1980

Music/Lyrics: Klaus-Peter Sattler

Conductor: Richard Österreicher

Synchronised choreography, a list of famous composers and a key change easier to spot than a feminist at a Jim Davidson gig: what more does a song need?

Music/Lyrics: Atilla Ozdemiroglu/Sanar Yurdatapan

Conductor: Atilla Ozdemiroglu

For those fed up with songs about love, this is something completely different. In the days before tourism, oil was the big industry and Ajda played it straight while singing its praises.

Music/Lyrics: Jick Nakassian/Rony Sofou

Conductor: Jick Nakassian

Anna, one of Greece’s biggest stars, made her contest debut with a song which probably wouldn’t feature highly on her greatest hits album.

Music/Lyrics: Pierre Delanoë, Jean-Paul Cara/ Ralph Siegel, Bernd Meinunger

Conductor: Norbert Daum

Drifting into the bizarre, Luxembourg sent two petit sisters and a large man in a penguin outfit. It’s easy to hum along with, but was it really necessary to dress the backing singers up as penguins too?

Music/Lyrics: Abdel Ati Amenna/Malou Rouanne

Conductor: Jean Claudric

Morocco’s first and so far only foray into the contest is very Arabic. It was certainly a different sound for the contest and starts well, but eventually, the end seems a long time coming. 

Music/Lyrics: Alan Sorrenti/Alan Sorrenti

Conductor: Del Newman

After taking a couple of off years, Italy returned to form. Alan’s voice sounds quite normal during the verses, but goes soprano for the chorus.

Music/Lyrics: Bjarne Gren Jensen/Flemming Jorgensen

Conductor: Allan Botschinsky

Bamses Venner were four men in stripy jumpers who kept movement to a minimum as they performed this easy to remember little song. A bit of swaying from side to side sufficed.

Music/Lyrics: Tomas Ledin/Tomas Ledin

Conductor: Anders Berglund

Just Nu is a rock song and Tomas struts around the stage like a true rock star. There are shades of Mick Jagger in the way he carried the microphone stand.

Music/Lyrics: Peter Reber/Peter Reber, Véronique Muller

Conductor: Peter Reber
Eleven years after she finished fifth in the contest, Paola’s second effort is a quirky tune which grows steadily from a reserved start as does Paola’s performance.

Music/Lyrics: Aarno Raninen/Vexi Salmi

Conductor: Ossi Runne

Vesa combines singing with playing the flute, although not at the same time! Huilumies is a slightly messy song which fails to leave an impression.

Music/Lyrics: Sverre Kjellsberg/Ragnar Olsen

Conductor: Sigurd Jansen

The Sami people live north of the Arctic Circle and the threats facing their very traditional way of life were highlighted in this very ethnic song, which also includes the traditional Sami song

Music/Lyrics: Ralph Siegel/ Bernd Meinunger

Conductor: Wolfgang Rődelberger

Katia’s third and final Eurovision entry could be from the musical Caberet. She’s ably assisted by four men wearing black suits whose faces are painted white.

Music/Lyrics: Stephanie de Sykes, Stuart Slater/ Stephanie de Sykes, Stuart Slater

Conductor: John Coleman

Having survived a tie-break in the British selection show, Prima Donna, a six member vocal group of three men and three women, gave a suitably smiley performance of this cheerful song.

Music/Lyrics: José Cid/José Cid

Conductor: Jorge Machado

Saying goodbye in four different languages, José led the way through this mostly lively number, which is quite infectious.

Music/Lyrics: Frans Smit, Sjoukje Smit, Robert Verwey/Alex Alberts

Conductor: Rogier van Otterloo

Six years after her successful collaboration with the charismatic Mouth, Maggie represented the hosts with a slightly self-obsessed song, but it’s none the worse for that and is worth a listen.

Music/Lyrics: Sylvano Santorio/Richard de Bordeaux, Richard Joffo

Conductor: Sylvano Santorio

Profil wore matching outfits with multi coloured stripes across the front. They were co-ordinated to the extent of the stripes joining up along the line of the five singers. As for the song, it’s quite europop.

Music/Lyrics: Shay Healy/Shay Healy

Conductor: Noel Kelehan

The most successful of contest careers started here. It’s a heartbreaking ballad about the struggle Shay Healy’s Dad had coming to terms with the death of his wife. 

Music/Lyrics: José Antonio Martin/José Antonio Martin

Conductor: Javier Iturralde

The Spanish entry spends it’s time rising and dipping in volume and pace. The chorus is virtually chanted rather than sung.

Music/Lyrics: Daniel Dupret, Michel Muert, Marc Mullart/ Daniel Dupret, Michel Muert, Marc Mullart

Conductor:

It’s not quite Kraftwerk, but electro-pop makes an early appearance in the contest before it became trendy. Who says the Eurovision Song Contest has always been stuck in the past.