#montenegro's proudest moment in the contest

[betweenthetimeandsound]

Ladies and gentlemen, the best Yugoslav entry at Eurovision ever!

Now vote for it on the next ESC250 come November. Hehe.

Danijel - Džuli

[betweenthetimeandsound]

Three Minutes to Eternity: My ESC250 (#45)

#45: Danijel Popović-- Džuli (Yugoslavia 1983)

“Stigla je sama sa ljetom, Prišla i rekla hello, Pogledi su nam govorili više od riječi,”

“She arrived alone with summer Came over and said hello Our looks said more than words”

I'm writing this piece as the ESC250 for this year opened on songfestival.be, and will continue to do so for a month. Amongst the songs that hardly appeared on the list, I think Džuli would be a good candidate to be voted on--it hangs around in the top 500, and deserves its place in the limelight. And here's why.

”Hajde da Ludujemo” (#73) is a beloved entry, and I love it myself, but Dzuli stole my heart from the first listen. They're both in the same pop vein which Yugoslavia would ride with until the country disintegrated, but while Hajde da Ludujemo is a dance floor banger, Džuli is a bit more innocent in terms of how the lyrics flow, and the instrumentation reminds me of being in a carnival.

A nostalgic, but summery bop, it exudes joy while telling the story of his lost Dzuli of the summer. We have a whole story in three acts--one where Danijel meets Džuli and is immediately smitten by her, how they spent time together until she suddenly left, and he's left yearning for her (the last verse is especially good). All confined into a three minute track, and done to perfection.

The melody is quite upbeat, with an accordion motif throughout the song. (There are some comparisons to Shakin Stevens' Oh Julie, which isn't surprising considering they're from the same era). However, the orchestration for it turns a good, fun song to new heights. to the point where it makes the studio cut fall flat on its face. The strings are so lush and cheery, especially when given their time in the limelight between choruses.

Danijel sings this with a boyish charm, and his two backing vocalists add to the fun with their hyper excited dancing and happy smiles (though sometimes, I tend to focus more on them than on Danijel himself!) I keep clapping along to their parts and singing along to Danijel's "Dzuuuuli..." there. Either way, this got Yugoslavia's first top-five placing since 1962, and became a huge hit across the continent (though Danijel's music career would go through a number of highs and lows throughout the decades)!

In the end, Dzuli is a little pearl, which brings about joy and a vibe throughout. It's enough to make me smile and play it on repeat over and over again. And as Danijel says himself (translated from an article):

"Julie" is a symbol of a time in me personally and in many others. It awakens a clearly defined image, sound, feeling, thought, memory and association to that time. "Julie" withstood all the challenges of that time and kept her beauty and playfulness forever."

Personal ranking: 2nd/20 Actual ranking: 4th/20 in Munich

Final Impressions of Yugoslavia: Yugoslavia had a tale of two cities thing going on in Eurovision. Up until their withdrawal in 1976, they would experiment in different styles, ranging from medieval folk (Jedan Dan) to progressive rock (Moja Generacija--see #198) to general dark pop (Gori Vatra--#72 for example). Despite this, they had little success with any of them; they had one last run with it in 1981 before switching towards pop (exceptions include Željo moja from 1986 and their swan song Ljubim te pesmama). Dominated by the Croatian broadcaster, it gave them more success, and led to their only win in 1989.

Considering that Yugoslavia would have some seriously strong sports teams if they joined together, I can't say the same about Eurovision. Slovenia had some soft songs as part of Yugoslavia, and then really mixes it up with genres after they broke off (Montenegro too). Bosnia-Herzegovina also has this eccentricity, albeit with a heaviness towards even their greatest songs. Croatia peaked early and slid down into a rabbit hole of mediocrity this decade. And Serbia relied more on their Balkan Ballads, though they have some quirky pieces here and there.

Notably, (North) Macedonia never represented Yugoslavia in Eurovision--they had only one artist win Jugovizija in 1980--when the country didn't participate in Eurovision. But speaking of which...

[not-a-realexchangeblog]

Eurovision 2016 vs. 2017

Ok I know I’m already a little extra about Eurovision, but I really wanted to make this comparison between last year’s entries vs this year’s, mostly to organize my thoughts about the 2017 contest. Eurovision mutuals feel free to hmu with your opinions! (my top out of the 2016 and 2017 entries for each country will be bolded) (Also I stole this idea from @eurosong )

Albania: Fairytale vs World

Alright I think we can all agree that both of these songs should’ve skipped the Albanian to English revamp. Both were pretty mediocre in English, but I think I can get behind Lindita as being the better vocalist here. 

Armenia: LoveWave vs Fly with Me 

Will Fly with Me make any of my Spotify playlists? No probably not. But I have to appreciate Armenia’s attempt to produce an entry that honors both Armenian and East Asian cultural elements. It’s going to be one of the more interesting acts in Kyiv that’s for sure. 

Australia: Sound of Silence vs Don’t Come Easy

This decision was pretty easy, and not because I was a fan of Dami or her act. Don’t Come Easy is ridiculously bland and just makes me kind of sad watching it.

Austria: Loin d’ici vs Running on Air

Good thing we can count on Austria for songs with cutesy lyrics that don’t cut deep in any way whatsoever. Running on Air however is considerably less repetitive than Loin d’ici. Though I wanted to like Loin d’ici for the sole fact it was in French, the children’s book-esque staging and lyrics left me bitter it made it to the finals. 

Azerbaijan: Miracle vs Skeletons

Ok so I originally really liked the video for Miracle and had Samra easily in my top 10. Then she performed it live at the semis and made me want to put my ears out of their misery- one of my biggest ESC 2016 disappointments. If Dihaj can sing Skeletons live better than my cat could, it’s the clear winner of the two. 

Belarus: Help you fly vs Historyja majgo zyccia

The most clear choice I made on this entire list. To me Naviband brings such a modern folk feel to Eurovision that we haven’t seen from anyone else this year and their use of Belarusian saved Slavic language from extinction in the contest. Maybe if ESC had approved Ivan’s live wolves last year I would’ve felt more nostalgic towards his act too? 

Belgium: What’s the pressure vs City Lights

City Lights hands down. Belgium decided in one year that they decided to advance 4 decades in musical style. I guess what was cringiest about What’s the Pressure to me was that it couldn’t quite decide what era it belonged to. If you’re going to bring disco garbage to Eurovision at least commit to it. 

Bulgaria: If love was a crime vs Beautiful Mess

Honestly, If Love was a Crime’s performance in the finals shocked me. I think its upbeat style was superior to Bulgaria’s entry this year, though I have to admit I wasn’t a fan. Possibly because it took me 6 months to  figure out that she was saying  дай ми любовта in Bulgarian as opposed to incomprehensible English.

Croatia: Lighthouse vs My Friend

Feel like I’m comparing apples to oranges here, but for me the bronchitis, hair and wardrobe disaster edges out the Italian opera/English pop worst of both worlds act. 

Cyprus: Alter Ego vs Gravity

Not gonna lie, I still listen to Alter Ego. Back in 2016 I knew it wasn’t the style for Eurovision, but at least it was ORIGINAL. Gravity isn’t as bad as the Youtube comments would suggest, but it’s definitely a step back for Cyprus when it comes to originality. 

Czechia: I Stand vs My Turn

Both are garbage. But props to Czechia for finally qualifying. 

Denmark: Soldiers of Love vs Where I Am

A bit of a hard choice. I’m always down for a boy band though, and to me, Lighthouse X beats out the screecher from Down Under. 

Estonia: Play vs Verona

Unpopular opinion: Juri wasn’t ripped off. Though I didn’t want him in the grand finals, he’s still better than the toxic duo Estonia promoted this year. 

Finland: Sing it away vs Blackbird

At least Sing it Away was fun ?  Finland is not performing to the best of their potential. Regardless of whether Blackbird’s “staging is amazing”, its lack of climax and generally disappointing vocals will 100% keep it in the semis. 

France: J’ai cherché vs Requiem

Frankly both are incredible and Eurovision is one of the only things I love about France. (Requiem would’ve been my winner had it not been for the English chorus no one asked for)

Georgia: Midnight Gold vs Keep the Faith

Unpopular opinion #2: Keep the Faith is in my Top 3 for 2017. I really do not understand the hate Tako gets- I think her song has an amazing message and outstanding vocals (that will hopefully be a little less screechy in the semis). When this song inevitabley does not qualify for the finals, I will lose hope in ESC. 

Germany: Ghost vs Perfect Life

Unpopular opinion #57584948: I vibed with Ghost. Is it my proudest confession? nope. Perfect Life SCREAMS Black Smoke 2015 and we know how that went. 

Greece: Utopian Land vs This is Love

Utopian Land was gross, but its one saving grace was the Greek lyrics. This is Love sounds like it came off the credits of a live action Disney film that flopped hard. That being said, I’m not buying Greece’s “safe” selection to get back into the finals this year. 

Hungary: Pioneer vs Origo

I’m convinced that if I had smoked 5 packs a day and hit the gyms leading up to Eurovision 2016, I could’ve out-performed Freddie. Origo isn’t exactly the shining beacon of Eurovision multilingualism for me, but the Balkan musical elements help detract from the awkward voice and rap. 

Iceland: Here them calling vs Paper 

Here them calling didn’t deserve the finals and neither does Paper. Paper’s lyrics are not “deep” “next level” or “misunderstood”, there were way better lyrics to be written to speak up about emotional health. trust me. 

Ireland: Sunlight vs Dying to Try

Honestly I don’t care enough to take a strong stance. I don’t know how Ireland did it in the 90′s because now they are ~Forgettable~

Israel: Made of Stars vs I Feel Alive 

I loved Hovi. His song and vocal abilities were incredible. Personally would’ve ditched the unnecessary ring prop/backup dancers that killed the live performance. Israel is another country that rarely fails me at Eurovision, and I’m excited for Imri Ziv this year. 

Italy: No degree of separation vs Occidentali’s Karma

No Degree of Separation was one of the songs that gradually grew on me last year and I was rooting for Francesca in the finals. Her nervous stage presence is what puts Occidentali’s Karma on top for me. Occidentali’s Karma really embodies the spirit of Eurovision this year, but I’m curious to see how Francesco deals with the clunky verse two black hole. 

Latvia: Heartbeat vs Line 

Didn’t think Heartbeat deserved the finals last year but it sure as hell deserved it more than Line does. Line is not cool creepy, it’s just creepy. I’m predicting another sub-par year for the Baltics. 

Lithuania: I’ve been waiting for this night vs Rain of Revolution 

Despite my apathy towards the Baltic countries, Donny was by far the act that grew on me the most last year. I might’ve reluctantly subjected myself to I’ve Been Waiting for This Night only a handful of times before the finals, but I must admit I’ve listened to it since. 12 points from me for the flip on stage. 

Macedonia: Dona vs Dance Alone 

KALIOPI IS MY QUEEN AND I CRIED WHEN EUROPE CRUSHED HER HOPES AND DREAMS

Malta: Walk on water vs Breathlessly 

Props for performing Walk on Water while prego? Also, Breathlessly is arguably the most boring ballad of 2017

Moldova: Falling Stars vs Hey, Mamma! 

The only redeeming quality of Hey, Momma! is that Epic Sax Guy is back. Luckily, that’s one more redeeming quality than Moldova’s last entry had. 

Montenegro: The Real Thing vs Space  

I refuse to even rank these because both are total shit and Montenegro should go back to producing cultural gems or just drop out of Eurovision. 

Netherlands: Slow down vs Lights and Shadows  

Have to go with Douwe Bob on this one. Slow Down was one of my favorites all of last year and The Netherlands have proven that country can work at Eurovision. Lights and Shadows could rival it for me, but this depends a lot on the staging and live performance (I wasn’t a fan of the artistic choices made in the video). 

Norway: Icebreaker vs Grab the Moment  

Not sure how I feel about the bridge to Grab the Moment, but almost anything is better than Icebreaker. 

Poland: Color of your life vs Flashlight  

Polish Jesus brought life to Eurovision last year and I am forever grateful. Flashlight is another boring balad but will do well bc Poland. 

Portugal: Há um mar que nos separa vs Amar pelos dois

My buddy Salvador got lucky here because although I enjoy the song, his stage presence is by far the most uncomfortable I’ve seen. I’ll probably close my eyes for the semis. 

Romania: Moment of Silence vs Yodel It!  

1. Romania’s disqualification last year was a tragedy 2. No one asked for Rap/Yodel fusion and it’s as shitty as it sounds

Russia: You are the only one vs Flame Is Burning  

Glad Russia viewed using a disabled person as a shield against booing as higher of a priority than sending another quality act this year  

San Marino: I didn’t know vs Spirit of the Night  

At least Serhat was bad in an endearing kind of way. San Marino needs to stick with the ironically awful acts. 

Serbia: Shelter vs In Too Deep  

Shelter is the superior performance here, but I’m still waiting for another Marija Serifovic

Slovenia: Blue and red vs On My Way  

I’ll take the Slovenian Taylor Swift knockoff over the Sloevnian sexual predator any day. I’m also ashamed to be Slovenian. 

Spain: Say yay! vs Do It for Your Lover

 Do It for Your Lover is bad but not

that

bad. Say Yay! hurt my ears right at the first chorus. An entirely Spanish entry would be my preference, but apparently the Spanish jury doesn’t feel the same way. 

Sweden: If I were sorry vs I Can’t Go On

I guess I never got hit by the Frans train last year. Sweden sends the most basic, mainstream songs to Eurovision year after year and somehow does well. These two songs are no exception. 

Switzerland: Last of our kind vs Apollo  

Anything over Last of our Kind and whatever the hell her dance was. On the other hand, maybe it was the kind of comedic relief we need out of Eurovision. I’m personally not a fan of Apollo but I think it will probably do well. 

Ukraine:1944 vs Time

Hard choice, but in the end, 1944 was a winner. I was a huge fan of 1944 all the way (mostly because of the Tatar) but I am also a fan of Time. In a year with so many ballads (both good and bad), Time will certainly stick out and I wish them the best. 

United Kingdom:You’re not alone vs Never Give Up on You

You’re Not Alone was at least cute and cheesy. Never GIve Up on You is only a cheesy and fake ballad. Both songs manage to get stuck in your head, but not necessarily in a good way.