American Reacts to EUROVISION Last Place Performances

[@aduantas8609]

Something that a lot of people seem to forget about Eurovision is that you can only vote for your favourites, you can't vote against a song that you think is bad, which means that the last place is generally the least memorable rather than the worst because at least a disaster is memorable (The only exception to this being 1971-73 where jurors rated the songs out of 10)

[@smultronpojke4010]

Eurovision didn't truly become anglocentric until the 90s - if anything, the juries (who had all the voting power back then) of the 50s and 60s were biased in favor of entries in French. After Sweden sent an English entry in 1965, a rule was introduced that songs had to be primarily in one of your country's official languages, it was then temporarily retired in the 70s and then brought back again before being retired for good in 1999. The increased anglocentrism in the 90s was a large contributing factor to Ireland's massive success during that decade

[@capncaviar]

Oh the guy that is super specific and actually listens like no one else when it comes to eurovision is back!!!!!! Super excited

[@margaridamendes1730]

A little fun fact: The Portuguese entry of 1974 is a very important Eurovision entry in Portugal because it was the secret sign to start the revolution that ended the dictatorship Portugal was under. It's a pretty good song all things considered (that is obviously better if you understand the lyrics) and we don't really care what the juries voted or what place it got since that song hepled literally change the way Portugal is now.

[@andreweisen]

Neat, thanks for sharing that little tidbit!

[@MewDenise]

I agree with those saying that "just cause you got last place doesn't mean it was bad, just not memorable"

[@philjones45]

A great reactor. Funny and educated. Thanks Andrew.

[@andreweisen]

Thanks for the kind words; glad you enjoyed it!

[@clueingforbeggs]

If you ever feel like returning to Eurovision, I'd be interested in seeing your opinions on the rest of the last place songs, as well as this year's winner and runner-up.

[@treverthetree]

While we don’t have the video, the reason we can’t start with 1956 is because we don’t know the detailed voting results. We only know the song that won and nothing else. There would have been a second all the way down to fourteenth place, unfortunately it wasn’t announced and we can’t find any record of it. With 1964 there are photos of the final scoreboard and we have an audio recording of most of the contest, so we know the detailed results. Hope this helps.

[@andreweisen]

Thanks for the details!

[@TheManInBlueFlames]

You should go past 2010. Just because someone doesn't tip you the money doesn't mean you should have stopped. There are some actual interesting entries from 2010-2023 that ended up last place. Plus, there's two semi finals that have last placers too!

[@andreweisen]

I disagree. I felt that doing the same thing for someone who's not a Patron for less money would devalue the rewards I made for my actual Patrons. Going up to 2010 was the compromise myself, my Patrons, and the gentleman who commissioned this video all agreed on.

[@Vescilla]

Oh hell yeah brother! I was just rewatching your video reacting to all winners :D time to dig in, thank you for another Eurovision reaction :)

[@Markstubation01]

In 2004 the girl who represented Sweden had some fun with the microphone stand. She stroked it, she swung it around, she thrusted on it… it was a thing.

[@SchlagerLucas]

How fun would it be if I had you on my Eurovision Preview Show? Your analyzes are great!

[@andreweisen]

Great fun, I bet! Thanks for your kind words and thanks for doing the work putting together all those Eurovision montages. I've had a blast watching them and my viewers seem to enjoy me reacting to them too!

[@solmoman]

Lucas, hur skulle du känna inför ihopklipp av de roligaste/skummaste outfits och scenmoden? Jag tror det finns ett intresse

[@filipv.5019]

Until 1998 there was an orchestra., which gave the songs a typical Eurovision sound. Each country brought their own conductor.

[@kevinniehaus5618]

Sad that you stopped in 2010. Hope someone ritch out there is „Paypal-you“ the rest til 2023 😂 and also for all Eurovision 3rd / 4th/ 5th compltations. 🙈👍

[@lailaagrado]

After Barbara Dex's entry, there was a new award was created- for the worst dress of the night in Eurovision SC. It's name is Barbara Dex award...it's awarded at every Grand Final of ESC.

[@robertwilloughby8050]

The great thing about the Barbara Dex award is that Barbara herself finds it, in her own words "ruefully hilarious"!

[@ar50000]

But it's now called the "You're a Vision Award".

[@domiiinik4320]

In 1956 they only announced the winner, that's why there is no footage of the last place, because there was no last place One thing that is important is that since 2004 we have semifinals and this video only shows the last places in the finals, so since 2004 there were even worse songs than these shown and they didn't qualify to the final

[@Alianger]

For Knut it's not a silent K but pronounced a bit like "knoot" or "knewt".

[@kirstenfrostholm8063]

There is almost nothing from 1964 because the DR (Danish Broadcasting TV) thought it was a silly cheesy show so it was taped over. The only reason that there is a recording from that year is because there was an English documentary that was being made from the show (and it was probably just the highlights and a chips of a few songs) There was a monopoly on TV channels in Denmark until 1988 so the general public hadn't much to say anyway and from 1967 to 1976 we didn't attend at all.

[@sarahenchanted]

So during the first 20ish years or so there weren't that many points to give out (I don't think they introduced the 12, 10, 8-1 system until the 70s or 80s) and it was way easier to get last place/no points back then than it would be now + it was very common for there to be joint last places and ties. Waterloo is an iconic winner but only got 24 points since the max amount of points a country could get was very low compared to now.

[@madabbafan]

Not only that but the scoring system changed every few years as well. In 1974 the maximum score a song could be given to any song was 5 points but a total maximum of 10 points could be given by each jury.

[@robertwilloughby8050]

A note about Kirsti Sparboe. As well as a (much loved) singer in her own Norway, she was a really talented comic too!

[@Markstubation01]

You quit watching before the funniest voice breaking last placer ever

[@Georgie-M]

Yeah a reason why there were so few English songs coming last in the old contests was mainly bc there were so few songs in English in the first place. It was usually just the UK and Ireland sending them and we tended to do pretty well.. until we lost that advantage at the turn of the millennia lol. Also for 2004 onwards, most of the worst offenders wouldn't have made it onto this video as most would be kicked out in the semi-finals, while this video focuses on the finalists. That said, because the UK, Germany, Spain, France and Italy contribute so much to the contest financially, they and the reigning champs get a free pass to the final. So if they send something bad, chances are that they're coming dead last behind the countries that has to earn their place.

[@Melanie-qm6yj]

3:21 Austria not Germany

[@AlexS-oj8qf]

Hitler would disagree.

[@GastonTheGreat]

Eurovision is not "exactly" a song contest, it's kinda of a "spectacle" contest. Specially in the late years. Your song and singing may be sh¡t, but if you have an outstanding staging and choreography you may have a top3 or even win. You might have a complete disaster pack, but if you make people laugh (troll entries) you may have a good final position too. Televote has a major impact there, so it's all about being not only ear, but eyecatching.

[@EmoBearRights]

In the 60s the points system wasn't generous so two,three or four countries getting no points wasn't that rare. From 2004 - these are the songs in the final so there's worse songs than didn't make it through so the last placers in semi(s) were a bit robbed but the last placer in the first one in 2004 Switzerland is legendarily terrible.

[@solmoman]

It would be very fun if you reacted to the outfits in a seperate video! I'd love to see a compilation of the wildest outfits and performances

[@Theodoros.K.Mouchtaris]

The 1966 Italian singer, Domenico Modugno, (the one you didn't like, and you were probably correct) was 3rd in 1958. He was also 1st in the Sanremo Musical Festival (in Italy), held previously in the same year. In both cases with the same song "Nel blu dipinto di blu", also known as "Volare". Despite placing 3rd in the 1958 Eurovision, it is regarded as one of the all-time most popular songs to come out of Eurovision (and Sanremo). The combined sales of all the versions of the song exceed 18 million copies worldwide. The song spent five non-consecutive weeks atop the Billboard hot 1000 in August and September 1958, and subsequently became Billboard's number-one single for the year. In 1959 at the 1st annual Grammy Awards, Modugno's recording became the first ever Grammy winner for both Record of the year and Song of the year. The song was later translated into several languages and recorded by a wide range of performers. The song is also used as the basis for numerous football (soccer, for you Americans) chants. Source Wikipedia. One more thing: I don't understand how he took part singing the same song in 2 separate competitions? The songs had to be original. And not sung previously. I might be missing something ...

[@airin.unohana]

Do a 3rd place one. I'd love to hear what you have to say about 2015's 3rd placing entry.

[@erikasolnc]

Now I want a reaction to all 70's performances...

[@erikasolnc]

And rate their costumes.

[@Krisopolis]

Great to see another Eurovision video from you again! Yeah, the most damning thing you can say about a lot of last place songs is that they're just not very interesting. Our 2003 entry being one exception, in that it was legendarily bad, to the point that up until last year the UK had basically been stuck firmly in the doldrums. Being one of the "big five" (ie 5 nations that contribute the most financially to Eurovision & automatically go into the final) doesn't help either, to be fair; unless they pull off something incredible, they often end up in the bottom places by virtue of only being heard once.

[@joebloggs396]

Though there are exceptions which are good, but presumably not fashionable to some people or not from a place with much Eurovision reputation.

[@rebeccaba7154]

The Belgium contesters where the first one who were singingand dancing at the same time in eurovision. Theywere a married couple, they designed that outfit. Last week there was a hommage for them in eurovision. Unfortunately Nicole died a year ago.

[@Theodoros.K.Mouchtaris]

In the early years of Eurovision you had to sing in the language of the country you were representing. So, also the first and second places, and also all of the songs as a matter of fact were not sung in English. Apart from those of course that English was the country's language. I don't know when this changed, thow.

[@dengamleidiot]

The rant from 35:39 is golden

[@markus_ch]

1:00:31 That’s her heart sticking out of her dress. ♥ I just imagine you would have a date with her and said such a thing… BTW: I don’t know if you realized, that you stopped in 2011 instead of 2022, but you seemed to have enough - which I can understand. In any case, I enjoyed your reaction once again! 👏👏👏

[@mjloca]

Exactly! it's a heart. @andreweisen If you don't know the designer, google Agata Ruiz de la Prada. She is something else!

[@sutej72]

Televoting didn't start in Eurovision until 1997. Before that it was just jury votes from every country that choose the winner.

[@filipv.5019]

From 1966 to 1973 and from 1977 to 1999 every country had to sing a song IN THEIR OWN LANGUAGE which gave countries like Ireland, UK, France, Luxemburg, Switzerland some advantage. Belgium had to alternate French and Dutch (Wallonia and Flanders)

[@cmlemmus494]

The way I see it with these, even if a country isn't trying their best they're still attending an international competition that is broadcast throughout Europe. It's better to pull out for a year than waste money on a PR disaster. So the last place contestants are still mostly good musicians with good songs, they just happened to face better that year.

[@thorbjrnhellehaven5766]

As for language not being English. If you pick a random country in Europe, you problably won't pick one with native English. Some periodes, Eurosong also hat rules requiring songs in one of their native. Lately there's no restictions on language, and more countries participate with English, but still a few, in their nstive language.

[@barawen_who]

About Spain 1965, that's just how we used to sing at that time, in Spanish 😂

[@Theodoros.K.Mouchtaris]

I'm Greek and I was surprised to see that the 1961 singer representing Austria was the Greek singer Jimmy Makulis! (Jimis Makoulis in romanized Greek, Τζίμης Μακούλης as it actually is in Greek). I didn't know he participated in Eurovision! Representing Austria, but nonetheless. After all Greece started participating in Eurovision in 1974. He was 26 years old in 1961. Died in 2007. He's done quite an international career. Mostly in other countries rather than in Greece. In Germany for instance, as far I remember. I looked up in Wikipedia and I saw that in 1990 (55 years old at the time) he took part in the selection competition for that year's Greek Eurovision entry, finishing fifth.

[@saranissen6210]

Yes just because it's last place don't necessarily mean it's really bad, it might just not be memorable enough for people to vote for it/it just ends up last, because someone eventually has to, when people often only vote for their absolute favorite, and many people only base their votes on hearing it/watching it once or twice(casual listeners), where die-heard fans follows the contest closely whenever a new song is released/ follow national finals even and maybe have the time for certain songs to grow on them.

[@sophiamcl]

Regardless of the general quality of the songs submitted, one of them is going to end up in last place, it's just the nature of the voting system to create a ranking order. It doesn't mean the song was awful, only the least preferred.

[@sealordweltraumkrake2483]

32:00min: "We've made it for ten years now since the beginning, and none of the last placed songs - of which many were tied - are in English"...yes, but not many of the winning songs and the runner-ups either. Most of the early winning songs were in french, and in general, there has been a greater language variety among the ESC songs back in those days. But anyway...good reaction video! One could expect the songs which were last place to be far worth. And there have been plenty of songs during all those years, which are edgy, quirky and somewhat comical. That's the thing, many people like about ESC: The trolling songs. Here are a few samples: Croatia 2023: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nnjYeJmaeq9ohtk Latvia 2008: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nYLcYYOAetCEnqM Ireland 2008: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pqSWnKt9pMSaqNE Austria 2003: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iqjIkpKudqhpba8 Germany 2000: kzbin.info/www/bejne/opXHoHuHfr-EqtE Germany 1998: kzbin.info/www/bejne/foG9iWp7j655epI

[@aekelly]

2012 t0 2023? Anyway....these videos are fun, thank you! I knew after watching your other ESC videos that your reactions to the last place songs would be amusing. But you're right, nothing was really hideous but more just forgettable. Many are just so freakin' cheesy! I hope you might consider watching the contest this year and giving us your thoughts! THere are two semi finals, but I'd be happy with just the final! Or even just the top 10 of the final....although admittedly some of my favorites have ended up on the left side of the board.....and some stuff I positiviely HATED came in so high it made me ill. LOL! (yes, I'm very opinionated 😏)

[@lailaagrado]

Cry Baby by Gemini is till nowadays the lowest point for UK in the whole competition. As per the singers, they did not heard at all their voices.... but the whole act was bad... therefore 0 points

[@tjarkhillu9706]

IMO worst song in history of ESC ever. At least among all other last places.

[@kharma101]

Tied with 2021 lol. But 2021 deserved something

[@matinee1992]

so what does it take to finish the video to 2022?

[@andreweisen]

Another $20. Folks who support me on Patreon for $10/month for a year get a video of their choice so, since these videos have been reward videos in the past, their value is $120 (plus a year of waiting if you want to be super accurate). John P, the generous viewer who funded this video, is not a Patron so we (with feedback from my Patrons) compromised on his offered an additional $50 on top of his initial $50 to do a slightly abbreviated reaction video. That's why this video only goes up to 2010. Going into the project, I didn't realize many of the years would feature multiple performances so he sure got his money's worth!

[@TorbjörnMårtensson-g2g]

"En gång i Stockholm" by Monica Zetterlund is actually awesome in a very low key way. And check her out if you like jazz.

[@madabbafan]

2010 for the UK I did feel a little sorry for Josh. He had a good voice but let's face it not even Adele could have made a silk purse out of that sow's ear of a song.

[@randomamericansescreaction1590]

To me, 1968, 2002, and 2015 are so underrated :(

[@th5841]

The 1961 entry was really in 12/8, so the piano was playing triplet eights, not 16th notes. Just my observation.

[@matinee1992]

by the way one of the reasons why for such a long time no english songs got last can be explained with the small number of english speaking countries participating. In fact only the UK and Ireland and after the 60s Malta (along with Maltese language as their second official language). Except for some years in the 70s all entries must have been sung in the official language of the country. That rule expired in 1999.

[@amasiacarolin]

So many Nordic countries in last place 😅

[@idraote]

The first few years there were very few entries (maybe ten to 16). I don't think the last places were bad... they were just a little less popular. I feel the "peculiar" last-place entries started in the late 70s. My impression is that at that time, pop from the US/UK started prevailing and central/northern Europe's pop backtracked into the "very meh" area.

[@garvani]

I find it very amusing to watch an American trying to decode how Eurovision song contest works. That's why I watched all your video. Eurovision has always been full of diversities. And it changes from year to year. And it gets very political especially when there are important events happening in Europe. You don't seem to know enough about it. Let me give you some hints (my personal opinion): - the best song rarely makes it to the top. - the worst song rarely makes it to the bottom - the winners rarely make it to top charts but other entries do - last minute technical problems have destroyed some songs - bizarre makes an entry popular - there are always countries who try to cheat somehow

[@beckysam3913]

eurovision song contest was never about winning or loosing, there is no price to win but on the contrary, the winning nation must pay for hosting the next years contest. it is about uniting european countries in peace to prevent another world war, bc after the world war 2, eurovision was created. in times when tv was black and white, not all homes had even landline phones, cold war between europe and USA against Soviet russia was going on, internet wasnt even invented, pc was not available, the tv shows like eurovision was a way to communicate between neighbouring european countries. and not all had tv set at homes too. if lets say USA would suddenly decide to be part of it, hell will brake loose bc USA would think that its about real winning and not celebrating diversity, parents would start sending kids to expensiv singing lessons and let them be chosen to partake in this competition eventually as adults to bring back a trophy, Florida would constantly protest the content and bann it even in their state, lol. I hope they bring back the rule that every participant must sing in their mothertonge bc this is exactly why eurovision was invented for, to show the different cultures and live peacefully together.

[@user7434]

ESC France 1997

[@Akselxela1520]

Well I’m Italian and I can’t roll the Rs, everyone notices :/, when I was a child everyone asked me to say “ramarro marrone cade dal burrone”

[@MLWitteman]

Wait until you translate the lyrics of those creepy Dutch guys. I’m sure this song would be cancelled in this day and age.

[@gesinchen13]

Wo ist der Rest

[@andreweisen]

As explained in the video, the person who commissioned this project only commissioned up to 2010 so that's all I reacted to.

[@meduzsazsa8490]

Why just until 2011?

[@andreweisen]

It's explained at the beginning of the video but in short, we didn't raise enough money to do the whole thing.

[@meduzsazsa8490]

@@andreweisen will you maybe react to the recap of this year's songs. Yesterday was semi final 2

[@andreweisen]

@@meduzsazsa8490 Depends on what my Patrons and viewers pick as rewards. I'd be happy to do so; we'll see what happens. I will have another reaction sometime in the next month, this time to a full performance!

[@MadameChristie]

Tulle, ya mean tulle lol (1990)

[@Markstubation01]

1956 didn’t announce the results so there was no official placements apart from the winner.

[@LexusLFA554]

Solange in German means As Long (as) Nul Points is what it says on the tin. Nobody voted for the song. If the song is disqualified, it won't even be shown. Nur in der Wiener Luft and Telefon, Telefon have to be the 2 worst songs. I wouldn't mind the video going 2 hours, and going into more detail for each song.

[@Markstubation01]

1968 was the year all the men wore turtlenecks

[@rickjr37]

When you consider that for many years you could only sing in the language of the country you’re representing and the UK is the only country singing in English for many of those years,you’re going to get a lot of non English last places.

[@kharma101]

1956 doesn’t have any footage but they also lost the results. They only know the winner, nothing else Also, you’re correct about 2003. Their earpieces were too loud to the point they couldn’t hear their own voices. It happens sometimes which would suck

[@TheDRMISTERY]

Good start - with a controversy and lack of transparency. Apparently Luxembourg didn't send its own jurors so... Swiss jurors were actually able to vote on their behalf. Not hard to imagine that it was a mess. Thankfully they did learn their lesson and the following year it was all clear.

[@MrPaulMorris]

Most of the last placed entrants are simply unremarkable; not necessarily bad but just didn't catch the attention of the juries and/or viewers. Especially in the later years when the number of competing countries increased it was very easy for perfectly fine but nondescript songs simply to get lost.

[@Werderina]

I think that the last 13 years would have been more interesting. But I wouldn’t pay money for you doing it. Your reactions are just not that special. Good luck though

[@andreweisen]

I agree, which is why I'm continuously surprised that such people exist. But hey, since they're there, I'm happy to accommodate them!

[@angyliv8040]

There was no english in eurovision despite irland and great britain. People used to study french. 1983 Remedios Amaya sang a flamenco song, it's difficult to understand for people from other countries.. IN 1999 she was dress by a extravangant designer, in the neckline she has a heart. The designer has good pieces but this didn't like it at all.

[@mjm3091]

mind you - last places during the finale, there were some even worse songs for most of those years.

[@huguihugh9803]

In the past vote different was common of having Zero votes

[@xydoit2024]

Last place and first place were most of the time there because of internal politics.

[@namenlos40]

Mr. Iron, you should learn German. :-)

[@ladycyanide4952]

Germany: Hey Germany, you got last place in the first ESC. Get used to it XD

[@CoL_Drake]

Germany 0 points

[@Markstubation01]

The fandom has actually gotten very toxic, so bad that artists have been booed during performances and the TV broadcaster have had to come out and defend their contestants.