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Magdalena Koch

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Living in Europe

Eurovision Song Contest: Does it connect Europeans?

by Magdalena Koch, 2010

Does the Eurovision Song Contest connect Europeans?

It is nice to seen Europe together singing, laughing and dancing.

In this contest culture and music is exchanged, to some new directions. The Eurovision Song Contest is for getting to know and friendship, new countries see. The pop music from East Europe completely differs from that, the Scandinavian states. Turkey brings an oriental breath to Europe. The music of the western countries is not necessarily same, but nevertheless, the taste directions are similar.

Nevertheless, of the today's Eurovision Song Contest differs very much from the "old" one. There only countries can take a part, which belongs to the European broadcasting company. The first competition was in 1956 in Switzerland. At that time only the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, Luxembourg, Italy and just Switzerland can show their musicians to Europe. The Eurovision Song Contest get very popular in a very short time and the other countries get interested. Since 1990, when the European broadcasting company grow up, the East European and even some African and Asian states can be also proved musically. As a protest against different problems, problems with the contest decisions and the missing interest of some countries, different nations stayed away over and over again. Now by the fact that now a lot of states have the right to sing their music there are many complicated rules.

The Eurovision song Contest was a long time looked very much and it was a highlight in the evening television program, but in the last years there weren't so many people look this show. This is maybe because of the televoting.

That is the reason because it not so popular in this time now. Since the time with the televoting there is the music not so important any more. The winner is clear before they know who start for this countries. Is this the sense?

Some interviews have shown that particularly the young people are not interests in this old contest, or they not even know that there is something like that. The others said "I love It!". Especially a Hungarian girl finds the cohesion very great, that the countries give each other the points. Maybe that is because by the history and the language the Soviet states also feel even today very big solidarity for each other. For these reason these and also the Scandinavian countries push over themselves the points each other. Is this not exactly the reason for it, why many nationals do not watch the contest?

The countries of the west and the south west have dominated this competition till the 90th, with some very successful hits, with songs which have written history, songs which became world hits. Songs like "Hold Me Now" from Johnny Logan, "Puppet On A String" of Sandy Shaw, or "Pouppée De Cire, Poupée De Son"of France Gall. With it is said that the "new" nations have not produced fantastic songs, this may already be. However, during the last years the winners were not always be the champion in the former Eurovision Song Contest.

Nevertheless, actually, the "old" European countries had to go in protest, hold together to be strong. But this train drive away a long time ago, because there is not someone interested for the contest. In the eastern countries there is this contest very important to be a star.

 

Does the Eurovision Song Contest connect Europeans?

This question is very difficult to answer and I believe, the answer would be changed because where does the author live. I live in Germany and here is not a intensive connection with the eastern countries by the Eurovision Song Contest. Probably rather on the the contrary, the contest separate the states.

Also I find very interesting that I haven't read many good things about the contest. In our European seminar I have asked many pupils from eastern and western countries and the most of them never heard about the Eurovision Song Contest. The pupils who gave me a positive answer had no grounds for her feeling.

I do not think that this contest connect Europeans. Also I don't like the music of the presentation countries, but everybody knows, that is a taste thing.

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