Tributes and Eurovision Song Contest #MusicMovesMe

 It's Monday, and it's time for music!

 

Who are the Music Moves Me bloggers?  We are a group of music loving bloggers who blog about music each Sunday or Monday (or even later in the week). If you have music to share with us, you are most welcome to join!  We are brought to you by Cathy of Curious as a Cathy, Stacy of Stacy's Random Thoughts, Marie, and myself, plus other music loving bloggers.  

Why not join us?  Our theme this week is "You Pick". Any music counts.

Before I get into the Eurovision Song Contest, I've been featuring too many inductions into Rock and Roll Heaven in recent months.  So,  I wanted to pay a quick tribute to two musicians who passed away this May.

First, Dennis Locorriere, lead vocalist for Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show, died May 16 at the age of 76, from complications of kidney disease.  Here is Dr. Hook's hit Cover of the Rolling Stone done live in 1980.

Clarence Carter, R&B singer, songwriter and producer,  died May 13 at the age of 90.  Carter had two (I believe) mainstream hits, but other songs were considered too ribald for mainstream music stations.  He may have been best known for Patches and this song from 1968, Slip Away.

And now for the Eurovision Song Contest.  Saturday, the finals were held in Vienna, Austria. This contest is a big event for a lot of the  world but I think a lot of Americans still have not heard of it.   

As I blogged in 2022:

The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual contest which originated in the aftermath of World War II, when Europe was struggling to recover from the horrors of World War II.  The idea was for various European countries to cooperate with each other "through cross-border TV broadcasts". The contest started in 1956, based on an Italian music festival,  with seven countries participating, and has expanded into the largest world music event there is.

Until last year, I had no idea that the singers Celene Dion and the group ABBA, among others got their start from Eurovision.  I was aware that Riverdance had its start as the "interval" act in 1994. (An interval act performs after the last act in the final during the tallying of the votes, and some of these acts have won their own brand of fame. Additionally, I learned a new word, too, because "intervals" are what we Americans call "intermission" in an event.) 

Winners do not get cash prizes, but they do get the Crystal Microphone trophy, and (best of all, perhaps) exposure.  Also, with a couple of exceptions, the host country for the following year is the country that won the year before.

I was introduced to the Eurovision Song Contest several years by a fellow participant in Music Moves Me.  This is the 2026 winning song from DARA, with Bulgaria's entry, Bangaranga. It's catchy and it would be a great song for an exercise class.  It's already getting millions of listeners on social media.

You have heard some of the songs of the Eurovision Song Contest, even if you think you haven't.  Previous winners have included Céline Dion , Lulu (of To Sir with Love fame, but not with that song), and Brotherhood of Man. (Save Your Kisses for Me).

Here are the performances of two  previous winners.  First, from 1974, perhaps the most famous Eurovision Song Contest performance:  Waterloo, by ABBA, competing for Sweden. 

 Finally, in  1997, Katrina and the Waves. won with Love Shine a Light, competing for the U.K.

And that's a wrap!

Join me again next week for another episode of Music Moves Me.