Now that the National Finals season is finished and all songs for Eurovision 2016 have been selected we now have a period of around 4 weeks where we wait for the rehearsals to begin in Stockholm. What better way to fill the time than to look back over the 60 years of Eurovision at some of the best and worst entries that countries have sent to the Eurovision stage. There are 43 countries going to Stockholm to take part in the 2016 edition of our favourite musical extravaganza and we continue our journey with Norway who have won the contest three times, finished second once and third once. They have finished last eleven times in the Final. This has been achieved in 54 participations. You can check out the previous articles in the best and worst series for Ireland HERE ,Spain HERE, Austria HERE, Bosnia & Herzegovina HERE, Iceland HERE, Belarus HERE, Denmark HERE, Georgia HERE, Germany HERE, Cyprus HERE, Finland HERE, Belgium HERE and Hungary HERE, Switzerland HERE, Ukraine HERE, Moldova HERE and Estonia HERE.

So this year Norway are represented by Agnete with the song ‘Icebreaker’. We will have to wait and see if it turns  out to be more of a best or  worst song for Estonia but the overall reaction is fairly mixed so far. You can catch up on our recent article on some things you need to know about Agnete HERE.

So my selections for best and worst entries are based on a combination of actual results and personal taste. Now Norway have fifty four entries to choose from making the task a lot harder. There are many great songs from Norway over the years especially some of the earlier ones. I will be able to choose three songs I deem to be the worst but am at a loss to choose three best ones. So I will highlight three in particular and many of the others I will mention as a tribute to the many great songs we have seen from Norway.

We do not have to go very far back in time to find our first song that is one of the best for Norway. The year was 2015 and we were in Vienna to see Morland and Deborah Scarlet singing the song ‘A Monster Like Me’.

Now Norway were onto a winner with this or so I thought. The preview video was great, dark and moody. The build up in London and Amsterdam pre contest was promising.  Even when we got to Vienna it all seemed to be looking and sounding good for Norway. But sadly for me it just fell short of doing really well. It was 4th in the Semi Final but ended up only 8th in the Final with 102 points.

Moving along we look at one of the worst entries for Norway. We were in Jerusalem in 1999 to see Stig Van Eijk perform the song ‘Living My Life Without You’.

Now Stig was born in Colombia but is Norwegian singer and composer. The song was an uptempo song with roots in Urban music. Although it was a lively enough performance a lot of the vocal was a little bit flat and off key for my liking and hence the reason its in this category. It ended up in 14th place with 35 points.

So now we move back to look at another best of entry for Norway. We were in Gothenburg in 1985 and the performers were Bobbysocks with the song ‘La Det Swinge’.

Now Bobbysocks consisted of Norwegian singer Hanne Krogh and Swedish/Norwegian singer Elisabeth Andreassen. Both have extensive Eurovision pedigree with Hanne representing Norway on three occasions and Elisabeth representing Norway also three times but also representing Sweden once. The song was a throwback tribute to old style rock n roll and gave Norway their first victory in Eurovision ending up with 123 points. It went on to chart success in various parts of Europe afterwards.

Our next song that has to be considered one of the worst for Norway was sent in the year 1997 and we were in Dublin to witness the colourful Tor Endresen singing ‘San Francisco’.

There is no doubt that this was a colourful performance. Tor and his band all wore different brightly coloured jackets. The song was of course a homage to the city and all things to do with the swinging sixties and the years of peace and flowers in the hair. It had some words and phrases in English but was primarily sung in Norwegian. The song was midtempo rock but it did not hit the right spot with jurors getting the dreaded nul points and finishing in 24th place.

So onto our last song that was one of Norway’s best. It was in 2009 and Moscow was witness to the sensation that was Alexander Rybak with the song ‘Fairytale’.

Now starting with the song it was written by Rybak himself and is about his ex girlfriend. It’s inspiration comes from a mythical creature form Scandinavian folklore who lures young men then curses them. It went onto chart success throughout Europe after Eurovision. It went on to win both the Semi Final and then the Final with a record breaking points total of  387.

We now arrive at the last song for Norway and it’s another of the worst. In 1978 we saw Jan Teigen represent his country in Paris with the song ‘Mil Etter Mil’.

 

It was a song that was a ballad, with Teigen describing his long journey to find someone and telling this person that he simply cannot walk any further – having walked “mile after mile” already. It was if I am being honest a bit of a scream fest of a performance from Jan. He went on to take part in Eurovision another two times and also competed in Melodi Grand Prix in Norway a record 14 times. His song was the first to receive the dreaded Nul points under the newer voting system and of course finished in 20th and last place.

So I have mentioned 3 best of songs above but also have to mention the following entries for Norway as all being great entries too.

1995 Secret Garden with ‘Nocturne’ Norway scored their second victory with this.

1996 Elisabeth Andreassen with ‘I evighet’ which finished 2nd.

2014 Carl Espen with ‘Silent Storm’

2000 Charmed with ‘My heart goes Boom’

1993 Silje Vige with ‘Alle Mine Tanker’

2013 Margaret Berger with ‘I Feed you my Love’

So there we have it folks, my little delve into Norwegian Eurovision history and some of the best and worst moments over the years. Do you agree with all or even any of my choices? Feel free to comment below.

This series will continue with another look at songs over the years for each and every country competing in Eurovision 2016 so keep coming back for more reflections of the best and worst that Eurovision has had to offer us.

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Author: Andrew Main

Source: Eurovision Ireland