For this week’s Slideback Sunday, we’re going back to 1983 for a song that feels very apt for the current situation in the world: Gry’s Kloden drejer! What does our team at ESCXTRA think of this entry?
I’ll admit, I haven’t watched a lot of the pre-90’s Eurovisions. Eurovision was just a very different thing back then and unfortunately most of what was in there just wasn’t to my taste! This though – this is so catchy and enjoyable that I have to put this down for my slideback. It’s one of the few songs from pre-90’s Eurovision that I listen to regularly!
The fact that this came 17th out of 20 is just wrong. Okay, her vocals may have been….shaky…and with the orchestra the song didn’t really……ok fine this kind of deserved 17th out of 20 with the live performance BUT the song itself is so much fun and you can’t help but dance along (and that dance is iconic)! Let’s instead listen to it through the preview video rather than the live Eurovision performance, much more pleasing to the ears!
About the song
‘Kloden drejer’ was written by none other than Flemming Gernyx, Christian Jacobsen and Lars Christensen…(I don’t know who they are either *shrugs*). As mentioned above, it finished a shocking 17th of 20 in 1983, receiving only 16 points, 7 of which came from Denmark’s neighbour, Sweden. This was Denmark’s second-worst result of the 80’s only doing better than Brixx’s ‘Video, video’ from the year before which also came 17th but got only 5 points.
Gry tried to return to Eurovision several times, in 1985, 1989 and 2000, but failed to win on all of those occasions.
This week’s guest star: Michael
Michael Simonsen is a Danish Eurovision fan and one of the writers over at escNorge. He has been part of the team there almost since the very start, and he’s been following Eurovision since he was a kid.
Michael says: For me “Kloden drejer” means a lot – it was when I was a child, new in school, and the Danish winner was a hit for most kids on my age. The song itself is very Danish, and both Gry and the song, were really truly showing the year, that it represented. Catchy and a happy melody, and in many ways, the start of something, that became very “Danish”. Gry got famous with her little “shrimpjump”, and even today, everybody knows who we talk about, by mention the jump. I love the fact that Gry is still going on stage with the song today, and that she actually got a career in Germany, after representing us in Germany.
I love that we mostly are truth to ourself, and that we actually send songs are very “Danish” to Eurovision. If I should ask for something different, I would love more Danish “etno”, more with notes from our history – maybe songs in rock, or more with the special instruments, showing our country and traditions.
Picking a favorite song, is actually a big question. I have favorites in all the decades. ‘Disco Tango’, ‘Det lige det’ ‘, ‘Vi maler byen rød’, ‘Alt det som ingen ser’, ‘Fra Mols til Skagen’, ‘Fly on the wings of love’, ‘Only teardrops’, ‘Higher ground’… But I have to say ‘Dansevise’! Amazing song, with an amazing lyric, and the Ingmanns really were “the song” – I have always loved that song! I have had the pleasure of having Jørgen Ingmann as a customer, he was a lovely and kind person
What do the team think
Borislava
Denmark’s 1983 entry grabs you from the first moment, and keeps your attention on it until it’s finished. Bopping to it is unavoidable, as it offers a very 80s beat and an easy chorus that must have been a hit in Dutch karaoke (or should be). The staging is particularly adorable for me, as I love some colour blocking and coordination, while the background was dynamic enough to make them stand out, without taking the attention off them. That the band fills out the stage well is important as well, helping them deliver not only a good song, but a well-rounded performance.
Matt
The song is fun but unfortunately does little for me. I love the Les Mis barricade style background though. For those who have seen the stage show, the performance is as if the townspeople have cleaned up, frocked up, and are now ready to sing their way to victory in the French revolution! What’s that? Gry finished where? Oh, well maybe not then. But I give top marks for sheer camp!
Riccardo
Under normal circumstances I would find this a hot mess. However, we surely aren’t living through normal circumstances so this song actually gives me a breath of fresh air and puts me in a good good which is needed! I like the choreography and the outfits and towards the end it actually picks up nicely. However, this is far from being Denmark’s best effort and I wouldn’t be putting this on my playlist. Still, if a song puts me in a good mood – it ain’t bad!
Tom
As Luke said… “shaky” vocals. Everything is so cheap about this unfortunately. I’m not even going to comment on the choreography which seems to have been put together by a three-year old. It’s definitely not one of Denmark’s better entries. Is it a good entry? My answer: the opposite to what Ben & Tan think. But, in the time we are in at the moment, any cheery song is good to cheer audiences up so I can’t criticise too much!
What’s your opinion on Kloden drejer? Do you agree with the team? Let us know! Be sure to stay updated by following @ESCXTRA on Twitter, @escxtra on Instagram and liking our Facebook page for the latest updates! Also, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to see our reactions to the news!
