And they say American music is crap....

The 2007 Eurovision Song Contest took place this weekend, with Serbia winning with their entry--Marija Šerifović singing "Molitva" (see the Video of the Week). I like the song fine. It doesn't really grab me like I would expect the winning song to, but it was nice enough. I think what impressed me the most is how Marija looks--she doesn't have the body or hairstyle of a Britney, for example, but she was still selected as Serbia's representative to the contest.

To be honest, my favorite song in the top 10 was Bulgaria's entry: "Water" performed by Elitsa Todorova and Stoyan Yankoulov. Here's their entry video:



The song, which placed 5th, draws on traditional Bulgarian folklore, while incorporating innovative percussion elements. Even so, it has the strong dance beat and techno tonality (if there is such a thing) that I expect of stereotypical European music. I mean, I wouldn't have been surprised to hear this song playing in the background of a club in Germany in an Alias episode. That doesn't mean it's bad, just that it's slightly predictable.

But the entry that REALLY blows my mind is the entry from the Ukraine. When watching this video, keep in mind that this got SECOND PLACE:



W.T.F. If you check out the lyrics for the song, it makes close to zero sense. Most of the chorus is saying the numbers 7, 1, 2, and 3 in German. Oooh, killer song. And don't even get me started on that guy's outfit. It's like the worst of Cher and Madonna combined.

I'm really not intending to knock European music, but I have to admit that I was surprised when I saw these videos. I hadn't paid attention to the contest in past years, but I expected the best songs from each European country to be much more innovative and, well, better. Perhaps it's because I've always associated Europe with culture, fashion, and the cutting edge of trendiness. I guess it makes me feel kind of smug. Yes, Europeans, you have cooler buildings, an unbelievable wealth of historically significant artists and musicians, better social welfare programs, thinner bodies, better public transportation, better wine, beer, and cheese, and you can all speak multiple languages, but hey--at least the best of our new music doesn't totally blow.

As much as I hate to admit it, it almost makes me want to watch American Idol. At least they don't wear tin foil hats.