2s.2 Eurovision Song Contest 2011: Azerbaijan wins

Last Saturday, the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 took place. As we learned in class, the show was held in Düsseldorf because Germany won last year. After the very exciting voting, Azerbaijan won with the song Running Scared. Italy and Sweden were also very close to winning - they came 2nd and 3rd, respectively. Unfortunately, Spain only came 23rd out of 25 countries. No wonder - the song was crap!

Have a look at the top three performances and answer the following questions on the blog:

1. What do you think about the top three songs?
2. What performance do you like best? Why?
3. In your opinion, which is the catchiest song?
4. Who do you think is the best artist?
5. What do you think about the different song presentations (staging, lighting, camera shots, etc.)? Describe your favourite presentation (number of people on the stage, clothes, choreography, musical instruments, props, etc.)

1st place: Azerbaijan
Artist: Ell and Nikki
Song: Running Scared
Points: 221

2nd place: Italy
Artist: Raphael Gualazzi
Song: Madness of Love
Points: 189

3rd place: Sweden
Artist: Eric Saade
Song: Popular
Points: 185

One of my favourite songs was Finland. It only came 21st out of 25 but it is a very pleasant ballad about a topic you know a lot about: the environment. Watch the video, read the lyrics and answer these questions:

1. Who is Peter? Why is he worried?
2. Why does Peter visit the King and parliament?
3. Why won't people listen to him?
4. The title of the song, Da da dam, is a metaphor - it's got a secret meaning. Peter doesn't want to be da da dam. What do you think it means?

Peter is smart, he knows each European country by heart -
He likes to sit under an apple tree on his yard
And wait for an apple to fall.

When Peter is nine,
His teacher tells him that this planet is dying,
That someone needs to put an end to it all
And so when Peter comes home
He tells his mom:

CHORUS
'I’m going out in the world to save our planet
And I ain’t coming back until she’s saved;
I’ll walk my way to see the King and parliament
If they don’t help I’ll do it by myself...
I don’t wanna be
Da da dam, da da dam
Da da da da da da, da da dam.'

Peter is young
He tries to talk but no one listens to him -
Everybody’s busy living and dying,
Not thinking about what they’re doing.

But look at the boy who...
Went out in the world to save our planet
And he ain’t coming back until she’s saved
He walked his way to see the King and parliament
But they all turned their heads and walked away,
Singing
Da da dam, da da dam
Da da da da da da, da da dam.

And now I’m going out in the world to save our planet
And I ain’t coming back until she’s saved;
I’m walking in the footsteps that young Peter made
And everybody is welcome to join
And sing with me
Da da dam, da da dam
Da da da da da da, da da dam...