If I understand correctly, Eurovision is a long running contest to write some sort of definitive European pop song. Each country presents an entry, and people are encouraged to vote for their favourite. You aren't allowed to vote for your own country. Back in the 1960s it was considered a prestigeous award (France Gall won it one year) but in recent times it's become something of a joke. Celine Dion also won it once, so I guess Quebec participates as well?

Last year's unexpected winner, Lordi, a sort of Gwar-esque joke-metal band, made Eurovision cool again. So now indie artists want to get involved. Check out the video, it's actually pretty great:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4s2TfNlJ_nQ

Again, I too am a savage, ignorant, meat-eating, godfearing non-European, so I can't be sure how accurate my assessment is.

Is that Neil Hannon on vocals?

Are you kidding! I love Gin-Soaked Boy. Any song that references "Jeff Goldblum in The Fly" is fine by me.

No, it's a completely different Gin Soaked Boy; it's one of those "not on any album other than the greatest hits" things. It's okay, as these things tend to be.

Eurovision artists don't have to be from the country they're representing - in theory, the competition is about the song, not the performer, so as long as the songwriter is from a country, the performer can be from anywhere. Celine Dion was representing Switzerland or Luxembourg or something; when the UK last won it, the song was performed by the not terribly British Katrina and the Waves.

Anyway, the best Eurovision song of all time was that one that went "We are the winners/Of Eurovision/Vote!/Vote!/Vote, for the winners!". I forget what country it was though. Didn't actually win, which makes it even better.