EuroVisionary.com - Everything you need to know about the Eurovision Song Contest - We welcome the 2009 Contest in Moscow

Music/Lyrics: Philip Green/Norman Newell

Conductor: Eric Robinson

In contrast to his first Eurovision entry the year before, this is a sincere ballad. Slightly dated perhaps, but still not unpleasant to listen to.

Music/Lyrics: Pieter Goemans/Pieter Goemans

Conductor: Dolf Van der Linden

One of four songs to score zero, the Dutch were starting to make a habit of either winning or finishing near the bottom. Drawn second, it possibly got lost among the plethora of ballads it was up against.

Music/Lyrics: Charly Niessen/Charly Niessen

Conductor:  Willy Berking

The Germans were already showing that they were not afraid to be different and ‘Marcel’ works well. There is a slight circus feel to it but at least they are not stuck in the 1950s.

Music/Lyrics: Erwin Halletz/Peter Wehle

Conductor: Erwin Halletz

There are a few bursts of energy from the orchestra but other than that, this is quite an uneventful, steady ballad.

Music/Lyrics: Dag Kristoffersen/Dag Kristoffersen

Conductor: Øivind Bergh

Sporting a very 1960s hair style, Anita has the ‘honour’ of scoring Norway’s first ‘nul points’. She can count herself as little unlucky. She sang this nice ballad very clearly.

Music/Lyrics: Tony Renis/Alberto Testa and Giulio Rapetti

Conductor: Gigi Ciccherello

This is one of the most un-Italian songs they have ever entered, its cabaret style differing wildly from the traditional Italian sound. A brave song to try, but justified with the resulting third place.

Music/Lyrics: Börje Sundgren/Börje Sundgren

Conductor: George de Godzinsky

The first and last 30 seconds of Finland’s third entry consists almost exclusively of “la-la-la”. In between, Laila sings a very gentle, inoffensive ballad.

Music/Lyrics: Otto Francker/Sejr Volmer-Sørensen

Conductor: Kai Mortensen

The husband and wife team gave Denmark and Scandinavia their first winner. Jurgen’s guitar arrangement makes the song distinctive from its competitors, managing to be different enough to stand out but not too different to annoy the more conservative jurors.

Music/Lyrics: Mario Nardelli/Mario Nardelli

Conductor: Miljenko Prohaska

Like their first two entries, this is an international style ballad, but this year, a male represented them for the first time. The arrangement is quite dramatic at times.

Music/Lyrics: Géo Voumard/Emile Gardaz

Conductor: Eric Robinson

The song which finished second (or was it first? We’ll never know) is a lovely ballad. It’s certainly a cut above most of its rivals, supported mainly by piano and strings.

Music/Lyrics: Alain Barrière/Alain Barrière

Conductor: Franck Pourcel

OK, so France had already won twice by now, but this is arguably their best entry yet. A lovely ballad with a piano arrangement adding to its beauty.

Music/Lyrics: Fernando Garcia Morcillo/Camillo Murillo Janero

Conductor: Rafael Ibarbia

Not exactly third time lucky for Spain! ‘Algo Prodigioso’ wants to be a Spanish epic but doesn’t quite manage it.

Music/Lyrics: Bobbie Ericsson/Beppe Wolgers

Conductor: William Lind

Images of a Stockholm jazz club are conjured up listening to this. There were apparently no jazz fans on the juries as this didn’t score. 

Music/Lyrics: Hans Flower/Wim Brabants

Conductor: Francis Bay

This is a ballad in the classic style. It’s neither particularly interesting nor particularly boring.

Music/Lyrics: Françoise Hardy/Françoise Hardy

Conductor: Raymond Lefévre

As with the preceding Belgian song, this is a ballad typical of the day but clearly appealed more to the juries. Depending on your taste, it’s either dull or pure class.

Music/Lyrics: Raymond Bernard/Pierre Delanoë

Conductor: Eric Robinson

Greek born star Nana was one of the many foreigners to represent Luxembourg. The principality had sent standard French ballads up to now; this is one of them but is slightly superior.

Finland – Marion Rung – Tipi-tii (Finnish)

Music/Lyrics: Kari Tuomisaari/Kari Tuomisaari

Conductor: George de Godzinsky

Marion was appearing in the contest in the first of her two appearances. As well as plenty of “tipi-tii’s”, there are enough “la’s” to keep the cynics happy.

Music/Lyrics: Eric Channe/Tony Golan

Conductor: Henri Segers

This was the fourth year Belgium’s song was in French, so naturally it was Fud’s fourth appearance in the contest. It could have been any of the previous three and no-body would have been any the wiser.

MusicLyrics: Mario Selles/Miguel Portoles

Conductor: Antonia Moya

Spain’s first entry the year before could have come from anywhere in Europe. Their second effort has more of a Spanish feel about it.

Austria - Eleonore Schwarz - Nur in der Wiener Luft (German)

Music/Lyrics: Bruno Uher/Bruno Uher

Conductor: Bruno Uher

Soprano Eleonore went for Austria’s first win with a song which would have sounded dated even then.

Music/Lyrics: Kjeld Bonfils/Sejr Volmer-Sørensen

Conductor: Kai Mortensen

Denmark’s sixth entry passes by almost unnoticed. It’s quite slow and not easy to listen to today.

Music/Lyrics: Ulf Kjellqvist & Åke Gerhard/Ulf Kjellqvist & Åke Gerhard

Conductor: Ego Kjerrmann

By this time in the history of the contest, Sweden was establishing itself as the country to rely on for good, cheerful foot-tappers. This song certainly helps that reputation.

Music/Lyrics: Christian Bruhn/Georg Buschor

Conductor: Rolf-Hans Muller

For the second year running, the accordion was present, lending the song a fairground style of sound.

Music/Lyrics: Joop Stookkermans/Henny Hamhuis

Conductor: Dolf van der Linden

With beaming smiles, the Dutch duo skipped onto the stage. Their song was also a happy one.

Music/Lyrics: Claude Henri Vic/Roland Valade

Conductor: Franck Pourcel

An old-fashioned French ballad won in 1961 for Luxembourg, an old-fashioned French ballad won in 1962 for France. To be fair, this is more appealing than its predecessor.

Norway - Inger Jacobsen - Kom Sol, Kom Regn (Norwegian)

Music/Lyrics: Kjell Karlsen/Ivar Andersen

Conductor: Øivind Bergh

Norway’s third entry is a ballad. Strings are the most evident instruments in the arrangement.

Music/Lyrics: Géo Voumard/ Emile Gardaz

Conductor: Cedric Dumont

The orchestra were used sensibly during this ballad, which was an improvement on his first effort for France three years earlier.

Music/Lyrics: Jozé Privšek/ Dragutin Britvic

Conductor: Jozé Privšek

Yugoslavia’s approach was similar to their first song in 1961, a ballad sung by a female. The result was a little better.

Music/Lyrics: Syd Cordell/Stan Butcher

Conductor: Wally Stott

At first, the “Ring-a-Ding” refers to his reaction to first seeing his girl. As the song progresses, the “Ring-a-Ding” represents the wedding bells. Clever or corny – you decide.

Music/Lyrics: Jacques Datin/Maurice Vidalin

Conductor: Jean Roderes

If at first you succeed, try the same thing again. This time, it wasn’t quite as successful. Perhaps the spoken part didn’t help, or maybe was it Camillo's striking resemblance to Dracula?

Music/Lyrics: Domenico Modugno/ Franco Migliacci

Conductor: Cinico Angelini

Claudio is a legend in Italian music history. He and another legend, Domenico Modugno, won the Sanremo festival with this song, which Domenico also wrote. A powerful performance of a powerful song.

Music/Lyrics: Henri Salvador/ René Rouzaud

Conductor: Raymond Lefèvre

Having attempted something a little different the previous year, Monaco played it safer this year with a straight ballad.