EUROVISION
It’s the time of the year again to sit down in front of our television-sets to watch the eurovision song contest, this year (2001, ed) held in Copenhagen. Denmark was an unlikely winner last year, A much better entry was their 1979 entry “Disco Tango” which sadly only managed to score 76 points, securing a feeble 6th prize, but it was after all competing in the year the group “Dschingis Khan” sang the song “Dschingis Khan”. No one can blame the judges for letting that unforgettable German entry squeeze past into 4th place.
Eurovision song titles are sometimes far better than the songs. “Reggae OK” - the Finnish entry in 1981 (27 points) is one of Uncle Tweeds favourites, along with “Mrs. Caroline Robinson” by “Springtime” - which scored 15 points for Austria in 1978.
Doing some deep research, Uncle Tweed found out that:
“The longest Eurovision song title is “Man Gewohnt Sich So Schnell an das Schone” (Germany: 1964 - containing 34 letters), which scored zero. The shortest titles with just 2 letters each are: Si (Italy: 1974); El (Spain: 1982); Hi (Israel: 1983); Go (UK: 1988)”
The date of the eurovision is of course highlighted in the calender of anyone with a love for great schlager-muzik as well as of anyone with a fondness for events of international significance, but above all, it’s a time for the man (yes, it’s usually a man) with a insatiable appetite for statistics.
Nothing impresses your friends more than the kind of knowledge derived from compulsive study of tables like the one below, that Uncle Tweed kindly has provided you with: Study and learn, it will make you the centre of any festive gathering:
| Finnish entries in the Eurovision Song Contest 1961 -1998: | ||
|---|---|---|
| YEAR | PERFORMER(S) | TITLE |
| 1961 | Laila Kinnunen | Valoa ikkunassa |
| 1962 | Marion Rung | Tipi-tii |
| 1963 | Laila Halme | Muistojeni laulu |
| 1964 | Lasse Mårtenson | Laiskotellen |
| 1965 | Viktor Klimenko | Aurinko laskee länteen |
| 1966 | Ann Christine Nyström | Playboy |
| 1967 | Fredi | Varjoon - suojaan |
| 1968 | Kristina Hautala | Kun kello käy |
| 1969 | Jarkko ja Laura | Kuin silloin ennen |
| 1970 | - | - |
| 1971 | Markku Aro & Koivistolaiset | Tie uuteen päivään |
| 1972 | Päivi Paunu & Kim Floor | Muistathan |
| 1973 | Marion Rung | Tom tom tom |
| 1974 | Carita Holmström | Keep me warm (Älä mene pois) |
| 1975 | Pihasoittajat | Old man fiddle (Viulu-ukko) |
| 1976 | Fredi ja ystävät | Pump pump |
| 1977 | Monica Aspelund | Lapponia |
| 1978 | Seija Simola | Anna rakkaudelle tilaisuus |
| 1979 | Katri Helena | Katson sineen taivaan |
| 1980 | Vesa-Matti Loiri | Huilumies |
| 1981 | Riki Sorsa | Reggae OK |
| 1982 | Kojo | Nuku pommiin |
| 1983 | Ami Aspelund | Fantasiaa |
| 1984 | Kirka | Hengaillaan |
| 1985 | Sonja Lumme | Eläköön elämä |
| 1986 | Kari (Kuivalainen) | Never the end (Päivä kahden ihmisen) |
| 1987 | Vicky Rosti | Sata salamaa |
| 1988 | The Boulevard | Nauravat silmät muistetaan |
| 1989 | Anneli Saaristo | La dolce vita |
| 1990 | Beat | Fri? |
| 1991 | Kaija Kärkinen | Hullu yö |
| 1992 | Pave Maijanen | Yamma yamma |
| 1993 | Katri Helena | Tule luo |
| 1994 | Cat Cat | Bye bye baby |
| 1995 | - | - |
| 1996 | Jasmine | Niin kaunis on taivas |
| 1997 | - | - |
| 1998 | Edea | Aava |
So who will win this year? Uncle Tweed votes for Iceland, but then Uncle Tweed always votes for Iceland…
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