Romania Pick Their Entry Tomorrow - No Fancy Headline Pun, Couldn't Think Of One
Romania have had a superb couple of years in Eurovision, and they will hope to keep this record up in 2007. After a 3rd place in 2005, and 4th place last year, they’re on to be one of the most successful Eurovision nations this decade. Of course, due to last year’s fully deserved result for the highly popular “Tornero”, they automatically gain qualification to the Grand Final.
Their two semi-finals have been controversy-leaden however, with only nine of the twelve originally selected songs for the final going through. Three songs, including Rednex’s were withdrawn because they had all been performed in public before 1 October 2006, a violation of one of the EBU’s rules. Slapped wrists all round for removing three quite strong songs!
Anyway, these are the nine songs that we believe are going to be in contention tomorrow night!
1. “DULCE-AMARUIE” – Nico
This is a sort of modern ballad that, you know, goes. But it doesn’t really “go” very far particularly. Nico seems to have a very nice voice, and it does inkeep with that rather contemporary feel that Romania have been sending to the contest of late. Gentle chorus, lacking in ‘oomph’ though generally I would say. Don’t think this is the winner.
2. “DECI 20” – Trupa Veche
Not quite sure how this one made the Romanian final, but there you go! It’s a very nothing song, female vocal pop-rock song, but I’m not sure about her voice. It sounds a bit shaky on the recording, so not sure if she would pull this one off live. It’s really not a particularly great song, but nicely contrasts with the next song…
3. “CRAZY” – Morandi and Wassabi
This is a rather slick modern song with a nice retro feel to it, and it somehow gets away with not sounding too dated as well! Really catchy chorus and it’s a very well written upbeat song that would surely pull in some votes at Eurovision. Not easy to perform a dance track, but it was done rather well at the Romanian semi-finals, and this is most certainly one to watch.
4. “NO PODER VIVIR” – Marcel Pavel
Baldy Marcel represented Romania in 2002 with the rather operatic “Tell Me Why”. This year he returns with a sort of flamenco dance track with a great chorus! It sounds a bit more Maltese or Spanish than Romanian, but let’s not hold that against him because it’s not actually a bad song. It would probably do quite well at the main contest in Helskini I would think and he’s a fab performer too. Really good solid song this, could be one to watch out for!
5. “WHERE WERE YOU” – Desperado And Tony Poptamas
This song is sung by a man who appears to go by the name of Tony Hippopotamus, but that aside… this is like a song from the Icelandic semi-finals. It’s rather dull, MOR male pop-rock song. It sounds to me like a Michael Bolton B-Side of the early 90s. I mean it’s all very nice, and I’m sure this could pull in the ‘mum’ vote, but there are so many strong melodies in this final, I fear this one will get lost amongst them.
6. “NU POT SA UI” – Tibi Scobiola
This is a good little song, a male ballad (but not of pop-rock origin, thank goodness) that sees some very nice falsetto work from Tibi in the chorus. There’s a nice melody to it, but it’s a tad forgettable and there’s nothing really in this song to make it stand out. Although, as I’ve said already, that falsetto could work rather nicely in this if it can be pulled off.
7. “LIUBI, LIUBI, I LOVE YOU” – Locomondo
What can only be described as ska-brass here. This is a bit of a nonsense song with very odd lyrics, doing that very clever tactic of name-checking many places across Europe, which worked for Liam Reilly, but alas not for Nina Astrom. This can only be described as Eastern European gypsy music really and, after two big club anthems from Romania, this would be a rather severe change. The idea of the song is good, but they don’t really pull it off I don’t think.
8. “TIME” – Ionut Ungureanu
Whistling. Now there’s something a bit different in the introduction of “Time”, an odd song in a waltz time that breezes along very nicely and by the end of verse, the song turns into a rather classy, orchestrated instrumental break reminding me of perhaps a George Michael song! I’m worried that perhaps “Time” is a little too subtle for the Eurovision. It’s not a winner for me, but it’s a very mature, stylish song that deserves to do well.
9. “EUROPEAN – A BEAUTIFUL SIN” – Desperado and Tony Poptamas
Yes, somehow amongst all the Romanian kerfuffle, Tony Hippopotamus manages to get TWO songs in this final! This is a much better song than “Where Were You”, and despite the highly odd, and most probably controversial song title (are the EBU really going to allow the words European and Sin in the same title?) it goes along rather nicely. But it’s not going to win I don’t think because I just don’t know if Europe are going to unanimously vote for a song that’s reminiscent of something by Mike & The Mechanics.
So there’s a plethora of musical styles and genres to get your teeth into in this final, but what should win? For me, “Crazy” is the best song here, followed by “No Podre Vivir” and then “Time”, although as I say I’m not too sure if Europe will go for this sort of song. Good luck to those three though, one of them is the deserved winner! Shame about Rednex though.
Their two semi-finals have been controversy-leaden however, with only nine of the twelve originally selected songs for the final going through. Three songs, including Rednex’s were withdrawn because they had all been performed in public before 1 October 2006, a violation of one of the EBU’s rules. Slapped wrists all round for removing three quite strong songs!
Anyway, these are the nine songs that we believe are going to be in contention tomorrow night!
1. “DULCE-AMARUIE” – Nico
This is a sort of modern ballad that, you know, goes. But it doesn’t really “go” very far particularly. Nico seems to have a very nice voice, and it does inkeep with that rather contemporary feel that Romania have been sending to the contest of late. Gentle chorus, lacking in ‘oomph’ though generally I would say. Don’t think this is the winner.
2. “DECI 20” – Trupa Veche
Not quite sure how this one made the Romanian final, but there you go! It’s a very nothing song, female vocal pop-rock song, but I’m not sure about her voice. It sounds a bit shaky on the recording, so not sure if she would pull this one off live. It’s really not a particularly great song, but nicely contrasts with the next song…
3. “CRAZY” – Morandi and Wassabi
This is a rather slick modern song with a nice retro feel to it, and it somehow gets away with not sounding too dated as well! Really catchy chorus and it’s a very well written upbeat song that would surely pull in some votes at Eurovision. Not easy to perform a dance track, but it was done rather well at the Romanian semi-finals, and this is most certainly one to watch.
4. “NO PODER VIVIR” – Marcel Pavel
Baldy Marcel represented Romania in 2002 with the rather operatic “Tell Me Why”. This year he returns with a sort of flamenco dance track with a great chorus! It sounds a bit more Maltese or Spanish than Romanian, but let’s not hold that against him because it’s not actually a bad song. It would probably do quite well at the main contest in Helskini I would think and he’s a fab performer too. Really good solid song this, could be one to watch out for!
5. “WHERE WERE YOU” – Desperado And Tony Poptamas
This song is sung by a man who appears to go by the name of Tony Hippopotamus, but that aside… this is like a song from the Icelandic semi-finals. It’s rather dull, MOR male pop-rock song. It sounds to me like a Michael Bolton B-Side of the early 90s. I mean it’s all very nice, and I’m sure this could pull in the ‘mum’ vote, but there are so many strong melodies in this final, I fear this one will get lost amongst them.
6. “NU POT SA UI” – Tibi Scobiola
This is a good little song, a male ballad (but not of pop-rock origin, thank goodness) that sees some very nice falsetto work from Tibi in the chorus. There’s a nice melody to it, but it’s a tad forgettable and there’s nothing really in this song to make it stand out. Although, as I’ve said already, that falsetto could work rather nicely in this if it can be pulled off.
7. “LIUBI, LIUBI, I LOVE YOU” – Locomondo
What can only be described as ska-brass here. This is a bit of a nonsense song with very odd lyrics, doing that very clever tactic of name-checking many places across Europe, which worked for Liam Reilly, but alas not for Nina Astrom. This can only be described as Eastern European gypsy music really and, after two big club anthems from Romania, this would be a rather severe change. The idea of the song is good, but they don’t really pull it off I don’t think.
8. “TIME” – Ionut Ungureanu
Whistling. Now there’s something a bit different in the introduction of “Time”, an odd song in a waltz time that breezes along very nicely and by the end of verse, the song turns into a rather classy, orchestrated instrumental break reminding me of perhaps a George Michael song! I’m worried that perhaps “Time” is a little too subtle for the Eurovision. It’s not a winner for me, but it’s a very mature, stylish song that deserves to do well.
9. “EUROPEAN – A BEAUTIFUL SIN” – Desperado and Tony Poptamas
Yes, somehow amongst all the Romanian kerfuffle, Tony Hippopotamus manages to get TWO songs in this final! This is a much better song than “Where Were You”, and despite the highly odd, and most probably controversial song title (are the EBU really going to allow the words European and Sin in the same title?) it goes along rather nicely. But it’s not going to win I don’t think because I just don’t know if Europe are going to unanimously vote for a song that’s reminiscent of something by Mike & The Mechanics.
So there’s a plethora of musical styles and genres to get your teeth into in this final, but what should win? For me, “Crazy” is the best song here, followed by “No Podre Vivir” and then “Time”, although as I say I’m not too sure if Europe will go for this sort of song. Good luck to those three though, one of them is the deserved winner! Shame about Rednex though.
posted by ESCChris at
12:15 PM
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