The sun's shining, and I'm so glad. Not because I'm a worshipper, but because I won't need the heating on - which should bring my Gas Bill Direct Debit down to a figure I can afford. I think I'll take another look at the Eurovision Song Contest!!
1965 and, believe it or not, the ESC might be seen as an indicator of social and cultural change! Surely not? Well, yes, actually! That year the Uk entered the voluptuous Kathy Kirby with the song "I Believe" written by Birmingham's own Peter Lee Stirling . Peter had previously found success with "I Think Of You" and "Don't Turn Around" - both hits for the Merseybeats! "I Belong" wasn't his best song, but it was good, and Kathy was an excellent singer. Unfortunately, Luxembourg had 17 year old France Gall singing "Wax Doll, Singing Doll" from Serge Gainsbourg. Gall sang as flat as a pancake, but she was a little cutie. It was like Marilyn Monroe versus Brigitte Bardot, or big ballads versus bubblegum pop. The 60s embraced Bardot and bubblegum! Spain, Germany, Belguim and Finland = Nul Points! What were we thinking in 1966 sending poor, be-kilted, Kenneth McKellar to Luxembourg with the dire and morbid "A Man Without Love"? Ireland felt sorry for us and awarded us top marks, but Austria's Udo Jurgens won at his third attempt with the very average "Thankyou, My Dear". Monaco and Italy = Nul Points! 1967 and, despite her bunions, the gorgeous pop chanteuse Sandie Shaw wipes the floor with the opposition with "Puppet On A String". Happy days, as my then fiance looked like a cross between Sandie and Kathie McGowan from 'Ready, Steady Go'. Back to reality: Ireland came 2nd on 22 points - to Sandie's 47. Switzerland = Nul Points! 1968, and Cliff Richard with "Congratulations" is pipped into 2nd place by Spain's Massiel and "La La La". Recent evidence suggests that Spain's fascist, Franco, government had been around Europe 'buying' votes. A great shame, as Massiel had a nice voice and she sung well. "La La La" was no worse than "Congratulations" either! The UK had now been 2nd six times, so Lulu was determined to do better in 1969 with "Boom Bang-A-Bang". It doesn't sound like we'd got a hope, but tiny Scot Lulu's got a great voice and nabbed equal 1st with Spain, Netherlands and France. Everyone scored at least 1 point. Agnetha Faltskog - later an Abba - covered "Boom" in Swedish. A new decade, and the UK field 1968 'Opportunity Knocks' winner Mary Hopkin and "Knock Knock "? She was a lovely Welsh girl, possessed a beautiful crystal-clear voice, and had a No.1 with Paul McCartney's "Those Were The Days". Unfortunately, Ireland had Dana and "All Kinds Of Everything". The Emerald Isle got their first 1st placing, and the UK their seventh 2nd placing! Luxembourg = Nul Points! 1971 and Irish singer - and chart star - Clodagh Rodgers heads for Dublin with "Jack In The Box". This was at the height of 'The Troubles', so some saw this as a ploy to ensure the UK representative would be accepted in Eire? Ours was not a great song, and didn't give the excellent Clodagh much to get her teeth into. Monaco's Severine belted out "A Bench, A Tree, A Road" and she snatched 1st place. Ms Rodgers had to settle for 4th - and the lowest mark was Malta with 52 points. Not bad, hey! Edinburgh was to host in 1972 - so let's see if we do better on the mainland!!
