Pingu's Ultimate 100 ESC Songs - THE COUNTDOWN

25. 🇮🇸 Hera Björk - Je Ne Sais Quoi (Iceland 2010)
Oh yes, thank you so much Hera, for this absolute masterclass in giving the rabid Euroloons what we want. This is a modern-day schlager banger that does everything it's supposed to do, with a belter of a vocalist, a killer key-change, the melodrama turned up to 11 despite the fairly mundane lyrics, and even some side-stepping choreography thrown in for good measure. Hera is one of those artists that I'm so happy to have in the Eurovision "club" and I'm forever grateful to artists like her for devoting their lives to performing for us easily-pleased obsessives.
Video

24. 🇳🇴 Bobbysocks - La det swinge (Norway 1985) 🥇
Has there ever been a greater expression of pure joy on the Eurovision stage than this? This is basically Prozac in musical form, with Hanne and Elisabeth really loving every second and giving it their all. Well, at least what we thought was their all until they won and did a reprise that turned the happiness dial up to dangerous levels. I know this tends to be a bit too cheesy for some tastes even on here, but I have never been known to mark a song down for that.
Video

23. 🇸🇪 ABBA - Waterloo (Sweden 1974) 🥇
I mean, we know all there is to know about this one. It's not "the best" Eurovision song or "the best" ABBA song, but it's almost certainly the most important song for both of them, and I certainly don't begrudge it continually topping all-time Eurovision charts voted on by the public, because I doubt Eurovision would still be around now without it, and it's lovely to see such affection for it through the generations.
Video

22. 🇬🇷 Antique - Die For You (Greece 2001) 🥉
My tastes were clearly very well defined from a young age because 11 year-old Pingu knew he absolutely loved this. Is it Scandified Greek pop or Greekified Scandipop? Either way, it came seemingly out of nowhere at the time and paved the way for Greece's domination of the contest in the decade that followed, with a fairly similar formula. I feel like this has aged pretty well considering it does sound like it comes right out of 2001, but then I still listen to Steps in 2022, so what do I know?
Video

21. 🇮🇪 Linda Martin - Why Me (Ireland 1992) 🥇
Yes I know we have this song to thank for Johnny Logan's constant crowing about being a three-time Eurovision winner, something that is unlikely to ever be beaten, and a lot of modern-day fans seem to prefer Terminal 3, but I think this is a really excellent Eurovision power ballad, probably the best of its brief power ballad era, and the best of Ireland's 614 winners. It just feels wonderfully put together, a very satisfying listen musically.
Video
 
I'd put Why Me down as the WORST Irish winner personally! But to each their own.

Everything else in that list is an 11/10 though.
 
Pingu said:
25. 🇮🇸 Hera Björk - Je Ne Sais Quoi (Iceland 2010)
Oh yes, thank you so much Hera, for this absolute masterclass in giving the rabid Euroloons what we want. This is a modern-day schlager banger that does everything it's supposed to do, with a belter of a vocalist, a killer key-change, the melodrama turned up to 11 despite the fairly mundane lyrics, and even some side-stepping choreography thrown in for good measure. Hera is one of those artists that I'm so happy to have in the Eurovision "club" and I'm forever grateful to artists like her for devoting their lives to performing for us easily-pleased obsessives.
Video

24. 🇳🇴 Bobbysocks - La det swinge (Norway 1985) 🥇
Has there ever been a greater expression of pure joy on the Eurovision stage than this? This is basically Prozac in musical form, with Hanne and Elisabeth really loving every second and giving it their all. Well, at least what we thought was their all until they won and did a reprise that turned the happiness dial up to dangerous levels. I know this tends to be a bit too cheesy for some tastes even on here, but I have never been known to mark a song down for that.
Video

23. 🇸🇪 ABBA - Waterloo (Sweden 1974) 🥇
I mean, we know all there is to know about this one. It's not "the best" Eurovision song or "the best" ABBA song, but it's almost certainly the most important song for both of them, and I certainly don't begrudge it continually topping all-time Eurovision charts voted on by the public, because I doubt Eurovision would still be around now without it, and it's lovely to see such affection for it through the generations.
Video

22. 🇬🇷 Antique - Die For You (Greece 2001) 🥉
My tastes were clearly very well defined from a young age because 11 year-old Pingu knew he absolutely loved this. Is it Scandified Greek pop or Greekified Scandipop? Either way, it came seemingly out of nowhere at the time and paved the way for Greece's domination of the contest in the decade that followed, with a fairly similar formula. I feel like this has aged pretty well considering it does sound like it comes right out of 2001, but then I still listen to Steps in 2022, so what do I know?
Video

21. 🇮🇪 Linda Martin - Why Me (Ireland 1992) 🥇
Yes I know we have this song to thank for Johnny Logan's constant crowing about being a three-time Eurovision winner, something that is unlikely to ever be beaten, and a lot of modern-day fans seem to prefer Terminal 3, but I think this is a really excellent Eurovision power ballad, probably the best of its brief power ballad era, and the best of Ireland's 614 winners. It just feels wonderfully put together, a very satisfying listen musically.
Video
Click to expand...
Now THAT'S a selection :disco:
 
  • Love
Reactions: LTZ
Amen and La det swinge both comfortably in the top ten Eurovision entries of all time!
 
20. 🇧🇬 Poli Genova - If Love Was A Crime (Bulgaria 2016)
After a first decade of being a bit of a wildcard in the contest (admittedly sometimes with spectacular results), they went away, recalibrated, and came back as a proper pop powerhouse. This was just so effortlessly brilliant, sounding straight out of the charts but also perfectly crafted for Eurovision, with the decision to make the Bulgarian language lines the main hook really elevating the song. Poli is so incredibly watchable so even though the performance didn't have much budget, she really carried it across the finish line.
Video

19. 🇪🇸 Salomé - Vivo Cantando (Spain 1969) 🥇
Is this Eurovision's first ever hot mess? Everything about this is just so ridiculous but so brilliant. Obviously superfluous key changes are always going to get major points from me, but definite bonus marks when the whole thing gets more and more frantic as it goes along, with the singer shimmying away for all she's worth. I know that we were well into the pop era of Eurovision by this point, but still what a refreshing jolt of life in the middle of all the chansons that were still clogging it up.
Video

18. 🇸🇪 Charlotte Nilsson - Take Me To Your Heaven (Sweden 1999) 🥇
I think it's probably justified sometimes when regular viewers wheel out their "that's so Eurovision" commentary, because it pretty much fits in this case. I think Charlotte probably had that element partly to thank for sailing to the win, and also a healthy dose of ABBA re-appreciation that was doing the rounds at the time. It's "so Eurovision" in the best possible way though and we have this moment of glory to thank for a 20+ year career of dizzying highs and crushing lows from this Melodifestivalen icon.
Video

17. 🇬🇧 Nicki French - Don't Play That Song Again (United Kingdom 2000)
Remember when us finishing 16th was considered catastrophic? I do love that more than any other of our entrants, Nicki has totally embraced her failure and become something of a UK Eurovision mum (or drunk aunt) wheeling this one out year after year in what has ironically become a reminder of the good old days for dozens of rabid assembled British fans. I'd really love us to send something so unabashedly "for the fans" again sometime... if we're going to fail (which we are) we may as well do it in style.
Video

16. 🇸🇮 Nuša Derenda - Energy (Slovenia 2001)
This is one that I'm not sure I cared too much for at the time. Maybe I just couldn't really see through my Antique haze, or perhaps my appreciation for everything bigger, brasher and more bombastic has increased over the years. That is absolutely what I love about this - everything is turned up to 11. I only wish it had been entered a decade later when it might have had a bit more in the way of staging thrown at it. Nuša really does sell the crap out of it, but come on, if we're going this far already then we may as well chuck some pyros in.
Video
 
All five of those so breathtaking that Charlotte might actually be my least favourite!
 
  • Wow
Reactions: GNL
Pingu said:
20. 🇧🇬 Poli Genova - If Love Was A Crime (Bulgaria 2016)
After a first decade of being a bit of a wildcard in the contest (admittedly sometimes with spectacular results), they went away, recalibrated, and came back as a proper pop powerhouse. This was just so effortlessly brilliant, sounding straight out of the charts but also perfectly crafted for Eurovision, with the decision to make the Bulgarian language lines the main hook really elevating the song. Poli is so incredibly watchable so even though the performance didn't have much budget, she really carried it across the finish line.
Video

19. 🇪🇸 Salomé - Vivo Cantando (Spain 1969) 🥇
Is this Eurovision's first ever hot mess? Everything about this is just so ridiculous but so brilliant. Obviously superfluous key changes are always going to get major points from me, but definite bonus marks when the whole thing gets more and more frantic as it goes along, with the singer shimmying away for all she's worth. I know that we were well into the pop era of Eurovision by this point, but still what a refreshing jolt of life in the middle of all the chansons that were still clogging it up.
Video

18. 🇸🇪 Charlotte Nilsson - Take Me To Your Heaven (Sweden 1999) 🥇
I think it's probably justified sometimes when regular viewers wheel out their "that's so Eurovision" commentary, because it pretty much fits in this case. I think Charlotte probably had that element partly to thank for sailing to the win, and also a healthy dose of ABBA re-appreciation that was doing the rounds at the time. It's "so Eurovision" in the best possible way though and we have this moment of glory to thank for a 20+ year career of dizzying highs and crushing lows from this Melodifestivalen icon.
Video

17. 🇬🇧 Nicki French - Don't Play That Song Again (United Kingdom 2000)
Remember when us finishing 16th was considered catastrophic? I do love that more than any other of our entrants, Nicki has totally embraced her failure and become something of a UK Eurovision mum (or drunk aunt) wheeling this one out year after year in what has ironically become a reminder of the good old days for dozens of rabid assembled British fans. I'd really love us to send something so unabashedly "for the fans" again sometime... if we're going to fail (which we are) we may as well do it in style.
Video

16. 🇸🇮 Nuša Derenda - Energy (Slovenia 2001)
This is one that I'm not sure I cared too much for at the time. Maybe I just couldn't really see through my Antique haze, or perhaps my appreciation for everything bigger, brasher and more bombastic has increased over the years. That is absolutely what I love about this - everything is turned up to 11. I only wish it had been entered a decade later when it might have had a bit more in the way of staging thrown at it. Nuša really does sell the crap out of it, but come on, if we're going this far already then we may as well chuck some pyros in.
Video
Click to expand...
Nicki aisde (though I have grown to like the song in an ironic way and Nicki of course is a delight of human being), AMAZING BELTERS. :disco:
 
Pingu said:
17. 🇬🇧 Nicki French - Don't Play That Song Again
Click to expand...

Also obsessed with this woman's Wikipedia which she definitely wrote herself.

Screenshot_20220510-154150_Chrome~2.jpg
 
15. 🇳🇱 Anouk – Birds (The Netherlands 2013)
The perceived wisdom among UK Eurovision fans, and indeed at the BBC itself, is that we need to take a slowly slowly approach to improving our standing at the contest, but I’m not sure that’s really true. There was nothing slow about the complete 180 The Netherlands did, going from corny also-rans to a Eurovision powerhouse in the space of a year, all thanks to Anouk putting her hand up and volunteering, but saying wanted to do it her way with this really beautiful song. Specific mention for one of the best key-changes of all time here. It is really magical.
Video

14. 🇬🇷 Sakis Rouvas – This Is Our Night (Greece 2009)
And now for something completely different! Often when an artist returns for a second go at the contest, they make the mistake of trying to go bigger, more spectacular and more cynical in their hunger for victory. That’s what happened here, and like other times, it didn’t really pay off, with Sakis not coming close to matching the success of Shake It. But what we did give us is one of the all-time great “more is more” moments with this ludicrous performance and a song that, in my view, still absolutely slaps.
Video

13. 🇺🇦 Ani Lorak – Shady Lady (Ukraine 2008) 🥈
Here’s an example of more is more but done so well. Ani really brought the production and the showmanship, but without it coming across as overblown like Svetlana the following year, and also looking just so levelled up from some other competitors from the same year who may have been attempting to appeal to similar voter bases… It’s almost like something I’d expect to see in the Eurovision Movie. So Eurovision in the sense that it could almost read as a parody, but also so polished and professional.
Video

12. 🇦🇹 Conchita Wurst – Rise Like A Phoenix (Austria 2014) 🥇
If Eurovision in the modern day is won by creating moments, then you couldn’t get much more of a moment than this. Conchita was only ever meant to be a fan favourite – someone for the gays to idolise hopelessly in the run-up to the contest. Well, for everyone except Conchita that is, who had her eyes on the prize and gave an absolutely blinding performance of a song that felt so relevant for so many people at that moment in time. I loved this song from the moment I heard it, but I never expected it to win, let alone plant itself comfortably in the Eurovision history books.
Video

11. 🇩🇰 Olsen Brothers – Fly On The Wings Of Love (Denmark 2000) 🥇
Here’s another one that has become a Eurovision standard, partly thanks to the wonderful quality it has of sounding like a song that everyone has always known, rather than something written this century. The adorable Olsen Brothers had been trying to represent their country since the late 70s, and when they finally made it they were clearly having the absolute time of their lives, which radiated out of the screen. In a contest filled with bubblegum pop, it’s remarkable that these two old geezers managed to get everyone, including the hardcore Europop fans on side, but this was just impossible to resist, and like Love Shine A Light, it has that timeless quality that I bet could still make it a winner in 2022.
Video
 
Pingu said:
13. 🇺🇦 Ani Lorak – Shady Lady (Ukraine 2008) 🥈
Ani really brought the production and the showmanship, but without it coming across as overblown like Svetlana the following year, and also looking just so levelled up from some other competitors from the same year who may have been attempting to appeal to similar voter bases…
Click to expand...
FUCK YOU
 
Feel much better about my carefully laid 'get the Moopyfestivalen final votes done on the Friday evening so you can do the results and finish it before Eurovision' plans falling to pieces now I've realised your very obviously carefully laid ONE UPDATE A DAY plans to get this done before Eurovision definitely did too :disco:
 
Penelope said:
Feel much better about my carefully laid 'get the Moopyfestivalen final votes done on the Friday evening so you can do the results and finish it before Eurovision' plans falling to pieces now I've realised your very obviously carefully laid ONE UPDATE A DAY plans to get this done before Eurovision definitely did too :disco:
Click to expand...

Btw when are the 00s National Finals coming back, Pen?
 
TOP 10 PLEASE @Pingu - as a mark of respect to all the patient bisexuals out there. Also Poison @Penelope is trying to pin her shortcomings in finishing her own grand plans on YOU for some reason but you're like 2 posts away from the end so just DO IT PLEASE. It's fun!
 
This thread also now officially NOT DEAD.

10. 🇬🇷 Helena Paparizou - My Number One (Greece 2005) 🥇
In my more naïve teenage years, I would listen to the Eurovision CD and usually just assume that the song most like the previous year's winner was probably going to be the one to do it this year. So obviously considering I was actively searching for the best of the ethno-pop bunch when this came on and I fingered it as the winner based just on the first 20 seconds or so. I wasn't prepared for the massive Scandi chorus to come crashing in that would prompt my mum in the car next to me to say "oh yes that's the one, let's head to the bookies" or to follow that girl from Antique for years afterwards. Excellent popstar, delightful performance, hooktastic song, this is a masterclass in creating a Eurovision fan favourite that also goes the distance at the contest proper. And maybe it's because it has never really been out of my life, but I think it's held up pretty well!



9. 🇨🇾 Eleni Foureira - Fuego (Cyprus 2018) 🥈
Here we are then - I've finally answered THAT question once and for all (or at least until I revisit this countdown next year and change my mind again, because it's just fractions really). I'm not sure what gives Fuego the edge, but I think whereas My Number One was very much of a type that was doing the rounds at the time, so much about this was wonderfully unexpected. First of all, I never expected Cyprus to bring something competitive, let alone offer up such fan service after La La Love's relative flop. Next, I really didn't expect that once popular type of Paparizou-pop to make a comeback at Eurovision, and for someone to do such a job of bringing it bang up to date. After hearing pretty much everywhere that Eleni couldn't carry a tune to save her life, how thrilling it was to see her absolutely eat up the stage as she did and elevate the song even more with her star quality. And then when perceived wisdom dictated that this kind of fodder just doesn't cut through the Eurovision bubble, what a fantastic case of everything (ALMOST) coming together perfectly to make this song a bona-fide Eurovision smash that others have tried to emulate ever since.

 
Pingu said:
This thread also now officially NOT DEAD.

10. 🇬🇷 Helena Paparizou - My Number One (Greece 2005) 🥇
In my more naïve teenage years, I would listen to the Eurovision CD and usually just assume that the song most like the previous year's winner was probably going to be the one to do it this year. So obviously considering I was actively searching for the best of the ethno-pop bunch when this came on and I fingered it as the winner based just on the first 20 seconds or so. I wasn't prepared for the massive Scandi chorus to come crashing in that would prompt my mum in the car next to me to say "oh yes that's the one, let's head to the bookies" or to follow that girl from Antique for years afterwards. Excellent popstar, delightful performance, hooktastic song, this is a masterclass in creating a Eurovision fan favourite that also goes the distance at the contest proper. And maybe it's because it has never really been out of my life, but I think it's held up pretty well!



9. 🇨🇾 Eleni Foureira - Fuego (Cyprus 2018) 🥈
Here we are then - I've finally answered THAT question once and for all (or at least until I revisit this countdown next year and change my mind again, because it's just fractions really). I'm not sure what gives Fuego the edge, but I think whereas My Number One was very much of a type that was doing the rounds at the time, so much about this was wonderfully unexpected. First of all, I never expected Cyprus to bring something competitive, let alone offer up such fan service after La La Love's relative flop. Next, I really didn't expect that once popular type of Paparizou-pop to make a comeback at Eurovision, and for someone to do such a job of bringing it bang up to date. After hearing pretty much everywhere that Eleni couldn't carry a tune to save her life, how thrilling it was to see her absolutely eat up the stage as she did and elevate the song even more with her star quality. And then when perceived wisdom dictated that this kind of fodder just doesn't cut through the Eurovision bubble, what a fantastic case of everything (ALMOST) coming together perfectly to make this song a bona-fide Eurovision smash that others have tried to emulate ever since.

Click to expand...

Use the :ghost: emoji
 
:D! at just how much of a HARDENED GAMBLER your mother sounds just from that anecdote (:disco:). I do particularly love to this day just how much of a TUNELESS BANGER it is in the verses - what a classic!

And god, yes at how much the storyline just pips Fuego ahead - it really did feel AGAINST ALL ODDS in a way Helena never really did.
 
Okay Pingu's relatives just messaged me to say Pingu actually just died so I'm gonna have to finish this thread for him. NEXT UP

8. 🇲🇹 Christabelle - Taboo (Malta 2018)
Some more from the "perfectly contained melodrama" now but this time of the more southern variety. Surely the unluckiest Eurovision song of all time, with only 30 songs getting in the way of Christabelle being Eurovision's first deaf winner, this is a masterclass in conveying so much passion and emotion by doing very little.
Video
 
7. 🇳🇴 Guri Schanke - Ven a bailar conmigo (Norway 2007)
Well this is just sublime isn't it. I seem to recall this doing very well in the big Moopy Eurovision vote last year, and it's obvious why. It is perfectly contained Nordic melodrama with production that was strikingly on-trend for Eurovision 2007, but I sense will continue to age very well too.
Video
 
6. 🇲🇰 Eye Cue - Lost and Found (North Macedonia 2018)
It was a proper smug moment when everyone came on board with this in a huge way after I'd been raving about it since about three months before the contest. I can't blame them as the staging was nothing short of spectacular, but I do think there's a great song under there, even if it's a bit bonkers and switches genre about five times.
Video
 
Okay he's gone again, coast is clear

5. 🇧🇪 Axel Hirsoux - Mother (Belgium 2014)
Belgium were really so useless at Eurovision at this point that it took everyone by surprise to see them fielding something so effortlessly cool. The song itself was just left-field enough without being alienating, and helped a lot by fantastic staging and Axel himself being a total star. The start of Belgium's reinvention as Eurovision's cool kids.
Video
 
Lovely to see this on the road to finishing

And :eyes: at Poison @Penelope - I hope you aren't finishing other people's threads from the apparent safety of your glass house
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top Bottom