Eurovision: 1977 Trivia Quiz

Answer: London, UK

As the UK had won the prior year's contest, they were the hosts for this year's event. The competition was held in the Wembley Conference Centre in London.

Answer: France

France won with its song "L'oiseau et l'enfant" ("The Bird and the Child"), sung by Marie Myriam. The song was written by Jean Paul Cara and Joe Gracy.

Answer: Lynsey De Paul and Mike Moran

A rather upbeat song about being in a position where it can't get any worse, one could say that the lyricist had hit 'rock bottom' for ideas! The songwriters were the performing artists.

Essentially, the lyrics went

Where are we - Rock Bottom - tragedies
We've got 'em - remedies
Why don't we rub it out and start it again
With a sympathy - I get it - harmony - you said it.
Where are we - Rock Bottom - rub it out and start it again.

Can you tell me
can you tell me
I don't know
Can you help me
can you help me
I don't know
AII I know is we can do anything we want to.

(with thanks to lyricz.net)

Answer: strike by BBC cameramen

The BBC cameramen and technicians went on strike before the contest was to have been held, but the dispute was later resolved.

The Silver Jubilee tour didn't start until 17 May. The Lockerbie disaster - the crash of Pan Am Flight 103 due to an explosion caused by Libyan terrorists - didn't happen until December 1988.

Throughout the 1970s there were many threats of, and some actual, explosions caused by IRA terrorists in London. However, if there was a threat to the 1977 Eurovision competition, it was not made public.

Answer: 4

They were

Ireland - "It's Nice to Be in Love Again"
Germany - "Telegram"
Belgium - "A Million in One, Two, Three"
UK - "Rock Bottom".

No songs were sung in a mixture of English and any other language this year as the old rule about a country's entry being sung in its own language had been reinstated. Germany and Belgium were permitted to sing theirs in English, however, as their national songs had been selected prior to the reinstatement of the language rule.

Answer: Tunisia and Yugoslavia

Tunisia was about to have its debut, but then withdrew. Yugoslavia also chose not to appear in 1977.

Answer: Sweden

Sweden had withdrawn from the previous year's contest on the grounds that if it had won, it couldn't have afforded to stage the following year's competition. Due to their withdrawal in 1976, the rules were changed so that all participating countries shared in the expense.

Answer: Angela Rippon

Rippon is a well-known British television journalist and presenter. She wasn't the first female news presenter (anchor) but she was the first to do that job on a regular basis.

Hazlehurst was the conductor. Carpenter was a sports commentator for the BBC, now retired. Bruce Forsyth is a British entertainer who got his start in pantomime but transitioned into television and is particularly known for his catchphrase "Nice to see you, to see you, nice".

Answer: Acker Bilk and his Paramount Jazz Men

Acker Bilk, born in 1929, is a British clarinetist. With his band, he created a number of traditional jazz hits, including "Stranger on the Shore" and "Aria". His somewhat unique style is sometimes attributed to his having lost part of one finger in a childhood sledding accident.

La Rue is a drag artist. Mott the Hoople was a rock band best known for its hit "All the Young Dudes". Lenny Henry is an English comedian.

Answer: 2

Two countries tied for fourteenth position - Norway and Portugal. Of a total 1043 available points, France scored 136, the UK came second with 121, and so on down to Sweden's entry "Beatles" which scored a whopping two points.