So you'd think, with all the hype, it would be difficult for "Hero" to live up to expectations, right?
WRONG!
I'll be back with more thoughts when I'm done having my mind blown by this song. Seriously, I'm about ready to use up my yearly quota of exclamation marks.
Speechless.
(Listen to clips of the entries here.)
Edit: OK, back, and I'm sorry Sibel, you may have a great-sounding ballad and everyone may say you have a fantastic voice, but I have no time for it--I am going to be hoping against hope that it doesn't click with the voters, because I am petrified right now of it going direkt till Globen, and that simply is not an acceptable option. The only result I will accept it Charlotte and Linda to the final. That's it.
"Pame" is fantastic, and I totally love it; it also doesn't hurt that everyone says it's hindered by being overchoreographed, because that only makes it more likely it won't challenge for those top two spots, and therefore I can accept it into my heart. Any other week I would be backing that to the final all the way, but not this week!
Linda's verses are indeed very "Grace Kelly;" I love the song already--that chorus demands to be sung along with--and have a feeling it'll only get better once we hear the whole thing. Plus there's like this bubbly sound effect at the end! Love love love love love it.
Charlotte--oh, Charlotte, what do I not love about "Hero"? It's too amazing for words. "Amazing" doesn't even do it justice--I need a better word. Can we invent a new word for it? And can you imagine what it's going to be like when that keychange hits on Saturday? I think pop fans are going to explode or completely melt! The chorus is too perfect musically and lyrically--"this is a story, of love and compassion, only heroes can tell..."
On the less-love but see something in them front, Calaisa's song sounds sweet--not amazing, but probably enjoyable outside of a Eurovision context. I'm even liking Nordman's song more than I expected, though I think I might like it more with someone else singing it.
How am I supposed to wait for the studio versions of these songs? Argh!
So in recap: I am all about Charlotte and Linda this week and need them both in the final. I love Daniel's song as well, as long as it continues to stay non-threatening (and I imagine I've jinxed this whole thing now). I have no time for Sibel during this week--if I'm being honest, "That Is Where I'll Go" sounds like a genuinely great ballad, but I simply cannot have it being a threat, and that's something I've feared it would be from the beginning. Therefore, no support from me until after Melodifestivalen. At which point I will probably really like it.
(Note that I can handle people disagreeing with me, though, even about songs I love!)
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14 comments:
Yup, this is some disco hotness. And, something that, just a couple of years ago, Alcazar would've made magic out of. As well, can we take a moment to appreciate the schlagerosity of La Bengtzing's offering? LOVING Hur Svårt over here.
Actually, there's a few good ones in this round. "Heat of Death", indeed. Pame is a lot of fun, the Sibel ballad (which is better than Empty Room, I think... Sorry, Sanna!) is sweeping and grand and really pretty, even the Nordman song is cool, though I don't see that doing very well even if it does have a good tune. Something about it being about witch trials.
I know, I know, nothing says ‘schlager classic’ or ‘Eurovision winner’ to tween Swedes and international gay boys like ‘Let’s burn your daughters at the stake!’, and they might make it past the first voting round, but that's it.
Char and Linda to the finals, and Daniel and Sibel to the Andra Chansen. That's my prediction.
Anyone else want to weigh in, here?
Oh yes! Loving Linda's offering as well (almost as much as that Nordman comment)--I am going to be singing that chorus for ages and ages. I love how punchy it is! Are she and Charlotte trying to send me into schlager/disco-pop meltdown?
I know...sigh. From an "I want as much great music as possible" perspective, I'm really excited! ...from a strategic perspective, not so much.
If your prediction came true, I'd be thrilled, though! I think that's the result I'd most like to see, in fact.
Robpop, I'm copy-and-pasting your comments from the post below this here just for completion's sake--I hope that's OK!
*******(RobPop's Thoughts)*******
Calaise-breezy. Nice. Not great. Not Eurovision. But sweet...
Linda-LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!! Very very Mika/Grace Kelly.
Nordman-A bit like Tokio Hotel/Therese/Nu Pagadi. Not bad. I like it. A bit like something from the Queen Musical (We Will Rock You).
Sibel-I can smell Westlife! I love this. Its a bit crap. But live, she might get a huge response. Especially if she hams the big notes. Shes a diva. She'll do well.
It needs a huge epic ending...
Fronda-another one that will do well IF performed well. Based on the song alone..its not going to go anywhere. But its also about the performance.
Charlotte-Someone has been listening to Phixx. Well, you know what i mean. The sound is similar. A great song.
IN CONCLUSION:
ITS CHARLOTTE!
"Loving Linda's offering as well (almost as much as that Nordman comment)"
Hee! Thanks, Poster Girl. I've been noticing myself getting extra-sound-bitey lately. Trying to decide whether I want to start up my own blog where I can quip more frequently or just keep tossing my comments up on other people's pages.
Anyways, after my 5th round of listening to the tracks, I remain more and more convinced that we're headed for a Linda/Char Finalen Smackdown and a Pame/Sibel AC. And, as long as Sibel gets paired up against Carola and Andreas (so she can get beaten and Carola can be in Finalen where she belongs).
And Robpop, you're right. Nordman's song really does have some shades of Nu Pagadi, doesn't it? I hadn't noticed that until you said it, but now I totally hear it.
Shame that Calaisa didn't have a stronger offering, since I really do enjoy them. I like their sort of I Can't Believe It's Not the Dixie Chicks kinda breeziness. But they're more Lilith Fair than MF, when all is said and done.
Oh my goodness. Hur svårt kan det va is probably already one of my favourite songs of all time. The chorus is simply sublime and, while some would denounce it as bubblegum pop, there's a real heart to Linda's type of schlager. Nowhere is this demonstrated better than in her entry this year. It's Linda all the way for me this year. Oh to be in Karlskrona tomorrow night!!
Sound-bitey-ness is a fantastic thing to have--blog or no blog (but blog is definitely a good thing!). That'd be perfect, those results!
I love Linda so much--you're so right; "heart" is the perfect word for it. She takes songs I might otherwise have just liked or even loved to a whole new level. I really love this entry, too!
Heaven forbid these two end up in the all-or-nothing place against each other; I really think my brain might short circuit from not knowing what results I wanted! (Not that I expect that to happen, though.)
I was a bit unsure about Hero when I first heard it - I think it may have been that the verse disappointed me a little. After a few more listens, however, I've come to see that this is an unbelievably good song. The crowd will go wild when Charlotte is strutting into the wind machine belting out the chorus, and rightly so. I really think that this week has put BWO in the shade. I can't see them winning - or even coming close - after listening to this week's offerings. It's such a shame that 'Chariots of Fire' was not one of their MF entries as I think it's by far their best song. There's a spectacular YouTube video of them performing CoF at the Rix FM concert last summer. Sanna also seems to be the lady of the moment and I think she will also eventually end up above BWO in the final order of merit.
I think the problem with the BWO song is that it's really just a shameless rip-off of EVERYTHING they've ever done. One BWO track sounds like all the rest. They're like a higher-market Cascada that way.
Plus which, the 'drama' of Char's performance will come, like Essex said, when she starts sassing it up, strutting into the wind, whereas BWO relied on the drama of... what? Marina sitting there doing nothing? Martin getting... picked up by an elevator? That's not as dramatic as some wind-in-hair. (Take note for next year, Bard, cuz Martin's hair would look FAB getting all blown about!)
Don't get me wrong, they totally deserved to get into the final, but that's more because they were in a weak heat than because their song is genius. If it was in this heat, it would have to fight through AC, at least.
Bring on the fourth semi. I cant bear the tension of who'll be going through. I just pray for Linda and La Perelli (that means it will be Nordman and Sibel of course). Pessimistic, me!?!
After listening to those clips, the only ones that stood out for me were Daniel & Charlotte. However, they don't come close to BWO! That NEEDS to be your entry for Eurovision! It's pure pop perfection :)
Very much looking forward to hearing 'Hero' in full!
BTW I've been listening to Rix FM and they've added 'Miss America' to their playlist it would seem. Still mining that album!
Do you have Martin Stenmark's Bassflow Remix of Rubb Och Stubb? I can't find it anywhere :(
I agree with both of you about Charlotte's performance--I really think it'll be stunning, and take the song to whole new levels. "Chariots Of Fire" really is amazing--I think I spent most of 2006 with it mentally ranked above "Temple Of Fire" (which I also love) though it might be a closer call now. I've really got no idea who'll end up winning--there are so many potential contenders right now...which is exciting!
Oh, Jamie, I'll be praying with you!
Arlen, I love BWO's entry as well! It's SO difficult for me to make up my mind about who I want to win! Made even more so because I've avoided re-watching the performances on YouTube/DailyMotion (though I couldn't pass up watching the second half of the rerun of the third semifinal). I really hope this helps them bounce back from the not-awful-but-slumping record of their last album. I wish their pyrotechnics explosions were bigger, though!
I think I read that somewhere--if they're going for another single, it's a great choice. It's hard to believe it's really been more than a year since Måns first came on the scene with "Cara Mia." I do have that remix! It's a protected iTunes file, though, so I'll have to burn it to CD and then rip it back--I can...let's see, I could send you a message of Last.fm with it, or e-mail it to you (though I don't think I know your e-mail), or something, as soon as I do that!
That'd be really kind of you thanks :) My email is ben_cook@softhome.net
How did you get it off iTunes though? It's not even on the UK one :(
The power of Swedish iTunes cards :D
I am going to e-mail you! Tomorrow.
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