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United Kingdom UNITED KINGDOM 2022 - Sam Ryder - Space Man

How do you rate this entry?

  • 12

    74 30.1%
  • 10

    32 13.0%
  • 8

    34 13.8%
  • 7

    33 13.4%
  • 6

    20 8.1%
  • 5

    14 5.7%
  • 4

    8 3.3%
  • 3

    12 4.9%
  • 2

    6 2.4%
  • 1

    4 1.6%
  • 0

    9 3.7%

  • Total voters
    246

escYOUnited

Administrator
Joined
September 28, 2009
Posts
1,355

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If I was an astronaut, I'd be floating in mid-air
And a broken heart would just belong to someone else down there
I would be the centre of my lonely universe
But I'm only human, and I'm crashing down to earth

If I was an astronaut, I'd have a bird's eye view
I'd circle 'round the world and keep on coming back to you
In my floating castle, I'd rub shoulders with the stars
But I'm only human, and I'm drifting in the dark

I'm up in space, man
Up in space, man
I've searched around the universe
Been down some black holes
There's nothing but space, man
And I want to go home

If I was an astronaut, I'd speak to satellites
My navigation systems would search for other life
But I'd be up here thinking 'bout what I'd left behind
'Cause I'm only human with the real world on my mind

I'm up in space, man
Up in space, man
I've searched around the universe
Been down some black holes
There's nothing but space, man
And I want to go home

Gravity keeps pulling me down
As long as you're on the ground, I'll stick around
Stick around
I'll stick around

I'm up in space, man
Up in space, man
I've searched around the universe
Been down some black holes
There's nothing but space, man, no
Oh, I'm in the wrong place, man
Nothing but, nothing but, nothing but space, man
Nothing but, nothing but, nothing but space, man

I've searched around the universe
Been down some black holes
Nothing but space, man
And I want to go home​
 

Fluke

Well-known member
Joined
February 5, 2011
Posts
2,454
Location
Sweden
Soooo, first i thought the UK had made a really good choice for once. It's not super duper, but it's a solid song and performance that's really something fresh for the UK, and distinctive enough to stand out in the final and get the UK into a new era, possible top 10 or 15. What a voice, what vibrato! I really believed in it.... and thought it would still work well trimmed down to 3 minutes.

Then i realized there IS a 3 minute version out already..... and it's horrible. Not only does removing half the first verse and some other tiny transitions completely kill the momentum and dynamics of the song, make it feel like a flat generic radio pop product, the arrangement seems slightly different and vocal performance inferior.

If they had trimmed the repeats in the end instead, the entire first verse could have been included, but that's not the only problem either. I still think they can make top 15 or 20, but i don't see myself rooting hard for this, sorry. At least you're trying, finally.
 

ethanray

Active member
Joined
March 10, 2022
Posts
3
I think you are overthinking everything. Most people who would have watched that One Show performance would have thought it was live (which we can tell it wasn't).

I am not sure who would be saying 'he just mimed, he can't sing live'. He has loads of videos all over social media showing his live vocals. At this point, it's not even a point of debate :p

The audio is definitely a live vocal, sung over the studio backing track. It's different to the studio version, and it isn't as produced (minimal added effects, no fixes to the timing or reduction of breathing sounds). What we see is a produced promo performance though. It looks like it was filmed over multiple takes and then edited together. The reason is looks mimed some of the time is that the audio isn't necessarily from the same take that we are seeing.
 

aef

Well-known member
Joined
April 24, 2015
Posts
4,315
How many high-pitched male voices does a good contest need? None in my opinion. Unfortunately we have so many of them this year. :3: points from me. I think I might have over 15 songs with :3: points this year.
 

ChiversLookDivine

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Joined
March 2, 2022
Posts
278
Okay, fair enough. There was one or two missed notes and a bunch of ad-libbing so I assumed live, didn't account for post-processing. I think the slightly uncontrolled breathing before singing at 1:02 and 1:05 is what threw me off.

Still, very promising.
 

ArmpitOfEurope

Well-known member
Joined
February 12, 2022
Posts
991
Im gonna upgrade this from 6 to :7:,
Still some things that annoy me a bit in this but easily the best UK entry since... I dont even remember since what. Guess Jade
( loved Blue but that lead singer's vocals were terrible! )
 

ethanray

Active member
Joined
March 10, 2022
Posts
3
There was one or two missed notes and a bunch of ad-libbing so I assumed live, didn't account for post-processing. I think the slightly uncontrolled breathing before singing at 1:02 and 1:05 is what threw me off.
What you describe is why we know it is a live vocal though. It's different to the studio version. However, it's not a 100% live performance. The band are miming to the studio backing track (like they will at Eurovision), and it is filmed in multiple takes and then edited together. That's why it looks mimed at times, because what we hear and what we see aren't always from the same take.
 

spinachpie

Well-known member
Joined
March 19, 2012
Posts
476
What you describe is why we know it is a live vocal though. It's different to the studio version. However, it's not a 100% live performance. The band are miming to the studio backing track (like they will at Eurovision), and it is filmed in multiple takes and then edited together. That's why it looks mimed at times, because what we hear and what we see aren't always from the same take.

What you've just described is not a live vocal though, lol. This is nothing against Sam at all, it's just not a 'live vocal'. I have no doubts he will smash it on the night.
 

ethanray

Active member
Joined
March 10, 2022
Posts
3
What you've just described is not a live vocal though, lol. This is nothing against Sam at all, it's just not a 'live vocal'. I have no doubts he will smash it on the night.
Yes I know the way I described it seems like a contradiction. What I'm trying to get across is that it's not a fully-produced studio vocal either. It's not miming in the sense that most people understand it - he's not just miming to the studio version. What you hear is a closer representation to how he might sound on the night in May. I don't think he's giving it his all here, but he'll certainly rise to the occasion in Turin.
 

midnightsun

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Joined
February 26, 2016
Posts
3,927
Location
Germany
I was thinking the whole time I have heard this song somewhen… now it struck me. Reminds me a bit of Carolina Liar.

I don’t doubt he‘s capable to sing live. Maybe I did not explain well what I meant.
I‘m not sure he‘s gonna deliver a performance suitable to the song.
We‘ll see. I wish he will 'cos I really like the song. Went straight to my top 10 with ease.
 

jatojo

Well-known member
Joined
February 15, 2020
Posts
1,901
A lot will depend on his (real) live performance. It's a difficult song to sing, but if he can do it in the way he does in the live version I've seen, he deserves a good result. Fortunately, it's not as much falsetto as in "Brividi".
 

ZoboCamel

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Joined
May 18, 2012
Posts
4,521
Location
Melbourne, Australia
This isn't exactly knocking my socks off, but it's absolutely my favourite UK entry since at least Lucie, or maybe Molly. A solid :8:!

Results-wise, I'd be surprised if this didn't get the UK their best result since 2009 (not that that's a high bar to clear, but, y'know). I suppose it could flop with terrible staging, which is entirely possible from the UK; or perhaps it could even get past Jade's 5th place if they nail the live performance for once. Either way, this'll hopefully see the UK get out of its long-term Eurovision rut...
 
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