A Few Good Friends in Iceland

This is a tough one to write. Basically because even not the toughest GEE blogger girl is made out of stone and the tragic events proceeding the selection of this song makes it impossible for us to judge it only on its own merits. Not that the average Eurovision viewer on the night of the first semi-final will have a clue about what went on in Iceland earlier this year. But make no mistake, every commentator will make a point out of mentioning this in the presentation of the entry and will rightfully seize this moment to pay respect to a talented performer and composer who passed away way too young, and to his buddies who honors his memory by making sure his song lives on. It will be an emotional moment for all of us. And a chance for a landslide of sympathy votes. We’re sorry Iceland, but we can’t ignore the elephant in the room, and it has to be said.

The Icelandic seems to be a rugged bunch of people, we guess they rarely have time to resort to being sentimental and sulky when there’s erupting volcanos to worry about and not to mention having to endure summers where temperatures above 10 centigrade is considered to be tropical conditions. You’ll have our sympathy votes just for that. And there’s no doubt that the tribute to the the late Sjonni could have gone completely OTT in a cry me a river and I am willing to sell my grandma for a few points in return sort of way. Thank God it is all tastefully done with the fingerspitzengefühl needed in this situation. And we completely understand why our Icelandic neighbors went ahead and chose this song for Düsseldorf. Cause it’s not half bad, and the other songs on offer in the national final weren’t much to write home about, including the fanwank from Yohanna. It’s a happy, optimistic song that could have been played during the closing credits of a smiling through tears kind of movie. We are warming up to the ragtime theme and it reminds us that two out of the Big 5 countries also are a bit on the jazzy side this year.

But this is pretty much as far as our praise will go, cause at the end of the day we must admit that we find this song quite boring. Under regular circumstances we don’t think this would have qualified for the final, but we think it will do just that, and maybe for the wrong reasons. And if it qualifies it will be in the back of everybody’s mind, and we will never know will we, if it would have made it this far with Sjonni himself behind the mic.

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