Da Doo Run Run Running Order, Da Doo Run Run…..

Excitement loomed large in Oslo today as the draw for the running order of the semi-finals and final was made. And ’tis as follows:

Semi-Final 1

MOLDOVA

RUSSIA

ESTONIA

SLOVAKIA

FINLAND

LATVIA

SERBIA

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

POLAND

BELGIUM

MALTA

ALBANIA

GREECE

PORTUGAL

FYR MACEDONIA

BELARUS

ICELAND

Good news for: Finland (fifth is generally quite a good place to be in, especially if the songs before haven’t been so memorable), Belgium (mid-table can often bring with it decent results), Greece (one of the best songs in the contest placed right before three of the most snoozesome – hands up which one people are going to remember), Iceland (last on the list), Belarus (being second last could work in their favour but let’s face it they need all the help they can get), Serbia (actually we’re not sure about this one. But since it’s our favourite this year we just want it to go through wherever it’s placed)

Bad news for: Russia. Nobody has ever won from the dreaded second slot, and it proved crushing for Ireland last year. They’ll probably still go through but we still reckon they’ll have to work a bit harder to get there.

Semi-final 2

LITHUANIA

ARMENIA

ISRAEL

DENMARK

SWITZERLAND

SWEDEN

AZERBAIJAN

UKRAINE

NETHERLANDS

ROMANIA

SLOVENIA

IRELAND

BULGARIA

CYPRUS

CROATIA

GEORGIA

TURKEY

Good news for: Georgia (with such a strong song and that starting position all they really have to do to secure their place in the final is turn up), Turkey (but then Turkey could sing anywhere and make it through), Bulgaria (uptempo adrift in a sea of ballads), Ireland (a strong ballad amid uptempo numbers), Romania (one of the strongest songs in the contest sandwiched between two of the weaker efforts)

Bad news for: Slovenia (a lively duet positioned straight after – a lively duet that’s better), Lithuania (nobody will remember you. Unless it’s because you’re rubbish), Switzerland (yes, they did choose this position but given the songs they’re surrounded by it may not work in their favour), Armenia (the dreaded number two slot), Denmark (although actually this probably isn’t too bad because they’ll qualify regardless), Croatia (might be overshadowed by the Georgians).

And the Final…..

2 SPAIN

3 NORWAY

12 UK

18 FRANCE

22 GERMANY

Given they’re likely to be the song before the break, this could potentially mean one of two things for the UK. Either everybody will remember the song because it was the last one before the presenters flash back to a lengthy boring film about Oslo herring factories (or something). Or nobody will remember the song because mindful of the fact that a long boring film about Oslo herring factories was forthcoming they all nipped off to the kitchen to make a cup of tea and missed it completely (which under the circumstances might not be such a bad idea).  Of course we could just wait and see which songs come before and after us before we deliver our verdict……