Sweden04

	Lena Philipsson who won the Swedish “Melodifestival” at the fourth time of asking with the song “Det gör ont” (“It hurts”) and will represent Sweden at the 2004 the Eurovision Song Contest. Lena Philipsson hails from Småland in southern Sweden. After winning a childrens’ talent contest at the age of 16 she went from success to success, taking part in the Swedish national finals of the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time in 1986 with “Love is eternal,” where she came second. The following year she competed with “Dancing in the Neon Light,” and finished fifth. In 1988 it was almost third time lucky when she came second once again with, yes, a song called “Once Again.” Lena has also taken part in the contest as a composer of lyrics and music. Lena has been voted Sweden’s sexiest woman. She has toured Sweden with her own stage shows and has participated in several charity galas, toured with show “Rhapsody in Rock” and has made frequent television appearances. Her first idol was David Cassidy. Not because she’d ever heard him sing, but because he was a ‘suitable’ pin-up. The group “Sweet,” on the other hand, totally fascinated her. Otherwise, her musical tastes haven’t so much been Rock’n’Roll as synth, disco and soul. At upper secondary school she opted for the structural engineering programme and she was once a keen table tennis player – at one point she ranked 5th in Sweden.












	The Singer Poor Lena (not to be confused with the easy listening hit Poor Leno by Scandinavian loungsters Royksopp) has tried to win the Swedish Melodifestival since the day Abba sacrificially burnt their collection of hotpants in 1982 and caused an ecological disaster in Ystad. And this year she did. But in a career with more image changes than Doctor Who, is 2004 to be her most triumphant year? Well, she’s not holding back. If her performances so far are signposts then if she owned a shop, it would be called “Sex Sells” and would be big as IKEA. She suggests things with a microphone stand that gets a boy thinking, and if she’s not careful the length of her dress may give a paparazzi the chance to shout “I’ve Got her burger” during the song. To which a Swede would reply “No, she’s from Stockholm”.













	The Past Many immediately think of Sweden when they think Eurovision. Of course much of that is down to ABBA, who no doubt induced my birth in 1974. Sweden is a smashing country when all said and done, innocently jovial and then depressive in turns. Fortunately for all of us, they've been nothing but innocently jovial at the Eurovision, including the four times they've won, beginning in 1974 of course with the most famous Swedish export since the vibrating egg. A caked on Charlotte Nilsson won in 1999, signalling the beginning of the new age of Eurosong. A proud Euronation, and one to be cherished.




	The Song It needs more than shaking to put the freshness back into this song. Stereotypical fast fingers on the piano, descending chords, catchy final refrain, semi-strong beats, & repetitive lyrics aside, this has absolutely nothing in common with Sweden's efforts of recent years. Nothing at all.




	Overall Fascinated by Sweet"..."5th ranked table tennis player in Sweden"... "structural enginerring course"...it has to be Sweden, not least because, not unlike last year, their singer has been voted Sweden's sexiest woman. How many sexiest women awards do they have over there? All good harmless fun mind you. One of the strong favourites, from a country who always get nearish. The song doesn't interest me; the performance will be of great interest though. Last up, and can win. As always. Hoorah for the brassy tart! In a Nutshell "The happiest microphone stand in Europe"

It Hurts

Nobody but me, could know the way I feel

I'm standing on the rooftop
And I'm crying out your name
I'm looking for an answer
And for somebody to blame
'Cause even though it's over
You linger on my mind, oh

Hurts, oh it hurts, really hurts
In the middle of the night
In the light of the day
You know that it hurts
Oh it hurts, really hurts
And I wish I could be stronger
No longer afraid
Nobody but me, could know the way I feel
Oh it hurts, oh it hurts

I'm trying to forget love
The pain I feel inside
I'm clinging to my pillow
And the tears I cannot hide
I wish it could be over
So I can start anew, oh

Not easy to remember
And even harder to forget
Whenever I surrender (whenever I surrender)
Oh, you're always on my mind...

(Hurts, oh it hurts, really hurts)
In the middle of the night
In the light of the day
You know that it hurts
Oh it hurts, really hurts
And I wish I could be stronger
No longer afraid
Nobody but me, could know the way I feel
Oh it hurts, ooh it hurts
I wish I could be stronger
Oh, but it hurts

Det Gör Ont

Och alla omkring - de märker ingenting

Finns det nåt mer att säga
Säg finns det nånting mer
Jag var väl ingen ängel
Jag förnekar inte det
Men nu när det är över
Så finns du överallt

Ont, det gör ont
Men det går
Det gör ont en stund på natten
Men inget på dan
Du vet att det gör ont
Det gör ont men ändå
Jag har klarat mig rätt länge
Jag börjar bli van

Och alla omkring - de märker ingenting
Det gör ont
Så ont

Här finns så många minnen
Allt vi gjort i våra dar
Fattiga och rika
Det finns så många minnen kvar
Men om jag kunde glömma
Då kunde jag bli fri

Ont, det gör ont
Men det går
Det gör ont en stund på natten
Men inget på dan
Du vet att det gör ont
Det gör ont men ändå
Jag har klarat mig rätt länge
Jag börjar bli van

Och alla omkring - de märker ingenting
Det gör ont

Åh det sista jag behöver
Är flera minnen utav dig
Men nu när det är över
Då finns du överallt

Ont, det gör ont
Men det går
Det gör ont en stund på natten
Men inget på dan
Du vet att det gör ont
Det gör ont men ändå
Jag har klarat mig rätt länge
Jag börjar bli van

Och alla omkring - de märker ingenting
Det gör ont
Åh så ont
De märker ingenting
Det gör ont

Prediction	Semi Final	N/A
Prediction	Final	11th