Eurovision Song Contest 2001

Reviewing these must be going to be strange, them not being actual albums, not even regular compilations.

#1 Netherlands - Michelle - Out on My Own 5½

Horrible start to the contest. I can't understand how this won the Dutch preselection but then again, it's NL and down there they don't have much good music to offer.

#2 Iceland - Two Tricky - Angel 9

It's funny how both this and next year's Denmark finished last but one more year later Iceland made it to the top 10 with an entry like a cross between the two aforementioned. I can't deny having been surprised about this flopping so badly but then again, it's a bit generic, right? And had the "position of death".

#3 Bosnia-Herzegovina - Nino Prses - Hano 6½

Horrible! Right now I can't remember the artist's name correctly. Ah, now I got it. And if I hear one more "cry - die" rhyme I think just might snap.

#4 Norway - Haldor Lagræid - On My Own 6½

This was the year of duplicate names. In addition to being on one's own there's yet that second Michelle coming up. Why do I type Nicole all the time instead of Michelle? This was probably the scariest performance since quite a long time. Funny how I never thought of Mr Scary as gay until someone pointed it out as it should've been so obvious.

#5 Israel - Tal Sundak - Ein davar 8

Ah, it's time for Nunnu's favourite. Hebrew sounds so funny, especially "inko-öfla", whatever it means.

#6 Russia - Mumiy Troll - Lady Alpine Blue 7½

Lady Alpine Moo (or Lee-dee Ulpine Blew, if you like) then was Lybsä the Cow's favourite. Interesting how in the recent year's it's been Russia the country with the most up-to-date entries. And you know which country undoubtedly gets the opposite award... Or wait, aren't there quite a few viable candidates... :E

#7 Sweden - Friends - Listen to Your Heartbeat 10

... but then again, would I care? But maybe it would still be Switzerland to get that award... Here we also see the importance of the presentation. Though the Swedes couldn't move on stage to save their lives, that was still better than Lisa del Bo's poor stick-in-the-poo performance which brought her a place around 20 with the same song back in 96.

#8 Lithuania - Skamp - U Got Style 9

The whining bitches are here again! The story how this got from the bottom of my list onto the top and back onto the fifth position is a long one.

#9 Latvia - Arnis Mednis - Too Much 5

The cowhousish arrangement in this version is some improvement to the otherwise utter horror. What kind of a taste did the Latvians have? Well, the same kind that made them select Maria Naumova the year after... If only this had scored a few points less or Macedonia hadn't decline to participate in 2002, we would've been saved from one of the very cheapest winner in the history... I guess Arnis has been somewhat forgiven on my part through the merit of having produced the girl band Four Elements and their brilliant 2002 preselection entry Remember.

#10 Croatia - Vanna - Strings of My Heart 8

This song with practically one part definitely has a loveboaty atmosphere. I was so disappointed when she didn't reproduce her charming end choreography from the Dora performance in the final. Probably that was because she was no longer pregnant and the old one was invented by the embryo.

#11 Portugal - MTM - Só sei ser feliz assim 6

How do times change... back then I didn't know any Portuguese at all! Though when it comes to this, I wasn't too much at miss. How can they produce ditties so bland year after year? It was different in the good old times when they sent a different Dora each year. Note to the ignorant: These Doras are different from the one mentioned in the previous review (= Croatian preselection).

#12 Ireland - Gary Shaugnessy - Without Your Love 7

Speaking of being stuck in the past and producing blandies... Ireland's a prime example of both. It was so right for them to get relegated. Just as right as for UK to get their first 0 in 2003... :E

#13 Spain - David Civera - Dile que la quiero 9

I don't know how much credit for this having grown on me is due to the performer and how much to the rhythm. Though musically not the best, this certainly was a visually good year. At least if you manage to ignore the horrible Scandinavian valkyrie-amazonettes stiffly gyrating by his sides... Oh my, I just noted that this CD version doesn't have my favourite high yell before the last choruses and even more horribly, has the American kind of pronunciation he gladly discarded in the final.

#14 France - Natasha St-Pier - Je n'ai que mon âme 10

Ah what a beauty. The song, I mean. Though this wasn't my number one favourite, this should've won. This was the beginning of France's new coming, from which they've since then started slipping down.

#15 Turkey - Sedat Yuce - Sevgiliye son 7

Turkey really has only two styles, ethnic and pompous. This belongs to the latter so clearly that it's ridiculous. And be the type whichever, you can always turn the video into travelling propaganda. Full points to Sertab for straying from that.

#16 UK - Lindsay D - No Dream Impossible 8

This isn't bad... just not very good either. The end note wasn't on stage such catasthrope we had feared (or hoped?).

#17 Slovenia - Nusa Derenda - Energy 10

Somehow I just got the impression that this wasn't even in my top 5 back then... Should've been, maybe? The piano solo is so very good, icing on the solid Petri Laaksonenish track. [UPDATE 060410] Energy is the best!

#18 Poland - Piasek - 2Long 8

This year's chorus-flopper. The beginning is very good but from there on it only gets worse, just like Norway's My Heart Goes Boom the previous year.

#19 Germany - Michelle - Wer Liebe lebt (To Live for Love) 9½

Oh, this version's completely in English. I liked the original German lyrics, despite not being such a big fan of the language in the first place. The English ones aren't bad either, tho. Hey, at least this is the long version!

#20 Estonia - Tanel Padar & Dave Benton - Everybody 7½

Another favourite of Nunnu's, as well as one of the cheapest winners - so I thought back then, little knowing what would come a year later...

#21 Malta - Fabrizio Faniello - Another Summer Night 10

It's simple, it's catchy, it's the best. What else should I say? Terrific performer of course :]

#22 Greece - Antique - Die for You 9½

Back then I didn't think too highly of this but nowadays I think I should. After all, with all the DU (Diaper You) culture and all... Yes you know, that's how they pronounce it.

#23 Denmark - Rollo & King - Never Ever Let You Go 8

No matter how many Red Anglia slurs you'll throw, I'll still consider this as a worthier winner candidate than the one that actually took the trophy, though by no means am I saying this would be good, just okay. But at least this does have some kind of a style.