Montenegro songs v interesting. Certainly has the best video so far (unless you like perving over the French one. The thing is I have no idea what it would be like on stage - if they have a flair for presentation its odds should surely come down a bit from 640. It could be a better novelty song than the Russian one except everyone loves grannies.

I didn't say it was any good. If it was in the other semi final it could have been a surprise qualifier.

Had Serbia as a dark horse until they picked the naffest song choice for some reason.

If you think Sweden wins the Eurovision with a song worse than last year's entry, think again. There are two songs in a different league to most of the others this year and they havent even been mentioned much on this forum. I'm not saying which because the odds on them are very good.

One of the best songs, and a possible winner, was the Polish entry, but they withdrew from the competition to concentrate on the football.

What I would say, is check which type of songs usually win the show - fast dance pop songs, or slow ballads?

Not this decade, mainly slow songs or funk/rock pop, the proper dance/pop gets near the winning position but doesnt win.

'Euphoria' is something very different though, Srich. It's not your bog standard dance tune. It's certainly not your typical ESC house tune. It's more trance territory, and not something seen before at the ESC. There's an argument to say it is something very fresh, aided by Loreen's amazing stage presence and her organic dance moves. It's about the whole package with this tune, and imho it is extremely compelling.

I'm not necessarily a layer at this point, but agree with those opposing Sweden. Seems to me it's almost certain to be a 'marmite' entry, and that does not scream short-priced favourite to me.

vid on DS Headlines.  He looks bloody old (bit like Johnny Cash in Hurt vid) but it's damn well sung.

The slower verse bits remind me of Jime Croce's Time In a Bottle.

I thing it's done in waltz time, so sounds like a waltz - if that makes sense.

Squares, he looks pretty bl00dy good to me considering he's 75, I'll probably be 6-feet under by that age!

Funnily my concern is the other way around on the singing, isn't it recorded on the vid, and can the higher points be the same live for him these days? I don't know how good he is live.

sort OF

start laying the Hump, bloody awful song

The Hump...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFNv9pjqZkk

what the hell is Sweden doing as the current fav?...Norway blows that off the stage FFS !
the grannies from hell 2nd fav ? LOL...even the Hump is better than that rubbish !

You're right with that bexley.  I've refined my tactics.  It's too hard to pick an out and out winner at this stage with 42 runners and no live rehearsals to go by.  It's all about building up green on outsiders and plan on trading 25% or even 50% lower than current prices. 

Still think Ukraine is very high.  Song not brilliant (starts well though and they showed last year that they know how important staging can be - maybe they'll have a dancing dog on stage from Ukraine's Got Talent this year!!)  but if Gaitana's back story with the racist polician becomes public knowledge then I think a lot of people will rally - similar to how I believe the Iceland back story last year got them momentum.

France crazily high (ironic following their odds last year!)

Hungary possibily high but severe doubts over the guy's live singing so haven't touched that at all so far.

Jedward get the pimp slot in their semi.
I reckon they'll need it just to get through

Tooji is without doubt a ringer for Eric Saade who did pretty well last year - goes a couple better this year, perhaps. Happy to have decent odds on that.

I believe the song is written by the same guy who wrote Popular - so there's a natural reasonf or the similarity and also a good reason to respect the chances of this song.