Intro Post

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Introduction

The 1967 edition of Eurovision was hosted in Vienna, Austria, in a building that once was a palace for the Habsburg dynasty. Appropriately enough, I watched it with commentary in Austrian German. This contest began a decline in participating countries that lasted until 1970, after which countries started joining again. This time, only Denmark didn’t return from last year, not to rejoin Eurovision until 1978. Because of this, Eurovision 1966 was the last contest to feature every country that had ever previously participated. I wonder how fans felt when more and more countries started to leave? Maybe they were thinking this contest was soon to die, but they were completely wrong.

Normally in this era of Eurovision, the presenter mostly spoke the host country’s language, plus some obligatory introduction in French and English. However, Erica Vaal went the extra mile and announced the introduction in as many languages as she knew: German, French, English, Italian, Spanish, and Russian. Then she apologized in English to all the countries whose languages she didn’t have the time to learn. I found that incredibly cool.

This contest returned to the original voting system where each country had ten votes to distribute across each entry. I’m guessing this was done to mitigate bloc voting, and it worked! For this contest, at least. It also caused a bunch of clumsiness on the scoreboard operators’ part.

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Netherlands: Ring-dinge-ding

Artist: Thérèse Steinmetz

Language: Dutch

Key: B major, C major, D♭ major, D major. Yes, four keys.

I’ve already heard this song, and I unreasonably love it. It’s about a girl who wants to spend her day doing the weirdest, zaniest things she can think of, like jump around streets singing, drink vodka in the morning, and tell a joke to the prime minister. She sings the phrase “ring-dinge-ding” repeatedly and uses it to describe her day. That phrase works perfectly as a hook and transcends language barriers, and the rest of the song is super fun and catchy too.

I’d like to talk about this song’s structure, since I think it’s really interesting. It’s a simple alternation between the chorus and verse, without any bridge or pre-chorus sections or anything like that. Instead, it keeps the listener engaged through not one, not two, but three key changes. It’s extremely common and normal for music to have one key change; a second key change often comes off as tacky, trying too hard to be dramatic. But when a song has a full three key changes, it fully embraces silliness and doesn’t take itself seriously. The first two key changes come before the next verse, and the last key change leads to a repetition of the chorus.

Every single portion of this song is meticulously designed to stick in listeners’ heads. Additionally, the lines of the verses are interspersed with some playful guitar notes, which help make the song feel distinctly 60’s. At least, I find the song incredibly cool and addictive. This clearly isn’t a popular opinion, since it only got two points. But screw it, I’m allowed to have my strange opinions. This is probably my number one favorite song I’ve reviewed in any Eurovision so far. Let’s see if the rest of this contest lives up to it!

Luxembourg: L’amour est bleu

Artist: Vicky Leandros, who later won in 1972

Language: French

Key: D minor, D major

I love the Austrian commentator’s sentence before the song begins. “Eine Sängerin aus Griechenland, 17 Jahre alt, die in Hamburg lebt, singt heute für Luxembourg.” (A female singer from Greece, 17 years old, who lives in Hamburg, sings today for Luxembourg.) It sounds completely made up if you don’t know the traditions of Eurovision. Statements that sound like a joke are part of what makes Eurovision so much fun.

Come to think of it, representing Luxembourg in Eurovision must have been a great way to circumvent the language rule. They’ve accepted entrants from just about anywhere, so long as they sing in French. However, tiny little Malta was never used as a loophole to sing in English; they cared much more about selecting Maltese singers.

The song itself sounds very much like a 60’s pop hit, which it is. It’s much more modern in sound than most prior Eurovision entries. It starts with simple notes played on guitar and harp, and those notes turn out to outline a chord progression. This sets up a series of hooks with varying words: “__, __, l’amour est __” where __ can be “douce”, “bleu”, “gris”, or “fou”. It has alternate language versions in English, German, Italian, and Dutch, and each adapts the lyrics to something a little different while maintaining the general essence. All of them do something different with the structural hook, and she sings well in most of the languages. However, in the Dutch version, she has a French and German accent at the same time. I’m surprised she never recorded a Greek version!

A color not mentioned anywhere in the song’s lyrics is orange—the color of her dress, according to the Austrian commentator.

Austria: Warum es hunderttausend Sterne gibt

Artist: Peter Horten

Language: German

Key: C major

This contrast was very intent on showing the classical music Austria is known for, especially with the opening acts. This song tries to do the same with usage of harpsichords, especially in the verses, but it comes off as an average romantic ballad with a harpsichord tacked on. The title means “why there are a hundred thousand stars”. I feel like it could have committed much better to the classical style, perhaps with more consistent instrumentation. I’ve said before that I like Eurovision songs best when they clearly commit to one genre.

France: Il doit faire beau là-bas

Artist: Noëlle Cordier

Language: French

Key: F major

Were the outfits’ colors always this varied in the grayscale era of Eurovision? The commentator described Noëlle’s outfit as “apfelgrün” (apple green) for the sake of viewers. I wonder if it’s possible to reconstruct all the outfit colors from piecing together different commentaries? It would take people with a variety of language skills and media unearthing skills.

This is the first contest where the songs’ typical tone is no longer orchestral theater songs, but 60’s pop music and ballads. The title means “it must be sunny over there”, and it’s addressed to her former love interest who moved far away, and who she hopes will return before she dies. It tries to be multiple genres at once, with a bossa nova bass at some points and dreamy harp instrumentation at other points. It has a flute going up and down the chromatic scale too for some reason. I’m not sure if this blend of styles makes the song cool or unfocused.

Portugal: O vento mudou

Artist: Eduardo Nascimento, hailing from Angola

Language: Portuguese

Key: A minor, A major

A burly, energetic tune that alternates between major and minor key, whose title means “the wind has turned”. It sets up a repeated minor key chord progression, continues using that progression when the lyrics come in, and then catches you by surprise with the chorus in major key. I enjoy shifts in tone between the verse and chorus quite a lot.

This song’s composition sounds very much like a rock song. The orchestra tried its best to play in this style, but it would have worked better with some electric guitars and keyboards and drums. Indeed, that’s how covers of this song are typically arranged. The rock style of instrumentation wouldn’t show up in Eurovision until the 70’s. Still, this is a nice song that sounds ahead of its time.

Switzerland: Quel cœur vas-tu briser ?

Artist: Géraldine Gaulier

Language: French

Key: E♭ minor

While the last contest’s standard time signature for ballads was 6/8, in this contest it’s plain old 4/4 instead. The song has lyrics that generally mean “whose heart will you break next, now that I no longer believe in anything?” but the instrumental is just a dull romantic ballad, much more fit for a “wow, you’re so cool and I’m in love with you” song. The dissonance between the lyrics and instrumental is super jarring. Come on, at least it could’ve been in minor key. Also, something about the high note at the end made me wince a little. It was not executed well. It’s refreshing to see a zero-point score that I actually agree with.

I think that since Switzerland won the first Eurovision, they were content with not trying too hard afterwards. They always had more than enough money to participate, and they were only ever absent a few times in the 1990’s and 2000’s when poor results meant relegation. They’ve had several high performances over the years, but their only other victory was in 1988.

Sweden: Som en dröm

Artist: Östen Warnerbring

Language: Swedish

Key: E minor, E major, F minor, F major

This song is about how much the singer’s life with his love interest is like a dream. It alternates between minor key sections with a moody guitar and organ instrumental, and major key sections with a more traditional orchestra. Then it concludes with a slow down back into minor key. These lyrics could have fit over the bland, vaguely romantic instrumental of the last song, but instead they were put over something much more creative! It’s a good example of the instrumental style giving more depth to a song’s meaning.

Finland: Varjoon – suojaan

Artist: Fredi (Matti Kalevi Siitonen)

Language: Finnish

Key: B♭ major

This starts with a little harpsichord tune for some reason, then a slow dramatic intro where harpsichords gradually come in, both of which are unrelated to the main part of the song. Then those three sections all play in order again for some reason, then the harpsichord tune once more. I’m not sure what identity this song wants to take; it certainly doesn’t make me think “this must be a song about staying out of the spotlight”, which is what the lyrics are about. His voice sounds like he has a sore throat, which weighs the song down even more.

This is the second song so far to feature harpsichords, but neither of them commits to the style at all. I hope at least one song in this contest actually feels like it’s designed around the harpsichord.

Germany: Anouschka

Artist: Inge Brück

Language: German

Key: B major, B minor

After Luxembourg won in 1965, it feels like Eurovision scrambled to catch up with the pop music of the time period. Some of this contest’s entries match the appeal perfectly, but others like this are just unfocused. It uses lots of tropes from these types of songs—major and minor key alternation, backing singers, hooks with meaningless lyrics like “da da da”—but fails to combine them into something cohesive. So far, the song with the best usage of these tropes, especially alternating keys, is Luxembourg’s.

My own country’s Eurovision entries are extremely hit-and-miss, but they loyally participate anyway. What choice do I have but to accept that?

Belgium: Ik heb zorgen

Artist: Louis Neefs, who died at age 43

Language: Dutch

Key: D major

This song is best known for a prank to the audience near the end. It seemingly concludes, but amidst the audience’s applause, Louis Neefs resumes, then ends it for real. As fun as it is to see an early example of audience trickery, the ending fakeout doesn’t meaningfully affect the song.

About the song itself, it doesn’t exactly change keys into D minor, but it does flirt with minor key a little. This gives it a mischievous feel, but that doesn’t really match the lyrics, which are about a man who worries his love interest isn’t that into her, even after a good first kiss. Still, it’s clear that Belgium has started taking the contest more seriously.

United Kingdom: Puppet on a String (the winner)

Artist: Sandie Shaw

Language: English

Key: C major, D♭ major

This song has a lot in common with “Poupée de cire, poupée de son”, the winner two years prior, and it’s not just that the lyrics are about puppets. Sandie Shaw and France Gall wore similar outfits, had similar hairstyles, and were both pushed into participating in Eurovision by executives. She didn’t even choose her own stage name; her birth name is Sandra Ann Goodrich. However, while France Gall at least got to choose her favorite of ten songs to sing at Eurovision, Sandie was stuck with a song she hated everything about, from the cuckoo clock instrumental to the sexist lyrics.

Unlike the cheerfully oblivious France Gall, Sandie Shaw doesn’t look happy while singing this song. Even on a low-definition grayscale video, I can sense something off about her eyes, like she’s forcing herself to look joyful. But the audience didn’t care. They loved this childish-sounding song (sung by a 20-year-old!) with an easily singable melody, and it became a gigantic hit with plenty of obligatory alternate language versions. The lyrics are about a woman who eagerly submits to her love interest like a puppet, and considering it was written and composed by two men… this isn’t a great look.

Even ignoring the history behind this song, I’ve always found it strangely frilly and dainty. When I learned how Sandie Shaw made her way into Eurovision, that explained everything. It’s decently catchy, but totally bland compared to the masterfully composed “Poupée de cire, poupée de son”.

Spain: Hablemos del amor

Artist: Raphael (Miguel Rafael Martos Sánchez), returning from 1966

Language: Spanish

Key: D♭ major

The very beginning of the song has something unusual: Raphael pronounces the H in “hablemos”, which isn’t done in standard Spanish but can be found in certain dialects. However, I can’t help but associate pronounced H in Spanish with students learning it for the first time, so I laughed a little when I heard it.

Anyway, this song feels more laid back than Raphael’s last entry. He’s toned down the overdramatic singing and thus sounds more sincere. The title means “let’s talk about love”, and it’s about what you’d expect from it. His singing gets more dramatic in the chorus, but he still shows some restraint this time. Compared to Spain’s song last year, this style of singing shows that it’s important not to go full blast all the way through.

Norway: Dukkemann

Artist: Kirsti Sparboe, returning from 1965

Language: Norwegian

Key: G major

Just like Kirsti’s entry two years ago, this has a fun playful feel. It’s a jazz waltz that would fit perfectly in a 60’s cartoon, and it’s about a puppet man who had to learn to walk on his own when his string got detached. Yep, another song about puppets! But not one where the singer is treated as a puppet, as far as I know. I want to say it has a moral that you can’t depend on authority figures holding your hand, but it feels more like a playful fable. It matches the pattern of Nordic countries sending storytelling songs.

Even though Kirsti Sparboe scored poorly on all three of her Eurovision songs—one, two, and one points respectively—I can tell that she loved taking part in it. Compared to Sandie Shaw two songs prior, Kirsti looks genuinely happy to be there.

(Random fact: According to the Austrian commentator, her dress was light purple.)

Monaco: Boum-Badaboum

Artist: Minouche Barelli

Language: French

Key: D♭ major

Fun fact: Minouche Barelli is the closest any representative of Monaco has ever come to actually being from Monaco. She was born in France, lived in France and Monaco at different parts of her life, acquired Monaco’s citizenship in 2002, and died there two years later.

This song is about as bombastic as you’d expect from its name, especially with the hook repeating its title. Unfortunately, there isn’t much substance behind the bombasticness, so it kind of feels flat and childish. It was written by Serge Gainsbourg, the writer of the iconic winning piece two years prior, so I find the lyrics disappointing. Something about wanting to do as many things as she can before dying, interspersed by the song’s title?

Yugoslavia: Vse rože sveta

Artist: Lado Leskover

Language: Slovenian

Key: E minor, E major

It is at this point that I realize I could have called many songs that I said were in 6/8 time 12/8 instead. This one is definitely 12/8, because every twelve beats sounds like a measure, not every six.

It’s not a Eurovision Song Contest without at least one musical style or trope that’s littered over about half the songs. In this case, alternation between major and minor key. This is far from the first song whose minor key parts sound much more interesting than the major key parts. I would’ve liked it a lot more if it was just the minor key parts, especially with that trumpet. The bombastic riff that ends this song is bizarre and out of place.

Italy: Non andare più lontano

Artist: Claudio Villa, returning from 1962

Language: Italian

Key: E major, G major, E major again, F major

This entry absolutely screams Italy, with the dramatic singing, romantic lyrics, and of course the hand gestures. It starts as a dramatic ballad, but then it changes key and shifts to a much slower tempo. Then it goes back to the faster section and moves up a key. I like the slow sections a little more than the fast sections, but both flow into each other well, and the transitions themselves are interesting.

I’m starting to think this contest won’t have any songs that made good use of the harpsichord, because the last one is…

Ireland: If I Could Choose

Artist: Sean Dunphy

Language: English. I accidentally typed “Irish” at first.

Key: F major, F♯ major

Another romantic ballad with heavy use of piano, which seemed to be Ireland’s standard choice back then. It got second place, meaning the top two songs in this contest were both in English. I don’t think the high scoring was just because of English; he has one of the smoothest voices in this contest too. That said, most of the ballads in any Eurovision contest will blend into slush for me.

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Who’s my favorite?

Luxembourg and Portugal’s songs were both pretty good—a moody 60’s pop song with good tics and an energetic rock-esque tune respectively—but my favorite of this contest by far is Netherlands, Ring-dinge-ding. It’s just so playful and catchy and well-composed and all-around fun, and it never fails to make me smile.

• Denmark, 1
• Germany, 2
• Luxembourg, 2
• Netherlands, 4
• Norway, 1
• Sweden, 2
• (5 winners)

The pattern of me agreeing with the winner of odd-numbered years has finally been broken! There are several later Dutch entries that I’m a massive fan of, so I think the Netherlands will be the higher number on this list for quite a while.

General thoughts:

Some songs felt unfocused and weird in this contest, but that’s much better than most songs being boring. This was a fun year to analyze with a lot of variety, from playful pop songs to moody ballads to jazzy story songs. Even the boring songs like Switzerland are part of the variety. However, if I was alive in 1967 and watched Eurovision then, I would have been annoyed about the winner, because there were many songs I liked far more. That’s just part of the Eurovision experience! Same goes for all the ridiculous technical difficulties—it wouldn’t be Eurovision without those.

More than any year before, this contest felt strongly like a celebration of the culture and history of its host city, particularly in the opening and interval acts based on classical music. The presenter even remarked that this year was the 100th anniversary of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. I wonder if any fans thought the impending anniversary was the only reason Austria won? Obviously Eurovision 2024 in Sweden will take a moment to point out the 50th anniversary of ABBA’s victory, and some salty fans theorize that’s the only reason Sweden won. Fans will make any conspiracy theory they can think of if they don’t like the winner.

One more fact: Sandie Shaw was the first person in Eurovision to end her performance with “thank you”. Specifically, her reprise.

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See you next time for the first ever Eurovision broadcast in full color! No more “the commentator said she was wearing an aquamarine blue dress”.

>> 1968: Finally Broadcast in Color!