# 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.

# 29 Ding Dinge Dong

Today saw quite a startling discovery in terms of Eurovisionness (if that's a word).

I reckoned the time had come to reveal a seminal Eurovision song to the world. It is Teach-In's Ding Dinge Dong (or is it Ding A Dong? I really can't be sure even though I have researched it in three different places) from the 1975 Eurovision Song Contest which saw my interest in Eurovision reignited.

Around about ten years ago the ex of my long-suffering partner Simon came round one evening for a spot of socialising. It could have been that he was making sure that Simon's new chap was up to the required "standard", I'm not sure. That aside, it was one of my CDs which Simon played to fill in the gaping silence which descended over the room from time to time.

Ding Dinge Dong was one of the tracks Simon played from my "Eurovision Winners Double CD of Joy" and which which sparked the interest of our guest for the evening. "I forgotten all about this. This was my favourite." It turned out our guest hadn't really consumed any Eurovision stuff since 1975.

Up until that point I thought I was pretty much the only person who confessed a love of this much-maligned event. Most people cast me a confused eye when I admitted to having "a number" of contests on video. Now, someone else with an otherwise healthy interest in the show had given one of it's winning songs some kudos.

Now I come to search on youTube for Teach-In's performance in 1975 contest I realise that there are a number of versions which amuse and entertain for a variety of reasons.

Shocking revelation number one is that until this afternoon I had absolutely no idea that the Netherlands pre-selection show featured three (possibly more) different performances of the same song. There was Teach-In's, power-singer "Debbie" and - by far the grooviest affair - one by Albert West.

As I delved deeper however, I discovered a brass band arrangement , a souped up (but no less satisfying) version by Russian blokey Alexey Glyzin and by far the best remix accompanying a slightly uncomfortable video by "Jane et Moi"

But by far the most entertaining is the simplest rendition of all. Included thus. Sometimes you don't need all the bells and whistles to deliver a punchy tune.

# 28 Macédomienne

Chris clearly understands what this week has been about. And his suggestion was a song I'd forgotten all about. Listening to it did, at first, raise a smile if only because I recalled how I'd rather taken to it's solitary tone so quickly when I heard it in 1990. A couple of minutes in however, it did rather tap into the dark side.

That's the thing about this song. As marvellously indulgent the sumptuous strings are in the live performance there's a deep melancholy about it which can, for those who could probably do with a few more carbs in their system, push certain individuals over the edge.

As sad as it sounds, there is a sense of hope about it. I don't say this with any deep understanding of the lyrics. My rather paltry research has only revealed that the title means "My Macedonian Woman". It's the sound of the music which is melancholic and hopeful all at the same time.

Eurovision songs used to help me recall what was going on around late spring in the year each particular song made it's appearance. Given that this is the first time I've put out the feelers for a song to review on what must seem quite a bizarre Eurovision blog, I'm in no doubt that this song will forever remind me of what has been quite possibly the most difficult week in a long time.

Please resist the tempation for sympathy. Macédomienne is full of hope ... I think.

Oh .. and I'm aware that the clip above isn't the live performance from the actual Eurovision. That's because the video clip I've found isn't the greatest quality. But, if you're a purist and you want see his live performance, watch the version below. Go on .. you get to hear it a second time that way. ;)

# 27 I can't live without music

Maybe it's because I am in a spectacularly foul mood today and ready to hit out at anyone who dares to come near me that I've picked out this shameful example of Eurovision hideousness. It's a cautionary tale about what happens when people start letting their woeful lack of understanding about tv performances spiral out of control.

Just imagine it. What we need is someone singing this song whose affliction (Corinna is blind, if you didn't know it - most will) will make the lyrics all the more poignant. She's going to find it difficult to jig about on stage so we'll thrown in some dancers and backing singers who can do that as well.

The result ? A terrible looking performance eclipsed by one of the particularly bad acts in Eurovision that year (Russia and Cyprus were even worse) although nowhere near as excrutiating as the UK's now infamous appearance the year after when Jemini suffered their humiliation. The backing singers literally scream into their microphones, the intonation is all off and even the gratuitous key-change doesn't improve things either.

Little wonder Germany came close to bottom of the pile that year in 21st place with a measely 17 points. A real shame, as its clear that May has the power to deliver a punchy melody. She is clearly an able singer, just not in these conditions.

But the cherry on the cake, every time I listen to this song is the penultimate line of the lyrics. "Music makes me feel like flyin', gives me hope when I'm a cryin'" Pass me the sick bucket, quickly.

Should anyone feel the need to ease my troubled brow with a suitably calming suggestion of the next Eurovision song you think I should listen to, then please let me know using the handy comments box below.

# 26 Invincible

I look at this video of Carola singing "Invincible" for Sweden in 2006 and think only one thing. Let's throw as much as we possibly can at the lighting budget and pour the rest into the rental of the wind machine assuming, of course, there's something left over from the costume work.

It should come as no surprise that this particular song actually makes my skin crawl.

Don't get me wrong. It's punchy. Carola (Eurovision stalwart and one time winner for Sweden) gives a very polished performance and proves beyond any doubt that her singing abilities are totally reliable. She owns the stage and more importantly shows how comfortable she feels singing in such large arenas. Carola is made for television.

But that's also my problem with it. The song, the performance and the act feels packaged. It feels like the same kind of factory driven output I detect when I pick up a packet of supposedly "freshly made in the capital" sandwiches. It's like the people behind the thing know exactly the recipe for what the niche audience wants - ie tub-thumping, anthemic choruses delivered by a relative Queen of Eurovision - and delivers it time and time again.

Carola is lovely - the hour I spent with her in her hotel room accompanied by her entourage was an absolute joy. She was interested in answering my questions and what ever preconceptions I might have had regarding her personal beliefs and how they fitted in with her love of Eurovision seemed irrelevant at the end of the interview she participated in.

Still, I can't bear listening to this song. It's horribly cliched, more so than many other Eurovision songs.