World of Chig   

8.5.03

23 Estonia – Eighties Coming Back – Ruffus
From the group formerly known as Clair’s Birthday (when they won the Estonian final), but with a last minute name change, and nothing to do with Chaka Khan. The group has split up already - is this a record? - and are only reforming for their Eurovision week. Now I don’t know what the Eighties were like in Estonia, but I’d hazard a guess that until the very end, when they were freed from Russian occupation, they weren't that great. There probably aren’t many Estonians who’d want the decade back.
This sounds a little like Andrew Gold or Billy Joel. Some people I know inexplicably love it, but it does nothing for me. There’s nothing in the lyric with which people will engage. It has no relevance, no interest, so why would anyone vote for it? Why sing about the irrelevant eighties when there are universal themes such as love and world peace which touch everybody? I’d be gutted if it won, from a musical point of view, but not unhappy at the chance to visit beautiful Tallinn again. There is also the issue of a great injustice to settle, which is another reason I can’t get behind the song. Vanilla Ninja should have been here for Estonia, with Club Kung Fu, one of the greatest national final songs never to make it.

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