All songs for the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 have been selected. During the weeks between the national final season and the actual Eurovision Song Contest, we will introduce all 43 entries in random order. We are half way through and part forty of the series is dedicated to the UK entry.

Basic information

Performers:	Blue
Song:	I can
Language:	English
Music:	Ciaron Bell, Ben Collier, Ian Hope, Duncan James, Liam Keenan, Lee Ryan, StarSign
Lyrics:	Ciaron Bell, Ben Collier, Ian Hope, Duncan James, Liam Keenan, Lee Ryan, StarSign
Draw:	14th in the final

The song

I can is an mid-temo dance pop song. Through the lyrics, the protagonist tells that he will get up again after suffering from the pains of a separation:

It’s like rain falling down
Drops of pain hit the ground
I can’t speak
There’s no sound when you’re gone
(Yeah, yeah come on)

I can
I will
I know
I can untie these hands

The performers

Boygroup Blue was founded in 2001 by former Pop Idol contestants Antony Costa and Duncan James. They were joined by Lee Ryan and Simon Webbe. Their debut album All rise was released the same year and it reached number one on the UK charts and was eventually certified four times platinum. Furthermore, it inlcuded the two number one singles Too close and If you come back. In 2002, their second album One love followed and it was just as successful as its precedessor. It included another number one hit, namely a cover version of Elton John's Sorry seems to be the hardest word. The single is also considered the band's breakthrough in Europe as it reached the top ten almost everywhere. Their third album Guilty followed in 2003. Although it was not as successful in sales figures as the previous two records in the United Kingdom, it is their most successful album abroad. It included the hit song Breathe easy. Having sold about 13 million records worldwide, Blue split up in 2003.

The band reunited in 2010 and it was announced that they would represent the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest in Düsseldorf with the song I can. The single is expected to reach number seven on the charts on homeground this week making it Blue's 13th top ten hit in the UK.

The songwriters

I can was written by Blue members Lee Ryan and Duncan James as well as Ciaron Bell, Ben Collier, Ian Hope, Liam Keenan and StarSign. Ciaron Bell is known for his work with Atomic Kitten.

The national selection

For the first time ever, both the song and the singer were chosen internally by the BBC.

The United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest

The United Kingdom debuted in the second edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. After a break in 1958, the country returend in 1959 and has not missed an edition since making it the country with the most consecutive participations and, along with France, the country with the second most participations in total. In total, the United Kingdom won the contest five times, finished second 15 times and came third three times and is therefore proabably the most succesful country ever. However, over the last ten participations, the UK finished in the top ten only twice and achieved its first three last places in 2003, 2008 and 2010.

Statistics

This will be the United Kingdom's 54th participation in the Eurovision Song Contest. For the 19th time the country is represented by a group. Not surprisngly, I can will be the 54th UK entry to be performed entirely in English.

I can is the 14th song to be performed in the final. The UK's last places in 2003 and 2010 came from very similar positions in the draw – 15th and 12th respectively. However, 14 was a lucky number for Bucks Fizz in 1981, when they won the contest.

We wish Blue and the United Kingdom the best of luck and a good result in Düsseldorf.

Videos

Live presentation on television:

The preview video:

Sorry seems to be the hardest word:

Live performance of Breathe easy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhFRhqAFdpI

Tomorrow, we will take a look at the FYR Macedonian entry.

Previous parts of the series:

1. Estonia
2. Italy
3. Croatia
4. Slovakia
5. Lithuania
6. Finland
7. Switzerland
   
8. Ukraine
9. Norway
10. Moldova
11. Belgium
12. Azerbaijan
13. Ireland
14. Portugal
    
15. Austria
16. Latvia
17. France
18. Bosnia & Herzegovina
19. Romania
20. Sweden
21. Bulgaria
22. Armenia
23. Denmark
24. Cyprus
25. Spain
    
26. Belarus
27. San Marino
28. Malta
    
29. Germany
    
30. Georgia
31. Greece
32. Iceland
    
33. Serbia
34. Turkey
35. Netherlands
36. Hungary
37. Albania
38. Slovenia
39. Russia