Tim: Last Friday, BBC Eurovision producer Guy Freeman sent a wave of relief through British Eurovision fans by announcing that this year’s entry would be based on not what he heard on a pub jukebox at the weekend but on actual current talent; specifically, largely unknown talent taken from the BBC Introducing program (new acts send their stuff to their local BBC radio station, if it’s good enough they get played, and then maybe noticed by the big boys at Radio 1 or 2).
Tom: I never thought I’d say “bring back Bonnie Tyler”. But I listened to ‘Believe in Me’ a couple of times today, and, you know what? It might not have won Eurovision, but it’s not a bad song at all.
Tim: It’s not – it’s just a slightly uninspiring ballad that really wasn’t a vote-winner. This, on the other hand?
Tim: Very possibly a vote-winner, because I reckon that’s quite good.
Tom: I’m not so sure. What’s with that awful ‘power to the people’ chant? That’s a really bad motif to start and end the song with. The rest of it’s not bad at all — but all anyone’s going to remember is the dull bit.
Tim: Oh, I doubt that – for me, it’s the titular hook that sticks. In fact, on repeated listens, I’d go so far as to say it’s very good. It has a good number of the requisite Eurovision elements – big PAY ATTENTION drumbeat, powerful chorus, emphatic singalong chant, slightly throaty voice that means the singer has depth, backing singers in the first chorus that could in any standard song be left until the final chorus to improve it but MOLLY KNOWS WHAT SHE’S DOING. This is a song that was written by her specifically for Eurovision, and with it comes an entirely welcome nail-on-the-head feel-good message to it. YEAH! WE’RE the CHILDREN. Of the UNIVERSE. The whole flipping UNIVERSE, dammit! WE CAN MAKE IT RIGHT. WHHEEEY!
Tom: She’s got a good voice, it’s a modern pop song, it’s just… well, let’s just say I’m pretty sure we’re not going to be seeing Eurovision in the NEC next year. That said, I maintain that “Only Teardrops”, last year’s actual winner, was a bit of a letdown — so what do I know?
Tim: I’ll resist the temptation. It’s worth noting, finally, that we still weren’t guaranteed a decent act – sure, we got Florence and the Machine and Rizzle Kicks through Introducing, but it also spewed out Ed Sheeran and Jake Bugg. Fortunately, it’s done us very well here, and it’s nice that, for only the second time in five years, I’m not largely embarrassed by our national entry. And who knows? It might even get Radio 1 airplay, and (just possibly) turn Eurovision into a well-respected music competition.
Tom: Let’s not go that far.
Tim: No, probably not.