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Romania ROMANIA 2020 - Roxen - Alcohol You

How do you rate this entry?

  • 12

    35 24.6%
  • 10

    13 9.2%
  • 8

    17 12.0%
  • 7

    18 12.7%
  • 6

    12 8.5%
  • 5

    12 8.5%
  • 4

    10 7.0%
  • 3

    5 3.5%
  • 2

    5 3.5%
  • 1

    3 2.1%
  • 0

    12 8.5%

  • Total voters
    142

escYOUnited

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RainyWoods

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I think the problem with this song and the lyric situation is her diction. Just reading the lyrics alone makes them more palatable (even if they're unusual and quite abstract in parts). It's the fact you literally cannot understand half of what Roxen is singing that just makes it all sound like an incomprehensible jumble of words live and in even the studio version. She really needs to improve her diction as things like "why do fairytale fail baby?" cheapen the whole experience. You could get away with it on other songs perhaps, but going down this super serious ballad route, you simply can't, or at least shouldn't be able to. I don't feel a connection to Alcohol You at all simply because it doesn't feel like Roxen's song yet, rather something lumped on her that she's still getting used to. Perhaps it's a tad hypocritical coming from me as the self proclaimed eurotrash king, but when you're presenting me such caviar I must dine correctly. Something fun like Colors that was a little bit more loose, vibey and carefree I think would have been a better fit for young Roxen.

I do however very much appreciate the composition. It's a nice Billie Eilish-esque little thing with incredibly good production values. The hall of Romanians slurring along to the "alcohol you" line with Roxen was weirdly poignant, and a similar reaction in Rotterdam could create some magic considering the song is so pin drop quiet at that point. I feel like they'll work on the performance (they'll have to). The styling last night for this one was kind of shocking considering how amazing she looked during the other performances, specifically her Cherry Red outfit I liked.

I'll give this 6 points which is sort of kind considering I'm somewhat irritated when I listen to Alcohol You, but I can't deny the beauty of the composition. It needs a complete overhaul though lyrically speaking to help me get on board. Especially please wipe out that "fake news" bit. Using political phrases from whichever direction in music is something that's always going to annoy me. I come to the world of ditties to escape the ugliness of elections. Weird decision making there from whoever thought it was a good idea. I believe the good Romanian people should just hire my charitable services. I shall sort this all out for you.

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Uto

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She really needs to improve her diction as things like "why do fairytale fail baby?" cheapen the whole experience.
I really like that part with the 's' practically silent. Makes it youthful and creates a rhyme.
 

ESC94

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I really don´t wanna be a moaner, but I don´t get the excitement for this entry!! xshrug

I´ve listened to this entry three times in a row but I still can´t remember the melody!! It´s really dull without any climax and her English is also terrible!! (n)

At the moment I give this song :2:, simply because some other songs are even worse in my opinion.
 
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shameless

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Its interesting how the critical voices are the most vocal in this thread and the poll is so not reflecting that.
 

hijirio

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After reflecting on it for days, now I finally know who she reminds me of.

Our Estonian queen her majesty Kerli Koiv. :ee:

They should make a collab
 

RainyWoods

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I really like that part with the 's' practically silent. Makes it youthful and creates a rhyme.

I assumed it was her accent but the lyric video tells me it's actually a stylistic choice. I don't get it. As I said earlier on, it comes off as very me Tarzan you Jane. Adding that 's' isn't going to take anything away from the song, and taking it away simply makes it sound kind of silly. Actually, it's worse now that I know it's supposedly a choice. Like really... I don't get it. I understand the "alcohol you" bit (a play on words), but that fairytale line is completely nonsensical to me. It's like a child still learning to speak but she's twenty. I'm shocked someone (an American?) wrote that for her to sing intentionally.
 

Mrm

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I think she can do Kristian Kostov..and Iceland wins..
 

AleksTheDino

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I assumed it was her accent but the lyric video tells me it's actually a stylistic choice. I don't get it. As I said earlier on, it comes off as very me Tarzan you Jane. Adding that 's' isn't going to take anything away from the song, and taking it away simply makes it sound kind of silly. Actually, it's worse now that I know it's supposedly a choice. Like really... I don't get it. I understand the "alcohol you" bit (a play on words), but that fairytale line is completely nonsensical to me. It's like a child still learning to speak but she's twenty. I'm shocked someone (an American?) wrote that for her to sing intentionally.
First of all, I'm not a native speaker, so maybe what I'm about to write is nonsense.
If she sang "Fairytales" instead, wouldnt that shift the meaning to a more general idea of "all fairytales end badly"? In singular, it refers more to her own story and becomes more personal...at the cost of being grammatically wrong. But I listen to some kinds of American music, stuff lile Lil Peep, where they frequently drop plural forms like that. I know it is a totally different genre and maybe fits better there compared to an emotional ballad, but I don't mind it in this song at all. Then again, I'm not a native speaker, so it probably hurts your ears more than mine ;)
 

RainyWoods

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First of all, I'm not a native speaker, so maybe what I'm about to write is nonsense.
If she sang "Fairytales" instead, wouldnt that shift the meaning to a more general idea of "all fairytales end badly"? In singular, it refers more to her own story and becomes more personal...at the cost of being grammatically wrong. But I listen to some kinds of American music, stuff lile Lil Peep, where they frequently drop plural forms like that. I know it is a totally different genre and maybe fits better there compared to an emotional ballad, but I don't mind it in this song at all. Then again, I'm not a native speaker, so it probably hurts your ears more than mine ;)

It's a point, but if she wanted it to be more personal then simply "why does my fairytale fail baby" would have worked or even "why'd my fairytale fail baby" to keep it the same amount of syllables. That way you'd still have the rhyme there without it sounding so very wrong. I don't mind slang in songs or clever wording but this here just really rubs me up not right. It's a very slow ballad. It's not like a fast spat rap song where such liberties can be taken.

But what do I know? I'm an Undo/Samanta Tina fan after all xheart I can't really complain.
 

Miloutchi

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I am feeling bad for saying this, because I really do appreciate the effort, but I don’t particularly like it. I am not a huge fan of Billie Eilish either, so that may explain why I’m not immediately drawn to this. I also don’t like her voice + the dress she was wearing was atrocious.
 

Uto

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I just checked, the 's' is there in the recorded version and the crystal recorded version. It's not there in the live performance. It's slightly buggy, I do prefer the way it is in the recording where it's just barely there.
 

AleksTheDino

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It's a point, but if she wanted it to be more personal then simply "why does my fairytale fail baby" would have worked or even "why'd my fairytale fail baby" to keep it the same amount of syllables. That way you'd still have the rhyme there without it sounding so very wrong. I don't mind slang in songs or clever wording but this here just really rubs me up not right. It's a very slow ballad. It's not like a fast spat rap song where such liberties can be taken.

But what do I know? I'm an Undo/Samanta Tina fan after all xheart I can't really complain.
True! I kept going through other options in my head and didn't find any that kept the amount of syllables. But you did! Have you considered becoming a songwriter? "Why'd my fairytale fail baby" sounds better to me, you should send an e-mail to the Romanian team :3
 

Uto

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True! I kept going through other options in my head and didn't find any that kept the amount of syllables. But you did! Have you considered becoming a songwriter? "Why'd my fairytale fail baby" sounds better to me, you should send an e-mail to the Romanian team :3
No, that's not better. That's just correct English, but we're talking pop music here. That said, even a true English legend like Shakespeare just invented words when he felt like it just to keep the flow.
 

RainyWoods

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True! I kept going through other options in my head and didn't find any that kept the amount of syllables. But you did! Have you considered becoming a songwriter? "Why'd my fairytale fail baby" sounds better to me, you should send an e-mail to the Romanian team :3

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Well I ermm.. used to write poetry and stuff. I like writing but have always had my own issues when it comes to grammar and using words correctly in sentences. I struggle but I try and correct myself when I can. I've always got my little thesaurus out looking for new and exciting words that I'll forget five minutes later as I'm a pea brain.

We could message the Romanian team but then the lyric video for the song tells us that what they've done here is a stylistic choice. That's why I'm so puzzled right about now. I don't really understand the mindset behind it.

I just wish the best for this entry so that we can have Eurovision next year in @Gera11's house, with Mona Mihaela Trifu representing Romania.
 

AleksTheDino

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giphy.gif


Well I ermm.. used to write poetry and stuff. I like writing but have always had my own issues when it comes to grammar and using words correctly in sentences. I struggle but I try and correct myself when I can. I've always got my little thesaurus out looking for new and exciting words that I'll forget five minutes later as I'm a pea brain.

We could message the Romanian team but then the lyric video for the song tells us that what they've done here is a stylistic choice. That's why I'm so puzzled right about now. I don't really understand the mindset behind it.

I just wish the best for this entry so that we can have Eurovision next year in @Gera11's house, with Mona Mihaela Trifu representing Romania.
Aww well keep it up! I want to hear a eurovision hit coming from the feather of your pen. One day. For the UK?

Maybe they had the same problem as I did and didnt want to change the number of syllables (I think it would sound much worse with more syllables.) And they didnt have the same idea as you did...So conclusion...you need a flight to Romania.

Wow I didnt't know she had such a big house to host eurovision in. Sounds lovely :3
 

RainyWoods

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I like Roxen too. I hope it doesn't look like I'm hating. I'm just trying to be constructive, which is why I'm probably going wall of text mode, as I've got a lot to say about this entry. A lot of big positives and some negatives too which I think could easily be fixed.
 

aef

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I kinda liked Alcohol You at the beginning but somehow I completely lost the connection to it. For now its still in my top 10 but with all the songs being released soon it won't play that important role anymore for me. 5 points from me.
 
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