Anna Vissi was still a promising girl from Cyprus, yet to morph into the superstar of song she was destined to become, when she represented Greece at the 1980 ESC in The Hague.
She had almost represented Greece already two years earlier in Paris, as she sang both the winner and the runner-up in the internal jury vote to determine the national entry. However, both songs were deemed ineligible and Tania Tsanaclidou got the Paris ticket instead.
When winning the Greek final in 1980, Anna narrowly beat trio Epikouri and it was subsequently decided for them to act as backing group at Eurovision.
The song, a light-hearted ode to the joys of hitch-hiking, is perhaps a bagatelle but you can tell Anna Vissi is a star in the making. She fills the little song with energy, passion and a certain sense of gravity. Together with Epikouri, she puts on a splendid little show that impressed several journalists and commentators on location.
However, reports suggest the Greek delegation had severe sound problems during the dress rehearsal that the juries listened to and voted on. That could explain the surprisingly low 13th place.
But Anna would be back with a vengeance. Not only at the ESC, but at the world of Greek pop at large. She wasn't going to win at eurovision, but at least she is Number One in Greece. That must count for something.
Anna Vissi & Epikouri - Autostop (Greece 1980)
No comments:
Post a Comment