2023-05-07 10:25:27
The music festival, the one with which Spain became excited again last year with the performance of Chanel, is getting closer. The countdown to Eurovision 2023 occurred at the same time that in May of last year Ukraine, with the Kalush Orchestra, won the crystal microphone in Turin. A rarefied victory due to the invasion of Ukraine and that forced us to look for an alternative stage to celebrate the 2023 edition. That is why it will be in Liverpool – the United Kingdom got second place – where the great festival of European music will be held. Up to 37 countries will compete between the semifinal and the final to win. Blanca Paloma and her flamenco theme ‘Eaea’ will fight to achieve what Spain has not achieved since 1969, the last time it won the contest. And it is that the history of our country in Eurovision has its ups and downs, its lights and shadows on a path that began in 1961.
The long road of Spain without close victories
A road, however, with big potholes as far as positions are concerned. At the end of the 1960s, Spain achieved the feat of winning two years in a row. And no more. The first of them was precisely in London in 1968 with ‘La la La’. And to the rhythm of ‘Since you arrived, I no longer live crying (Eh) I live singing (Eh) I live dreaming (Eh)’, Salomé returned home with a crystal microphone that has never set foot in Spain again. Although up to five times he has achieved one of the three best positions. The last one was just a year ago. And with carambolas of life. Chanel got the third position, despite the fact that it was the highest score achieved by Spain in the entire history of the contest. She achieved a total of 459 points, also the best result for Spain in the entire 21st century.
But you have to go back to 1995 to remember a second position for Spain. Anabel Conde got it with her ‘Come back with me’. Although she did not convince the return of the microphone to Spain, her performance coincided with the decade of the debacle in 1999 in Israel. Lydia and her ‘I don’t want to hear’ only got one point. Even so, this was not an impediment to participation in Eurovision the following year. And it is that since that year, a group of countries, the ‘Big Five’, automatically qualify for the Eurovision final, regardless of their position in the classification of the previous edition.
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It was in 2017, the last time that Spain was in last position, although with a little more points. Manel Navarro’s interpretation of his ‘Do it fior your lover’ only managed to scratch five points.
A story sung in equal parts
But if the festival is characterized by something, it is by the extravagant proposals that year after year have tried to gain a foothold in the musical world through the showcase that Eurovision offers. And in these bets both men and women have worked in practically equal parts. Although they are the composers of the songs where there is a clear difference. Up to 51 times they have been in charge of composing the songs.
Raphael, Julio Iglesias, Karina, Peret, Micky, Paloma San Basilio, Azúcar Moreno, Sergio Dalma or Rosa López have been some of the faces of Spain in the contest. Although not all were chosen in the same way. At first, they opted for radio musical contests and later they went through internal elections and contests in theaters. Already with the new century, it was preferred to bet on musical contests. The Eurosong festival gave way to different events until reaching the Benidorm Fest, recovered last year and which has brought Eurovision life back to the streets of the country with its different phases and proposals.
Spanish, the official language par excellence
One of the main characteristics that define this festival is the variety of languages in which the songs are performed. Italian, French, Dutch, Finnish, Portuguese or English on the same stage. And as would be logical, each country, although it doesn’t always happen, bets on songs in its language. Moreover, Sweden, in 1965, presented a theme entirely in English, which forced the following year to change the rules and require the organization that the proposals should be interpreted in one of the official languages of each country. But in 1999 everything changed again and absolute freedom was allowed. Since then, many countries have chosen to submit most of their tracks in English.
Spain, despite everything, is one of the participants that bets on its official language to get on the European stage. And it is perhaps what has allowed to carry extravagant, ironic or meaningless letters. With a toy guitar and two clumsy dancers, who kept falling to the ground, Rodolfo Chiquilicuatre carried out a bet completely in Spanish. And despite all the comments, it seems that he liked it more than many other proposals. He finished in 16th position, one of the best Spanish rankings of the decade.
‘Eaea’ joins the short list of flamenco songs
Risky could be one of the words that defines Spain’s bet this year. And it is that flamenco, a purely Spanish musical style, has not often been the bet to conquer the European musical heaven. Specifically, only twice (1983 and 1996), three if we add Blanca Paloma. And the results, based on experience, do not raise many expectations. Although everything is said, the flamenco of ‘Eaea’ is being one of the best valued songs among the bookmakers.
Even so, Pop is the musical genre that has been performed the most times. Up to 24 times, including the two times in which Spain won and five of the eight in which the Spanish delegation achieved one of the three best places. Although it could be that one of the best-known songs in Spain is the Latin rhythm with which David Cibera represented Spain in 2001. “Tell her that I love her, that I was always sincere, tell her that I’m going crazy over something stupid.” Who has not sung it at a party? All despite the fact that this type of music occupies the third position in number of times that it has been taken to Eurovision. Ahead is the ballad, a genre as rewarded as punished in history. Although in 1995 Anabel Conde got second place, the last time Spain bet on her (2021) she only got six points.
The love song of the Spanish delegation
But love always wins. And if not, tell the Spanish representatives. We sing to love, to hope, although rarely to joy, to life, to friendship or to youth. But the truth is that it is not love that has given the best positions in Eurovision throughout history. Or at least as far as the Spanish delegation is concerned. While it is true that Salomé won, she also won Massiel’s song to life a year earlier. Although the song of the Spanish songs in Eurovision could be ‘Eres tu’. On many occasions, the one that represented Spain in 1973 by the hand of Mocedades has been recognized as one of the best songs, not only Spanish but also of the contest -it managed to finish in second position-. Do you remember your letter? «All my hope is you, it is you; as fresh rain in my hands; like a strong breeze you are, you are; That’s how you are.”
Although judging by the statistics it seems that singing about deceit, passion or fighting is the least liked among Eurofans. And it is that it has always been said that if something is Eurovision it is party, life and joy. Although it is not always imposed in the careful settings. ‘La venda’, by Miki Núñez, one of the triumphs of the 2018 edition, failed to make the demanding public of Tel Aviv vibrate in 2019. But as his song said, “The band has already fallen and only joy remained.” Now we will have to wait until Saturday to see if ‘Eaea’ manages to dazzle the gray sky of Liverpool with its flamenco art and manage, 54 years later, to bring to Spain the long-awaited crystal microphone.
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