We are reliably informed….

…..that it was on this day, 30 years ago, that Bucks Fizz won the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest with Making Your Mind Up. Cue lots of misty-eyed nostalgic memories about how they don’t write ’em like that any more etc etc. Well they don’t, let’s be honest. And they had choreography and everything. Was a foregone conclusion as far as we’re concerned. Actually we can’t decide whether to celebrate this as a landmark moment in Eurovision history or just be slightly alarmed by the fact that there are people who were in nappies when this won who are now, er, 30. Let’s just gloss over that and remember their finest hour instead, shall we….?

Oh and incidentally it’s worth noting that the UK won with this song, in the year of a Royal Wedding, with a four-piece vocal group whose name began with the letter B. Fast forward to 2011 and it’s the year of a Royal Wedding and the UK is entering a four-piece vocal group whose name begins with the letter – it’s a SIGN we tell you! A SIGN!!!!!! (that France is going to win you mean? – Ed) Whatever happens, Blue, just do us a favour and promise us you’ll keep your trousers on for the entire duration of the performance……

Any Excuse….

…..to drag this old clip out. For those of you who watched Eurovision Your Country Needs You and are excited at the prospect of sending twins to Moscow, we offer this cautionary reminder of what can happen when identical siblings are let loose on a Eurovision stage……

And for the record we are backing Damien. For his obvious talent. And not for any aesthetic qualities whatsoever, you understand…….

Can someone please explain…..

….why this morning we were gripped with a sudden urge to watch this?????? No, we’re not quite sure either……

 

 

Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time…

Around this time every year we always find ourselves digging this clip out, but this year it seems more relevant than ever. Israel’s 1987 entry, by that wacky twosome Datner and Kushnir serves as a timely reminder that gimmicky entries are by no means a new innovation on the Eurovision stage (although admittedly in those days they were a little more few and far between) and as awful as it is, we just can’t resist it. Why? Well, apart from proving to us that they came up with the concept of high waisted trousers on international television long before Simon Cowell even thought of it, it’s the fact that the whole thing is just so wonderfully unpolished. While this year’s crop of ‘novelty’ funsters are relying on puppetry, singing to live chickens, flag-waving dance routines and oddness involving children’s guitars, Datner and Kushnir appear here to be making the whole thing up as they go along. Oh, and it’s worth remembering that this oddly amateur display actually did well enough to finish eighth on the night – far better than some of their more serious recent entries have done. Enjoy….