Has anyone else noticed that Jade cannot sing SH... so Show Me comes out as So Me?

This is a problem.

Oh Sit!

Last night was the first time I'd had a good look at Jade. She reminds me of so many other singers before her, including Leona Lewis, and I wasn't impressed with the song. Bottom of the pile for us again, I think.

Anyone care to bet the winner will be from Eastern Europe?

Must admit I didn't pick up on that, JK. I'll be listening out from now on though. It may not be a huge problem as far as Eurovision is concerned, where the vast majority of voters do not speak English as a first language, if at all. As for her career in general, pretty catastrophic, yes.

Just checked and there is no speech defect.

JC wrote:

Anyone care to bet the winner will be from Eastern Europe?

well, in the last 10 years, 5 winners have been from "eastern" europe and 5 from "western" europe.

so it's 50/50, more even than people think.

In the last 8 years, 6 winners have been from Eastern Europe and the others from Turkey and Greece. I wouldn't really class Turkey or Greece as Western Europe.

So 8 winners from the Eastern side of Europe. That just shows how silly the voting system actually is.

I think that there should be two Eurovisions. A Western Europe and an Eastern Europe and the top 2 from each should then battle it out in a final. By this point it would be clear which songs were the best and partisan voting would stop. It would get rid of the need for silly semi finals and give the competition 3 Finals.

be prepared for aload of waffle lol

What you say about Greece and Turkey is true Emma, but then Turkey and Greece don't really classify as Eastern European either. Maybe at a stretch you could say Northern Greece is Balkan, but that's as close as it gets. Besides, most of Eastern Europe is very far from the Balkans. So where draw the line, it's often a bit blurry at the best of times- is it even worth drawing a line?

(Don't forget that Finland won in 2006- definitely not an Eastern European country.)

I actually don't like the whole "political voting" accusations. There is nothing "political" about the voting at all- "ethnic" maybe, but that's a totally different thing. As far as I know, no political parties or governments are involved in the voting.

I can understand the frustration of countries who got used to winning the contest in the past when the net was cast wider and a much broader spectrum of countries welcomed into the contest and some of these countries started winning.

The reason I say there may be "ethnic" voting and not "political" is that you will often have an artist representing, say, Hungary, who is also well known across the border in Slovakia or the Czech Republic, and will therefore get votes from them. Also, neighbouring countries often have similar musical tastes which are common to that region, or parts of it. So they will naturally give points to each other's songs for that reason. The same applies to the UK/Ireland, the Nordic countries etc and is perfectly natural.

One area where I think the Eastern European bloc voting theory falls down is that Eastern Europe is not a bloc. It is a convenient label for a huge and very diverse part of the world, and to lump all those countries togeher as one bloc doesn't actually mean that much, any more than lumping all of "Western Europe" together. Estonia, for example, is almost 2,000 km from Serbia, with a totally unrelated language, culture and climate- they have very little in common. But it's very convenient, say, if Serbia wins one year and Estonia the next to say "ah well, it's those "Eastern Europeans" again". A bit like if Portugal were to win one year and the UK the next, saying "ah well it's them "Western Europeans" again"

I think all that has happened is that the balance of countries entering has changed. But to view things simply in terms of Eastern and Western Europe is very simplistic, after all why don't we compare Northern and Southern Europe- the natural tendency for the Latin countries to appreciate each other's music, or the Nordics to do the same among themselves. Same difference.

Anyway, I reckon many countries have raised their game this year, definitely the UK and France. I don't like the UK entry at all but you can't deny its professionalism. France, however have entered a top knotch performer with a classy song.

Crikey, I can't believe I've spent 20 minutes writing about the Eurovision Song Contest

I'm not that sad- honest!

Bob dylan seems to have the same thing. I quite like it! Have you heard the great track on his fantastic new CD? Shake Sake Baby? Should be a hit if the charts were normal like they used to be! He can still write a killer tune.

Completely agree with you David about no political voting; I think it's more cultural than ethnic tastes.

Mike uses the word diaspora.

I'm not sure what it means but daren't admit it because he's a psychologist.

JK2006 wrote:

Mike uses the word diaspora.

I'm not sure what it means but daren't admit it because he's a psychologist.

Ok well you have demanded a lecture from your favourite clinical psychologist.

Diaspora = a movement of a population sharing common ethnic identity

e.g. 300,000 Serbs live in Switzerland and under televoting every year Serbia have entered they have received 12 points from Switzerland. I don't think the Swiss public are making those texts and calls.

Portugal have 200,000 Ukrainian workers and every year since 2003 Portugal have given Ukraine 12 points. I don't think the Portuguese public just happen to love Ukrainian songs.

There are 200,000 Romanians working in Spain. Spain have given Romania 12 points for the last 6 years. Once again be it a ballad, a dance song, an ethnic song etc.

Turkey have large populations in Belgium, France, Germany and Netherlands and have not received lower than 10 points from Belgium, Netherlands, France or Germany this century. So do we assume the general public of France, Belgium, Netherlands and Germany just happen to love all the Turkish songs regardless of whether they are uptempo or ethnic or ballads etc ?

It is not Bloc voting or neighbour voting. Televoting just gives diaspora an opportunity to vote for their country of origin and while it doesn't decide the winner, it does give many countries a considerable head start.

Let's look at Armenia

3 million Armenians live in Russia and Russia have given Armenia 12 points every year so far.

Only 10,000 Armenians are in the UK and Armenia are still yet to receive a point from UK at Eurovision despite finishing in the top 10 on all of their previous entries. Armenia have yet to score from any scandinavian country again they have very few diaspora there.

Armenia finished in 4th place last year despite 15 countries giving them zero.Their 12 points only coming from Poland Georgia France Greece Russia Belgium Netherlands and Czech Republic and Turkey gave them only 10 (As Azerbaijan entered)

In 2007 they got 12 or 10 only from Poland Georgia France Russia Belgium Netherlands, Czech Republic and Turkey (Greece only gave them 8)

In 2006 they got 12 or 10 only from Poland France Greece Russia, Belgium Netherlands and Turkey(Georgia and Czech Republic were not entered and not voting)

Can you see a pattern as to the same countries giving Armenia their top marks every year ? All of those countries voting for Armenia every year have a population of at least 25,000 Armenians.

That's diaspora.

Finland was the birth place of Lenin, and always gets a decent vote from Eastern Europe. I'd call Finland Balkan more than Western Europe, but it's a kinda in between place.

Not sure how this adds the the convo. I just thought I'd throw it in.

Good post Mike.

Can I take off the straight jacket now pleeese?

JC wrote:
Finland was the birth place of Lenin, and always gets a decent vote from Eastern Europe. I'd call Finland Balkan more than Western Europe, but it's a kinda in between place.

Not sure how this adds the the convo. I just thought I'd throw it in.

Lenin was not born in Finland. He was born in Simbirsk in Russia.

and as for Finland being in the Balkans It's about 2,000 km from the Balkans- nowhere near! I have lived in Finland and believe me it is not Eastern European at all. More Scandinavian, tho it does have connections to Estonia (which is nowhere near the Balkans either lol)

Yes I spent a nice weekend in Helsinki when Russia was still Communist and there was hatred and fear for the Reds - and far more connection to Scandinavians.

Interesting post about the diaspora effect, Mike,