Despite all its effort, ol’ Poland has remained inactive and has decided to take a break from the beglittered spectacle that is the Eurovision Song Contest. For me that’s annoying: As the grandson of a Pole, I was always able to support the Queen of the Baltics instead of having to bear the pain of the UK entry.

The last time we heard from Warsaw was when we popped over to Düsseldorf. Magdalena Tul sang “Jestem” (I am), a dancey-type track, which unfortunately slumped in its semi-final due to poor vocals at the beginning and reports of disruptions in the broadcast. A shame, I guess you could say. For those old enough to remember, Poland has had a couple of good turnouts. The year prior to my own birth, the Poles debuted with “To Nie Ja!” (It wasn’t me!) which was performed by the fantabulous Edyta Gorniak; it came 2nd with 166 points, or, if you can speak the lingo (I can’t, sadly): sto szescdziesiat szesc. (Gesundheit – I can speak German. I guess that counts.)

RECENT HISTORY:

2011: Magdalena Tul with ‘Jestem‘, DNQ

2010: Marcin Mrozinski with ‘Legenda‘, DNQ

2009: Lidia Kopania with ‘I don’t wanna leave‘, DNQ

2008: Isis Gee with ‘For life’, 24th place with 14 Points

Finals Qualified For: 2008, 2004

SONG STATS:

How many times did Magdalena say the word ‘Jestem’? – 11 (felt like more, oddly)

What will Lidia never say? – ‘Goodbye’

Number of times Ich Troje represented Poland – 2

Best friends at voting – Germany and Ukraine

BEST SCORING ENTRY:

Edyta Gorniak with ‘To Nie Ja!”, 2nd Place with 166 Points

I feel like I’m repeating myself, but it’s Edyta with her lovely belter (no double entendre intended):

Let’s have a little time to reflect on how proud the Polish viewers must have felt to see their first entry do so well! Whilst I am apprehensive to do the Wiwi-esque thing and say ‘you go girl’, I just love the attitude she gives off in her performance. It doesn’t surprise me that she is still loved today by the Polish Eurovision cohort.  D’ya think she’ll ever come back? I hope so.

Most Memorable Lyrics: “I’m born to love me” Aww, and we’re born to love YOU!

WORST SCORING ENTRY:

Magdalena Tul with ‘Jestem’, DNQ

It’s ‘Jestem’ – and there’s no point in me having to repeat what I said at the beginning, really. But let’s just have a look:

Being the critic, I just don’t – sorry, I will not – like this entry. The live performance was a shout-fest. And the sexy lap-dance-esque break in the middle – what the hell was that? Fair enough to them though – after many years of no qualification, ‘Jestem’ at least woke us up, but probably not soon enough for us to get the telephone and vote for them.

Nevertheless, you have to congratulate the lovely Polish delegation for preserving some integrity – they sang in Polish. Thank God! In a year where we were swathed in English-language entries, it was a breath of fresh air for many. That being said, I can’t really say that it added anything to the “sexy factor” of the performance.

Bonus: Magda won our search for Eurovision’s Next Top Model 2011.

Most Memorable Lyrics: “I can feel anxiety taking over you, again and again. I’m uncovering you like a pack of cards, little by little” As much as she can make this all very seductive, it appears she could be doing serious damage to the lover in question – does she want him to have a mental breakdown?

What Team Wiwi has to say about Poland at the Contest:

Angus Quinn: “I honestly couldn’t remember any acts other than 2011, but I remember quite enjoying that as a start to Dusseldorf. It’s a shame she didn’t qualify, but Poland should have kept on trying. Withdrawal smacks of defeatism!”

Zach Thomas: “In my opinion Poland has been the most forgettable country; I barely remember any of their songs. I liked their 2008 song, it was pretty, she sang well, and she certainly didn’t deserve joint last with that mess from the U.K.But ‘Legenda’ is utterly forgettable. I forgot how it went 5 minutes after I listened to it: he left zero impression.”

David Thielen: “I loved Isis Gee. Great song and she’s beautiful.”

Wiwi: “My vote for worst is Lidia Kopaniawhomever. Hated. It.”

Very straight-forward responses, it appears. Well, if someone gives me the telephone number for TVP, I’m sure we can get Team Wiwi together and show Europe what Eurovision is all about. After all – I can play the trumpet.

You can check out all of our country profiles by clicking here.

James Puchowski contributed this report from the U.K. Visit his personal Eurovision blog ESCZorgen and follow him on Twitter at @PuchowskijkThen follow wiwibloggs.com on Twitter and Facebook

7 Comments
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ESCaddict
ESCaddict
10 years ago

I Dont Want to Leave & Legenda are good songs.
Jestem is brilliant! It is still one my favs today.
Of course Poland’s 2014 song is pretty good too.
Poland has a good recent record for songs.

D
D
11 years ago

2008 (Isis Gee, ‘For Life’) – This song was mediocre, I wasn’t a huge fan of it and knew it wasn’t gonna win, but it wasn’t terrible and deserved a higher placing than it did. Not my favourite Polish song, but probably second fave. 2009 (Lidia Kopania, ‘I Don’t Wanna Leave’) – To be honest, I don’t know why this didn’t qualify. It was a pretty song from a pretty girl. Sure it was nothing more than a boring ballad, but doesn’t every final need some of those to make it, well, a Eurovision final? 2010 (Marcin Mrozinski, ‘Legenda’) –… Read more »

Tiggeh
Tiggeh
11 years ago

I would say my favorite Polish song would be Ale Jestem by Anna Maria Jopek, followed by sweet Edyta Gorniak then Ich Troje’s Keine Grenzen-?adnych granic

Kristín
Kristín
11 years ago

My favorite is Kasia Kowalska´s power performance from 1996, but on the other hand I´ve always been a sucker for Poland (except for 2006 and 2008), so it was pretty hard to choose 🙂

Adrian Kavanagh
11 years ago

Poland’s first series of entries in the 1990s were all amazing, either from an entertainment or an artistic point of view. If juries of 1990s had been more open to left-of-centre, quirly yet very strong entries, the Poles would have surely nabbed a win then. But nothing really stands out for them in the 2000s, although I like Lidia Kopania

Zolan
Zolan
11 years ago

Their 2nd entry in 1995, “Sama” by Justyna Steczkowska is on my shortlist of artistic highpoints.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecRhNypdCaU

Alex
Alex
11 years ago

Their best since 2008 was Legenda, but I think they definitely have a better history in the years prior to 2008, if only for Follow My Heart. Overall, the country’s entries have not been impressive since Isis Gee’s drowsy ballad.

Sadly, of all the recent former participants that weren’t present in 2013, the only one I can say I really missed was Andorra.