I've got guilty pleasures on the brain, clearly. So, seeing as I have, now seems to be a good time to reveal another one. Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats for Sweden's contribution to the European pop music canon. A song called Boogaloo sung by the adorable, if colour-blind, Ms Lotta Engberg.
The song didn't do badly in the ranking (it came twelfth the year Johnny Logan won with his power-ballad Hold me now), but didn't exactly get loads of points. It mustered only 50 when the final bell tolled.
Maybe it was the costumes. Maybe it was the tropical sound which clashed with the fact that the singer came from and represented Sweden. Or maybe it was the sight of bright yellow again lurid pink which acted as the final nail in the coffin.
Whatever the cause, I do still rather like this song. It makes me smile. And I reckon that's acceptable in Eurovision land. It certainly beats any act who considers its artistically vital to step on to the stage dressed as ugly aliens. But more on the 2006 Finnish win some other time.
What's "reasonably" interesting about this little ditty is that in the national selections on Swedish TV Lotta Engberg sang about (I think) "Four pieces of gum and a coca-cola" (listen out in the chorus in the video at the bottom of this post).
This, not surprisingly, was deemed a step too far by the powers that be at the European Broadcasting Union. It is they who, quite understandably, have to bear such considerations in mind as regards product placement. And yes, singing about a Coca-Cola might be seen by some as just that. Consequently, the lyrics were changed for the Eurovision final.
In addition to the difference in lyrics evident in the video below, there's also an interesting parallel to be drawn about the atmosphere of the national event compared to the European one. Yes, I know it sounds sad and dull, but if you're looking to win this contest it is all now about performance. The smaller the venue, the closer you are to the band and the audience, the better and more convincing the performance is going to be.
Not only that ... If you're an eagle-eyed viewer (and one who appreciates geeky references) you may possibly recognise some elements of the TV set from the Luxembourg song a few posts back. The Swedish national final below was two years after Sweden hosted the Eurovision in 1985. I suspect there was a spot of tv-set "recycling" going on. Jeeze, these broadcasters are tight when it comes to money.
(Oh and by the way .. the lyrics "knowledge" wasn't down to me. No, I have to come clean. That was down to mailto:eueurodave2000@yahoo.co.uk. Email him and tell him what a geek he is.)
1 comment:
I wonder why I always enjoy this song more with the original lyrics than when it's Boogaloo. It's not even as though I understand Swedish. Maybe it's because things go better with coke.
Rather like Tigger, it's bouncy, trouncy, flouncy, pouncy, fun, fun, fun, fun, fun. But it doesn't appeal to everyone - I get the rolled eye look from M'lady if I play it.
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