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Heavyweights returning to UK selections
Morrissey in talks with BBC
Morrissey would be a high brow name that the BBC are keen to find for their 2007 national selection process. Although it is unlikely that he would perform the song if an agreement is reached, it would add kudos to the United Kingdom's show and increase national attention further after last year's entrant Daz Sampson stamped his mark on the event and produced a documentary about his participation in Athens.
The United Kingdom had one of the most impressive records in the Eurovision Song Contest, with five wins and an unprecedented 15 second places, however fortunes have suffered a major downturn since Katrina and the waves' 1997 victory and Imaani's second place on home ground in 1998. The United Kingdom has only reached the top 10 once in the last eight years, with Jessica Garlick finishing third in Tallinn in 2002.
Morrissey is known to be a fan of the Eurovision Song Contest, and last year said that he was "horrified but not surprised to see the UK fail again...there’s a question I keep asking myself — why didn’t they ask me? It keeps going round in my head".
Morrissey is one of the leading songwriters of his generation. He has notched up a string of successful singles, albums and tours since his debut solo album Viva Hate was released in 1988. He does not shy from controversy in his songs, with themes including; child murder, gang violence, domestic violence, prostitution, racism, homosexuality, drug use, assassination, political protest, and terrorism. Morrissey's music appeals because it is presented in a meaningful and respectable way. He often uses irony or wit to make his point.
This would not be Morrissey's first brush with the competition. He worked with the United Kingdom's first winner, Sandie Shaw in the 1980s and last year recorded a promotional video for his song You have killed me which showed him performing as a Eurovision Song Contest participant. You can see the video below:
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i hope that the uk will select a nice song and win the eurovision again!
I think its good that theyre talking to Mozzer about writing a song, but perhaps he could also perform it (National Finals like they used to do in the 60's and 70's)?
It seems the BBC has had quite a hard time picking good artists to represent their equally horrible songs.... I was thinking Morrissey writes the song, and then we ask Sandie Shaw to represent once again...
thoughts?
@ Marcus Klier
If you think ***** and **** below represent swearing, then you should buy a dictionary!
Rougement, Katie Price SING?! That's like asking Blair to disagree with Bush! What an embarrassment that druggie inflated pink condom was! There is nothing wrong with Morrissey, and I for one love his lyrics! Who else do you like, Victoria Beckham?! You obviously don't know how to distinguish "good voice" and "tone deaf"!
To the two tigers, I am a Lion, hope we don't start a fight. I could bring some of the other lions and lionesses from my pride too!!
I dont think Terry Wogan is actually a factor in the ""any rubbish will do"" stance although he does critisise the contest (sometimes almost continuously) he is aslo a big fan (he wouldn't argee to commentate so much if he hated it), but i can understand that if the higher powers of the bbc are against the sontest it is unlikely that we will send a good song any time soon! I find it amazing how they can spend so much on almost every other international event and even have an entire channel devoted to watching the debates in the houses of parliament (the UK public generally isn't very political ) yet seem to think Eurovision is completely not worth it because lets face it it had a huge number of people watching it (therefore although the fashionable thing to be is not that bothered about it people obviously enjoy it) so it gets high ratings - probably a lot higher than BBC parliament, it is world news whent he winner is announced and pushes not only the country but the television station to the forfront of the international media eye. From what i can see the BBC should be begging to win the contest again!! especially with the "embarrasing" results of the last few years (thats the BBC's quote not mine). It makes them look bad when they do poorly so for God's sake BBC get your act together!!!! or else SHAME ON YOU!!!!
Good to see the UK taking the eurovision serious again. I cannot understand fully why a country like UK cannot send better acts as it is the home of pop music and along with USA has more internationally famous and succesfull musicians than anywhere in the world. Though Terry Wogan could be a factor in the lack of serious atention to eurovision shown in the UK in recent years. He is a pompous ,self indulgent and anti Irish twat. He is HATED in Ireland because of the way he turned his nose down at his home country when he made it big in UK.....lots of Irish people became successful in UK but they didnt forget where they came from unlike Terry. BBC need to drop him as all he does is piss take.....Come on UK....... get a good act and muster up some of that pride ye are world famous for...
I doubt very much the BBC want a win with all its costs and effort ..97 probably was sufficient for them to last another decade. Reading Terry Wogan's autobiography he strongly hinted that the high up powers at the BBC are not pro-Eurovision... which would explain the BBC's 'any rubbish will do' attitude, lack of airplay on its radio stations etc.
i think the problem is that the bbc believes that the majority of british public actually watch the eurovision just for terry wogans sarcastic commentary. maybe theyre right and maybr theyre wrong, but in every interview he ever gives , he just slags the contest off.
what the bbc should do is follow sweden and have semi finals and a final , and im sure the interest in the uk would grow and grow. plus the revenue from the televoting would help fund it
thats encouraging Simon!!
Also the Tatu thing wasn't all that bad 9they did get third after all) and it was more the fact they weren't actually lesbians that led to a bit of a dip in popularity and production.
I've got nothing against Morrissey taking part in one shape or form but i wonder if he really has the right sound to do well!
My ideal act for the UK would either be Sugababes or Leona Lewis (both of which are unlikely candidates i suppose!)
I know people, personlly at the BBC who have told me that the corporation does want to win again, and wants to host it. Lets face it the BBC has a buget, if they want a big artist I think the'll get it. I sure any artist would do it for enough cash! But lets face it look what happened to Tatu, it proves the biggest star in Euorpe can't be a gaunteed win!
All the BBC want is to get into the Top Ten....
But I'm Glad the BBc are actually taking part this year with REAL acts.. Good on ya BBC.
The BBC might not want to win but they probably want to do better than recent years! I mean even people that have no interest in the contest want to do that because its EMBARRASING!! Wogan is past it, we all know that and does anyone in the UK take ANYTHING he says particularly serious? not many (well at least when it comes to him commenting in ESC).
Considering it is our 50 entery this year the BBC probably want to do at least a bit better this year! And why wouldn't they want to win? its not like they can't afford to host it and there are a lot of benefits!
At last after a string of failures, BBC is doing some serious job.Personally, I have doubts that having Morrisey as composer translates into success, I do not find his music that interesting, but monotonous and a bit boring. His strong point is apparently the lyrics, but lyrics do not count in Eurovision, but being instant and putting a good show on stage. Anyway, good luck to the UK, and hopefully Morrisey will compose a more instant song and l hire a good performer, since he wont be singing himself. 
Annika A
Well, it wouldnt be as interesting as Jemini - they were really interesting because they were ***** and the BBC hadn't bought them any earpieces because they were too busy getting ****** on vodka.
Moderated by: Marcus Klier at Wed 10 Jan 2007 00:08:10
Yes but have you SEEN the drag queen singing in Spain at the moment - she's doing an operatic version of UNCHAINED MELODY in a clinging red lame gown. She makes Shirley Bassey look like Angela Merkel.
Personally I´m not a fan of Morrissey. But if he would represent the UK in some way in ESC, surely that would be the most interesting entry from that country in years!
oooh I just want to extend my paw and say a big hello to David Tiger.
At least I am not alone....2 tigers in here now!!!
Ach, Barry is a busy boy. I am sure once he realises he will amend. It's not as if he sits on his ar*e all day just watching these pages. Any anyways, wouldn't u rather have 33 out of 40 rubbish songs compared to 5 out of 5 crap ones? At least there would be some variety...which as you know is the spice of life!
The most alarming thing about this entire affair is that Barry Viniker can't spell Sandie Shaw.
Well the thing about a Melodifestivalen show of 40 songs is that 33 of them will always be ****.
Moderated by: Marcus Klier at Wed 10 Jan 2007 00:10:21
hmm...interesting 
that an established, currently succesful credible Britisssh star is interested in Eurovision is nothing short of a miracle given the BBC attitude of 'isn't Eurovision camp rubbish?', the tone set ofcourse by Terry Wogan.
All i am saying about the BBC is that they get oodles of songs in and they whittle them down to a paltry 4-6 for the public to choose from.
Let the nation have a melodifestivalen show.....40 songs to choose from and a grand final of 10.
Oh hell yes....imagine the onlsaught on the UK charts as well.
Morrissey could write the song and Katie Price (aka Jordan) could sing it (or at least try to). That would be great. I'd be delighted to see Morrissey have a crack at the title, if only to generate more interest in the UK. I don't know why people knock the BBC so much. They can hardly be blamed for the lack of song writing talent and credible performers that are prepared to take the Eurovision gamble.
No No No....This is all wrong.
It's not Morrissey we need...it's a Melodifestivalen type show we need!
I don't suppose Kate Bush is free, is she?
Kevin
Brilliant idea. I like the idea of him singing something by Daz Sampson. Make him suffer.
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