Apr 25, 2014

113/917 Rachel: Le chant de Mallory (France 1964)

As I've told couple of times earlier, André Popp is one of my favourite songwriters ever to take part in the Eurovision Song Contest. And his entry in 1964, the 113th song ever to take part in the contest was one of his great entries.


Chant de Mallory is a very traditional French love song that there was abundance of during the first decade of the Eurovision Song Contest. Somehow the song written by the same team (Popp and the lyricist Pierre Cour) as the 1961 winner Tom Pillibi and the 1967 evergreen L'amour est bleu manages to rise above the others.

I find the song touching and the arrangement makes it go forward even when the melody repeats the same verse. The song's success (4th in the final results) is partly due to the faultless and sincere delivery of the singer Rachel (no video recording of the 1964 contest exists, but she can be seen singing the song here). I think that this song is an example of a conventional French eurovision ballad at its best.

Chant de Mallory became the biggest hit of Rachel's career. She did record some other singles during the 1960's but apparently her singing career did not carry her to the 1970's. Pity.

My points 4/5.

Apr 24, 2014

239/917 Mary Roos: Nur die Liebe lässt uns leben (Germany 1972)

Germany has sent to the Eurovision stage an impressive legion of their most popular and famous singers. One of them was Rosemarie Schwab, better known with her stage name Mary Roos.


I got to know Mary Roos in 1984, when she represented Germany in the Eurovision Song Contest with song Aufrecht Geh'n. I was impressed with her voice which was vulnerable and strong at the same time. It was many years later that I heard and saw hers first Eurovision entry, which took part 12 years earlier.

When watching for the first time a bad quality VHS copy of the 1972 contest held in Edinburgh Scotland I was puzzled by her performance. Here was 23 years old singer singing un upbeat happy song with the same vulnerable strong voice I had heard singing a heartbraking ballad of separation in 1984. Somehow I felt her voice did not mach the song Nur die Liebe lässt uns leben.

During the years I've grown to appreciate her performance in 1972 as much as her appearence 12 years later. The song is good and she is clearly having good time on stage. The relaxed feeling, smile, the sparkle in her eyes (contrary to her 1984 performance) and of course her confident singing make the song work and the third position in the final results was well deserved.

My points 4/5.

Apr 4, 2014

480/917 Maria Guinot: Silêncio e tanta gente (Portugal 1984)

Right until 2013 the order of songs in the Eurovision final was chosen by a draw, although it was not always that obvious. There were numerous occasions when right songs have been drawn to exactly right position in the starting list as if it was decided in advance. That was often the case with the last song sung every year. The 480th Eurosong is one of those that you could not think of been performed anywhere else than the last position of the magical Eurovision evening.


Silêncio e tanta gente by Maria Guinot was not only the perfect closer of the 1984 contest, but the only song that I could think of finishing the contest after the astounding Italian entry Il treni di Tozeur. Together these two songs made one of the most memorable and moving endings ever in the history of Eurovision Song Contest.

At 38 years Maria Guinot was not old, but still much more experienced singer (and songwriter) as most of her collegues taking part in the 1984 song contest. Her entry was also far from the perky pop ditties that represented most of the countries that year. Also unlike many of the young performers that year she performed her song with charisma and had no trouble singing in tune and bringing real emotion to the song. At that time it she was one of the rare female singers who had composed her own song.

And what a song it is. Well built, emotional ballad that starts calmly but ends with such a passion that the inexperienced singers from the UK, Luxembourg and Norway (to name just a few) could only have dreamed of.

Although the last song in the running order was arguably at the best position to impress the juries, the song was not appreciated as it should have. Uncharacteristically, the best position in the 1984 running order was number one, where Herreys with their golden shoes scored the winning amount of points. Maria Guinot had to settle for 11 position among 19 entries. Unfair and undeserved faith, if you ask me, for this wonderful song and amazing artist.

My points 5/5