Abba - Waterloo

Probably Eurovision's biggest success ever via Sweden. In 1974 Abba took part in the Eurovision Song Contest which took place on the 6th of April in Brighton with a catchy little ditty called Waterloo. Influence by the Glam Rock scene of the UK and dressed in the latest fashions of the time (remember folks this is mid 1970's) they performed the song in English and won the contest with just 24 points. They had previously tried for Eurovision in 1973 with Ring Ring but failed to get chosen by the Swedish broadcasters. So this time they knew what they had to do to win a place, but for them it was a small step in the band's idea of making the big time.

The single got to number 1 in the UK and also the top of the charts in several European countries too. Also it hit the charts in Australia and America too where Eurovision wasn't really that well known. Apparently the band have said that Waterloo is roughly based and influenced by Wizzard's single See My Baby Jive (a hit in 1973) which I never thought about until now, but there is a similar sound. Although they released another couple of singles in the UK they all flopped here until S.O.S was released in 1975 which got into the top 10 and the rest is history. This was the beginning of the Abba story, from this one contest that would shoot them into superstardom and worldwide stars.

Tonight's Eurovision Song Contest is to take place in Sweden, 39 years after Abba's triumph win, the band split up in 1982 and vowed they would never sing together again. There are a lot of rumours that they might appear tonight to sing Waterloo, seeing that the band have opened this year a museum in Sweden celebrating the bands career and that Agnetha Fältskog has just released a new album, have all helped to fuel the rumours. It would be nice to think they might get back together but it is doubtful! Here is the original single, plus a picture disc version of the single that was released here to celebrate the 30th anniversary.

Bucks Fizz - Making Your Mind Up

Bucks Fizz were chosen to represent the UK in the Eurovision song contest in 1981. They were put together in January of 1981 by the writers of Making Your Mind Up just for the contest and followed the old pattern (after Abba) of 2 boys and 2 girl format. The band members were Mike Nolan, Cheryl Baker (who had previous Eurovision contest experience as she was in the band Co-co who were the 1978 entry for the UK), Jay Aston and Bobby G.

The song was released on RCA Records and when the contest was staged the single was already number 2 on the UK charts. Complete with a good tune and a memorable skirt ripping dance routine, they won the contest and the single went to number 1 in the UK. It also was number 1 around several countries in Europe too, but the hardest thing was to continue after the contest without slipping into obscurity which they managed as the next single charted. In all the band were successful around the world, had 3 UK number 1 singles and are still touring today, but as two separate groups after years of legal wrangles. Here's the cover, sorry had trouble loading photo's in for some reason!

Eurovision Song Contest

Tomorrow is the Eurovision Song Contest which is held every year and the various national broadcasters of European countries select a song to represent their country in the show and it has been running since 1956. The idea of the contest basically was to rebuild Europe and to rebuild friendships and trust after the second world war had left most countries war torn and shattered. A country would give Europe a vision of that countries music, people and community via a pop song and national dress (if they had one). Up until recently the rule was that they had to sing in their nationality not in English so that the song would come across using emotion and a good melody.

Britain have won it 5 times in total and tomorrow night Bonnie Tyler is our representation in the contest. Last year it was Englebert Humperdinck and came second to last I think. Over the years the true vision and idea of a united Europe via a song contest has been hit more by politics. The last few years it is becoming more noticeable how a neighbouring country is voting for each other rather than giving the votes out fair, which has had a few countries complaining how unfair it is becoming. Also it shows how unpopular a country is becoming also as Britain have been coming in quite low the last few years, I think it shows we are not that popular in Europe! Each year there are calls for the UK to pull out of the show as it is becoming a joke because a country didn't vote for us as they don't like any of our policies or the fact we became allies with another country.

I really hope Bonnie does well but I don't think it is a Eurovision song, they are hoping her loyal fan base through Europe will help her with the votes, we shall see. I think it is such as shame that the original idea of a united Europe through music has yet again been ruined by politics. So I'm celebrating Eurovision with a couple of singles which will feature in the next couple of posts!

George Michael - Older

George's third album was released in May 1996 and hit the number 1 position straight away. It spawned 6 singles that all reached the top 3 in the UK in 1996 - 1997. It was such an adult album for him, gone are the pop songs from the past and in came more serious pop tunes, with more of a darker and sad feel to the songs. Also I have always thought, it was George's coming out album, with references to one night stands in Fastlove, affairs and Russian roulette in Spinning The Wheel, also the way he began to dress was pushing towards the gay scene. Strings were brought in to contribute to he new sound as well as a jazz feel to some of the tracks. Released on Virgin records it became the labels fastest selling album ever and to date has sold just under 2 million copies in in Britain.

The first single to be released off the album was Jesus To A Child, which if I am honest I didn't like when it was a single but I grew to love as an album track. It was the next single and the great video for Fastlove that I really liked. It's a track I never get tired of listening to, a real feel good number! The next single was Spinning The Wheel which got to number 2 as girl power was just starting up here and the Spice Girls stopped it getting to number 1. Older was released in early 1997 with new tracks added and one of my fave tracks was I Can't Make You Love Me which I thought should have been a single on it's own. It was recorded live and the audience was dubbed off the track that was on the Older single and went to number 3. Star People 97 had a remix to push it to number 2 and the final single was You Have Been Loved which came with The Sweetest Thing 97, another remixed track which also got to number 2.

I've listened to the album myself when I've been really down, listened to it in the dark with just the music for company and I just love it. It's the only George Michael album I really like, I bought the follow up but it wasn't a patch on this although there was a couple of good tracks on it. If you get a chance to have a listen to it, I recommend it as it is such a good listen, if you already have the album, dig it out and give it another listen, you'll enjoy it!

Gary Numan - Cars

Cars was released in 1979 as the follow up to Are 'Friends' Electric, which came under the band name of Tubeway Army. Gary Numan had wanted to release 'Friends' under his real name but Beggars Banquet (his label) wanted it under the band name. After the huge success of 'Friends' Gary persuaded the label to let him release under his name, so Cars is the first official Gary Numan single. The song, based about a confrontation in his car and locking all the doors to keep himself in safe, reached number 1 in September 1979, hit the top 10 in America and number 1 in Canada as well as doing well all over the world.

Over the years Cars has been remixed and has managed to get back into the UK top 20 on several occasions in 1987 and 1995, it has been covered by Fear Factory and always manages to get onto 80's electronic compilations (although it was released in 1979). The song also has been sampled in Armand Van Helden single Koochy. Cars is a track that is a classic piece of early electronic music that has influenced a generation of electronic bands and has a good video that still gets airplay today. Here's the single