Semi Final Two: Latvia, Croatia, Bulgaria and Denmark

Wolves of the Sea is just the sort of thing you would see performed in an amateur production of Peter Pan in the boring week after New Year.

However, a fair proportion of the viewing public will watch this, snigger/chortle/grin, think 'that's what Eurovision is all about' and no doubt vote for it. Especially if they're watching with toddlers.

It's not the most sophisticated song ever composed, but nobody realises that more than the people performing it. Pirates of the Sea have gone the whole hog with skull-and-crossbones, eye patches, cutlasses, doubloons and perhaps even a genuine wooden leg (although that would take dedication to the Eurovision cause to unsettling extremes).

Whispers across the ocean waves suggest this motley band of seafaring songsters couldn't hold a note if they were quivering at the end of the plank and being prodded with swords, but this is going to be one of the more memorable performances at Eurovision 2008 - and one you'll be seeing on archive clip shows for years to come.

Boom or Bang?: Off to the final with a Hi-Hi-Hi.

Croatia: Kraljevi Ulice & 75 Cents - Romanca

Whatever the result of Eurovision 2008, the Croatians will emerge from this year's Contest with a record unlikely to be broken.

Their entry this year features the eldest performer ever to take part in the event's 52-year history - their 'rapper' is well in to his eighth decade (mind you, he looks older) and his backing band are buskers which play every day at the same time in a local town square, generating a huge following in the process.

Romanca swept the board at the Croatian heat in Mrach, earning perfect 10s from the juries. Compared to the discotastic shennanigans of the hot favourites for the title, this gentle tune still has its merits and - if it qualifies - could prove a surprise vote puller from people whose heads are throbbing from too many drum machines.

Perhaps 'old' is now the way to go for European success. It's just a pity England never fielded Bobby Charlton in their final Euro 2008 qualifier against, oh yeah... Croatia.

I've changed my mind. This is rubbish and I want it to lose. Loads. This lot spoiled the English summer.

Boom or Bang?: Pensioner power will take this to the final.

Bulgaria: Deep Zone & Balthazar - DJ, Take Me Away

Clearly, DJ, Take Me Away was massively under-running once Deep Zone (?) and Balth had put the finishing touches to it.

Thankfully, 50 seconds of old school Scouse House was discovered in a dusty corner of the studio and found a new home as the intro to Bulgaria's fourth entry for Eurovision. How fortuitous.

Although outdated, this is the one song from this year's event which would fit most comfortably on to an Essential Ibiza SummerMix CD (although Boom Bang a Blog would dearly love to see the Croatian entry wind up on such a compilation) and it makes a welcome change for something like this to take part.

Listening to this on your iPod while doing the Sunday dishes isn't that fulfilling an experience, but once on stage, with a suitably 'oomph-y' performance (apparently, the Bulgarians are promising laser harps and everything), this could be the most sable of dark horses currently residing in Serbia's Eurovision stables.

It's never going to be a Eurovision evergreen, but Boom Bang a Blog believes this one will surprise people.

Boom or Bang?: One to watch out for.

Denmark: Simon Mathew - All Night Long

Today must be the day for potential sleeper successes.

This uncomplicated singalong from Denmark's Simon Mathew won't require him to twist in and out of a glass crate, balance seven beach balls on his nose or - heaven forbid - rip someone's skirt off to get the message across.

A similar tune from the Danes did unexpectedly well in 2005 - and their Olsen Brothers won the Contest eight years ago with the simple but effective guitar-led Fly On the Wings of Love (hey kids, you may remember the dance version re-recording which reached the UK charts about three years later).

Simon doesn't appear to have fallen out the ugly tree, either, which won't hinder All Night Long's chances of being another song which overtakes some of the uptempo fan-pleasers on the scoreboard.

The only thing not in Mr Mathew's favour is that the title, unfortunately, does relate to how the duration of this song feels after the fourth or fifth listen.

Boom or Bang?: That lad deserves to reach the final.