Nineteenth place normally wouldn't be considered a high hitting place, but for this song it is definitely better than I thought it would.
I love Bonnie Tyler. Seriously, who doesn't? But the BBC shouldn't have sent her with this light country number. I wanted the 21st Century "Total Eclipse of the Heart", but I got a K.T. Oslin number.
However, Bonnie got more respect than her predecessor--Englebert Humperdinck, picking up points from a number of countries from around the continent from Belarus to Ireland.
It's a good result. I just hope that the BBC can attract a younger performer to Eurovision next year. As a former resident of the UK, I have an affection for the UK's entrant every year (no matter how good or bad they are).
And though I hate to say it, another "High Hitter" was the character I dubbed the Belgian chicken.
Before the contest, I would have never thought that this song would have come in twelfth, but each performance he became more and more assured. So congratulations to him. I still don't care for the performance--his inability to get the handle over English vowels is particularly grating to a native English speaker--but Western and Northern Europeans liked it. Belgium has to be pleased by the fact they placed so well--the second highest in ten years..
But the real winner of the "High Hitter" award is the Hungarian entry:
Bonnie Tyler "Believe In Me" United Kingdom
I love Bonnie Tyler. Seriously, who doesn't? But the BBC shouldn't have sent her with this light country number. I wanted the 21st Century "Total Eclipse of the Heart", but I got a K.T. Oslin number.
However, Bonnie got more respect than her predecessor--Englebert Humperdinck, picking up points from a number of countries from around the continent from Belarus to Ireland.
It's a good result. I just hope that the BBC can attract a younger performer to Eurovision next year. As a former resident of the UK, I have an affection for the UK's entrant every year (no matter how good or bad they are).
And though I hate to say it, another "High Hitter" was the character I dubbed the Belgian chicken.
Roberto Bellarosa "Love Kills" Belgium
Before the contest, I would have never thought that this song would have come in twelfth, but each performance he became more and more assured. So congratulations to him. I still don't care for the performance--his inability to get the handle over English vowels is particularly grating to a native English speaker--but Western and Northern Europeans liked it. Belgium has to be pleased by the fact they placed so well--the second highest in ten years..
But the real winner of the "High Hitter" award is the Hungarian entry:
ByeAlex "Kedvesem" Hungary
In the second semifinal, "Kedvesem" placed eighth, which usually means a placement in the bottom half of the final, but with love from countries all over Europe, Hungary came in tenth--gaining top marks from Germany in the process. The pundits didn't expect the song to do so well but hit a chord and placed will above those expectation, which makes it the highest of the high hitters.
