EUROMIZMOG

Eurovision, it’s the ultimate in metaphorical marmite, you either love it, hate it or think you’re much smarter than everyone else just because you don’t watch it.

It’s no surprise then that the know it all’s were out in force on social media come May  14^th, with their smart Alec cries of “ maybe I’ve been living on Mars or something but I’m pretty sure last time I looked Australia weren’t part of the European union so how can they be taking part in the competition “

So to set the minds at rest of those who claim not to care but obviously do care quite greatly, our friends down under were invited to take part as guest participants in 2015 to celebrate the 60^th anniversary of the world’s favourite song contest.

 It has been broadcast over there every year since 1983 and has gained a huge cult following.

It was originally meant to be a one off thing however they were offered the chance to take part again in 2016 if this time instead of a guaranteed spot in the final they were willing to compete in the semi finals to secure their place just like everybody else did.

This big hoo-ha over their involvement does make me laugh though when you consider the fact that we, the United Kingdom, have been willing on more than one occasion to let one of our Aussie friends take the lead vocal reins on our entry over the past 60 years of the competition.

In 1974 , Miss Sandy Olson herself , Olivia Newton John trilled Long live love and landed a 4^th place on the scoreboard for the U.K that we could only dream about achieving today .

And who can forget Oohing and aahing just a little bit along with the statuesque antipodean beauty that was Gina G back in the summer of 96.

 Plenty of other countries have enlisted the talent of vocalists that might not necessarily come from their own shores to lend their tracks a helping hand, Celine Dion for example first came to our attention if you remember as the French Canadian singer of 1988’s winning Swiss entry so maybe it’s time to stop taking it all quite so seriously and just enjoy it as the glorious bit of human eccentricity we take much delight in either adoring or berating year in, year out.

After all if it wasn’t for the dulcet tones of a certain lady vocalist from the United States letting her love shine a light in every corner of the world back in 1997, step forward Miss Katrina Leskanich and your assorted group of waves, then our run of not getting anywhere might have been a lot longer than almost 20 years.