Eurovision Advent Calendar – 05 days until Christmas – Day 19 of our challenge – Granted, this is not your traditional Advent Calendar, but it will fulfil it’s purpose: Giving us something to discuss until Christmas Eve (and until the real beginning of the national final season in January). The idea is old and simple: Every day you have to find a Eurovision song according to a certain category. It’s a challenge for me and for you, our readers! We continue today with this question: What is your favourite song from a national final, that did not win!”
Please tell us your personal “favourite” in the comment section below! If your choice is quite exotic a YouTube link to the song will certainly be appreciated by other readers 
Here we go:
I have only followed one and a half national final seasons (and the German national finals). So my choice is from a very scarce number of entries. All in all I loved the second place in Albania this year, Aliose in Switzerland and the song Or in Israel. In the end I chose a song I discovered only a few days ago, so my love for this song is still quite young. It’s different and makes me sing, move my feet and everything a good song is supposed to do. Here is my favourite National Final entry:
Gaute Ormåsen – Synk Eller Svøm (Norway 2010)
Looking forward to your choices and comments!
Image: allthingschristmas.com
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- Eurovision Advent Calendar: Favourite Second Place
- Eurovision Advent Calendar: Your Favourite Ballad
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my favourite has to be cyndi i’ll leave my heart in the uk national final in 2007, her vocie was amazing and the song was great she reminded me of cline dion, she should of won but came 2nd second to scooch
its my favourite eurovision song ever and i think it could of been in the top ten that year 
There are many, but the one that had hurt me a lot is this one
Klimmstein and Alf from Austria
I only followed NF for one and half year too
I knew that this one would be your choice … great choice btw.
Thank you
I expect a long list from you, you have been following for too long time:)
… and 1 more to add is Michael & Shimrit Greilsummer
Yohanna – Nott
and Scooter – Jigga Jigga
I have been following the NFs for 11 years now and thus there are hundreds of songs. Here are the ones that came to my mind first tonight (if you ask me again tomorrow, I might come up with a completely different list …):
Amaral, Como hablar (Spain 02)
Jelena Tomasević, Jutro (Serbia & Montenegro 05)
Brahim, Power (Belgium 06)
Peca Jovanović, Kao da je bilo juce (Serbia 07)
Valérie Lourie, Besoin d’ailleurs (France 07)
Hele Kore & Kristjan Kasearu, Romeo ja Julia (Estonia 07)
Slobodan Trkulja & Balkanopolis, Nebo (Serbia 07)
Scar, As Long as You Know (Malta 07)
Ognjen i Prijatelji, Čučemo, čućete! (Serbia 08)
Rongedal, Just a Minute (Sweden 08)
Vuokko Hovatta, Virginia (08)
Caroline Fortenbacher, Hinterm Ozean (Germany 08)
Riikka, Meren (Finland 09)
Carolina Af Ugglas, Snälla snälla (Sweden 09)
Hreindis Ylva Gardarsdóttir Holm, Vornótt (Iceland 09)
Noa & Mira Awad, Will You Dance with Me (Israel 09)
Traffic, See pave (Estonia 09)
Heli Kajo, Annankadun kulmassa (Finland 10)
Širdeles, Aš ir tu (Lithuania 10)
Princessa Avenue, Istoriya lyubvi (Russia 10)
Leylla, Amintirele de dor (Moldova 10)
Alf Poier & Die Obersteirische Wolfshilfe, Happy Song (Austria 11)
Henrique Feist, Quase a voar (Portugal 11)
Aliose, Sur les paves (Switzerland 11)
and it came
Aliose, Carolina and Caroline and Jelena Tomasevic are also favourites of mine… I will listen to the other ones.. I think I will like most of them as well ^^
In case you haven’t got bored by now … I remembered some more I absoultely love.
Dalida, Ballade à temps perdu (France 69)
Anne-Marie David, Lui (Luxemburg 73)
Zeljka Katavić-Pilj, Bog mi je svjedok (BiH 99)
Hari Mata Hari, Starac i more (BiH 99 – dqn.)
Guðrún Árný Karlsdóttir, Andvaka (Iceland 06)
Re.Public, Home (Latvia 07)
Nelson, When I Can’t Find Love (Belgium 07)
Margrét Kristín Sigurðardóttir, Bigger Shoes (Iceland 08)
Tamara Obrovac, Amor (Croatia 08)
Sonja Tarčulovska, Sever I jug (Macedonia 08)
Veronika Akselsen, Am I Supposed to Love Again (Norway 08)
Zuma, Always, Always (Norway 08)
Lisboa Não Sejas Francesa, Porto de encontro (Portugal 08)
Suzzie Tapper, Visst finns mirakel (Sweden 08)
Kaja Halldórsdóttir, Lygin ein (Iceland 09)
Melody y los Vivancos, Amante de la luna (Spain 09)
Katka Košcová, Pri sebe (Slovakia 09)
Iiris Vesik, Astronaut (Estonia 10)
Franko Krajcar, Joborni je joborni (Croatia 10)
Elena Esenina, Mir bez tebya (Russia 10)
Salem al Fakir, Keep on Walking (Sweden 10)
Frispråkarn, Singel (Sweden 10)
Pain of Salvation, Road Salt (Sweden 10)
Kito y Rafa, En mi silencio (Spain 10)
Ans. Andur, Lapsed ja lennukid (Estonia 11)
Natalia Barbu, Let’s Jazz (Moldova 11)
Åste & Rikke, Not That Easy (Norway 11)
CAMA, Time of Our Lives (Switzerland 11)
7 Saias, Embalo do coração (Portugal 11)
Sara Vara, Spring för livet (Sweden 11)
The Glue, Come What May (Switzerland 11)
Fräkmündt, D’Draachejongfer (Switzerland 11)
Bahroma, Eyo imya (Ukraine 11)
‘Roko mi daj’ (Slovenia 2010) is pretty similar to ‘Lijepa tena’ but far superior imo. But I will stop now. LOL
Yes, I know Christmas is over for a long time ago. But since I’m rather new on this forum, I would like to open some of the windows now. It’s impossible to choose one favourite, so I’ll make a little collection like togravus.
De messenwerper (Netherlands 1957)
Le gars de n’importe où (France 1961)
Zachtjes (Netherlands 1962)
Kärlek och pepparrot (disq. Sweden 1962)
Amiga mia (Denmark 1963)
Iltaisin (Finland 1965)
Förtrollad stad (Sweden 1965)
Salami (Denmark 1966)
Tornado (Netherlands 1967)
Cavalo à solta (Portugal 1971)
Estrela da tarde (Portugal 1976)
Voodoo (Norway 1976)
A-oa-oa-oa (Norway 1984)
Ved du hva’ du sku’ (Denmark 1985)
Karma (Norway 1995)
Boby no. 1 (Yugoslavia 1986)
Det’ gratis (Denmark 1987)
Om igen (Sweden 1988)
Fugle (Denmark 1989)
Oi äiti maa (Finland 1989)
Berlin (Denmark 1990)
Ett liv med dig (Sweden 1991)
Sunshine and rainbows (Malta 1992)
Kallim kullast (Estonia 1994)
Zomaar een dag (Netherlands 1994)
Europa (Denmark 1995)
Srce od zlata (Croatia 1995)
Ballaad (Estonia 1996)
Canto em Português (Portugal 1996)
Tako sam ranjiva (Croatia 1996)
Madrigal de Lianor (Portugal 1997)
Aeg (Estonia 1997)
Perpetuum mobile (Estonia 1997)
Lovers play with words (Malta 1997)
Bolero (Croatia 1998)
Daj daj (Croatia 1998)
Seol (Ireland 1998)
Andesta (Estonia 1998)
Curses, I forgot Germany and some more!
Pan (Germany 1980)
Die Glocken von Rom (Germany 1985)
Karen (Iceland 1992)
Tavász a télben (Hungary 1997)
Unistus igavesest päevast (Estonia 1998)
Starac i more (Bosnia & Herzegovina 1999)
Stjernen der viser vej (Denmark 2000)
If anyone happens to read this in any future; try to pretend that those lists written by me under the name Sir Shakespeare don’t exist. I have heard so many new songs during the last months so the list should be a bit re-arranged.
scooter would of done amazing at eurovision, they got alot of fans who would of voted for them
Lenna Kuurmaa – Rapunzel (Estonia 2010)
Helene Boksle – Vardlokk (Norway 2011)
Catarina Pereira – Canta por mim (Portugal 2010)
Pernilla Andersson – Desperados (Sweden 2011)
Aliose – Sur Les Pavés (Switzerland 2011)
Sarina Cohn – Rien En Apparence (Belgium 2011)
Linda Bengtzing – Hur Svart Kan Det Va (Sweden 2008)
Caroline af Ugglas – Snälla Snälla (Sweden 2009)
Sukkerchok – Kaemper For Kaerlighed (Denmark 2010)
Yohanna – Nótt (Iceland 2011)
and a lot more…
And a older one: Anita Skorgan – Karma (Norway 1985) <3
Last season of NF’s was the first time i followed almost all the national finals. From the other years i only now the romanian songs and some other songs from other national finals.
My favourite song from a national final is “Or” by Chen Aharoni, which was this year in the NF from Israel. I think that if Israel would have sent this song to ESC 2011, it would have easily taken a top 10 place.
Here it is :
I think so too although I agree with Roselil when it comes to picking my favourite from this year’s Kdam: Michael & Shimrit Greilsummer!
That’s a good one too, i have it 4th in my list for Kdam 2011.
Almost all the songs were better than “Ding Dong”. It was one of the worst choices in this year’s NF’s together with “Boom Boom” from Armenia’s NF.
Yes, “Ding Dong” was the worst but we all knew that Dana would win, didn’t we? Btw, my favourite Romanian NF song ever is “Time” from the 2007 NF followed by “Seven Days” from 2008. Do you like those songs?
Yes, those are beautiful songs. I didn’t remember them very well, so i looked them up and saw that Ionut Ungureanu from the band Provincialii sings them both, of course “Seven Days” it’s a duet with Paula Seling.
Yes, and “Seven Days” was so much better than “Playing with Fire” imo …
Good night!
I would want to talk more about NF’s, but it’s late and tomorrow i have to wake up very early.
Good night !
Banjo Laura, in Latvia 2011
Timoteij – Kom
Christian Walz – Like Suicide
Valanto Trifonos – The Time Is Now
Anne Noa – Sleepless
Jógvan Hansen – Ég Lofa
Oh dear, I only followed national finals last year, so my choice is coming from a VERY limited selection. I choose Aste & Rikke (Norway 2011).
I’m with you. aste & rikke were smashing. They sure would’ve made it to the final in düsseldorf
I guess that they would even have made a top 10. They had everything … including strong live vocals. No offense, Stella!
Nightwish – sleepwalker, Finland 2000. They were ahead of the time and the jury had NO brains for not letting them win.
Other;
Sanavé – eriana ameij (Switzerland 2011)
Keep of Kalessin – the dragontower (Norway 2010)
Susperia – nothing remains (Norway 2011)
Agama – field of kings (Lithuania 2010)
Goran Karan – bijele zastave (Croatia 2005)
+++
+ Helene Bøksle – vardlokk
Trackshittaz were robbed last year. Ouida Taunz was classic.
Anthony Costa’s A Beautiful Thing in the UK final 2006 was also good. A mistake we made sending Daz Sampson.
Finally Vitaly Halay from Ukraine last year with My Expression. Still don’t know why he was disqualified
vitaly halay was disqualified, because he used a backing track with pre-recorded backgrounds in the national final, where as in the the esc only live singing was allowed.
trackshittaz were fabulous. hope they have a great song in the 2012 austrian preselection.
welcome to the Blog lovetrain!
thanx. have been here last year, too. i’m very happy you’re back. i like this blog a lot and was very sad when it stopped so suddenly. thank you for your great work ….
Rūta Ščiogolevaitė “Break Free”, Lithuania 2011 and Biondo “Shine”, Romania 2008
oh, and of course Nightwish “Sleepwalker” from Finland 2000…
What about “Push Forward” ? You know, Lena’s great ballad…I really liked it, of course Taken by a stranger was by far the best song, but still, I really liked the ballad too.
Two favourites songs from national finals:
Norway 2010 – Venke Knutson performing “Jealous`Cause I Love You” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koVTWBybYas
Belgium 2011 – Fen – “Yes I know” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XipdcZjtvo
Sweden 2010 – NEO – “Human frontier”
Spain 2010 – Coral Segovia – “En una vida”
Poland 2006 – Kasia Cerekwicka – “Na kolana”
Croatia 2001 – Vesna Pisarovic – “Za tebe stvorena”
Slovenia 2005 – Sasha Lendero – “Mandoline”
Slovenia 2006 – Sasha Lendero – “Metulj”
Estonia 2010 – Iiris Vesik – “Astronaut”
Sweden 2007 – Sonja Alden – “For at du fins”
Sweden 2009 – Cookies n’beans – “What if”
And many others..
Oops I forgot some of the most important:
Norway 2010 – Mira Craig – “I’ll take you high”
Sweden 2009 – Sarah Dawn Finer – “Moving on”
*lifting up on the stage noment* lol
I’m still sad the ukraine didn’t send jamala this year. “smile” was and is the best!!!
followed by trackshittaz (austria 2011) and agnes’ “love love love” (sweden 2009). all three songs i still listen to very often
nightwish are one of my favourite bands, i love them
Temple of Love by BWO (Sweden 2006)
Zavet by Beauty Queens (Serbia 2008)
Nada Es Comparable A Ti by Mirela (Spain 2009)
En Una Vida by Coral (Spain 2010)
You’re Out of My Life by Darin (Sweden 2010)
aaannnnd Not That Easy by Aste & Rikke (Norway 2011)…to name a few =)
…aaaand what about Salem’s entry for Melodifestivalen 2010? Keep on walking… :-”
YES!!! Of course! Aaaand Manboy. MF 2010 was crazy good.
For me, it’s C’etait ma vie (Switzerland 2011) and this one from Norsk Melodi Grand Prix 1974:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0KXVOXi8UQ&w=420&h=315%5D
The one on the left is Kirsti Sparboe (Norway 1965, 67, 69).
Oh I forgot Kwan…10 000 Light Years. I can’t remember the year offhand, but man I loved that song!