestivalen heats. Even the priest there got in on the excitement! If only every other nation could be the same...
During Melodifestivalen, at all Statoil petrol stations, drivers can fill their tank with soemthing called a schlager mix...
Each petrol pump will be equiped with a magic button called the schlagerbutton. Press the button, and the sounds of schlager can be enjoyed while refilling.
How amazing. Get me a car and a Sveriges road map, and I'm there. No pyrotechnics allowed, mind.
Over the next four days, in the run-up to Eurovision, I'm going to feature some funky Finnish music. I'm starting today with two acts that need no introduction: Arja Saijonmaa and Katri Helena.
Arja Saijonmaa is a fab Finnish singer, well known for her Melodifestivalen entries, having entered twice and twice in the Finnish Eurovision preselections. She was cruelly robbed in 1987 by one point into second place with the amazing schlager classic Högt över Havet. Even more amazing was Arja's shoulder-padded wrap-around electric blue number and strut to the front of the stage to begin the song.
Arja has starred in three Finnish movies, written a book about Finnish sauna culture and is a United Nations’s Goodwill Ambassador. She has released 14 albums in Finnish, 11 in Swedish and has recorded also in Norwegian, Greek, Spanish, Italian, French and German.
Arja worked with Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis to create Finnish versions of his Greek political songs. This can be heard in Jokainen Arkiaamu, a pleasant folksy song with hints of Greek folk and tango influences. Arja's vocals are as distinctive as ever.
Arja was catapulted back into the spotlight by appearing in Sweden's Let's Dance, having an affair with her dance partner, posing naked with him and generally vamping it up big style. Fabulous! Arja came back to Melodifestivalen in 2005, but, er, came last in her semi-final after a dreadful vocal performance. Best not to dwell on that one. Here instead is her demo recording of another 2005 MF song, Om Natten. Jessica Folcker sang the final version, but I much prefer Arja - she rasps her way through the song with drama and passion.
Katri Helena is another Finnish institution, having performed at Eurovision twice.
In 1979, she performed Katson Sineen Taivaan, and, in 1993, came to Millstreet with the excellent Tule Luo. Whereas Arja is vampy and sexy, Katri is classy and sweet. Tule Luo is a brilliant melodic pop song with accordions. Katson Sineen Taivaan is a dramatic, rousing balladic pop song with swooping strings and a soaring chorus. Both songs are fabulous examples of the under-rated Finnish entries to Eurovision.
One of the things that astounds me about Katri Helena is her unwavering ability to wear blue. It just suits her so much. Away from Eurovision, Katri Helena is a much loved Finnish star. She is the first singer in Finland to have sold more than one million albums, and this list of her albums is huge, reaching back to the 1960s. Maailman pihamaat is a 1960s sounding song in Finnish with hints of tango (they do love the tango in Finland!)
Tomorrow... something a bit more hip and contemporary from Helsinki...
So The Ark are going forward for Sweden to Eurovision. I can't help wonder whether the great Swedish viewing public got a little confused between their beloved Carola and The Ark's Ola. They have the same hair, after all.
And just who is that getting off with Andreas Johnson and that lovely young Sebastian?
Ola, Carola? Of course it's Carola, the grand dame herself. You can't keep a schlager diva down.
Last night's Melodifestivalen semi-final was all kinds of ace. I loved all the songs, and there was exciting drama in the results which were super-surprising. I felt some accolades needed to be mentioned:
The Anything A Minogue Can Do I Can Do Better Award goes to Therese. Spinning on a CD and posing on the CD = Ace. The Arrival is a great song, I hope it becomes a hit outside MF.
The Strutting Award goes to Måns Zelmerlöw for some wonderful shapes being thrown in Cara Mia. He was a strong contender for The Synchronised Dancing Award but I think Nanne pips him at the post for the swooping movements in the final chorus in her performance.
The What The Hell Are They Wearing Award goes to Magnus Carlsson and Sebastian. Magnus seemingly decided to come as Katrina out of Katrina & the Waves, whereas Sebastian continued Jordan's looking like a Teletubby trend with shocking aplomb.
Wind Machine Award to Sonja. Lovely ballad with wind effects.
Hurrah. The MF final is shaping up to be every kind of exciting. I personally think Sweden stands a great chance in Eurovision if they send Sebastian. It's a rousing song, has a wonderful trick-you-and-lead-you-into it key change and he dances like a seagull. Can't beat that.
I'm blogging live, and just a little tipsy (amazingly for the first time), listening to the new batch of MF songs.
* Regina Lund. She's no Lena Philipsson! Ha. It's rather great. Loving the spoken word intro. Wonderful, thumping chorus and we-love-you-for-who-you-are sentiment. Key change comes way too early, but that doesn't stand in the way of ace pop! Hasn't a chance to qualify I'd say, but I love it. She's dressing up as a space-cosmonaut-clown (or something) tomorrow. She's clearly bonkers. Hurrah.
* Marie Lindberg is oh-so-lovely but it's not ace pop nor schlager and I'm too tipsy to give it the time of day.
* Yimmy Yansson! I find it hard to believe Thomas G:Son wrote this. Where are the clichés? Where is the not-really-lyrically clever mention of Evighet? At least it has a key change! It's nowhere near as fun as Vi Kan Gunga (or whatever), but should be a fun performance.
* Ooh, Cosmo4! It sounds like the sound of a tipsy night out! Hurrah. Homage to promiscuity! Hurrah! I'm liking the cat metaphor. Pussy *snigger* etc. I hope they can pull this off live, as it could be ace.
* The opening to Lustans Lakejer's song is dramatic, and then the singing starts. Oh dear. It can never reall recover from the vocal, it's too flat, too dull, too old-man-trying-to-do-electro-pop. Nice backing vocals though, and a key change!
* I'm skipping Jessica Andersson in the hope that it's brilliant.
* Svante Thingy & Anne-Lie Rydé is jazzy-schlager. It's sort-of fun, but I don't see it qualifying, but I don't suspect they even think it will either.
* The Ark are pumping. It's ripped off from a thousand glam rock songs, but it's good fun. Should be performed brilliantly. Takes forever to get to a chorus - if that could even be called a chorus! Actually, I don't like this. It's practically acoustic for goodness' sakes.
* Thank fuck for Jessica Andersson! It's not as good as Kalla Natter, but it does mention INGENTING, and Kom is an excellent title. It's crying out for a dance remix. The key change is fabulous.
Elin Lanto performed in last weekend's Melodifestivalen with the very ace Money. Lanto is a popstar in waiting, having a hit a few year's ago with I Won't Cry, a poppy, soppy ballad. Money is completely different, and thank goodness. It's ace, with its delightfully cheeky selfishness.
Now, SVT are a bit touchy about people handing out mp3s willy-nilly and I don't want to anger the Swedes, so below you can watch the performance on youtube. It's equally ace! Elin progressed from the semi-final to the Second Chance round. Here's hoping she gets through to the final! It needs to be there, here's why:
Money is in line with its Swedish ancestary, namechecking Abba's Money Money Money
Show me what it takes to be a real rich bitch is a fabulously audacious lyric. Adopt it as a slogan now!
Shining gold for me to hold - she needs it alright.
I love the wilfully cheeky contrast between the lyric I'm not greedy, I'm not greedy, I'm not greedy, not at all, only to be followed by I want money, I want money, I want money, I want it all. Trashy!
Someone's been attending the Paparizou School of How To Be Fierce on Stage.
Canes are always a good thing.
Elin brought the only example of strutting to this semi-final. Hurrah for strutting!
Elsewhere:
Hurrah for Malta for selecting Olivia Lewis & Vertigo (Ace Song for Europe #1) for Eurovision! Although, lady needs a dance routine now! Special mention to the man with the fans. // Strange faces at Slovenia picking an intriguing opera-pop song // Boo for Andreas Lundstedt crashing out of MF // Big hurrahs for Anna Book. She's a game lass, bless her! //
I know I've just been to Finland, but this weekend is all about Sweden and the beginning of the 6 week fest that is Melodifestivalen! I've just heard the songs, and can't wait to see tomorrow night's show.
*Elina Lento's Money is quite ace pop. It has the ace chorus refrain "show me what it takes to be a real rich bitch" and use of the "money, money". It's not quite the pop stormer that was promised, but is damn good. It's what Gwen Stefani's Rich Girl could be if it dropped the rap and hooked up with a popstar. Looking forward to seeing it performed.
* Andersson & Gibson's Anything but You is rather pleasant, but doesn't really go anywhere.
*Anna Book!Samba Sambero! Hurrah, schlager! Huge key change!! Sounds just a little bit like The Chicken Dance. Should be a great fun performance, and won't that be wonderful.
* Addis Black Widow's song is slightly dark, demented Kylie. It's a bit 'meh' and sort-of just stops. MF songs need a big ending!
* ...speaking of which! Andreas! He stops the song by saying "Stop" It's like disco-Madonna-meets-Helena-Paparizou-with-a-boy. I rather like it. His 5 dancers should work it. Very high potential for literal choreographic application of lyrics. Ace!
*Tommy Nilsson's song is a big rock ballad, most popular in the 80s, just like its singer. Big key change with straining-out-the-song emoting, though.
* Sofia's Hypnotised owes Helena Paparizou its life. It's very much a Helena album track, and starts with a wonderful but although flattens out in the middle. Here's hoping the performance makes it live!
* Uno & Irma say God morgon! and the song bounces along jauntily with hints of guitary schlager, but no real melody.
Hurrah, if only Melodifestivalen was every Saturday night!
