It’s easy to do the Ed Sheeran comparisons, and indeed Master Ed’s song could easily pass as a lesser cut from the latter-day housewife’s favourite.
I’m sure the message behind this song is heartfelt, and I can’t deny Schulte has a decent set of pipes on him. But he’s lumbered with an absolute dog of a song. And given, he claims a writing credit, he can’t really dodge the bullet for this.
An injection of strings towards the end adds much needed life, but I’ve heard it a handful of times by now, and can’t recall a single note.
I’m aware the Germans plan to use a huge overhead projector as part of the staging – possibly the one the Estonians keep whinging about not being able to afford – so ‘You let me walk alone’ may well come alive on the night. I still can’t help thinking that making this unforgettable dirge stand out remains a herculean task.
It feel this could go either way. Last year, the Germans entered a perfectly good (instantly forgettable) song, performed well by a fairly charismatic singer. This ticks many of the same boxes. Or viewers could be trollied and think they saw Ed Sheeran, and vote for it.