It’s the time of year again when people all over Europe (and Australia) are preparing themselves for the next Eurovision Song Contest! The show has seen some classic hits over the years – think ‘Waterloo’ or ‘Making Your Mind Up’. However, for every great track there’s usually one or two that miss the mark entirely! For this year’s contest, at The Insurance Emporium, we’re celebrating the acts that made an impression for all the wrong reasons, in our rundown of the seven worst Eurovision entries ever!
1. ‘The Social Network Song’ – Valentina Monetta
San Marino’s 2012 entry began life titled ‘Facebook Uh Uh Oh’, but had to change its name due to rules about product placement. The problem is the lyrics still rhyme with Facebook, and the performers are wearing blue and white. Definitely not about Facebook though…
2. ‘Sameach’ – Ping Pong
This high energy pop tune was Israel’s 2000 attempt. It starts off okay, but then the chorus consists of chanting ‘oh’, with shouts of ‘be happy’! The dancing is also like the worst kind you see at a wedding. In an attempt to call for peace with Syria they waved Syrian flags. Unfortunately, it didn’t work.
3. ‘Aven Romale’ – Gypsy.cz
This track from the Czech Republic in 2009 failed to make it through the semi-finals, after scoring a big fat zero. Featuring a singer/rapper dressed as a superhero, who almost gets stabbed in the eye with a violin bow, it’s certainly entertaining!
4. ‘Lisa, Mona Lisa’ – Wilfried
On a more profound note, this 1988 entry from Austria contemplates Da Vinci’s masterpiece, finding only tragedy. Perhaps this could have performed better if it wasn’t so dreary, or if Wilfried looked more like he cared and removed his hand from his pocket. On the day, however, it scored a magnificent nul points.
5. ‘Party for Everybody’ – Buranovskiye Babushki
Russia went in heavily with tradition in 2012! Party for Everybody featured a group of older ladies in traditional dress, singing in a mixture of Udmurt and English. The lyrics describe doing housework and preparing for relatives coming over – the group even baked live on stage!
6. ‘Shir Habatlanium’ – Lazy Bums
A second entry for Israel is this Blues Brothers inspired duo from 1987. It begins subdued, but once you reach the first chorus the dancing is something incredible to behold. In their favour, the dancing is very relatable, the kind where you think everyone thinks you’re cool, but actually you look a bit of an idiot.
7. ‘Dschinghis Khan’ – Dschinghis Khan
We thought twice about including Dschinghis Khan on this list, because it’s actually not a bad song. But West Germany’s 1979 disco Genghis Khan just has to be seen! Describing the Mongolian ruler’s victories, whilst attempting to seduce fellow band members, the group managed to grab the fourth spot in the contest!
These are just a small selection of the more interesting acts to have graced the Eurovision stage over the years; there are plenty more to be found! If you’re a musician yourself, you might want to think about taking out music insurance to help protect your equipment. At The Insurance Emporium, we offer Music Insurance with Worldwide Cover and Theft as Standard Benefits. You could also get a 25% Introductory Discount* when taking out a policy. Head to The Insurance Emporium to find out more!
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