A lot of my friends mainly in Sweden, started their vacation Friday this week, and I stumbled over vacation pictures tagging my photos (yes finally a clean up of double jpgs and blurry pictures). Do you remember when we could travel like birds, by plane (yes Greta, you will never put me on a train or a ship for more than a few hours) when we wanted to?
And yes I know, it’s only been months without this right but I tell the world, as soon as Morocco open up for vacation travels from France and for Swedes, I will book and believe me… Not less than 20 days.
And even if the photo above is from Egypt, not Morocco, it’s a feeling, and the best feeling.
So this week was supposed to be the best week of the year, the Eurovision week 2020, but as you all know by now the competition is cancelled and the songs selected must be replaced to next years competition. IF there will be a Eurovision Song Contest then. We know that Rotterdam will only host Eurovision 2021 IF a vaccine is developed by then. So who knows… 2019 might be the last ESC as we know it.
But now, fu** Corona and let the site be about the Eurovision all week long. I will not talk about this years songs until later during the week but with the start today step back in time and look at each countries most played Eurovision entries. It’s not a most played world wide, only my own playlists and today I will start the with the countries no longer taking part. Withdrawn from the contest or the country do not exist enymore.
Serbia Montenegro.
Today Serbia and Montenegro both compete as their own countries, but they started out as a joint project in 2004 and in 2005 the split. The most played song among two years entries from Serbia Montenegro is “Zauvjek moja” by NoName in 2005.
No Name “Zauvijek Moja”
Montenegro
In 2020 Montenegro is one of many countries who no longer taking part cause of the TV station can’t afford it. But they have been in the contest a few times since the split from Serbia in 2005. Looking at the most played entries from Montenegro the top is:
“Space” Slavko Kalezic
“Just get out of my life” Andrea Demirovic
“Moj Svijet” Sergej Cetkovic
Slavko Kalezic “Space”
Morocco
In 1980 Morocco entered the Eurovision Song Contest for the first and only attempt. A young Samira Ben Said sane the song “Bitakat hob”, the French version “Les infants de l´amitie”. And the Eurovision world keep on wishing for Morocco to come back as one of the more open Arabic countries with ties to Europe.
Samira Ben Said “Bitakat hob”
Andorra
One of the micro states in Europe entering the contest is Andorra. And I think that EBU must make some changes to ever get the small states back in the competition. But how I should change the contest is another upcoming blog post. The most played songs from Andorra is:
“Jugarem a estimar nos” Marta Roure
“Sense tu” Jenny
“Casanova” Gisela
Marta Roure “Jugarem a estimar nos”
Bosnia Herzegovina
Been among the competing countries a long time now but jump in and out from the contest as it suits them. Withdraw with finances as the main reason. My most played entries from Bosnia Herzegovina:
“Putnici” Dina and Beatrice
“In the disco” Deen
“Ne brini” Mija Martina Barbaric
Dina and Beatrice “Putnici”
Yugoslavia
To find out that Yugoslavia no longer is in the Eurovision Song Contest cannot be a surprise to anyone in the world if you not been hidden under a rock for a lot of years now. But it is also a fact that as long as Yugoslavia entered as one country they thad a lot of really good songs in Eurovision. My most played list from former Yugoslavia is:
“Hade da ludujemo” Tajci
“Brazil” Baby Doll
“Halo Halo” Aska
Tajci “Hade da ludujemo”
Luxembourg
One of the gigants in Eurovision until they withdrawn with constant gossip that they will return, so far with no truth behind them. The TV company in Luxembourg say it is cause if they win they won’t be able to afford to host the contest as it is today. I guess they will have more money behind them than many other countries like Moldova, San Marino or Malta for example. All of them will most likely put on a great show if they won, so I do not think this is the real reason. But yes, I want Luxembourg back.
“Poupee de cire, poupée de son” France Gall
“100% d’amour” Sophie Carle
“Parlez vous français?” Baccara
France Gall “Poupee de cire, Poupée de son”
Monaco
Monaco, also one of the small states in Eurovision history at least tried to come back on this side of the 2000, but withdraw again and it’s such a shame cause they entered with a lot of good music in the past as well as their entries when they came back to the Eurovision family. But just like for Andorra the new voting system is most likely the reason behind the decision to not enter again. And as said before, it will be discussed in a future blog post.
“Un banc, un arbre, une rue” Severine
“Toi, la musique et moi” Mary Christy
“Les jardins de Monaco” Caline et Olivier Toussaint
Severine “Un banc, un arbre, une rue”
Slovakia
Slovakias history in Eurovision is a mystery to most of us. They jump in and out from the contest as they had no idea what to do. For all new countries I think they have to keep dedicated for at least 5 years before the audience “know” them. And I think 2010 was the year they finally gave up even if if they entered also in 2011. In 2010, with Kristina Pelakova they had a winner on their hands but then completely missed the mark with the staging when they finally entered the stage. But God I hope Slovakia will be back and stay for a few years before a final decision on “in” or “out”.
“Horehronie” Kristina Pelakove
“Nekonecna Piesen” Martin Durinda and Tublatanka
“I am still alive” TWiiNS
Kristina “Horehronie”
Hungary
Hungary have also been out a few times but now seems to decide to stay out based on the Austrian winner Conchita Wurst. The TV company in Hungary (or the Government) withdrawn since drag queens and gays might destroy the kids in the country. Did not stop them to give Conchita 10 points when she won 2014. And from what I know the amount of dragqueens have not raised to an dangerous level in Budapest. My most played songs from Hungary is:
“Kedvesem” ByeAlex
“Forogj vilag” NOX
“Dance with me” Adok Zoli
ByeAlex “Kedvesem”
Turkey
One of the most missed countries in the Eurovision is Turkey, and I do understand why cause they have over and over entered with amazing songs and still have a line of artists Europe want to see in the Eurovision. They withdraw with a mix of reason, one the same as Hungary and also they don’t like the new vote system even if I am sure it would benefit them more than destroy their chances. But here are the most played Turkis entries.
“Dum tek tek” Hadise
“Shake it up shekerim” Kenan Dogulu
“Petr oil” Ajda Pekkan
Hadise “Düm tek tek”
So this was the first blog post of the Eurovision celebration week here at bjornnordlund.com – Tomorrow we will look at the Nordic and Baltic countries.
Enjoy and let us build up the tension to Saturday when I look at this years cancelled Eurovision songs.
The time has come for what? Planning a vacation my friends, planning a vacation. It must soon be time for the annual Morocco trip as well as I really want to go to California next year.
Since I have nothing to add or tell, I know you wont like to read again about another Kidney stone day yesterday, I only upload a beach pic and ask the weather Gods to bring Paris spring, now.
Then its time for me to leave this grey rainy weather and have 7 days in the sun. Not planned, but two days ago I felt that NO I do need chance to some sun even if I’m normally not lucky when it comes to weather when Im abroad.
Hopefully I will be able to update you during the week, no computer with me but I will bring the pad.
