Follow the links to hear each of the songs that were my favourite.
My choices will be done with the exact same voting system used by all the juries - a voting system which has become synonymous with the Eurovision Song Contest...
Here they are, my top ten:
(10th) 1 point - ROMANIA
"Change" by Hotel FM: Goodlooking guy, good voice, quite a nice song from a country that consistently offers me one of my favourite choices each Eurovision.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1q1WpOTpZ1A
(9th) 2 points - ITALY
"Follia d'amore" by Rapahel Gualazzi: A tremendous suave mood and some great piano at times, only spoilt by too much jazz at key moments. Still, a welcome return after 14 years absence for Italia.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfwGqf0bHd0
(8th) 3 points - ICELAND
"Coming Home" by Sjonni' Friends: A bit folksy at times, but a still lovely, sweet song from a country that I have consistently loved at Eurovision for years now.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rY2l00PC0JA
(7th) 4 points - SWITZERLAND
"In Love For a While" by Anna Rossinelli: Deceptively simple. A sweet tune, and really lovely singer with a voice to match. One of the understated joys of the year. Charming, lovely simplicity.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8kgzFpMDUw
(6th) 5 points - ESTONIA
"Rockefeller Street" by Getter Jaani: A terrific opening riff and very clever beat, only spoilt slightly by a too repetitious ending. This would've been in my top three had it been more stylishly composed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feypa0Di014
(5th) 6 points - AZERBAIJAN
"Running Scared" by Eldar & Nigar: Very pop, very much a love song, very Eurovision - yet it totally works for me. This duo work terrific together, has great orchestration and it's damn catchy. Love it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Vk4HYUatv8
(4th) 7 points - UNITED KINGDOM
"I Can" by Blue: A very clever, very committed choice by the UK. Yes, they're an established boy band and the song is hardly groundbreaking, but it's strong, modern pop and, yes, hellishly catchy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2JYc_jWIDQ
And now my Top Three...
(3rd) 8 points - HUNGARY
"What About My Dreams" by Kati Wolf: What a voice this woman has! Shades of Celine Dion, but still all hers - powerful and resonant and a true voice. The song may be pop, but it's great pop. Terrific!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbKNKfePCrs
(2nd) 10 points - DENMARK
"New Tomorrow" by A Friend in London: Incredibly catchy, incredibly clever and a hit in the making by this indie band. I loved this from the first hearing. Yet again, Denmark delivers one of my favourite songs. Great!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_fFy5Icbh0
And finally...
without a doubt for me...
my ABSOLUTE favourite song of the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest...
1st with DOUZE POINTS...FINLAND!
"Da Da Dum" by Paradise Oskar: The first time I heard this tears welled in my eyes within seconds of hearing it. Superb ecological message, superb lyrics, great voice. Just beautiful. GO FINLAND!!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoDsA9PutU4
And there they are - my favourite ten songs for this year's Eurovision.
Honourable mentions: SERBIA, GERMANY, SLOVENIA and UKRAINE (in that order...for now) - all really good songs in their own way which, on the night, may do better in my final rankings than countries like Romania, Italy, Iceland and even Switzerland. We'll see.
Finland's entry is too smart and too 'simple' to win Eurovision and has been dealt a death blow by being the 1st song on the Finals night - never a good thing in this competition. But it'll remain my favourite for sure.
They say France is a big favourite - great voice, brave concept, but I very much doubt it. Simply too operatic - and not memorable, to be honest. And I usually love the French entry!
Other favourites are Ireland (horrific - camp at its worst, not its best), the UK (very okay with that), Azerbaijan (very okay with that too) and, heaven help us, Sweden (annoying, unbelievably repetitive and shitty song). I also hope Russia (cute guy - can't sing, crap song) doesn't win just because of all those Eastern European votes. Greece isn't much better. Austria is also crap, whilst Moldova is diabolically bad!
Bosnia & Herzegovina has a song I actually quite like, but it'll never win, nor will Lithuania, although that song is boring and that woman sings way off-key! Georgia will also not win, which is fine with me
Just watch Azerbaijan - they could go all the way and beat the heavyweights. And just watch Spain maybe come away with nul points - the song deserves no more, frankly.
Less than ten minutes to go - it's Eurovision time!
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