Finland04

	Jari Sillanpää is one of the most successful performing artists in Finland. The beginning of his career was during the Seinäjoki Tango Festival in 1994, when he won the Tango Prince title. His success story, however began one year later in 1995 when he won the competition and was crowned as the Tango King. Through the years Jari achieved almost everything an artist can hope for. He has released eight albums, various singles, a documentary video and even two books have been written about him. All together he has recorded over 100 songs. Most of the songs are soft pop but there are also a few tangos and evergreens among the recordings. Jari has performed one of the leading roles in Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Aspects of Love in Seinäjoki theatre. He has won The Press Choice Award in the international song contest called The Golden Stag, which was held in Romania and achieved several Emma Awards. Please excuse me for the lack of dots over the last two a's on Sillanpaa. 20 songs were bellowed out during two semi-finals on January the 9th and 16th. Three weekends of pre-selection fun for a nation that are stuck indoors by the inclement conditions, listening to songs called "mouse in the misery" and "seven times seven". Joy. "Mouse in the misery" did not get through to the final. Boo. "Toarie" by Riikka, did however. My fiver on a big outsider called "Seven times Seven" by "Danny & D’Voices" (answer,49) bombed in a big, big way.












	The Singer Jari is Finnish, and so doesn't hold back. He bangs it out with gusto, as if it were his big chance to wave goodbye forever to late-night cocktail lounges and Nokia conventions. He's first up this year and will raise everyone out of their reverie at 8:10pm GMT on Wednesday.












	The Past In nine attempts since 1990, Finland have been pants. Their highest placing during this time was 15th. The economic miracle in the country was not reflected in terms of pan-European crap-pop. Their Eurovision entrants have always been (as our fellow Australian EBU-members like to say) "full-on". Typically, a Finnish singer is aggressive, belts out their tune, and distresses the viewers to such an extent that they can't bring themselves to look at them come voting time. Mind you, in 1982 no-one could bring themselves to look at Kojo, before or after the contest. Which is a shame, because with their 38th go this year, Finland deserve to be hosting the contest soon. Especially since they've dropped tax on alcohol, I'm all for the Finns.




	The Song I've been Waldorf & Stadler with this one. I didn't like this at all at first. Not a jot. But, all things being equally bad in the world of Eurovision, I've since come to the conclusion that "Takes Two To Tango" is quite wonderfully old fashioned, albeit disturbing. Now I like it. It's weird and wonderful.




	Overall And what with all three Baltic states & Denmark in the semi, Jari's virtually guaranteed a wedge of points. But will it be enough to rescue what is a typically disturbing Finnish effort? I think the Finns boat may well come in this year.. In a Nutshell "Jari's still on par with Humperdink"

Takes 2 to tango

Time to leave
Time to feel
Harp and horn
Music’s born
Two worlds meet
hungry sharing a fantasy

Tail and wing
Soon will swing
Dusk till dawn
Let the show just begin
In a place where pardon stand
Giving feast on sacred land

The angels and devils meet at night – hallelujah
They dance, they caress each other holding on so tight
The angels and demons side by side – hallelujah
They dance until morning light
When nobody else is in sight
Takes two to tango, tango

Purified
Justified
Times of lust
Times of trust
Praising dark
For one moment in paradise

Passion flows
Eager grows
Time runs out, it’s the end of the show
When the morning is at hand
Time has come to show their stand

Angels falling, hear them calling
Demons rising, they’re disguising
Hearts are beating
Secret meeting
Just for the moment in love

Tangoon Tarvitaan Kaksi

Aika on lähteä
Aika on tuntea
Harppu ja torvi
Syntyy musiikki
Kaksi maailmaa kohtaa
Kiihkeinä samaa fantasiaa jakaa

Häntä ja siipi
yhdessä pian keinuupi
Illasta aamuun
Laittakaa show vaan alkuun
Paikka jossa Armo asustaa
maalla pyhällä juhlat julistaa

Enkelit ja pirut kohtaavat öisin
tanssivat, hyväilevät,
kiinni toisiinsa takertuvat.
Enkelit ja demonit rinnakkain
tanssivat aamunkoittoon
kun ketään muita ei näy.
Tangoon tarvitaan kaksi, tangoon.

Puhdistus
Oikeutus
Aika on nautinnon
Aika myös luottamuksen
Pimeää kiittäen pienestä hetkestä paratiisissa

Kuohuaa intohimo
Kasvaa kiihko
Aika loppuu ja näytös päättyy
Kun aamu alkaa sarastaa
On tullut hetki aikeet/tunnusmerkkinsä paljastaa

Enkelit ja pirut kohtaavat öisin
tanssivat, hyväilevät,
kiinni toisiinsa takertuvat.
Enkelit ja demonit rinnakkain
tanssivat aamunkoittoon
kun ketään muita ei näy.
Tangoon tarvitaan kaksi, tangoon.

Enkelit lankeaa
Kuuletko kutsunsa
Demonit heräävät
valehahmoissaan
Sydämet hakkaavat
Salassa kohtaavat
yhden lemmenhetken tähden

Enkelit ja pirut kohtaavat öisin
tanssivat, hyväilevät,
kiinni toisiinsa takertuvat.
Enkelit ja demonit rinnakkain
tanssivat aamunkoitteeseen
kun ei ketään muita näy.
Tangoon tarvitaan kaksi, tangoon

Prediction	Semi Final	3rd
Prediction	Final	3rd



Stefan Dennis (of Neighbours, & "Don't it make you feel good"-Highest Chart Position 16, May 1989 fame).	Jari Sillanpaa (who knows what international fame may await)