# 32 Boonika Bate Doba

Talkon's correct. Moldova does have an impressive past when it comes to Eurovision (or at least their first contribution stands head and shoulders above the rest at least) as this, their debut performance in 2005 clearly demonstrates.

Boonika Bate Doba - translated as "Grandmama beats the drum"- is edgy and fresh and sufficiently different from anything else heard in the contest without alienating.

In fact, listening to this after a great deal of Europop makes me feel young, hip and trendy. Imagine the kudos at parties when people say "Who's your favourite band?" "Oh," I'd reply, "Zdob Si Zdub from Moldova. They're a fusion of hip-hop, rock and traditional Romanian music". People would be impressed, I'm certain of it.

The band, Zdob Si Zdub, had an impressive pedigree. Ten years playing together including tours all over eastern Europe as well as Germany and the Netherlands. This bunch were a real band and as a result looked like a real band on stage. It comes across in the performance, something which makes their sixth place in the final well-deserved.

Every now and again good stuff seaps through the Eurovision net. This is one of them. Love it. Zdob Si Zdub's website is pretty good too.

Final placing: 6/24
Final score: 148

# 31 Century of Love

Whilst I'm still able to look at the 2008 contest without breaking out in hives, take a look at Moldova's splendid little effort from this year, Century of Love sung by Geta Burlacu. The version above is the one from their national selection show.

I'll confess that I fell for this song big time the moment I saw the national selection video but, just as with quite a lot of acts this year, the experience was entirely different come the actual semi-final.

Gone was the intimate, basement-jazz like feel and in was a strange stage performance comprising a teddy bear and lost-looking sofa. I winced when I saw it.

I was disappointed it didn't get through to the final but will happily play it from time to time. This will be a survivor from 2008, no mistakin'.

# 30 Even If

If ever there was a song to continue my self-indulgent stroll through the endless hours of songs which graced the Eurovision stage, it's this one.

Forty-eight hours after Andy Abraham gave a sterling performance in Belgrade of a song I loved the first moment I heard it in rehearsals nearly three months before, I like a lot of people am left feeling bereft. Watching the video back now I'm still convinced the boy did good for the UK and the boy most definitely deserved more than the 14 points and last place he ended up with.

Not only that, he's one of the few people I've seen do Eurovision in recent years who clearly displays his commitment to the three minutes of doom so many UK artists shy away from.

OK, so it may not have been a winner, but I listened to it a lot on my iPod thingy in the run up to the 2008 contest. That's makes it a goodun for me.

And yes. I'm biassed.

See shots of Andy and the other competitors in the UK's Eurovision:Your Decision rehearsals here.