Eurovision Song Contest - Part 2 Quiz

Answer: False

Sir Cliff Richard competed in the Contest twice. He came second in 1968 with the song 'Congratulations'. It scored 28 points, just 1 less than the eventual winner. In 1973 he returned to the Contest, but finished third. His song 'Power To All Our Friends' received 123 points, six points less than the winner, Anne Marie David.

Answer: La la la

The 1968 Contest ended with a shock result when Sir Cliff Richard was defeated by the Spanish beauty Maria de los Angeles Santamaria, better known as Massiel. She la-la-la-ed Spain to a glorious first ever victory. The song was supposed to have been performed by Joan Manuel Serrat, but when he insisted on singing it in Catalan the Spanish broadcasters asked Massiel to sing the song at London's Royal Albert Hall.

She won the contest with 29 points, 6 of which came from West Germany. It was remarkable that Spain and the UK failed to vote for each other at all.

Answer: Belgium

There are two Belgian broadcasters responsible for the Belgian entry. One year the VRT, broadcaster of Belgium's Dutch-speaking region, sends a song, the next year it's up to the RTBF, broadcaster of Belgium's French-speaking region, to come up with an entry.

The RTBF is considerably more successful in the Contest, as they are responsible for all of the country's top 5 finishes:
1st: 1986, Sandra Kim - J'Aime La Vie
2nd: 2003, Urban Trad - Sanomi & 1978, Jean Vallée - L'Amour Ça Fait Chanter La Vie
4th: 1982, Stella - Si Tu Aimes Ma Musique & 1966, Tonia - Un Peu De Poivre, Un Peu De Sel
5th: 1984, Jacques Zeegers - Avanti La Vie & 1958, Fud Leclerc - Mon Amour Pour Toi

'J'Aime La Vie' scored five 12-pointers and no less than nine 10-pointers. All the juries awarded points to Belgium in 1986.

Answer: ABBA

ABBA won the contest in 1974, with the evergreen 'Waterloo'. Their victory, with 24 points, marked the beginning of a new musical era. From 1974 till 1982 the Swedish hit formation managed to score numerous top 5 hits in the international charts.

None of the other three groups ever competed in the Eurovision Song Contest or any of the national finals.

Answer: False

This is incorrect. The EBU (European Broadcasting Union) leaves it up to the national broadcasters to decide whether or not they allow foreign artists in their national finals. There are many examples of foreigners singing for a country other than their own. Among them we find Katrina (UK 1997, from the USA), Gina G (UK 1996, from Australia), Sahlene (Estonia 2002, from Sweden) and Céline Dion (Switzerland 1988, from Canada).

Answer: Maria Magdalena

Maria Magdalena scored 118 points and became a huge hit throughout the Balkans. None of the other three songs were ever in the Eurovision Song Contest, though the French singer of 1995 was called Nathalie Santamaria.

Answer: Ireland

Ireland has won the contest 7 times (1970, 1980, 1987, 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1996). The United Kingdom (1967, 1969, 1976, 1981 and 1997) and France (1958, 1960, 1962, 1969 and 1977) are second in the list with 5 victories each. Germany won the contest once, in 1982.

In 2023, Sweden tied with Ireland.

Answer: Hold Me Now

'Hold Me Now' was the Irish winner of 1987. It was performed by Johnny Logan and scored 172 points. 'Save Your Kisses For Me' by the Brotherhood of Man scored 164 points and was the UK's third victory. Its fourth winning song was 'Making your Mind Up' (Bucks Fizz, 1981, 136 points) and their last victory dates from 1997, when Katrina & the Waves scored 227 points with 'Love Shine A Light'.

Answer: What's Another Year

'Terminal Three' was the song that Johnny Logan wrote for Linda Martin in 1984. She finished second (137 points), but vowed to come back and win the contest. She kept her promise, returning to the Eurovision stage in 1992 with another Logan song, and gaining 155 points for 'Why Me'. This marked Ireland's fourth victory.
'The Story Of My Life' is Johnny Logan's latest attempt in his quest for yet more Eurovision gold. He wrote the song for Dutch singer Arno Kolenbrander, but it failed to make the Dutch National Final of 2004.

Answer: Dana International was a transsexual

The Eurovision Song Contest is a family show, so nude performances are strictly forbidden. Since it is a 'song' contest, the EBU obligates countries to send a song with both music and lyrics. In 1995, Norway tried to send a full instrumental song, but the EBU threatened to disqualify them. Secret Garden then wrote 24 words, which opened and closed the song, but the main part of the song was indeed instrumental.

Their attempt was successful, as the song, 'Nocturne', won the 1995 Contest with 148 points. Dana International cannot give birth to a child, since she is a transsexual; the first, and up to now only, transsexual to grace the Eurovision stage.

Her nomination led to huge protests in Israel, but at the same time caused a massive liberation for the Israeli gay community.

Answer: The Ukraine

The top 4 of the Eurovision Song Contest 2004:
1. The Ukraine: Ruslana - Wild Dances - 280
2. Serbia & Montenegro: Zeljko Joksimovic - Lane Moje - 263
3. Greece: Sakis Rouvas - Shake It - 252
4. Turkey: Athena - For Real - 195

Serbia & Montenegro were back for the first time since the Balkan War forced them to leave in 1992. Greece, competing since 1974, had to wait until 2005 to gain their first victory. Prior to that their best results were two third positions (in 2004 and 2001). Turkey won in 2003, when Sertab Erener gave Turkey their first victory since they started to compete in 1975. Ruslana gave the Ukraine its first ever victory in only the second year they competed, breaking the record set by Latvia in 2002 (who won in their third year of competition).

Answer: Jemini

Jemini scored zero points for the UK with the Europopsong 'Cry Baby'. The Shadows finished second in 1975 ('Let Me Be The One', 138 points), the New Seekers finished second in 1972 ('Beg, Steal Or Borrow', 114 points) and the Allison brothers finished second in 1961 ('Are You Sure', 24 points).
The British national final of 2004 was called 'Making Your Mind Up - Nul Points Never Again'. James Fox, the UK's 2004 entrant, finished 16th out of 24 contestants. He scored 29 points more than Jemini.

Answer: love

37 years after their first victory, Denmark won the Contest with the song 'Fly On The Wings Of Love' by the Olson Brothers. They scored 195 points. Grethe and Jorgen Ingmann scored 42 points with their song 'Dansevise' in 1963. This victory was disputed, since the Norwegian spokesperson initially announced 3 votes for Switzerland and 2 for Denmark. Towards the end of the Contest, the EBU decided to call Norway again, because they feared that not everyone had heard the Norwegian results.

This time, Switzerland got only one vote, and Denmark four, giving Denmark the victory over Switzerland's Esther Ofarim with 2 points.

The EBU has never reacted to this scandal.

Answer: TVE

TVE is the Spanish public broadcaster. RAI is the Italian state broadcaster, RTL is from Luxembourg and SVT from Sweden.

Answer: Napoléon

'Waterloo' was the song that launched ABBA's international career, when it won the Contest in 1974. The first line of the song:
'My my, at Waterloo Napoléon did surrender'.
Waterloo is a town in Belgium.