Every day until December 24, we’re stuffing your stockings with a new Eurovision poll and asking you to address important issues like which male and female Eurovision stars you want under your Christmas tree. Consider this our advent calendar for 2015. Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, you can let us know your thoughts each and every day by casting your vote and sounding off in our comments section. Let’s see what we have prepared for you today ..
Day 13: Eurovision’s withdrawn songs
Nobody ever said the road to the Eurovision Song Contest was easy. Artists face a gruelling schedule that sees them set off on promotional tours through Europe — performing in Amsterdam, courting positive PR, making music videos, and going through rehearsals, interviews, and press conferences.
And sometimes things go catastrophically wrong. Artists sometimes have to scrap their song and start from scratch. Even worse is when the broadcaster has to junk the artist and the song. And there have even been times when the artist and song have been chosen, but everything has gone tits up and countries have had to withdraw from the contest entirely.
In June we asked you which withdrawn song should have gone to Eurovision. Now we’re asking you to pick from another selection of withdrawn songs. You can vote for as many songs as you would like, but you can vote only one time. Be sure to click the box next to each song and act you’re supporting before pressing submit.
France 2006: Virginie Pouchain – “Vous, c’est nous”
Virginie Pouchain, the 2006 French representative, was originally chosen to sing “Vous, c’est nous” on stage in Athens. Plans changed and she ended up singing “Il était temps,” which only managed to score 5 points. Ouch.
Albania 2015: Elhaida Dani – “Diell”
After Elhaida Dani won Festivali i Këngës 2015 with “Diell“, everybody thought that she was going to sing that song and then crash and burn at Eurovision. Some months later the song had to be changed for “personal reasons”. As a result “I’m alive” went to ESC and Elhaida took it all the way to the Grand Final.
Belarus 2005: Angelica Agurbash – “Boys and Girls”
Back in 2005, Eurovision diva Angelica Agurbash won Belarus’s National Final with the song “Boys and Girls”. Before the contest Angelica decided she would have a better chance if she sang something else, so she selected “Love Me Tonight” instead and finished thirteenth in the semi-final.
Germany 2015: Andreas Kümmert – “Heart of Stone”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiX0RSZBQfE
This year Germany chose Andreas Kümmert to represent them with the song “Heart of Stone”. But shortly after being announced as the winner of Unser Song für Österreich, he turned down the opportunity live on stage, saying, “Thanks for your support, Germany, but right now I’m not in the right condition to do this and I want to give the chance to Ann Sophie. I’m just a little singer and she is the best choice.” And that’s why we saw “Black Smoke” on the Eurovision stage. And also how Germany ended up with nil points…
Georgia 2009: Stephane & 3G – “We Don’t Wanna Put In”
Georgia initially decided not to participate in 2009. They later changed their mind and, through a national selection, picked “We Don’t Wanna Put In”, sung by Stephane & 3G. The EBU rejected the song because of its overt political message and Georgia decided to withdraw after all.
Belarus 2012: Alyona Lanskaya – “All My Life”
Alyona Lanskaya, who later sang for Belarus at Eurovision 2013, also won Eurofest 2012. But a presidential investigation determined that Lanskaya had rigged the televoting and was disqualified. Litesound, who got second in Eurofest, were then internally chosen to represent Belarus in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012.
Serbia & Montenegro 2006: No Name – “Moja Ljubavi”
No Name, who represented Serbia & Montenegro at Eurovision 2005, won the national final for a second time in 2006 with “Moja Ljubavi”. But the voting was disputed due to tactical voting by the Radio-Television of Montenegro jury, and the country eventually withdrew from that year’s competition.
Which withdrawn song should have gone to Eurovision?
[polldaddy poll=9202830]See even more withdrawn songs here
Georgia had to perform. if mr Putin can change his surname to, let’s say, Kabaev, then people can use English words like “put in” in songs again without being accused in political trolling.
Well, ‘Moja ljubavi‘ from Serbia and Montenegro, or even ’Crazy summer dance‘ which was 2nd in National final in 2006. I found it better because jury from Montenegro rated lower entries from Serbia, and jury from Serbia didn’t make prediudices. Definetly, entry from SCG or Serbia and Montenegro because we could have one more song in Athens.
Where’s Lebanon 2005?
Sweden 1987 had change lyricks of their song, because EBU rule.
andreas, handsdown. georgia 2009 is just childish.
I loved Georgia in 2009 and they should have just changed the lyrics to
‘we don’t want to give in’
‘A negative move its killing the groove’
‘Im gonna try and move it’
And then on the live semi-final sung the original lyrics because what we’re the EBU really going to do?
Stop Georgia in the middle of the song and disqualify them?
Unlikely since the whole jury voted would have to have been redone.
Ukraine 2010
Belarus 2010
Turkey 1979
Where is song from Lebanon for Eurovision . That song is best for me of withdreawn sogns.
What about Germany 1999 or France 1974?
Some of u commenters need to look in the June article that they linked above for the songs you’re asking for like Imperija and Alyona’s other failed song.
There’s a part of me that would have liked to see the drama of “We Don’t Wanna Put In” being in 2009, but it was the right choice to pull the song. Still, it’s catchy and fun.
I’ve always loved ‘Diell’, so…
Duxo, I reckon Kummert would have been a good bet for fifth, He’d be the more “alternative” choice to the Top 4.
Kummert should be in top 10, Laing in top 5. Stupid german broadcaster lose their chance and they simple choosed bad and boring Ann Sophie. Her 0 pts everyone expected.
Ukraine 2006, replacing “I am your Queen” with “Show me your Love”.
Where are:
Imperija? (F.Y.R Macedonia 2013 – the best withdrawn song)
Rhytm of love? ( Belarus 2013)
Born in Belorussia? ( Belarus 2012)
Andreas from Germany 2015. That song had potential to score well. Where is Lebanon 2005? If there was ever a missed chance for glory, that was the one….
Where is Imperija and rhythm of Love?
or Germany 1976’s original, Der Star?
I really liked Diell, far more than I’m Alive, and I think it would’ve done at least as well at Eurovision.
We Don’t Wanna Put In is a bit of fun, but was right to be discoualified for the political message.
Worst thing about Andreas’s withdrawal was that if the final 2 were Ann Sophie and 3rd-placed Laing instead, we’d’ve gotten Zeig Deine Muskeln or Wechselt die Beleuchtung instead, both of which NEEDED to become Euro-canon. Heart of Stone was a good song though.
Never liked Alyona Lanskaya’s songs. Put her down on the poll results.
Or Belarus 2013 as well, Rhythm of love….
What about FYR Macedonia 2013 – Imperija?
Of these, though, Heart of Stone.