Switzerland 1985: a big name is not enough

I do like it when established names show up at Eurovision. They bring attention and a press following and a natural spotlight they can also share with some of the less known contenders. I for one think the presence of some established acts is vital to the contest.

But a big name alone is not enough, just like Switzerland proved in 1985.

There was quite a bit of enthusiasm when the news broke that Anita Kerr had composed the Swiss entry for Gothenburg. Anita Kerr was the leader and arranger behind the legendary Anita Kerr Singers, she had written books and had received a Grammy Award and was - arguably - one of the most influential women in the history of showbiz. She also became the third - and last - woman to conduct an entry at the Eurovision Song Contest.

Just too bad that the song wasn't all too special. Not bad but not breathtaking enough to be composed by a living legend. A competent little schlager - surely not the worst Switzerland ever took to Eurovision - and an ode to a Swiss German kind of love where you keep a lid on your emotions and passions in order not to let them get in the way of your rational lifestyle.

Pino and Mariella perform it well and the last chorus, where they intertwine the chorus with the verse, is pretty elegant. I always liked it, but it is far from being that everlasting evergreen many people seem to have expected.



Pino Gasparini & Mariella Farré - Piano Piano (Switzerland 1985)