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

Music/Lyrics: Johnny Holshuyzen/Karel Prior

Conductor: Dolf van der Linden

The Dutch song starts off full of energy but as it progresses, it loses a bit of the initial impact.

Music/Lyrics: Peter Lee-Sterling/Phil Peters

Conductor: Eric Robinson

After moving away slightly in the previous two years from contemporary music, the United Kingdom sent a 1960’s pop song.

Spain - Conchita Bautista - Qué Bueno, Qué Bueno (Spanish)

Music/Lyrics: Antonio Figueroa Egea/ Antonio Figueroa Egea

Conductor: Adolfo Ventas Rodriguez

A touch of the bull-fight his year for Spain. It gave a contest debut to that most Spanish of instruments, the castanets.

Music/Lyrics: Joe Harrigan and George Prendergast/Teresa Conlon

Conductor: Gianni Ferrio

Ireland’s debut was an inoffensive ballad, starting as they mean to go on perhaps.

Germany - Ulla Wiesner - Paradies, Wo Bist Du? (German)

Music/Lyrics: Barbara Kist and Hans Blüm/Barbara Kist and Hans Blüm

Conductor: Alfred Hause

The title, translated as Paradise Where Are You?, might lead you to expect something a little more solemn. The song has a 60’s movie feel to it.

Austria - Udo Jürgens - Sag Ihr, Ich Lass' Sie Grüßen (German)

Music/Lyrics: Udo Jürgens/Frank Bohlen

Conductor: Gianni Ferio

Udo returned for his second year in succession with another emotional, piano based ballad. The strings were used well in the arrangement and Udo deserved to be even higher than 4th.

Music/Lyrics: Jolly Kramer-Johansen/Jolly Kramer-Johansen

Conductor: Øivind Bergh

Kirsti sings with a smile on her face while the song has a wintery, perhaps even a Christmas feel to it.

Music/Lyrics: Jef van den Berg/Jaak Dreesen

Conductor: Gaston Nyuts

As the year ended in an odd number, it was the turn of Flemish to be the language of the Belgian song. The arrangement improves the song no end.

Music/Lyrics: Raymond Bernard/Jacques Mareuil

Conductor: Raymond Bernard

Monaco chose a soft ballad which is not a million miles away in style to Non Ho L’Eta. She even sings about being young, in the same way Gigliola had sung about being too young to fall in love.

Music/Lyrics: Dag Wiren/Alf Henriksson

Conductor: William Lind

Tenor Ingvar sings one of those songs whose title doesn’t appear in the song. It’s a pleasant ballad which Ingvar sang well sung and sensitively.

Music/Lyrics: Guy Mardel/ Françoise Dorin

Conductor: Franck Pourcel

The word jamais is sprinkled liberally throughout the song. The song moves along nicely and is not a typical French song.

Music/Lyrics: Carlos Nobrega e Sousa/ Jeronimo Bragança

Conductor: Fernando de Carvalho

Not put off after scoring zero at their first attempt, Portugal bravely returned with a dramatic ballad.

Italy – Bobby Solo – Se Piangi, Se Ridi (Italian)

Music/Lyrics: Satti Marchetti/ Giulio Rapetti

Conductor: Gianni Ferrio

The winner of the Sanremo festival again provided Italy with its Eurovision entry. Like a lot of Italian songs, it has aged well and could easily have brought Italy a second successive victory.  

Music/Lyrics: Jørgen Jersild/ Poul Henningsen

Conductor: Arne Lamberth

Quiet and understated are the words that spring to mind. It is a bit difficult to stay with the song until the end.

Music/Lyrics: Serge Gainsbourg/ Serge Gainsbourg

Conductor: Alain Goraguer

French rebel Serge Gainsbourg wrote this, Luxembourg’s second winner. In true Gainsbourg style, it was different to anything that had won the contest before and by far the most up tempo.

Music/Lyrics: Toivo Kärki/Reino Helismaa

Conductor: George de Godzinsky

The saxophone provides a bright, if slightly misleading opening. The jazz feel continues and the saxophone returns for the instrumental.

Music/Lyrics: Julijo Maric/ Zarko Roje

Conductor: Radivoj Spasic

Vice gives an emotive and sensitive performance of this strong ballad. Many would argue it deserved a lot better than twelfth.

Music/Lyrics: Bob Calfati/ Jean Charles

Conductor: Mario Robbiani

The cymbal is used quietly and constantly throughout the song, which is a lilting ballad.

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.

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.

Spain – Conchita Bautista – Estando Contigo (Spanish)

Music/Lyrics: Antonio Guijarro/ Antonio Guijarro

Conductor: Rafael Ferrer

The first of the debutants, Spain gave us something with an international feel, rather than traditional Spanish which would be a feature in future years.

Music/Lyrics: Hubert Giraud/Pierre Delanoë

Conductor: Raymond Lefèvre

If nothing else, Monaco’s 3rd entry will make you smile.

Music/Lyrics: Leopold Andrejewitsch/ Leopold Andrejewitsch

Conductor: Franck Pourcel

Baritone Jimmy sung a ballad which although pleasant enough, was never going to stand out this year.

Music/Lyrics: Eino Hurme/ Sauvo Puhtila

Conductor: George de Godzinsky

Finland’s contest debut is a very gentle little number with bursts of strings between the vocal lines.

Yugoslavia – Lililjana Petrovic – Neke Davne Zvezde (Serbo-Croat)

Music/Lyrics: Jozé Privsek/Miroslac Antic

Conductor: Jozé Privsek

A ballad opened Yugoslavia’s account in the contest. As with Spain, it’s more international than traditional in style.

Music/Lyrics: Dick Schallies/Pieter Goemanns

Conductor: Dolf van der Linden

The pace of the song is slow at first, but it soon picks up to utilise the sounds of the brass section of the orchestra.

Sweden – Lill-Babs – April, April (Swedish)

Music/Lyrics: Bobby Ericson/ Bo Eneby

Conductor: Thore Ehrling

This is a perky little song with more than its fair share of whistling, always risky during a live performance. However, assuming that the whistling was coming from Lill, it worked well.

Germany – Lale Andersen – Einmal Sehen Wir Uns Wieder (German)

Music/Lyrics: Rudolf Maluck/Ernst Bader

Conductor: Franck Pourcel

The Germans brought a bit of their musical tradition to the contest. There was plenty of accordion accompanying Lale’s flowing ballad.

France – Jean-Paul Mauric – Printemps (Avril Carrillone)  (French)

Music/Lyrics: Francis Baxter/Guy Favereau

Conductor: Franck Pourcel

France defended their title with something very different to all their previous songs. This is fun and bouncy and even finds room from a few ‘bing-a-bongs’

Switzerland – Franca di Rienzo – Nous Aurons Demain (French)

Music/Lyrics: Géo Voumard/Emile Gardaz

Conductor: Fernando Paggi

Maybe in an attempt to win the contest for a second time, Switzerland returned to the formula which won them the first contest. In terms of the placing, it almost worked.

Belgium – Bob Benny – September, Gouden Roos (Flemish)

Music/Lyrics: Hans Flower/Wim Brabants

Conductor: Francis Bay

This song fluctuates between the quiet and the dramatic. Bob was making his second and final appearance for Belgium.

Norway – Nora Brockstedt – Sommer I Palma (Norwegian)

Music/Lyrics: Jan Woelner/Egil Hagen

Conductor: Øivind Bergh

Nora was back, this time with a most understated of songs. Some would find it boring, others classy.

Denmark – Dario Campeotto – Angelique (Danish)

Music/Lyrics: Aksel van Rasmussen/ Aksel van Rasmussen

Conductor: Kai Mortensen

A lot of the ballads entered in the contest sound quite dated today. ‘Angelique’ has aged quite well and, although it lasts for almost three and a half minutes, the time doesn’t drag.

Music/Lyrics: Jacques Datin/Maurice Vidalin

Conductor: Léo Chauliac

In a year when other countries tried something more modern or chirpy, the most popular song with the juries was this old fashioned French ballad sung by an old fashioned crooner.

Music/Lyrics: Bob Allison and John Allison/ Bob Allison and John Allison

Conductor: Harry Robinson

This is possibly the most contemporary song to appear in the contest at that time. It reflected the UK charts and could easily have been a hit for the Everly Brothers, who in fact were at number 1 in the UK on the date of the contest.

Italy – Betty Curtis – Al di là (Italian)

Music/Lyrics: Carlo Donida/Giulio Rapetti

Conductor: Gianfranco Intra

The second worldwide hit to emerge from the contest, as with ‘Nel Blu, di Pinto di Blu’, came from Italy. It’s almost ageless, only the style of the backing vocals reveal its age.