Norway Wins Eurovision

Back in the days of my youth when I was a fan of the Eurovision Song Contest, Ireland used to win a lot and Norway used to get null points. Well to say I'm shocked to wake up this morning and discover that Norway won this year's contest says a lot about my childhood-initiated prejudice. (Ireland didn't even get into the final this year).

The thing is that I've been singing along to this song for several months on the car radio and I absolutely love it. I just had no idea it was Norway's Eurovision's entry. It's not that the competition, including qualifying rounds, doesn't get a lot of air-time here; it does. Too much, in fact. But I've just avoided watching any of it.

So well done Alexander Rybak and collaborators. Norwegians will be very proud of you today on their national day. Gosh, even I'm feeling a little misty-eyed. Must be here too long. Or maybe it's the thought of getting to cover next year's event, assuming it's held in Oslo, for whomever I can convince to give me the job.

Have a listen. I think it's fab!

This makes me want to scream! (U2 sacrilege)

Kurt Nilsen is a Norwegian singer, with a fantastic voice, who won World Pop Idol several years ago. He has teamed up with three other male singers – one of whom looks and sounds about eight years old but isn’t - to make records, television, concert appearances, and money singing cover versions of other artists’ hit songs. Fabulous voices do not fabulous music always make!

Twice this morning I switched on the car radio and had this horrendous balladic, harmony treatment of U2’s ‘With or Without You’ inflicted on me. This isn't one of U2's best songs -IMHO-but it still doesn't deserve this treatment. I’m started to get tetchy with the radio button as a result. I think it’s atrocious. Absolutely atrocious. What d’you think?

Kurt and co - please stop messin' with my heritage!

Here's another clip; this time with expressive eyebrows: