Viisukuppila

There have previously been contests for writing English lyrics for Finnish preselection entries but this year, for the first time, songs from every country are free game! This includes every song that wasn't performed in English in any of this year's national selections (listed below). Every participant can submit up to two entries. Please also include in your submission a link to an online instance of the version you have chosen of the song (studio versions are preferred).

So:
What? Write a singable English text for up to two preselection songs of 2014 from any country.
How? Send your lyrics to me via private message or by e-mail at ufopoli@hotmail.com.
When? Thursday 29 May at 9 PM UTC+3 at the latest.
Something else? All threads related to this contest will be in English for the benefit of potential entrants from abroad. If you have foreign friends you think might be interested, feel free to let them know about this contest!

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For those less familiar with the concept of lyrics writing contests, here's a more detailed explanation. The purpose of translation contests is not to see who can make the most exact direct translation but the topics are free for the writers to choose. However, compatibility between the music and the lyrics is something that is rarely completely overlooked, either.

Also, whereas in the case of an artist actually recording a cover track there are usually some liberties taken when it comes to the arrangement, in our contests the original melody is to be followed. The reason is simply that in plain written form, it's impossible to tell what the author has intended if the lyrics don't conform with the notes.

Each participant is required to participate in the voting (or lose points equal to the maximum single score). The voting period commences right after the deadline and will be announced in a separated thread. Also non-participants are welcome to cast their vote.

The entries are typically judged for their content, technical quality and atmosphere. After voting, each voter is welcome to express his or her opinions in more detail in a separate commenting thread. Every commenting effort will be rewarded with access to the constantly updating scoreboard.

Feel free to ask further questions about the contest either in this thread or by sending me a message.

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And then the list of songs eligible for the contest. A big thankyou to Timoteus for composing it!

Albania
Besiana Mehmeti & Shkodran Tolaj – Jam larg
Blerina Braka – Mikja ime
Etmond Mancaku & Entela Zhula – Vetëm për ty
Frederik Ndoci – Një ditë shprese
Klodian Kaçani – Me ty
Luiz Ejlli – Kthehu
Lynx – Princesha
Marjeta Billo – Ti mungon
NA – Jehona
Renis Gjoka – Mjegulla
Rezarta Smaja – Në zemër
Sajmir Braho – Grua
Venera Lumani & Lindi Islami – Natë e parë
Xhejn & Enxhi Kumrija – Kur qielli qan
Xhejsi Jorgaqi – Ëndrrat janë ëndrra

Spain
Jorge Gonzalez – Aunque se acabe el mundo
La Dama – Estrella fugaz
Raúl – Seguir sin ti

Iceland
Ásdís María Viðarsdóttir – Amor
F.U.N.K. – Þangað til ég dey
Gissur Páll Gissurarson – Von
Gréta Mjöll Samúelsdóttir – Eftir eitt lag
Guðbjörg Magnúsdóttir – Aðeins ætluð þér
Guðrún Árný Karlsdóttir – Til þín
Sverrir Bergmann – Dönsum burtu blús
Vignir Snær Vigfússon – Elsku þú

Greece
Kostas Martakis – Kanenas den me stamata
Krystallia – Petalouda stin Athina

Latvia
Andris Kivičs – Pa vidu tu
Crazy Dolls – Bučas
Dons – Pēdējā vēstule
Olga & Līgo – Saule riet

Moldova
Alina Sorochina - Ascultă-mă tăcere
Ana Cernicova - Dragostea divină
Aurel Chirtoacă - Urme de iubiri
Margarita Ciorici & Metafora - Vis
Paralela 47 - Fragmente

Norway
Cir.Cuz – Hele verden
Moi – Bensin

Portugal
Carla Ribeiro – Mais para dar
Catarina Pereira - Mea culpa
Ivo Lucas – Eu vou
Lara Afonso – O teu segredo
Madalena Trabuco – Coração de filigrana
Raquel Guerra – Sonhos roubados
Ricardo Afonso – Emoção
Rui Andrade – Ao teu encontro
Zana – Nas asas da sorte

France
Joanna – Ma liberté

Romania
Bere Gratis – Despre mine şi ea
Naomy – Daca tu iubeşti
Șăl – Hardjock
Silvia Dumitrescu – Fiorul iubirii

Sweden
CajsaStina Åkerström – En enkel sång
Elisa Lindström – Casanova
Ellinore Holmer – En himmelsk sång
Josef Johansson – Hela natten
Linda Bengtzing – Ta mig
Linus Svenning – Bröder
Martin Stenmarck – När änglarna går hem
Panetoz – Efter skolsken
Sylvester Schlegel – Bygdens son

Germany
Das Gezeichnete Ich – Echo
Das Gezeichnete Ich – Weil du da bist
Santiano – Wir werden niemals untergehen
Unheilig – Als wär's das erste Mal
Unheilig – Wir sind alle wie eins

Slovenia
Bilbi – To ni blues
Rudi Bučar & Elevators – Tja

Finland
Hukka ja Mama – Selja
Jasmin Michaela – Kertakäyttösydän
MAKEA – Painovoima
Mikko Pohjola – Sängyn reunalla

Switzerland
Arxplendida – Mercurii diei
Christian Tschanz – Au paradis
Natacha & Stéphanie – Une terre sans vous
Nino Colonna – La luce del cuore
Paula Marengo – J'ai envie de toi
Valentino Alfano – 103 parole

Denmark
Emilie Moldow – Vi finder hjem

Ukraine
Evgen Litvinkovych - Strelyanaya ptitsa
Shanis - Moya dusha
Victor Romanchenko - Na krayu propasti
Vladimir Tkachenko - Buty tam, de ty

Hungary
2Beat or Not 2Beat – Meg akarom mondani
Bálint Gájer – Elmaradt pillanatok
Belmondo – Miért ne higgyem
BülBüls – Minden mosoly
Depresszió – Csak a zene
Group’n'Swing – Retikül
Heni Dér – Ég veled
HoneyBeast – A legnagyobb hős
Ibolya Oláh – Egy percig sztár
Laura Cserpes – Úgy szállj
Leslie Szabó – Hogy segíthetnék
Lilla Polyák – Karcolás
Mystery Gang – Játssz még jazzgitár
Tamás Vastag – Állj meg világ

Belarus
Artem Mihalenko - Rapsodija No. 1
Elena Sinyavskaya - Via Lattea

Estonia
August Hunt – Kus on EXIT?
Brigita Murutar – Laule täis taevakaar
Kőrsikud – Tule ja jää
Lauri Pihlap – Lootus
Lenna – Supernoova
Maiken – Siin või sealpool maad
Maltised – Elu
Nimmerschmidt – Sandra
Nion – Muud pole vaja
Sandra Nurmsalu – Kui tuuled pöörduvad
Traffic – Für Elise
VÖÖRAD – Maailm on hull

If you find errors in the above list, please let me know and I'll fix it!

Almost a week has passed, still over a week left. So far, two entries have been received, as the mysteriously empty flags above indicate.

I realized that I'll be somewhere over the Atlantic at the time I'm supposed to end the submission period, so let's take two days of extra time. The new deadline is May 28 at 10 AM.

I realized that the deadline doesn't include a time zone, which might come handy because this may turn out to be an international contest, and while adding one, I realized that the deadline I'd set makes no sense because I'm going to be in Iceland at that time, and hopefully fast asleep, so I added a few hours.

Two days left, and we already have the makings of an exciting contest.

Still 11 hours to go!

I'd appreciate one extra day of lyricsing deadlinewise.

nkorppi kirjoitti:I'd appreciate one extra day of lyricsing deadlinewise.

Done. This contest is way beyond time and space in any case So, now it will be same time tomorrow.

We have already broken the participation record in non-Finnish contests. Well done, guys!

The time is officially over, but I'll still accept entries for an hour or so at least, because I don't have the opportunity to open the reviewing period before I have a proper break from this conference I'm attending. So if you're still planning to enter, this would be a good time to let me know that I know to expect your contribution.

There was a request for even further extension, and I decided to grant it. The new (and final) deadline is tonight at 21 UTC+3 (aka Finnish time).

Still an hour and a half left

403 error when sending second lyrics by private message. Will use email address instead.

Time's finally up! The reviewing will open shortly.