Off-Season Series: Revisiting the Rankings: Intro and 40-43

It's one week after Eurovision 2013. Most fans are burnt out, unless they're occupied uncovering various scandals. To keep this blog going during the off season, I present my project:

REVISITING THE RANKINGS

Over the next few weeks I'll go back over my eight (!) years of ranking the full 37-43 songs, rank by rank, and add any opinions that time may have changed. In each ranking, I will highlight one song I could have ranked higher and one that I could have ranked lower, plus any extra opinions.

Here are the first four rankings. The first was only represented in two years and the next three were only in five years.

43

Overrated: Belgium 2011

If I could make this song occupy a ranking higher than 44, I would. Nothing makes me rush to skip a song like “With love baby.”

Underrated: Estonia 2008

It probably deserved its ranking then too, but the absence of silly novelty songs in recent years has given me nostalgia goggles.

Trivia: I completely forgot the name Kreisiraadio until just now.

42

Overrated: Latvia 2009

See above. If I coud rate it lower I would. Grating, it deserved the place it got. The icing on the cake is the camera getting in the shot.

Underrated: Montenegro 2008

This one was actually kind of cute and catchy, though far from polished. There are at least ten songs from this year I'd put below this one if I redid the rankings.

Trivia: The worst part about the performance of “Questa notte” is definitely the combination of the top hats and jeans. Doesn't work on stage, and especially doesn't work in real life.

Other songs:Romania 2011, Belgium 2012

41

Overrated: Slovakia 2012

Max Jason Mai may have had more interesting hair, but the #42 ranked “What If” from Belgium was a more interesting song.

Underrated: Malta 2011

I may have not unintentionally listened to this one more than I care to admit.

Other Songs: Montenegro 2007, Moldova 2008, Denmark 2009

40

Overrated: FYR Macedonia 2009

Completely unmemorable, and Denmark's song that year was just a little better.

Underrated: Spain 2008

I don't care anymore that it was disrespectful. At least it had a beat!

Trivia: Any time an American Doctor Who fan says that the BBC is the best, you can point to the United Kingdom's 2007 entry as proof to the contrary.

Other songs: Moldova 2011, Netherlands 2012