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About Netherlands...
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2004 Result
Points in Semi Final: 146
Position in Semi Final: 6th
Points in Final: 11
Position in Final: 20th
2005 Contest: Must compete in Semi Final
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History (1956 to 2003)
Netherlands's previous appearances: 44 year(s) out of 48
Years participated: 1956-1984; 1986-1990; 1992-1994; 1996-2001; 2003-
Best result: 1st (1957, 1959, 1969, 1975)
One of the original Eurovision countries, the Netherlands managed four victories in the first twenty years (such as Lenny Kuhr's forgettable 'De Troubadour' in 1969), but have had nothing since their last victory in 1975. Perhaps the country is being punished for inflicting Teach-In's 'Ding Dinge Dong' upon the rest of Europe?
The country's record since televoting has not given much hope of a fifth victory - the wonderful Edsilia Rombley came a creditable 4th in 1998, but since then it's been downhill all the way with 8th place in 1999, 13th in 2000 (despite being a favourite prior to the contest), and a dismal 18th in 2001.
Having to miss 2002 through relegation, the Netherlands returned in 2003. There were great hopes for the Dutch entry, Esther Hart's 'One more night', with many predicting its victory. In truth, it was a rather ordinary song that sounded very similar to 1999's 'One good reason'; being the first song after the advert break (when many televoters are still in the kitchen or bathroom) probably didn't help. Ending up a disappointing 13th, the Netherlands just missed out on an automatic Final place, and must therefore compete in the 2004 Semi Final first.
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This year's entry
Position in Semi Final draw: 22
Position in Final draw: 7
What I said prior to the Semi Final:
"Netherlands send the male duo Re-union to Istanbul with the gentle ballad 'Without you'. Some have compared it to Extreme's 'More than words', and there are certainly similarities in the acoustic backing and high pitched vocals. To my ears, the song sounds quite old-fashioned, the vocal harmonies giving it a rather 1970s quality. However, it's pleasant enough, and probably more memorable than most recent Dutch entries."
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What I predicted...
My prediction for Semi Final: 5th to 8th
My prediction for Final: Definite qualifier; 14th to 18th
What I predicted prior to the Semi Final:
"This song doesn't do a lot for me, but it's the kind of gentle, acoustic entry that has tended to do quite well in recent years - there's more than a touch of 'Fly on the wings of love' about it. Moreover, being the last song to be performed at the Semi Final will probably be an advantage in this case; whereas an energetic song coming after might overshadow it, it will be the last thing that the viewers at home remember before going off to vote. I'll be surprised if the Netherlands fail to make the Final; once there, I don't see this as a winner, particularly if it has the misfortune to be drawn either side of Germany's similar but much stronger song. A top ten place is possible, but I expect it to perform similarly to last year's entry, and end up with a place in the mid teens."
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What you thought...
Final Poll Ranking: out of 36 ()
(Updated 15 May 2004; change refers to movement over final week)
In the run up to the Contest, over 5,000 visitors to this site voted for their favourite song in the Soult.com Eurovision Poll.
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What actually happened
Providing the greatest possible contrast with Deen's antics immediately before, Re-union gave a very polite, pleasant performance - nice and simple, with just their voices, a guitar, and three butch bouncers adding harmonies at the back.
Performing last at the Semi Final was perhaps the best possible position for the Re-union boys, and it certainly seemed to serve them well in the voting - 146 points and 6th place (echoing my prediction of 5th to 8th). Quite impressively (hey, I have to flag up the few that I actually got right), my prediction that the song would struggle in the Final was also borne out, its 20th place, with just 11 points (from Belgium, Estonia and Malta), within a whisker of the 14th to 18th I had suggested. Why, however, did the Netherlands slump quite so badly between Wednesday and Saturday, given that the people voting were presumably the same?
Given that the order of the top ten songs in the Semi Final (1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10, obviously) was generally echoed in their Final placings (2-1-3-7-5-20-9-12-13-14), the failure of the Dutch entry is particularly noticable. The boys' vocals were arguably a little less strong in the Final, though its unlikely that this alone would make such an enormous difference. One can only assume that the Netherlands benefitted disproportionately from performing last in the Semi Final, though this doesn't really account for - to give an example - Ireland awarding the Netherlands its 12 points in the Semi Final, but nothing at all three days later!
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What the bookies thought...
 | Netherlands to win: | 15/05/04 (prior to Final) | 66-1 |
| | 13/05/04 (after Semi Final) | 33-1 |
| | 11/05/04 | 66-1 |
| | 08/05/04 | 50-1 |
| | 06/05/04 | 25-1 |
| | 04/05/04 | 25-1 |
| | 31/04/04 | 25-1 |
| | 24/04/04 | 25-1 |
| | 17/04/04 | 25-1 |
| | 07/04/04 | 20-1 |
| | 24/03/04 | 20-1 |
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Coral gave Netherlands odds of 66-1 both before and after the Semi Final. Finishing a disappointing 20th in the Final, this was the least successful of all the qualifiers.
(Odds quoted here were those offered by Coral.co.uk. 'F' indicates favourite, 'JF' joint favourite.)
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Links
 http://www.re-union.nl/
 http://www.songfestival.nl/
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Notes (see 'History' above)
- The 1956 Contest (where each country had two songs) is counted as a single appearance;
- Countries eliminated in the 1993 preliminary heat (EE, HU, RO, SK) ARE NOT counted as making an appearance in that year's Contest;
- Countries eliminated in the 1996 preliminary heat (DE, DK, HU, IL, MK, RO, RU) ARE NOT counted as making an appearance in that year's Contest;
- Countries eliminated in the 2004, 2005 and 2006 Semi Finals ARE counted as making an appearance in that year's Contest.
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Your comments (15)
From Barbara, CROATIA
Added 15:23:3 2004-5-15
Hmm...so stupid that in the end of their performance the guys said:
' Grazie...grazie...'
Aren't they singing for /presenting Holland?!
:-(
From barby, SLOVENIA
Added 14:56:27 2004-5-13
Hi,
Yust two words:
1.extreme
2.more than words
Nice song but to much plagiat.
From Michel, FRANCE
Added 8:55:23 2004-5-13
Right, it's easy listening... but bad luck: Re-union will perform just before German's Max. And this one has the better song, even if it's a similar one. I like both songs, but still believe that the German one is more catchy thanks to the great voice of Max. But a top 5 position for the Netherlands wouldn't surprise me either.
From Jakie, AUSTRALIA
Added 5:22:4 2004-5-11
out of everything that is in the prelim, this is my fav. go netherlands... pity I cant vote
From Barbara, CROATIA
Added 9:29:42 2004-5-10
I don't think that it's that bad!
Compared with some other songs, it's even quite good!
From Claus, GERMANY
Added 19:29:6 2004-5-7
I really like the song. It may not be too peculiar, but from the ballad entries it is one of my favorites. I think many people will like it, it is easy leasting music. It will pick up points from many countries and maybe even enough to score top 3. Hard to say, really as the contest has it´s own rules but this is a good mix of 10 Sharp and Extreme that i would vote for.
From Manu, BELGIUM
Added 20:23:11 2004-5-3
I suppose the Dutch have forgotten that they badly failed in 2001 with quite a similar song. Dull and flat, I don't see anyone picking up the phone to vote for this. Besides, they have no stage presence and they look like if they get bored by what they sing ...
From howie, UNITED KINGDOM
Added 12:43:34 2004-5-3
Don't discount this - it's deceptively catchy in an Olsen-Brothers sort of way, and the performance is pretty assured. Definitely a dark horse.....
From Panayotis, GREECE
Added 21:57:47 2004-4-29
I like the melody of this piece of music, really, and, although I think there is no prediction-rule in Eurovision, I wouldn't be surprised to see this one scoring high. Just think all those kinds of people with so different taste of music that are going to vote, so every possibility is open, I guess. Good luck to Holland, although I think that next year you should send Marco Borsato! Groetjes ;-)
From Maurice, CANADA
Added 23/04/2004 03:52
I think this song is great. It has a beautiful touching melody , nice words and is very well performed. I don't understand why people don't like it. Wait for a surprise on this one!
From hhhh, --
Added 18/04/2004 16:14
badddddddddddddddddddddddddddd
From Iván, SPAIN
Added 11/04/2004 12:37
Judith Jobse would have been a better choice. Anyway, good luck!
From Arend, BELGIUM
Added 10/04/2004 15:22
VEry disapoinded about the dutch song this year. Very flat and you don t remember it 1 minute after you listen to it! Null points for Netherland this year!
From Sérgio Rego, PORTUGAL
Added 06/04/2004 17:14
This song is quite mistreated by fans and I wonder why. I think it is nice enough to reach the final...
From Suzette Bakelaar, NETHERLANDS
Added 04/04/2004 16:23
I wished that Charly, Yellow Pearl would have won the dutch contest as they would stand out from the rest...or even Anja Wessels...who had an amazing voice, but it wasn't meant to be...!
Last year I really expected Esther Hart would have done better in the voting..but yet again it wasn't meant to be..!
We'll see what happens this year..I'll be keeping my fingers crossed and praying that they're going to be in the final!
As I'm there to support James Fox and it would be a bonus to support them too...!
Suzette
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Netherlands
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