Congratulations: Best Eurovision Song Ever: Down to the top 5!

[jawnbc]

We're in the home stretch, and look who's left:

• The only Eurovision entry to hit #1 on the US singles chart (Volare)#


• A song which takes every stereotype about her culture--particularly with respect to gender--and turns it on its ear.(Everyway Way that I Can)


• One of the biggest Spanish language singles in history, in terms of worldwide sales and chart success (Eres tu)


• A song that attracted a great deal of controversy even before its singer stepped onstage (Diva)


• The only winner that directly launched a phenomenal international career for the artist (Waterloo)
  
  Polls close in 24 hours
  [Poll #593313]
  
  And for those who aren't familiar with the songs, you can check them out by clicking below (WMA format)*:
  
  1958 - Italy - Domenico Modugno - Nel blu di pinto di blu (Volare)
  1973 - Spain - Mocedades - Eres tu
  1974 - Sweden - ABBA - Waterloo
  1998 - Israel - Dana International - Diva
  2003 - Turkey - Sertab Erener - Everyway that I can
  
  *Right click or Apple-click or Control-click and Save As will download the file to your computer
  
  #As progbear rightly pointed out, Volare didn't win...

Comments

[danbearnyc.livejournal.com]

Eres tu never made number one in the US? I'm surprised; it was played exhaustingly on every pop station in New York at the time. I can even remember the girls on the school bus singing it. To this day I shudder at the memory.

[jawnbc]

Probably because the airplay it accrued was incremental across the US: particularly in the 70s it was very difficult to get an unknown artist's single into the top 10 (it peaked @ #9): for a foreign language record it was almost unheard of.

In the 50s and 60s it was easier--the charts then were solely based on 45 sales.

[danbearnyc.livejournal.com]

Oh great - I'd forgotten the fucking song again until your email popped up.

[aadroma.livejournal.com]

o/` Como el agua de mi fueeeeeeeeeeenteeeeeeeeee
Eeeeereeeeeeees túúúúúúúúú
el fuego deeee-eeeeeee-eeeeh mi hogaaaaaaar o/`

[danbearnyc.livejournal.com]

Die Bitch, Die!

[aadroma.livejournal.com]

You'd say that even more if you ever had the displeasure of hearing me actually sing. ^o^

[danbearnyc.livejournal.com]

Quite.

[garpu.livejournal.com]

Huh. What was the controversy around "Diva"? Sounds like your average techno tune to me.

[jawnbc]

Dana International is a transgender women. When she won the national selection in Israel, the ultra-orthodox demonstrated against her representing the country since she was "an abomination" (or words to that effect). It was also the 50th anniversary of Israeli statehood, which further rubbed salt into some folks' "wounds". She was, however, already perhaps the best selling female solo artist in Israel, and it was her 2nd time trying to represent her country.

Of course after she won, she was welcomed into the Knesset as an honoured guest (not by all of course) and represented the national tourist board.

The song choice was cunningly provocative: a song about divas--"viva Maria (Antoinette), viva (Queen) Victoria, Aphrodita"--by a rather flamboyant performer who got her start in the gay clubs of Tel Aviv.

If you've got broadband, you can see the (off-key) performance that won it all back in 1998 http://www.keithm.utvinternet.ie/videos/Israel98.wmv

[garpu.livejournal.com]

Some people get their undies in a wad over nothing...

[garpu.livejournal.com]

Holy shit. She's a total fox. Even if she's in the wrong key as her backup singers.

[jawnbc]

Totally! And she's got It, even when she's flat.

I wonder how long it took them to convince not to do the "walk like an egyptian" or cat-claws until the last chorus.

The difference between a SupaSta and a DragKween

[garpu.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah. Great stage presence, and the song's hot.

[jawnbc]

It was a remarkable year (98) in a number of ways. it was the first time viewers voted instead of nominated, secret juries from each country. The fall of the Iron curtain and collapse of Yugoslavia meant a wave of eager countries (eager to join the EU and the West) saw the Contest not as a sort of corny culture joke (OK something of a cultural joke) but of incredible symbolic value. Those countries started sending their very best artist--pushing much of "Old Europe" to do the same.

There were nearly 10 absolutely good-to-excellent entries. They were professionally performed, staged for best TV presentation, and the net result was a revitalized contest.

Oh feck it...I'll write an entrie about it!

[progbear.livejournal.com]

Minor correction: “Volare” was not a winner. As you’ll recall, Domenico Modugno lost out to André Claveau.

[jawnbc]

fixed! gracias!