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Luxembourg - Hugues Aufray - Dès Que Le Printemps Revient (French)

Music/Lyrics: Hugues Aufray/Jacques Plante

Conductor:  Jacques Denjean

Although the song lasts for three minutes, by the end of the first minute, it has revealed everything it has to offer. Hugues sings a line or two, his backing singers repeat the last few words and then there is a bit of trumpet.

Music/Lyrics: Ted Powder/René de Vos

Conductor: Dolf van der Linden

The song starts off very promisingly but doesn’t quite deliver. A lively arrangement kept the orchestra fairly busy.

Music/Lyrics: Sigurd Jansen/Egil Hagen

Conductor: Karsten Andersen

Norway’s fifth entry is the first which could be described as up-tempo. It uses lots of brass which gives the song a big band atmosphere.

Music/Lyrics: Aksel van Rasmussen/Morgens Dam

Conductor: Kai Mortensen

The hosts went for two in a row with a song too dissimilar in construction to ‘Dansevise’. It moves along steadily with an arrangement mainly interspersed between the vocal lines. 

Music/Lyrics: Lasse Mårtenson/Sauvo Puhtila

Conductor: George de Godzinsky

From scoring zero the year before, Finland moved into the top half of the scoreboard with Lasse’s big band influenced song.

Music/Lyrics: Udo Jürgens/Udo Jürgens

Conductor: Johannes Fehring

It seems Austria suddenly wanted to win the contest. This beautiful piano based ballad is far superior to anything they had previously entered. Matt Monro reached number four in the UK with an English version of the song, ‘Walk Away’.

Music/Lyrics: André Popp/Pierre Cour

Conductor: Franck Pourcel

This is a simple, pleasant ballad sung with sensitivity by Rachel. The lyricist got a bit lazy, with a few da-da-da’s creeping in, but that doesn’t spoil the song too much.

Music/Lyrics: Tony Hatch/Tony Hatch

Conductor: Harry Rabinowitz

Crooner Matt had a bigger hit with an English version of Austria’s song than he did with this. ‘I Love the Little Things’ failed to chart. However, his voice is well suited to the style and the whole thing sounds quite cool.

Music/Lyrics: Rudi von der Dovenmühle/Niels Nobach

Conductor: Willy Berking

Germany had one of the most up-tempo songs in the 1964 contest. As with most German entries at that point in the history of the contest, like it or hate it, it stands out from the crowd.

Music/Lyrics: Francis Lai/Pierre Barouh

Conductor: Michel Colombier

With one exception, Monaco had so far put their faith into typical French ballads. This is possibly the best effort in their six attempts. The juries agreed.

Music/Lyrics: João Nobre/Francisco Nicholson and Rogério Braçinha

Conductor: Kai Mortensen

Portugal is one of the most unsuccessful countries in the contest, being the oldest participant never to have won. Their first entry sums up their history. It’s a beautiful song which deserved a lot better from the juries.

Music/Lyrics: Nicola Salerno/Mario Panzeri

Conductor: Gianfranco Monaldi

Sixteen year old Gigliola swept all before her, scoring more than double the points of the second place song. Some will argue her age won it; others will point to the commercial success of the song as proof that the song was stronger than its competitors.

Yugoslavia - Sabahudin Kurt - Zivot Je Sklopio Krug (Serbo-Croat)

Music/Lyrics: Srcan Matijevic/Stevan Raickovic

Conductor: Radivoj Spasic

Yugoslavia can count themselves unlucky not to have scored a single point. The song is an understated ballad which would certainly not make you want to switch off. The use of the alto-sax does spoil slightly the overall quality.

Switzerland - Anita Traversi - I Miei Pensieri (Italian)

Music/Lyrics: Giovanni Pelli/Sanzio Chiesa

Conductor: Fernando Paggi

While most of the countries upped their game in 1964, choosing songs which were more contemporary than in previous years, Switzerland continued where previous years had left off.

Belgium - Robert Cogoi - Près De Ma Rivière (French)

Music/Lyrics: Robert Cogoi/Robert Cogoi

Conductor: Henry Segers

Belgium chose a slow song whose pace remains more or less constant throughout, changing very briefly in the middle and towards the end.

Spain - Tim, Nelly and Tony – Caracola (Spanish)

Music/Lyrics: Fina de Calderón/Fina de Calderón

Conductor:  Rafael Ibarbia

While they might sound like children’s television presenters, the song would certainly not be used to entertain the kids, its serious Spanish fare. Tim and Tony are little more than backing singers.

UK – Bryan Johnson – Looking High, High, High (English)

Music/Lyrics: John Watson/John Watson

Conductor: Eric Robinson

Bryan sounded rather cheerful considering he was singing about looking for his lost love. Like his brother, Teddy, the year before, he gave the listener a reason to smile as all ended happily.

Sweden – Siw Malmkvist - Alla Andra Får Varann (Swedish)

Music/Lyrics: Ulf Källqvist/Åke Gerhard

Conductor: Thore Ehrling

A Big Band sound dominated in the background while Siw confidently made her way through the song. The instrumental lasts for almost a minute, maybe one of the longest ever in the contest.

Music/Lyrics: Henri Mootz & Jean Roderes/Henri Mootz

Conductor: Henri Mootz

Instead of French, Luxembourg tried their own language for the first time. Baritone Camillo delivered a song which wouldn’t have been out of place in a Hollywood musical.

Denmark – Katy Bødtger – Det Var en Yndig Tid (Danish)

Music/Lyrics: Vilfred Kjær/Sven Buemann

Conductor: Kai Mortensen

The song is pleasant enough to listen to but doesn’t hold the listeners ear very well.

Belgium – Fud Leclerc – Mon Amour Pour Toi (French)

Music/Lyrics: Jack Say/Robert Montal

Conductor: Henry Segers

For their third year entering a song in French, Belgium turned to Fred Luclerc for the third time. There is a slow jazz feel to this song.

Norway – Nora Brockstedt – Voi, Voi (Norwegian)

Music/Lyrics: George Elgaaen/ George Elgaaen

Conductor: Øivind Bergh

Norway’s debut was a happy sounding tune, using soft swing as the basis for the arrangement.

Music/Lyrics: Robert Stolz/Robert Gilbert

Conductor: Robert Stolz

After entering something a bit different in 1959, Austria opted went for something more typical of the period, a well sung ballad.

Monaco – Francois Deguelt – Ce Soir-là (French)

Music/Lyrics: Hubert Giraud/Pierre Dorsey

Conductor: Raymond Lefèvre

The intro features swirling strings and energetic piano before calming down for the rest of the song. The strings and piano return for the outro.

Switzerland – Anita Traversi – Cielo e Terra (Italian)

Music/Lyrics: Mario Robbiani/Mario Robbiani

Conductor: Cedric Dumont

This mid-tempo song jogs along nicely without really going anywhere.

The Netherlands – Rudi Carrell – Wat Een Geluk (Dutch)

Music/Lyrics: Dick Schallies/Willy van Hemert

Conductor: Dolf van der Linden

The Dutch went for two in a row with this bouncy little number which features several repetitions of la-la-la.

Germany – Wyn Hoop – Bonne Nuit, Ma Chérie (German)

Music/Lyrics: Franz Josef Breuer/Kurt Schwabach

Conductor: Franz Josef Breuer

Although Germany didn’t ‘Wyn’, it was another strong effort. Elements of the Cha-Cha-Cha are to the fore.

Italy – Renato Rascel – Romantica (Italian)

Music/Lyrics: Renato Rascel/Dino Verde

Conductor: Cinico Angelini

Another Italian entry, another Sanremo winner. Imagine a traditional Italian ballad of the time and you will hear this.

France – Jacqueline Boyer – Tom Pillibi (French)

Music/Lyrics: André Popp/Pierre Cour

Conductor: Franck Pourcel

France’s second win came with this quirky song delivered well by Jacqueline. Certainly a case of last but not least.