Hi folks. It's that time of year again, when the whole of Europe goes a little bit camp and the sound of music (some good and some so so bad) fills the airwaves. It's Eurovision time and since my little slice of this poptastic indulgence was so popular last year, I'm back with another slice.
The following is my top five for this years contest which takes place in Malmo, Sweden and are in no particular order.
Azerbaijan - Hold Me by Farid Mammadov.
This performance is from the heats to find a winner to represent Azerbaijan and I think you'll agree the young man from Baku gives a beautiful rendition of the song.
Given his good lucks, I think he will place very highly in the contest with the female votes he is bound to receive.
Germany - Glorious by Cascada.
It's not Eurovision without a little dance music and this one from Cascada certainly delivers.
Now I will let you into a little secret..I always thought Cascada were a British act?
Lead singer Natalie Horler does have British parents so you can't blame me for thinking that.
With album sales of over five million and hits in many countries, the group are very popular and I will be astonished if they do not finish top ten.
Russia - What If by Dina Garipova.
Another beautiful song, superbly sung by the young Dina Garipova. Previously, she won the Russian version of The Voice. Could she be in line to win another singing competition?
San Marino - Crisalide by Valentina Monetta.
It's safe to say that San Marino have not fared well with Eurovision, having never made it to the final. Perhaps their 4th attempt at the contest will see that happen.
I absolutely love this song and may go as far to say that this is the one I would like to win.
Valentina previously represented her country with the awful The Social Network Song (she finished 14th in the semi-final) but she gives an astounding performance for this song and surely deserves her place in the final?
United Kingdom - Believe in Me by Bonnie Tyler.
I'm going to be brutally honest here. When I heard that Bonnie Tyler would be representing the UK for Eurovision, my heart sank, stomach churned and voices in my head were screaming what the? Bonnie had performed a song live on some show I'd seen a year or two ago and she was bad. I remember saying to myself at the time that she had lost it and should retire.
Now I know I said that we stood a good chance last year with good old Englebert and we failed miserably but with Bonnie, I truly believe we will finish top five with this marvellous song. Her husky tones are back and I was wrong to think she was past it.
Bonnie has sold millions of records, had numerous hits all over the world and been nominated for a Brit award twice and a Grammy three times. She is quite simply a world class recording artist. With a fan base in the millions, will she at last restore the UK's fortunes in Eurovision? If she gives a brilliant performance on the night, then we can only hope she can.
So there we have it, my top five for this years Eurovision. Do you agree with any of my choices or do you think the top five will read differently?
Tune in on Saturday 18th May for Eurovision 2013 and may the best song win.
Here it is folks, my final tribute to all things Eurovision and what better way to end this spectacular special than with my favourite two acts to come out of the competition.
Consisting of Cheryl Baker, Jay Aston, Mike Nolan and Bobby G, Bucks Fizz represented the UK in the 1981 contest with Making Your Mind Up and won.
How Bucks Fizz managed to win the competition is beyond me. The singing was off key, the dancing amateurish and let's not even go there on the costumes. Despite this blot in Eurovision history, I am awfully glad they did win. If not for the competition, they would not have gone on to have a very successful career.
I turned 14 in 1981 and Bucks Fizz were without a doubt my favourite band and remained so for many years.
They released many singles, with three of them reaching number one in the UK. They were also very successful throughout Europe and even as far afield as Australia.
Of all the albums Bucks Fizz released, my favourite is Hand Cut which was released in 1983.
The artwork alone was worth the price I paid. Of all their album sleeves, this to me is the one that is the most visually stunning.
The reason I love this one the most is down to one track alone. That track is "I'd Like to Say I Love You".
It is such a beautiful song and I cannot believe the record company did not feel it worthy of a single release.
I am sure it would have proved to be a massive hit for them if they had.
Bucks Fizz are still performing, though they are now two separate groups. They have not had a hit single or album for years. Personally I think their demise from the charts was due to over exposure in the early 80's (Rihanna take heed) which resulted in the fans turning away from their music.
I was not one of those fans and continued to buy and listen to their music.
Of all the tracks Bucks Fizz recorded I have chosen my favourite three and they are:
Number 1 - I'd Like to Say I Love You
Number 2 - Tears on the Ballroom Floor
Number 3 - Golden Days
Whilst I love Bucks Fizz as a group, Cheryl Baker has always been my favourite and it was a travesty that her one attempt at a solo pop career went unnoticed. She released a fantastic version of "If Paradise is Half as Nice" and it should have been a massive hit for her.
I think I was one of the few that bought it and I still own it along with all my other Bucks Fizz albums and cd's.
I have two Bucks Fizz related dreams. One is to meet the original members of the group. The other is to write a musical based around their songs. I already have an outline for it and who knows, one day it may just happen
And so to the act who joins Bucks Fizz as my favourite to come out of Eurovision and who else could it be but the amazing Abba.
Consisting of Agnetha Faltskog, Anni-frid Lynstag, Benny Andersonn and Bjorn Ulveaus, they represented Sweden in the 1974 contest and won with Waterloo.
Abba went on to become one of the most successful acts to ever come out of Eurovision and one of the most successful bands in the world.
Selling millions of singles and albums, they were Sweden's biggest export for years.They are famous throughout the world and have influenced many of today's artists with their music.
How anyone can not like Abba is a mystery to me. Their music is ridiculously good and can be enjoyed by any age.
Of course, they have a huge gay following but I do not love Abba because I am gay. To me, ones sexual orientation does not determine who you will like music wise. That is not what music is about. Music is how it makes you feel inside. With their music, Abba have the ability to make you feel happy, sad, excited and many other feelings.
Abba split up many years ago and that alone is proof of how good they are as their music still sells by the millions.
There is always talk of a reunion and I know that if a concert were to be announced, it would sell out in an instant. One can hope that maybe one day they will make that announcement.
Choosing my favourite three Abba tracks was a difficult task. There are just so many that I love. Nevertheless I have managed it and here they are:
Number 1 - The Winner Takes it All
Number 2 - Thank You for the Music
Number 3 - Happy New Year
There is only one word to describe this song and that word is "perfection".
So there is..my favourite two acts from the many years of the contest.
I hope you have enjoyed reading my Eurovision Special. I have absolutely adored writing it and looking back at the many highlights.
If you agree or disagree with my choices, please feel free to send me a message or maybe even a comment about my blog in general. If you really like the blog then pass the link onto your friends. Whilst my specials have been for all ages, some of my earlier blogs are a little on the rude side so please be cautious if you do pass the link on.
All that is left for me to say is tune in Saturday 26th for the 2012 Eurovision Contest from Baku and wherever you are in the world, I hope you enjoy the show.
As promised folks, here is who I believe should finish in the top 3 for this years Eurovision Song Contest being held in Baku.
In reverse order we start with:
Number 3 - Love Will Set You Free by Engelbert Humperdinck (UK)
At 75, Mr Humperdinck is one of the oldest artists to represent the UK in the contest.
Though I think he will struggle with the high note at the end, I still think the UK will do well with this beautiful ballad.
Number 2 - Standing Still by Roman Lob (Germany)
This song has already been a huge hit in Germany, reaching number 3 in the charts.
If it does well on the night,I can see it charting quite highly over here in the UK.
Mr Lob has the full package - stunning looks, amazing voice and a lovely song. The only downside is the video is quite similar to one by the not as amazing Daniel Beddingfield.
Number 1 - La La Love by Ivi Adamou (Cyprus)
I do love my dance music and this entry from Cyprus is superb.It should do well with the gay audience and who knows, maybe this could be the year we see quite a few Eurovision hopefuls do well in the UK pop charts.
That's my top 3 for you. Do you agree with my choices or have I got it completely wrong?
There is only one way to find out and that is by tuning in to BBC1 on Saturday 26th May.
