Getting the Hump

Eurovision has been and gone again. Britain hasn't done very well in recent years. Much of this has been self inflicted as the entries have been dire talent show rejects. This year they didn't even bother doing a Song for Europe type contest but the entry was intriguing. I first heard of this on my Radio 2 wake up call. When they started the announcement that "Famed 1960s singer Engelbert Humperdinck..." I thought that they were going to announce that he had died, not that he was to represent us at Eurovision. Quite what he was going to perform was a mystery but this was a seriously big star.

Britain used to do quite well at Eurovision. We won it several times and came second more times than I could remember. The one big factor is that most of our acts were established performers. Of those hat won it, only Bucks Fizz were a made for Eurovision act with all the others having had a long touring history and a few hit singles to their name. In recent years we have been sending talent show rejects or tired dross trying to revive a half baked career with a Eurovision appearance. Engelbert Humperdinck fits neither mould. He is a huge star - possibly most famously keeping the Beatles Strawberry Fields / Penny Lane (arguably their best single) off the number 1 spot. He is also a long standing regular on the big Las Vegas venues and can easily be mentioned with the likes of Tom Jones, Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley for his residencies. This is a seriously big star.

So what was the song going to be like? "Love Will Set You Free" was written by Sacha Skarbek, an Ivor Novello award winner. It's also a very nice song if a little old fashioned for the current Eurovision. Somehow, I suspected that it wouldn't win but I did expect it to pick up quite a few points. For once I have been pleasantly surprised that Britain has been taking Eurovision seriously. Unfortunately, "The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men. Gang aft agley, An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain." The song was drawn to be first on the bill and, as Graham Norton feared, a sweet ballad would be lost amongst the pomp and glitz of the night. I didn't finish last but it didn't do well by any stretch of the imagination.

I'm not sure where we can go from here. Some of the diabolical performances from British entrants in recent years have got all that they deserved. This one didn't and I now fear that it will be very difficult to convince any of our seasoned professionals to take part. I do think that Eurovision has become a bit stale again. Much of the life and variety that the old communist block countries had brought to the competition seems to have been lost and thinking back over the last ten years' winners there is only The Ukraine's Ruslana and Finland's Lordi that come readily to mind as exceptional and unique performers. Far too many seem to be honed to be likeable but instantly forgettable Eurovision fodder. I think last night was a case in point. In all honesty the best song probably won but I would find it largely indistinguishable from any other club anthem and of the others, only the Russian Grannies really stood out as a memorable performance.

Possibly the voting system could be reformed. I really did find it tedious sitting through an hour of results from all 42 countries when it was clear who was winning after the first half dozen. I also think the competition needs another breath of fresh air in the same way that the Eastern Europeans provided when they first took part. I just hope that the UK keeps trying. Engelbert was a brave choice and whatever the result I think he did us proud.