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 1970 - 1979 |
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1970
Dana gives Ireland its first victory with 'All Kinds Of Everything'. Mary Hopkin runs her a fairly close second, trouncing a svelte fontiard named Julio Iglesias into a distant fourth place.
1971
Clodagh Rogers is our jolly 'Jack In The Box', springing into a credible fourth place out of 18. One T. Wogan takes on the BBC radio commentary; his colleague on BBC Television is the 'Hairy Cornflake', Dave Lee Travis.
1972
Having forgotten Kenneth McKellar's kilt, Eurovision decides to visit Scotland. The New Seekers represent the UK, with 'Beg Steal, Or Borrow', but come second to a Greek girl, living in Germany, but singing for Luxembourg - Vicky Leandros.
1973
Cliff Richard returns, wishing 'Power To All Our Friends'. And not enough to himself, apparently, as he only manages third place. Terry Wogan does his first TV commentary. ABBA failed the Swedish national selection process with 'Ring Ring'.
1974
Eurovision occupies Brighton. Katie Boyle makes her fourth appearance (with nothing on beneath her tight dress, she now admits), and Terry's back on the radio. The French withdraw, to mark the death of President Georges Pompidou, clearing the way for ABBA's epochal 'Waterloo'. The UK's Olivia Newton-John struggles into fourth. The Portuguese entry is the (unwitting) signal for a military coup.
1975
'Let Me Be The One' sing The Shadows. No, said the international juries, casting them into second behind 'Ding Dinge Dong', the Dutch entry, from Teach-In. Don't try to remember the words - that way madness lies.
1976
Michael Aspel takes the TV mike in The Hague. The UK records a third Eurovision victory with Brotherhood Of Man's chart-topping 'Save Your Kisses For Me'.
1977
Wembley Conference Centre becomes the sixth UK venue for Eurovision. Lynsey de Paul and Mike Moran avoid 'Rock Bottom', finishing second instead, behind France's 'L'Oiseau Et L'Enfant'. Ronnie Hazlehurst conducted the UK entry using an umbrella.
1978
Nul points for Norway again, as the UK's Co-Co finish 11th. Israel's Izhar Cohen runs away with the contest thanks to his memorable little ditty 'A-ba-ni-bi'.
1979
BBC Radio 1 gives up on Eurovision, leaving Radio 2 with exclusive audio coverage in the UK. Israel retains the Eurovision prize in Jerusalem, overcoming even Austria's percipiently titled 'Heute In Jerusalem'. The mighty Black Lace launch their career with the seventh-placed 'Mary Ann'. Curiously, other songs include tributes to 'Socrates' (Greece), 'Dschingis Khan' (Germany), and possibly Ms Mouskouri - 'Hey Nana' (Belgium).
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