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About Finland...
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2005 Result
Points in Semi Final: 50
Position in Semi Final: 18th
Points in Final: Failed to qualify
Position in Final: Failed to qualify
2006 Contest: Must compete in Semi Final
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History (1956 to 2004)
Finland's previous appearances: 38 year(s) out of 49
Years participated: 1961-1969; 1971-1994; 1996; 1998; 2000; 2002; 2004-
Best result: 6th (1973)
For a country that's participated in Eurovision quite so many times, Finland really does have a dismal record. It has only once reached the heights of 6th place (even then over 30 years ago, in 1973, with the rather silly 'Tom tom tom'), and last managed a top ten placing in 1989. Worse, between 1994 and 2002, Finland had the distinction of only participating in the even-numbered years (94, 96, 98, 00, 02), having managed to get relegated on every occasion, with its 'highlight' being a 15th place in 1998.
Having missed 2003, Finland had to take part in the Semi Final in 2004, but could only manage 14th place with Jari Sillanpää and his disturbing dance moves. To be fair, Finland might stand more chance of success if it submitted sings that were actually any good - perhaps 2005 could finally be its year?
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This year's entry
Position in Semi Final draw: 16
Position in Final draw: Failed to qualify
What I said prior to the Semi Final:
"Well yes... Finland in quite good song alert! At first glance, the fact that the composer of last year's Finnish entry ('Takes 2 to tango') is also behind 'Why' might be cause for concern, but the two entries could not be more different. Where 'Tango' was cheesy and melodramatic, 'Why' is really quite sophisticated, with thoughtful lyrics, and its singer - Swedish-based Norwegian, Geir Rönning - sounding rather like a Scandinavian version of Peter Gabriel, Elton John and Joe Cocker rolled into one. With their best song for some time, the Finns probably deserve to make the Final - but what are their chances?"
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What I predicted...
My prediction for Semi Final: 15th to 17th
My prediction for Final: Unlikely to qualify
What I predicted prior to the Semi Final:
"Not very good, I fear. Ballads performed by male soloists are rarely a recipe for Eurovision success, and while 'Why' is a particularly intelligent ballad - a real grower, well-performed - I can't help feeling that it will struggle to make an impression among other songs that are simply more immediate. Still, this song for me is one of the highlights of this year's contest, and a great track on the compilation CD, whatever the result in Kiev."
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What you thought...
Final Poll Ranking: out of 39 ()
(Updated 22 May 2005; change refers to movement over final week)
In the run up to the Contest, 27,998 visitors to this site voted for their favourite song in the Soult.com Eurovision Poll (up from 5,000 in 2004!)
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What actually happened...
I liked this song from the first time I heard it, and while it was never likely to be a winner, Geir Rönning's performance oozed class - a brilliant vocal performance, with a nice understated presentation. As predicted, it was not enough to secure Finland a place in the Final, but 50 points was not bad at all, even if it was only enough to finish 18th. Indeed, it's interesting to see how the points needed to finish in a given position can really vary between years, with Finland scoring an almost identical number of points in 2004 (51), but on that occasion managing to finish 14th; in contrast, the country that finished 18th in the 2004 Semi Final (Andorra) scored just 12 points. Much of the variation, of course, is due to the changing distribution of points between countries. Whereas in 2004's Semi Final three countries (Serbia & Montenegro, Ukraine and Greece) scored extraordinarily highly and a number of other countries scored hardly anything, the results table in 2005 was much more compressed, with even the lowest score (Lithuania's 17) being unusually high, and the highest score (Romania's 235) still lower than any of the top three countries from 2004.
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What the bookies thought...
 | Finland to win: | 21/05/05 (prior to Final) | - |
| | 19/05/05 (after Semi Final) | - |
| | 19/05/05 (prior to Semi Final) | 50-1 |
| | 16/05/05 | 50-1 |
| | 15/05/05 | 50-1 |
| | 08/05/05 | 50-1 |
| | 02/05/05 | 50-1 |
| | 24/04/05 | 50-1 |
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A great song by Geir, but the odds of 50-1 were a decent reflection of most people's expectations, and of the eventual result.
(Odds quoted here were those offered by Coral.co.uk. 'F' indicates favourite, 'JF' joint favourite.)
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Links
 http://www.geirronning.com/
 http://www.yle.fi/eurovision/
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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 (35)
From serbian_girl, SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO
Added 11:19:19 2005-6-2
Your song is great! Congratulations! :=)
From steven stewart, FINLAND
Added 21:43:53 2005-5-30
Thanks for the sweet and supportive comments. There are 12 (!!!) free mp3 remixes of WHY available online now.
http://www.geocities.com/steven.stewart/whyremixes.html
Enjoy!
Steven
From Chaz, UNITED KINGDOM
Added 18:30:44 2005-5-27
fabulous song Finland =) lovely lyrics, singer and well performed on the night .. maybe a little bit bland though .. but a good song =) .. x
From regina and ieva, LITHUANIA
Added 13:14:55 2005-5-27
It's not fair you have to won!!!!! your song was very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very beautiful
From european_serb, --
Added 17:6:14 2005-5-23
Pity Finland didnt qualify to the finals! What an amazing ballad! What an amazing voice Geir has! Would prefer if Finland was qualified much better then Denmark for instance...or F.Y.R. (macedonia)!
Well done Finland!
From Lilia, BULGARIA
Added 1:52:52 2005-5-20
Geir Rönning is a wonderful singer!!
From Päivi, FINLAND
Added 20:18:35 2005-5-17
These positive comments make me very happy - and make me dream, what if Finland would win the ESC?:-)))) I couldn´t handle that information if it would happen...
From Panos_The_Greek, GREECE
Added 23:37:2 2005-5-16
What a wonderful and powerful ballad! Well done, Finland! This should qualify to the final!
From Miki, SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO
Added 17:20:55 2005-5-15
Song from Finland is so beutiful.Good luck Finland.I vote for you.
From amy, UNITED KINGDOM
Added 12:24:24 2005-5-12
hes got a good voice and the lyrics are really beautiful. i dont usually like this kind of song but the lyrics help the song enormously.
From Sébastien, FRANCE
Added 13:28:22 2005-5-11
A nice song, a nice voice. FINLAND must access the final. I wish the best to Geir. Good luck from FRANCE.
From NURIA, SPAIN
Added 20:52:42 2005-5-9
A kind of Joe Cocker..my third election..a good song, too good for the ESC..people always vote for its neighbours, or "Aserejé" songs with beatiful or sexy dancers, a visual song. Good
luck, Finland
From Robert, SWEDEN
Added 18:55:51 2005-5-9
CONGRATULATIONS FINLAND!
This is the best song you have ever had. If this does not make it to the final I will send my personal complaint to EBU
Best Luck!
Robert
From Ave, ESTONIA
Added 14:23:28 2005-5-9
Quite ok song.I even think it is very good song.I wish you all the best
From Andreas, FINLAND
Added 13:33:36 2005-5-9
It's not bad at all... but maybe too boring? Of course I hope not - let's meet in Helsinki 2006, shall we?
From Kelli, ESTONIA
Added 9:38:41 2005-3-22
THis song is my favorite, Good luck finland :)
From OZ, UNITED KINGDOM
Added 21:45:29 2005-3-20
This isn't bad at all. Usually Finish entries are rubbish. Too classy to stand a chance though. Well done Finland!
From Marko, FINLAND
Added 4:12:38 2005-3-20
But dear PAUL!
We can't getting bad as UK!
Because UK has gone mad and think that is taking part something ASIANVISION!
We are proud that we show music what kind EUROvision shoud sounds!!!
From paul, UNITED KINGDOM
Added 10:50:57 2005-3-15
Why? Why bother
From Jvvv, FINLAND
Added 11:43:27 2005-3-14
Why's lyrics are written by Steven Stewart, not M. Toivanen.
From Caoimhe, IRELAND
Added 13:1:13 2005-3-12
Wow. I absolutely love Geir's voice. At last people are entering good songs with talented singers. Problem is people have no taste in music so he won't win. I'll be voting for finland though!
From paul, UNITED KINGDOM
Added 12:38:4 2005-3-11
nothing worse than American AOR music in eurovision.Terrible song,please Finland stop inflicting this dross on the rest of Europe.Your getting as bad as the uk !!!
From Daniel, UNITED KINGDOM
Added 14:2:55 2005-3-10
Finland always seems to get it wrong and not for a lack of trying. This is quite a good ballad but not memorable enough and will get lost in the semi giving Finland another poor result.
From iko, GERMANY
Added 8:50:41 2005-3-7
very, very nice, a nice song from Finland, my favourite balld so far!!!!!!!!my personal charts: 1. Greece, 2. Cyprus, 3. Finland, 3. Slovenia. People vote for the best song and not for your fav country, it is not fair!!!
From diamonduck, GREECE
Added 12:11:16 2005-3-6
i really like this song.....one of the best ballads so far in ESC 2005....i was really surprised when i first listened to.....
my top 5 so far:
1. GREECE
2. LITHUANIA
3. CYPRUS
4. FINLAND
5. LATVIA
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