Till schlagerns försvar

Schlagern har fått nog med verbala spyor. Här en kärleksfull hälsning från de komplett besatta brittiska bloggarna Schlagerboys. Rolig läsning även för alla oss melodifestivalanalfabeter. Deras 10 bästa schlagerögonblick genom tiderna, exklusivt för Fokus:

10. Nina and Kim (2004)

There we were in February 2004, glued to the internet radio, waiting for the first semi final songs to be played on P4. First song up is “En gång för alla” and it’s fabulous! We spend all afternoon singing it and imagining what the dance routine is going to look like. We arrive at a semi final party on the other side of Birmingham; everyone loves Nine and Kim. Oh My God they’re dancing with sailors! They are going to win the whole thing.... they come second last. Ooops!

9. Kikki Danielsson (2006)

We love Kikki. She is a schlager legend. We met Lord Thomas of G:son in Athens and asked him about “Idag och Imorgon”, in particular the “bong bong” bits. Which came first- the bong or the song? He just laughed at us… This song has a fabulous key change moment; it soars and we can’t help but sing along. We can’t speak any Swedish, we just make up the words.

8. Anna Book (2007)

Lord Thomas has provided us with many fabulous schlager moments. Do you have knighthoods in Sweden? He should be Knighted! Anna Book’s was the only good song in last year’s Melodifestivalen final. Sweden let us down in 2007; last year Norway was the new Sweden, and the UK entry was far more Swedish than the Swedish entry. So far 2008 is looking promising what with Christer Sjögren getting to Globen. Hurrah! More please!

7. Linda Bengtzing’s “key change”

Linda Bengtzing has trouble with key changes. We heard Linda sing “Alla Flickor” live a few times in 2005 and she always messed up the key change. She got a bit better in 2006.

6 Lena Philipsson ignoring us (2004)

We didn’t know about Lena’s Melodifestivalen history when we watched the 2004 final, so “Det gör ont” winning was a complete shock to us. We wanted Shirley or After Dark to go to Kiev. However, once it won we realised how schlagertastic Lena was and we had great fun in Kiev stalking the schlager diva. Lena is a proper pop star. All through Eurovision 2004 she wore huge dark glasses and ignored us. Love her!

5. Nanne’s schlager injustice (2005)

Sometimes Sweden get it badly wrong. “Las Vegas”? Worst Swedish entry since Roger Pontare in 2000. We tried to get Nanne to bitch about Martin when we ambushed her in her dressing room at Hamburger Börs last Christmas, but she disappointingly remained supportive; “He’s one of my best friends”, she said. Boooring!

4. Magnus Carlsson’s schlager injustice (2007)

Why on earth didn’t Sweden vote Magnus in to the final last year? Here in the UK we’d kill for a Eurovision entry as good as “Live forever”, and you lot just chuck them away!

3. Shirley’s wrap-a-round blue frock (2004)

Love Shirley. 2004 and 2005 were Shirley’s years. Both “Min kärlek” and “Att älska dig” are Schlagerboy favourites and we stalked Shirley for at least a year as a result, turning up in Stockholm and trying to get an interview. She’s gone really boring now, but we have faith she’ll come back to Melodifestivalen one year with a schlager stomper and win the whole thing!

2. Alcazar coming out of the glitter ball (2005)

Best way to come on to stage – through a glitter ball. Glad they ditched the dodgy stage costumes for the final, though. There should be more glitter balls in Eurovision!

1. Carola’s key change (2006)

Carola gave us exactly what we wanted in 2006, and the mother of all key changes. Her performance at Globen was far better than the one she did at Eurovision, where she seemed to stand still for most of the song with a bed sheet billowing out behind her. She should have stuck to the blue outfit and the strutting!