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Portugal PORTUGAL 2021 - The Black Mamba - Love is on My Side

How do you rate this entry?

  • 12

    25 13.7%
  • 10

    10 5.5%
  • 8

    17 9.3%
  • 7

    17 9.3%
  • 6

    15 8.2%
  • 5

    17 9.3%
  • 4

    14 7.7%
  • 3

    8 4.4%
  • 2

    10 5.5%
  • 1

    26 14.2%
  • 0

    24 13.1%

  • Total voters
    183

escYOUnited

Administrator
Joined
September 28, 2009
Posts
1,355
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Left home when I was only sweet sixteen
Chasing blind love and a bunch of broken dreams
Don’t know how I thought I’d be a queen
I could do anything
But somehow I end up here I don’t know why
I still believe that

Love is on my side
Love is on my side
Love is on my side
Maybe not tonight

I can feel it when it rains
I can feel it still runnin’ in my veins
Ran so fast I couldn’t even grow
Forgot where I belong
Sold my body on a dirty cold floor
Yet I believe that
I believe that

Love is on my side
Love is on my side
Love is on my side
on my side
Maybe not tonight

Love is…
Love is…
Love is…

Love is on my side
Maybe not tonight​
 
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Shadowfuxcs

Well-known member
Joined
March 12, 2021
Posts
397
Location
Rotterdam, NL
This song is a great example of the fact that great music is a product of the particular place and time it is made in. These guys are trying to replicate a sound that they like to hear but they have been born in wrong continent and time period to be able to create something in this genre that can actually be impactful and sincere. The end product sounds like a fake jazz/blues song from a movie where a bunch of 35-year old friends get dumped by their wives and go on to fulfill their high school dream of being an American jazz band from the old times. Solid enough to enter an open mic in some fancy bistrot in Lisbon but it falls sort when it comes to compete on the big stage.
The cringy lyrics and the forced vocal tone turn a bland song into an unlikable one.

Having said all that, I do think they stand a solid chance to qualify from their weak semi final. The camera angles did a good job of creating an atmosphere at the national final and if they stage it with equal effectiveness at esc they can get a strong jury score + a few televotes from people that will perceive this as quality.
 

midnightsun

Veteran
Joined
February 26, 2016
Posts
3,927
Location
Germany
To me this doesn’t sound forced, unlike, for example, Salvador Sobral‘s song. I know, many, many were over the moon about him and the song and the atmosphere but to me the whole song was as fake as the singer.
Yes, Love is on my side is a little Simply Red reminiscence but other than that, quite inoffensive in a very beautiful way, like Georgia‘s You. It’s so calming and soothing; both songs give me the feeling of a blanket wrapped around me after a long, relaxing bath. In no way I have the impression, the Black Mambas try to recreate 60's jazz (which I don’t like particularly anyway to be honest).
However, I do think they won’t qualify because in their semi the competitors are pretty strong since all strong ballads are in this semi. I wish they would qualify to bring that special mood along but unfortunately I can’t vote in Semi 2 (and even if, it would be useless knowing the German televoters taste).
 

Dessi

Well-known member
Joined
January 29, 2010
Posts
1,233
Location
Enecopia
WOW!!!! I really LOVE this song. :love:xyaaayxheart
It is a warm song, really FANTASTIC vocals :love:, it makes me feel relaxed and really, really happy and I just feel I'm REALLY content.
Yep, this is a 12-pointer in my book, for sure. I Love it, Portugal! xheart
 

escEndre

Active member
Joined
April 5, 2021
Posts
62
Check out our newest digital interview! This time with Portugal and The Black Mamba!

Check it out here, and please help us grow by subscribing our YouTube-Channel! :)
 

harey

Well-known member
Joined
January 30, 2019
Posts
879
It's climbing on my top. I don't like it as much as Latvia 2019 because of the singer's voice, which isn't smooth enough to suit that kind of song imho, but I believe it will remain in my top 10.
 

Looren

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Joined
August 10, 2020
Posts
9,817
Location
Agadir
Actually this is better than the original version. He really has a great voice though it is not my most favorite song.

Yes for me it's really better, I like the song but sometimes I really have a problem with his voice, not that he has a bad voice, his voice is great but a bit too strange for me :lol:
 

cegs5

Well-known member
Joined
March 6, 2012
Posts
6,335
This is beautifully done, the melody, the instrumentation, the simplicity, the story behind and the feeling the singer project. I’m not a follower of this music genre though, but it’s great to have it in the contest.

I just noticed it’s been massively ranked very low :D I guess a fan favourite didn’t win Festival da Caçao, classic.
 

Iker

Veteran
Joined
March 13, 2018
Posts
3,415
People say this is the first Portuguese entry in English but I have stumbled upon entry for Portugal (Amar) from 2005 which was at least in English too!

But that entry was really bad and the live performance made it even more awful. I think their was a technical issue with some mics not working!
 
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Decayingbooks

Well-known member
Joined
March 4, 2019
Posts
1,281
Location
Portugal
People say this is the first Portuguese entry in English but I have stumbled upon entry for Portugal (Amar) from 2005 which was at least in English too!

But that entry was really bad and the live performance made it even more awful. I think their was a technical issue with some mics not working
The 2003, 2005 and 2006 entries were sang both in portuguese and english, this year is the first entry fully in english.
 

Phoenix

Well-known member
Joined
March 5, 2011
Posts
212
This one gets a lot of hate on the internet, but imho it's not the worst thing out there. The song is old fashioned, but the chorus melody is kinda cute. It's the performer and his voice that I find to be unappealing.
 

Decayingbooks

Well-known member
Joined
March 4, 2019
Posts
1,281
Location
Portugal
I just found out that Neev sang in the 2016' song "Breath" by the norwegian band Seeb and it slaps!

 

Skymnos

Well-known member
Joined
May 7, 2014
Posts
53
Hey guys

Guess what's Tatanka's favorite Eurovision entry in 2021.

Lead-singer Pedro Tatanka expressed his admiration for Barbara Pravi and her song "Voilà" in an interview. Talking about favorite singers in the music industry, he said: "I was very surprised by the singer representing France in Eurovision. Listen to the song, if you can. It’s spectacular. Half Edith Piaf, no accessories. Strings, a piano and she just rocking it. Unbelievable. Really good. It really moves you. I was impressed".

For those who understand portuguese, you can listen to the full interview here.
 
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