Euromania!

Why American Idol and other ilk can't be like this I"ll never know...  Eurovision - that song competition that has countries from all over Europe competing is FANTASTIC!

You get 39 countries competing.  Many of them sing in their own languages (why is that  everyone feels they have to sing in English -- ok, not the French but still!)  ABBA won this many years back which launched them worldwide.

The rules are properly byzantine, with each  nation choosing it's representative in successive rounds of voting.  Then the international voting starts.  What's crazy (and probably a deal breaker for Americans) is that you can't vote for your own country's song.

I think what fascinates me is how you can see something else besides the music in these songs --

• France's entry is a great song Allez, Olla, Ole!  With a great African rhythm and this guy singing in unbelievably beautiful French with a hint of West African accent. This from a country that broke out in riots a few years ago because of race relations (well, actually the economic inequality and barriers to the economic ladder inherent in French society).

• Read the comments on YouTube for songs from Armenia, Turkey, Greece, Macedonia.  There's so much vitriol it makes the rantings of Ann Coulter seem like a hymn in church.  The crazy thing is they are yelling at each other about things that happened up to 1,000 years ago.  Yes, yes, I know these things are important, but come on!  This is a song contest! Do we really need to yell at each other for the Turkish led genocide in Armenia, whether Macedonia is part of Greece, or whether the Turks should be ashamed because the Ottoman Empire invaded Europe?!? (That last one is not a typo -- Ottoman Empire?!? Really!?!)

• Not sure why a lot of the acts sing in English.  There are some beautiful songs (Armenia for instance) that I think would have been so much more beautiful if sung in the native language.  Otherwise, you kinda feel the lyrics are a little off.  Like someone wrote the song in the native language, then translated it into English and tried to shoehorn the beats back into the music. 

I'm hoping and praying that some enterprising DJ will bring these over here and remix them with a proper Euro dance beat.  Americans can't vote but here's some of my favorites and some doozies (click on country name to go to the video).  By the way -- hey Europe, what is up with thigh-high black boots for men?:

COOL DANCE SONGS THAT NEED TO MAKE THEIR WAY OVER HERE

• France The lyrics in French are pretty simplistic - "Come on, come on, come on... it's the song of the year." But MAN is this a catchy tune!)
• Armenia (This is great.  I do wish it was in Armenian.  Note the crazy old composer bouncing around in some of the scenes. Oh, and yeah, this IS about an apricot stone (seed).)
• Greece (notice the really hot backup male dancers... too bad the choreography sucks)
• Romania (this is one of those songs where the English seems a little stilted); the video has them trying to be a little Gaga... not very successfully.)
• Azerbaijan (sounds a a little Gaga influenced; also we see the reappearance of hot male backup dancers with some throw-up-in-your-mouth choreography.)

BALLADS (MEH, NOT MY FAVORITES)

• Israel (It's a ballad, so not as uplifting as the others.)
• Spain (No way is this going to win.  Too old-fashioned.  Notice the boots though.)

HA HA HA HA HA

• Netherlands (OK, this is one country that should sing in English! Sounds like a cross between a 60s retread group and an oompah band.)
• Finland (WTF?!?)