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Israel 2004
Israel: David D'Or regrets doing Eurovision
David D'Or represented Israel in the very first semifinal of the Eurovision Song Contest, back in 2004 in Istanbul. The mission of passing through the first ever semifinal was given to D'Or by IBA, hoping his unique voice will do the job. Eventually D'Or finished 11th in the semifinal with his song "To Believe", only few points away from qualifying to the final. Not many people know that during the days and moments in Istanbul, D'Or's heart and thoughts were not all dedicated to succeeding in the contest. During Eurovision week, his father, who was suffering from diabetes, was rushed to hospital, where one of his legs had to be amputated. This might give a better explanation why D'Or left Istanbul and went back to Israel for 2 days during rehearsals week. D'Or's father passed away a couple of years ago.
Putting aside his father's tragedy, D'Or also regrets his participation in the Eurovision Song Contest for other reasons. "Before the contest I had a vision of a musical contest, like the ones I used to watch when I was a child. Nowadays there's no musical value to the songs and winners of the contest. The winners are the ones with masks or brilliant choreographies. When I realized I have made a mistake, it was too late to back down. I went to Eurovision for patriotic reasons, I wanted to represent my country. My mistake was that I treated the mission like the Olympic games. My wife (and manager) tried to talk me out of taking part, I should have listened to her", says D'Or to Ma'ariv.
Today David D'Or is quite successful in the far east countries: China, Singapore, Taiwan and other countries around the world. This is mainly after working with Peter Gabriel in the Womad Festival, which brought him the breakthrough.
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Hmmm...in my country, papers always sometimes write that the show takes "control" over the music in ESC. They do that now. And they did in the 80s. Even in the 60s 
(wasn't born then, but I have read old papers). I don't agree...I think ESC is what you make it (as with so many other things in life..! ). If you WANT it tobecome a "freaky show" - then it becomes one. But if you WANT it to become a proper music program - then it's also becaomes one! I am definately the sort of person who think music is and should be way more important than pretty female dancers, visual gimnicks etc. t's about a music contest most of all. I therefore don't like "overperformances", and I prefer musicians to dancers on stage! (even in the singback era)
David de'Or has a right to be dissappointed, when he was close to qualifying, and had the bad times with his father etc. However, throwing sour grapes on ESC isn't quite the right attitude I think. ESC is STILL - and has always been - a program which music is the most important part. OK, he sang good (though very effiminate), but his song simply wasn't strong enough for the contest. I would rather e.g. see belarus or Estonia in the final. But Israel's song was not horrible by any means (I think their much more popular 05 entry (or 02 / 87) was!).
gay vote? Well, I think it's exagreated really. Most viewers are not gay, but just regular viewers who are not fans. And even if you are a male fan of ESC, it doesn't mean you are gay I know lots of straight male ESC-fans, who might be a bit bored with the "gay-tag" some people seem to put on ESC. Not that it's anything wrong with being gay of course! In 05 maybe people said Belarus would get lots of "gay votes". It almost destroyed the song, and it didn't qualify. Denmark last year. horrible cheesy song, awful act (I don't like drag in ESC! too gay...) And I can't see that song appealing much to people who are not Danes or gays
I wouldn't call "Fly on the wings of love" dance pop or gimmicky and wouldn't call "Everybody" gimmicky either.
some countries didnt vote in the 2004 semi (france was one of them) - israel ALWAYS gets points from France.
David D'or has an exceptional voice, stayed very sad when he didn't go through, the music is also so delightful, pity he thinks that way.
Lets put things in place
A-since the winning of Dana International in 1998, more and more contries decided to send Dance pop music songs and gimicks songs.
so from 1998 until 2004 David Dor had 6 years to realise that the style of Eurovision has been changed. he could backout from this allready before he agreed to do it or to have a song that will fit to the new style of the contest.
B-the song was poor and it was a chanel 1 rush thing to do. just to say that Israel had "sent it song".
C-one fact is not so true in the article of Maariv. becose in the far east David Dor is popular but not like an other Israeli contra-tenor singer. his name is Slava Kagan. he is much more popular than David Dor in those contries. Slava can not walk the streets there becose of the waves of admire, while David can sit alone in Mcdonalds and only few people will take a shy looks on him :-)
I'm sorry but I have a feeling if "Empty Room" went to ESC it would get underrated. Yes there is usually at least one slow song that does really well but something tells me it would not surpass "Oro".
I agree Kalomira had a very good stage presence in the way I like to see, i.e looking confident and all but she could have done without the pointless characters of her idiot dancers.'
As for the thing about Kate or Mihai not having enough rhytm, even so IT IS A SONG CONTEST and having a good stage presence does not necessarily have to be predominatly confined to having "rhythm" or whatever to 'support' your song.
Re - Sarbel. Pass me the sick bag. Catchy but flippin IRRITATING song (yes i know there have been plenty of others in this contest down the years) but he had some stoopid freak show that overshadowed any song. 7th or 8th whatever was overrated - diaspora and neighbour votes helped of course. Anyway, b*llocks to this stupid circus that has the gall to still call itself a song contest
@Jonathan
iam not a fan neither of Kalomira - Sarbel or Sakis - i have no cd of them(i like Anna alot and some songs of Helena).
At 2007 imo Sarbels song was catchy(nothing special) very overrated the final night.
At 2008 Kalomiras song was ok for hearing it some times(5-6...average) BUT she was shinnig onstage...IMAGINE i liked seeing her again and again..fresh..maybe the happiest face of the night....!
About Sakis i hated "shake it" BUT he was the STAR of the night....star quality...!
ANYWAY have u ever thought how hard it is to do a smart stage appearance...u think its easy??ALOT of singers dont have rhythm in their bodies(Kate Ryan and Mihai at 2006 is the best example of 2 very good pop songs which their singers couldnt support them onstage.......so ITS A TALENT to be shinning onstage thats why alot of average singers are huge arround the world eventhough they dont have an amazing voice.....).
IMO this year the best pop song(which has also the biggest success at my country..) was "qele qele" BUT Sirusho didnt support it as much as Ani otherwise iam sure she would had passed her...!
I Love Sanna and "empty room" and i believe that she could had bring Sweden a top10 for sure(for me its the best song/ballad from 2008) .
"Guys its a tv show with SO MANY entries(its not 20 entries as it use to be...)..people get bored easy and a smart stage appearance helps if the song is close to good...!"
Even so, wasn't it a TV show 10 or 20 or 30 years ago when it was less gimmick orientated? A smart stage appearance should mean simply looking confident and performing your song practically note perfect, looking confident and seizing the moment (like Dana International for a good example) and not looking awkward or shaking (like poor old Malene in 2002)
"Just imagine hearing 25 ballads or opera songs well ....how boring noone would watch eurovision....!!!"
Hmmmmmmmmpf........ even so, never has a ESC had 25 ballads or all of one genre in one night, there has always been a mix of slow and uptempo etc. And millions still tuned in
"Why does Madonna - Kylie e.t.c all do shows at their concerts because if not iam not sure they would had have such a big success(and here we arent talking about a TV-SHOW but for a concert)."
Great divas like Kylie, Madonna, Cher, Tina Turner etc..... well it is their show and their concert. This is a CONTEST, and does not "belong" to anyone. Yes, you can argue about there being a performer in the contets that does stand out with their stage presence and general aura, but that should be because of their energy and confidence in singing and performing, not because of some pretentious gimmicks like Tina Karol with her pointless skipping rope, I mean WTF??
"OFCOURSE there are always GREAT songs which get robbed BUT that has nothing to do with the show"
Apparently people claimed that Kate Ryan's "show" was not that decent or memorable, nor was Texas Lightning or Christine Guldbrandsen but most people were in agreement that theirs were among the best songs and they performed and sang well on the night, just didn't have some stoopid pointless show. Anyways, f*** Eurovision!
"(one of the entries - with Israel - which with their lives gave a BIG PLUS to their entries...did they do gimmics???).
anyway these are my opinions!"
Boaz was brilliant this year and all things considered, 10th place is pretty respectable especially for a country with no neighbours, not much of a diaspora and a real song with very little by way of pretentious nonsense on stage, so I consider it a moral winner. And David d'Or his song was rather dull but that's not quite my point. It should be about songs rather than masks, choreographies et cetera.
PS - I find it interesting that from my experiences most of the people (mostly online but sometimes in real life) who support the "SHOW CONTEST" argument over "SONG CONTEST" happen to be Greek. That may say something.
PPS - I did love Helena's "show" but only because it is what a "show" should be, reflecting somethings relevant to her coiuntry's heritage namely the Sirtaki dance and the use of a Lyra, unlike the circus cack from Sakis or that ugly Sarbel. And she is a beautiful great singer, but "Die For You" was miles better as a song - "No.1" had lyrics that could have been written by a 7 year old. Although it is still better than any irritating s*** from someone like the black eyes peas.
Sorry David....but Boaz did well with a unique voice without any big performance indeed : this speaks against the theory.
PS : David has a wife ? A surprise.......
Guys its a tv show with SO MANY entries(its not 20 entries as it use to be...)..people get bored easy and a smart stage appearance helps if the song is close to good...!
Is anything on tv as it use to be 20 years ago(they work on everything - even at the news - so it will be attractive for the viewers.
Someone asking why Kalomira had the heart.....well maybe he didnt anderstand the lyrics which talk about how someone could win her "heart" plus why dont u ask the same for Dima having all that stuff onstage or ANI with the boxes...!!!
Just imagine hearing 25 ballads or opera songs well ....how boring noone would watch eurovision....!!!
Why does Madonna - Kylie e.t.c all do shows at their concerts because if not iam not sure they would had have such a big success(and here we arent talking about a TV-SHOW but for a concert).
OFCOURSE there are always GREAT songs which get robbed BUT that has nothing to do with the show(compare Serbia 2007 and 2008...which was better as a stage appearance - which was better as a song...which won and were did the other end??).
Portugal this year wasnt high at the polls(i liked it but i allways was saying that the intro was too big...)BUT when they saw her at the rehearsals she gave pts to her entry(one of the entries - with Israel - which with their lives gave a BIG PLUS to their entries...did they do gimmics???).
anyway these are my opinions!
I wouldn't be surprised if Dima got a bit of the "gay vote", undoing his shirt and mincing around, surely that got a few queenies excited? 
Calabacines Rellenos
The gay vote counts for very little, if it did we would be going to Stockholm next year 
David D´Or has a very unique voice, and that is a hard to sell one. I liked his song, I still think it should have qualified, but he did not come with skimpy dressed dancers, not did he rip his shirt open, not had the gay vote like that obnoxious Sakis. That´s sad.
im surprised he even got 11th place in the semis thats way too good for him lol... the only reason i ever watch his performance is to laugh... sorry but i really just think its ridiculous lol
i do agree with him though, he should never have done eurovision, israel has many other talented stars instead of him
"Before the contest I had a vision of a musical contest, like the ones I used to watch when I was a child. Nowadays there's no musical value to the songs and winners of the contest. The winners are the ones with masks or brilliant choreographies. When I realized I have made a mistake, it was too late to back down. I went to Eurovision for patriotic reasons, I wanted to represent my country. My mistake was that I treated the mission like the Olympic games. My wife (and manager) tried to talk me out of taking part, I should have listened to her"
He may sound like a sour loser there but he does have a point. The last six years or so, most of the successful songs have had memorable gimmicks, shows, choreographies and it does seem more like an image contest than a song contest. Some may say Serbia 07 was not too showy, certainly not compared to some but the presence of the creepy backup singers that looked like extras from Prisoner : Cell Block H doing some pointless, pretentious routines seemed like a bit of a visual "show" for me. As for Lordi, yes I love 80s-style arena rock, but thought WigWam were just as good if not better, but only came 9th. I cannot help but wonder how different things would have been if they wore masks, courted lots of pre-contest controversy etc.
I couldn't care less if you have to appeal to audiences with a big OTT show and any of that b*llocks. At the end of the day, it is supposed to be a SONG CONTEST, and 90% of the acts should not be filled with OTT gimmicks thus pushing the most important aspect - the song itself - into the background.
"Oh, and anyone who enters Eurovision believing it is merely a musical contest is seriously deluded."
You know, some people here really have not followed the contest long enough. Until about 2002, practically all acts who entered regardless of musical genre really did enter because it was a musical contest. I beleive that Latvian striptease win in 2002 (a song that remains the least commercially successful winner of all time) did change the tone, and now every act has to have stoopid pointless shows that usually have little or no relevance to the song or the country represented (eg. france 2004, ukraine 2006, lithuania c*ntfaces in 2006, greece in 04, 07 and 08, WTF was the point in Kalomira's pop-up heart? decent catchy song and all but really, why?)
But now, yes in this modern day and age, entering the ESC believing it is a musical contest is a deluded idea, now.
How more fake can someone be......!!!
The entries before 2004 were opera songs???didnt they have smart choreographies...??so he knew were he was going BUT some singers have such a big ego and believe so much in their voices and when they dont get what they wont they come back saying craps.....!
He wasnt bad BUT i prefered others which didnt pass the semi more than him..example:Estonia!
Gosh imagine all the singers which didnt pass a semi at eurovision crying and playing the victims...GOSHHHHH
I agree with Glasgow ** .
As for "I believe" I admit that it wasn't one of my favourites even though I like opera. And I'm sorry to hear about his father.
Jonny: "And personally I think Belarus and Switzerland should have qualified just for a laugh in 04"
Yes, at least Belarus And Knut Anders deserved much more than the 3 points he got from Sweden. ("High" was written by Swedes btw )
I don´t even remember him or his song so in a way he´s right when he talks about musical value...
But I don´t think ESC in terms of music has a lower standard today. We just have a lot more to choose from, and that brings also the risk of more crappy songs. Apart from 2008 I think all the winners (since 04) has been really good with or wthout choreography.
There are some pretty nasty comments here!
Has anyone considered that this guy was probably just answering questions posed by an interviewer, as opposed to being on a crusade? And he dared to give his opinion on the Eurovision! How dare he! After all, none of us ever do that, do we....?
Indeed London Calling.
Boaz and Shiri were PURE class and gave a magnificent performance! Eurovision loved them for that. I think Israel is one of the countries that gets treated the most fair in ESC.
2004, 2006, 2007- bad acts, bad results
2005, 2008- superb acts, good results
Although Boaz did deserve a lot more with his touching performance!
what sour grapes from a loser. I'm sure Shiri and Boaz have no regrets...but they were in a different league to the awful sub opera warble of Mr D'or
Cue the "send better songs" chorus.
He should had qualified without any doubt.
Obviously that the whole contest of 2004 marked a very bad period in his life so everything that happened at that time suggests bitterness for him, so I can understand what he had said.
As for me, I did not like his song nor his voice at all. 11th in the semi was a very high score for Israel 2004. @005 was way better!
Hi, for the ones that enjoyes Vania's song ... here is the official english lyrics:
Lady of the Sea
MUSIC: Andrej Babic
LYRICS: Carlos Coelho
Crying in the sand,
I fall on my weak knees before you.
Why did you steal all of the bread in this plate?
Robbing smiles, plucking roses, cruelly.
Write my destiny!
Crying in the sand,
I pray and I raise my hands before you.
Why did you call to you what was mine?
All my life is painfully
Fading in your sea!
Your sad and cold waves, deepest of all graves,
Have frozen the fire of my days
Let my future sail free
Have you ever cried for me,
Lady of the Sea?
Why did you steal all of the bread in this plate?
Robbing smiles, plucking roses, cruelly
Write my destiny
Your sad and cold waves, deepest of all graves,
Have frozen the fire of my days.
You give your salt, you need our plea,
You hunt every soul free,
Bring him back to me!
Your sad and cold waves, deepest of all graves,
Have frozen the fire of my days
Let my future sail free
Have you ever cried for me,
Lady of the Sea?
the contest is now mainly a preformance contest and not a song contest
I don't think there's a 'rule' in Eurovision..like 'shows always do well' or 'ballads don't do well' or anything like that.
What we all forget is that in the televoting era people vote..all sorts of people, all ages, all cultural backgrounds...people who don't spend their time before the contest listening to all the songs carefully and picking their favourite one.
Most people (and I can't stress this enough) see the songs for the first time on the night of the final, not even the semi's.
And each and every one of them has different criteria.
For example, a 12-year-old boy from Lithuania (for example) would be very difficult to have the same musical taste as a 50-year-old woman from the Uk (again for example).
Some people vote on the basis of the song, others pay attention to the music, others to the show, others because it makes them laugh and others to how cute the singer is.
So we can't really say 'but so and so song was good, why did it fail?'...because what's good for you isn't necessarily good for the next person.
If the shows have a slight advantage is exactly because most people see the songs for the first time that night and with so many songs around they vote for the one they remember best.
PS Of course all the above was for people who vote 'honestly', not for people who just vote for the country.
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