n 1983, West German band Nena took the world by storm with the song 99 Luftballons, a synth-driven pop-rock tune with lyrics exploring cold war helplessness and futility amidst the shadow threat of nuclear war and mutually assured destruction.
They must surely have been inspired by Nuku pommiin by Kojo, Finland's ESC entry just one year earlier in 1982, which was likewise a synth-driven pop-rock song with cold war overtones – and which came dead last with nul points.
Its consignment to the ESC basement was assured by its bleak and none-to-poetic take on the subject (the word "nuclear poo" appears inside the first line), frequent questionable musical pauses for bass drum thuds and squeaking trumpet licks (presumably intended to sound like dropping bombs), an out of place guitar solo, and Kojo's gaudy vinyl red suit.
But despite its objective failings, I've always found this stand-out catchy, brash, notably different and a microcosm of its time, and is one of my top Eurovision guilty pleasures.