Runner up: United Kingdom 1965

It had been less than two years since the Beatles had their worldwide breakthrough but suddenly England had transformed from a war-torn has-been into the Coolest Place on Earth.

It was where pop culture lived, thrived and multiplied. Where fashions and trends popped up like mushrooms in a forest. Everyone knew this and wanted to be associated with this new phenomenon.

Everyone but the BBC executives, it seems. Even though Matt Monro had been set up with a more modern entry the year before, 1965 saw a sharp turn back towards family entertainment.

"I Belong" still had a contemporary feel to it, but Kathy Kirby wasn't really the voice of the pop movement. She was a more mature choice and had they BBC wanted a pop entry performed by somebody the older audiences could embrace, it would have made more sense asking somebody like Alma Cogan.

Kathy still attacks her song bravely and really belts it out, yet it feels like it never reaches its full potential. It wants to be a pop hit, but isn't really.

Things were, however, going to get even worse. The next year, when the Beatles released their groundbreaking and phenomenal "Revolver" album, the UK was represented at the ESC by a middle-aged Scottish tenor wearing a kilt.

A deserved 2nd place?
Yes. The only song in the running that was more contemporary than this one won, and rightly so. In retrospect it also feels good that Kathy Kirby, whose career faded pretty rapidly and always seemed overshadowed by a turbulent and difficult private life, will at least be remembered for almost winning the Eurovision Song Contest.



Kathy Kirby - I Belong (United Kingdom 1965)

R.I.P. Ingvar Wixell

The internationally renowned opera singer Ingvar Wixell has passed away, at the age of 80.

In 1965, he was selected internally to represent Sweden at the Eurovision Song Contest in Naples. His graceful appearance and smooth voice was meant to make the judges focus on melodic qualities instead of voting for the young lasses performing the songs.

The winning song of the national contest caused a bit of a stir on home ground, as it beat the slightly more commercial bossa nova "Stilla och tyst" and was considered a bit too sophisticated to go down well. A musical gourmet meal thrown at an audience that usually prefers hamburgers.



Ingvar Wixell - Annorstädes vals (Sweden 1965)

In Naples, the Swedish delegation deemed themselves chanceless but, in an attempt to increase the possibilities of anyone understanding, it was decided for Ingvar to perform the song in English. This was not against the rules, but the EBU officials were not amused and added a clause about everyone having to sing in (one of) their native languages from 1966 and on.

For me, this stands out as a most enchanting and appealing little song with a superb delicacy and finesse, especially the original Swedish lyrics were written with a very light and poetical touch.

And again, the great masses understood nothing. Apart from the three Swedish entries never recorded by the original performer (1958, 1960 and 1966), this one possibly has the distinction of being the least selling Swedish eurosong ever (in a tight battle with the 1994 entry).



Ingvar Wixell - Absent Friend (Sweden 1965)

Tobson's winners: 1961 - 1965

The early years of Eurovision are a bit blurry, in all fairness. There are good songs sprinkled here and there, but the show didn't quite find its format or tone until the mid-sixties.

Also, it took a few years to find the ESC formula for songs, the thing we usually try to break away from these days. Back then, it was necessary to find a common ground, a common idea what a eurosong should sound like, for them to be comparable at all.

The early 60's were times of social changes, pop music and a young generation breaking away from their parents, creating a serious shift in the occidental culture. This didn't break through to the Eurovision Song Contest, run by the parental generation, ensuring family friendly programming.

For the period 1961 - 1965, the occasional pop song would sneak into competition, but the real breakthrough would have to wait a few years still.

1961 - Italy



Betty Curtis - Al di là (Italy 1961)

Big athmospheric ballad of a kind the Italians do best. Or do they? There is something about this melody line that I'm not fully comfortable with.

It takes too long, I almost lose interest during the build up, but when Betty Curtis bursts into the enormous chours, I forgive the rest and hum along happily.

And this isn't a fantastic year, there is not so many strong contenders to beat. Quite a few entertaining little ditties (perhaps inspired by the 1959 winner?) but no real unmissable pearls in my history book.

Real winner:
Jean-Claude Pascal - Nous, les amoureux (Luxembourg)


1962 - Sweden



Inger Berggren - Sol och vår (Sweden 1962)

Sweden's first big moment in Eurovision and, in my mind, perhaps their greatest to date. (Sorry, Abba.)

Maybe it doesn't have the same appeal if you don't understand the cute lyrics about the young girl getting into trouble as the gentleman inviting her out for lunch steals her fur coat (intended as a present for his own girlfriend) and leaves her with the bill, but it is still a very happy and catchy little song.

Inger Berggren is an enigmatic and likeable singer, who unfortunately never reached the level of stardom she would have deserved, but thanks to this song she will never be forgotten.

And again, the recorded version is way better - tight, well produced and with a backing group in top gear. It would take a while until the backing tracks entered the stage.

Real winner:
Isabelle Aubret - Un premier amour (France)


1963 - Switzerland



Esther Ofarim - T'en va pas (Switzerland 1963)

Yes... Switzerland again. But they were good during the first years. Must give them that.

And you can't argue with a song like this. Difficult and accessible at the same time, possibly lacking a chorus but instead stubbornly hammering out the hook until it stays in place.

I wouldn't argue with Esther Ofarim either, who seems sweet and determined at the same time, and who spent the greater part of her career thinking she actually won the entire contest.

Maybe she thinks so still. Who would have dared telling her?

Real winner:
Grethe & Jørgen Ingmann - Dansevise (Denmark)


1964 - United Kingdom



Matt Monro - I Love The Little Things (UK 1964)

Despite acheiving one of the 15 second places the UK have secured to date, this is a more or less forgotten entry on home ground. Instead, Matt Monro had a smash hit with a cover version of the Austrian entry by Udo Jürgens.

In my mind, there is no doubt as to which is the better out of these two songs. The UK entry is a melodic, light footed little pop pearl, created by songwriting genius Tony Hatch, in a lovely arrangement that makes use of the orchestra but still feels more modern than most (at the time).

Also the Netherlands entered a good pop song, and France sent in a beautiful ballad, but the UK wins by being so appealing and so well crafted.

Real winner:
Gigliola Cinquetti - Non ho l'età (Italy)


1965 - Luxembourg



France Gall - Poupée de cire, poupée de son (Luxembourg 1965)

For the second time only, I agree with the juries about the winner. What would there be to disagree with here? The winning song is a masterpiece and one of the best winners still, forty-six years later.

It has a very modern feel, a raw youthful energy, rather philosophical lyrics, a naïve charm in France Gall, and more than a hint of... well, lust. And sex. For the first time in the history of the contest.

The whole song is a wake-up call to the old generation, the ominous knock on the door, that the old times are over and something new is about to take over and make its way even inside this clean-cut competition.

Real winner:
France Gall - Poupée de cire, poupée de son (Luxembourg)

The five best winners ever... according to Tobson

For the people who know me, it will come as no surprise that I am hopelessly down with old, bombastic and dramatic eurosongs in French. And when I compile my all-time top five of winners, that the French dominate completely.

The most surprising and unpredictable thing about my list is that it includes six songs, not five. Silly, I know. But these six songs are so clearly above the rest of the winners in my list, it would be blasphemous not to include them all.

Sixth place:



Corinne Hermès - Si la vie est cadeau (Luxembourg 1983)

Wonderfully breezy, airy big ballad - the last winner representing this genre - in a great vocal delivery by Corinne Hermès. It wasn't a huge commercial success at the time and is a bit forgotten among winners these days. Which is ridiculous. Fantastic stuff!

Fifth place:



Séverine - Un banc, un arbre, une rue (Monaco 1971)

This is such a fantastic evergreen - a mega hit at the time, translated into most languages. In Finland, for instance, I'm sure more people think of this as a Finnish song rather than an ESC winner because the domestic version was so popular. Classic but not dated.

Fourth place:



Marie Myriam - L'oiseau et l'enfant (France 1977)

This could be a bit old-fashioned in the sense that it keeps growing on me and the older we both get, the more I love it. In my eyes, it keep unfolding and growing intro something bigger, better and more beautiful every time. Also this one made it big in various versions around the continent, and maybe nothing can be better praise than people thinking your song is their own.

Third place:



France Gall - Poupée de cire, poupée de son (Luxembourg 1965)

It is beyond me how a song written in 1965 can still sound so modern and up-to-date as this one. Shockingly modern at its time and the first song with a pop sound ever to win the ESC. Do not think we are not grateful! France herself has had a bit of a problem accepting this older part of her career, but I hope she also recognises what a fantastic song this is. The ever-growing number of cover versions of it just underlines how indestructible this masterpiece is. If you want to see the performance from Naples (impossible to imbed for some reason) it can be found here .

Second place:



Vicky Leandros - Après toi (Luxembourg 1972)

When the sun sets in Euroland, it is never to rise again. When the heart is broken, no glue can put the pieces back together. The emotion of this song is strong enough to knock down an elephant, and the performance by Vicky is almost frighteningly spot on. Surprisingly, and disappointingly, it works very badly in its English and German versions, where some silly lyricist made happy, cheerful lyrics for it. How do you ever come up with such a bad idea, when it is so clearly a song about heartbreak?

Number one:



Anne-Marie David - Tu te reconnaîtras (Luxembourg 1973)

What can I say? Every time I hear it, I am surprised at just how good it is. The powerful intro, the fantastic verse, the explosive chorus... And then the marvel of the piano bridge between the chorus back to the verse. I am totally blown away. Both by the song and by Anne-Marie. The best winner ever in my book, and very likely to stay at that number one spot for a long time to come.

Out of these six, all but one is produced in France ("Après toi" is a German production), and all of them won before I became an active follower of Eurovision.

Maybe I am a bit hard on the newer songs - there are many brilliant winners after 1983 as well - but they don't have the same magic and shine about them.

What are your favourite winners? Let me know by leaving a comment!