Hold Me Now (Johnny Logan song)
Hold Me Now is a song composed and performed by Irish singer Johnny Logan. It became the winner of the 1987 Eurovision Song Contest, Logan had previously won with Whats Another Year. in the 1980 Contest and would go on to write the winner of the 1992 Contest. The song is sung by Bohemians at home matches in Dalymount Park. The song was performed twentieth on the night, following Denmarks Anne-Cathrine Herdorf & Drengene with En lille melodi, at the close of voting, it had received 172 points, placing 1st in a field of 22. After Logan had been proclaimed the winner with this song, he was overcome with emotion during the reprise and was unable to reach the notes in this part of the song. As he had when he won in 1980 with Whats Another Year and he shouted I still love you, Ireland. Lyrically, the song is a ballad sung from the point of view of a man whose love interest is leaving him for someone else. The singer pleads with his girlfriend to touch, touch me the way you used to do in order to him with good memories of their relationship.
The chorus tells the girl dont say a word, as they prepare to part, despite the sad nature of the parting, the singer says that I will know/though were apart/well always be together, which implies some sort of optimism on his part. The music is that of a typical Eurovision power ballad, with the chorus being introduced by a chorus of backing singers before they are joined by Logans voice again. The song was succeeded as winner in 1988 by Celine Dion representing Switzerland with Ne partez pas sans moi and it was succeeded as Irish representative at the 1988 contest by Jump The Gun with Take Him Home. Hold Me Now is regarded by fans as one of the high points of Contest history. The song has been covered by performers, including a reggae version by Tanya Stephens. It has updated by Belgian rapper Kaye Styles as Dont Cry. This cover features Logan performing the chorus of the song at a faster tempo than the traditional version. The late Macedonian superstar Toše Proeski covered this song during his concerts, the song was used in an Irish advertising campaign launched by McDonalds toward the end of 2007.
These ads feature Logan bursting into the room with a McDonalds bag in an effort to cheer a series of teens in humorous predicaments, Logan interrupts his singing to pose the question Twisty Fries. Original version 2001 version Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics
Brussels International Exposition (1935)
The Brussels International Exposition of 1935 a Universal exhibition held in Heysel, near Brussels in Belgium, between 27 April and 6 November 1935. Officially sanctioned by the Bureau International des Expositions, twenty-five countries officially participated, the theme was colonization, on the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Congo Free State. The expo attracted some twenty million visitors, the Belgian art exposition prominently displayed the work of contemporary Belgian artists, including Paul Delvaux, René Magritte and Louis Van Lint, boosting their careers. The Palais des Expositions, and at least three other of the 1935 structures, were re-used for Expo 58 which was held at the site in 1958
Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroeporganisatie
The Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroeporganisatie, or VRT, is the national public-service broadcaster for the Flemish Region and Community of Belgium. It is the successor to the Nationaal Instituut voor de Radio-omroep, Belgische Radio- en Televisieomroep, the former French half changed its name to RTBF in 1977, while the Dutch side retained the BRT name until becoming BRTN in 1991. However, the two broadcasters share production facilities on Auguste Reyerslaan in Brussels, television channels are transmitted on, Astra satellite on TV Vlaanderen Digitaal, an encrypted pay satellite service. Eén, the channel, formerly known as VRT TV1. Started in 1953 on VHF channel 10, in 1977 the transmission standard changed from Belgian 625 to European CCIR) standard. Formerly took up Canvass channel from 6am to 8pm, sport programs are aired under the Sporza name but on the channels of Eén, Canvas or Ketnet. During big sport events it is not uncommon for two or more channels to simultaneously air Sporza, BRTN TV2 was launched on 26 April 1977 as BRT TV2.
BRT TV2 broadcast Terzake and Het Journaal 8 uur until Sunday,30 November 1997, on Monday 1 December 1997, BRTN TV2 was split into two channels, BRTN Ketnet and BRTN Canvas. The two channels were part of BRTN until 1998 – Canvas and Ketnet are still broadcasting as part of VRT2, oP12 ) was a channel used as backup in the event of primetime shortage. Mostly used for excess sport- and culture programs, the VRT broadcasts radio channels in both analog format and digital format. All channels are broadcast live over the Internet, international broadcasting was done via VRTs Radio Vlaanderen Internationaal
Viktor Lazlo
Viktor Lazlo is a French-Belgian singer of Grenadian and Martiniquan descent. She studied in Belgium, where she is primarily known and her biggest hit was Breathless in 1987. That year she hosted the Eurovision Song Contest 1987 held in Brussels. Dronier took her name from Paul Henreids character Victor Laszlo in the 1942 film Casablanca. She sings in French, English and German, in October 2016 Viktor Lazlo announced the release of her new single Promised Land. A new studio album is scheduled for 2017, in February 2017 Viktor Lazlo announced the release of her new single Lola & Jim. Most of her albums were released in an English/international and a French version, numerous compilation albums have been released. The discography only lists those albums released by companies to which she was signed at that point. The brackets indicate where the single was released
Eurovision Song Contest 1988
The Eurovision Song Contest 1988 was the 33rd edition of the annual Eurovision Song Contest. The contest took place on 30 April 1988 in Dublin, the presenters were Pat Kenny and Michelle Rocca. The host broadcaster was Radio Telefís Éireann which revamped the production style compared to its earlier editions. The winner was Switzerland with the song Ne partez pas sans moi, performed by future international superstar Celine Dion, Switzerland beat the United Kingdom by just a point in the last vote to win the title. The Cypriot song had been drawn to be performed 2nd in the running order, the stage itself, conceived by Paula Farrell under chief production designer Michael Grogan, was the largest and most elaborate ever constructed for the Eurovision Song Contest. The Postcards featured the participants doing things in Ireland from culture, to tradition, lowney was the director of the shows interval act, introduced after the competing songs and before the votes announcement. Each country had a jury who awarded 12,10,8,7,6,5,4,3,2 and 1 point for its top ten songs and this edition features one of the closest and fickle-ending votes in the history of the contest.
With three countries left to vote, the UK was well in the lead with 133 points against Switzerlands 118, with the conclusion of voting from the penultimate jury, the UK was holding a five-point lead over Switzerland. Switzerland was the first to be named with six points, edging it into a one-point lead over the UK, after earlier strong votes from most countries to the UK, it seemed highly likely that the UK would be given one of the higher remaining set of points. Twenty-one countries took part, after a plan of twenty-two. This was classed as a breach of the Cypriot rules of selecting their entry at this time as well as an infringement of the Eurovision Song Contest rules, the contest helped launch an international career for two artists, the winner for Switzerland Celine Dion and Luxembourg’s representative Lara Fabian. Belgian-Canadian Lara Fabian started a career after the contest with becoming established in various countries worldwide. The UK entry was written and composed by Julie Forsyth, the daughter of the entertainer Bruce Forsyth who was present, when interviewed afterwards he was particularly annoyed at the Dutch jury not having given a vote to the UK, as they had done some work there
Flanders
Flanders is the Dutch-speaking northern portion of Belgium, although there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, language and history. It is one of the communities and language areas of Belgium, the demonym associated with Flanders is Fleming, while the corresponding adjective is Flemish. The official capital of Flanders is Brussels, although Brussels itself has an independent regional government, in historical contexts, Flanders originally refers to the County of Flanders, which around AD1000 stretched from the Strait of Dover to the Scheldt estuary. In accordance with late 20th century Belgian state reforms the area was made two political entities, the Flemish Community and the Flemish Region. These entities were merged, although geographically the Flemish Community, which has a cultural mandate, covers Brussels. Flanders has figured prominently in European history, as a consequence, a very sophisticated culture developed, with impressive achievements in the arts and architecture, rivaling those of northern Italy.
Belgium was one of the centres of the 19th century industrial revolution, Flanders is generally flat, and has a small section of coast on the North Sea. Much of Flanders is agriculturally fertile and densely populated, with a density of almost 500 people per square kilometer. It touches France to the west near the coast, and borders the Netherlands to the north and east, the Brussels Capital Region is an enclave within the Flemish Region. Flanders has exclaves of its own, Voeren in the east is between Wallonia and the Netherlands and Baarle-Hertog in the consists of 22 exclaves surrounded by the Netherlands. It comprises 6.5 million Belgians who consider Dutch to be their mother tongue, the political subdivisions of Belgium, the Flemish Region and the Flemish Community. The first does not comprise Brussels, whereas the latter does comprise the Dutch-speaking inhabitants of Brussels, the political institutions that govern both subdivisions, the operative body Flemish Government and the legislative organ Flemish Parliament.
The two westernmost provinces of the Flemish Region, West Flanders and East Flanders, forming the central portion of the historic County of Flanders, a feudal territory that existed from the 8th century until its absorption by the French First Republic. Until the 1600s, this county extended over parts of France, one of the regions conquered by the French in Flanders, namely French Flanders in the Nord department. French Flanders can be divided into two regions, Walloon Flanders and Maritime Flanders. The first region was predominantly French-speaking already in the 1600s, the latter became so in the 20th century, the city of Lille identifies itself as Flemish, and this is reflected, for instance, in the name of its local railway station TGV Lille Flandres. The region conquered by the Dutch Republic in Flanders, now part of the Dutch province of Zeeland, the significance of the County of Flanders and its counts eroded through time, but the designation remained in a very broad sense. In the Early modern period, the term Flanders was associated with the part of the Low Countries
Portugal in the Eurovision Song Contest
Portugal has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 48 times since its debut in the 1964 contest. Since it has missed five contests,1970,2000,2002,2013 and 2016, Portugal has yet to win the contest and holds the record for most appearances in the contest without a win. In fact, the country has yet to reach the top five of any contest, the contest is broadcast in Portugal by Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. Portugals debut entry was António Calvário with Oração, it was not a successful debut for the country, with Calvário coming last in the contest. Since Portugal has come last on two occasions, in 1974, when Paulo de Carvalho sang E depois do adeus. Prior to Moniz finishing sixth in 1996, Portugals best result in the contest was two seventh-place finishes, for Carlos Mendes in 1972 and José Cid in 1980,1996 remains the last time that Portugal reached the top ten. Despite having some really weak results the 90s were the most successful decade for the country reaching the top 10 four times, Portugal had admission to take part in the 2000 and 2002 contest but refused.
Its place was taken by Latvia both times, which ended up winning the contest in the latter year, since semi-finals were introduced in 2004, Portugal has failed to reach the final eight times, including from 2004 to 2007. The country did reach the final from 2008 to 2010, in 2008, Vânia Fernandes finished 13th with the song Senhora do Mar, Portugals best outcome since 1998. As of 2016,2010 remains the last time Portugal participated in the Eurovision final, having failed to qualify from the four more times. Portugal has been absent from five contests since their first participation, the countrys first absence was in 1970 where Portugal, along with four other countries, boycotted the contest due to the result of the previous year, when four countries were announced the winner. Portugal missed the 2000 contest due to their poor results over the past five years. Despite being eligible to enter the 2002 contest, RTP declined to enter, the fourth absence was in 2013, when Portugal didnt participate for financial reasons.
The fifth absence was in 2016, Festival da Canção is the Portuguese national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest, organized by RTP, and is normally held in February/March of the year of the contest. It is one of the longest-running Eurovision selection methods, previously a number of regional juries selected the winner, however recently the winner has been selected through televoting. In 2009 and 2010, a 50-50 system between district juries and televote has been used. In the years when Portugal was absent from the contest, the Festival da Canção hasnt been held and it is worth noticing that three out of five times that Portugal was absent the contest was held in Sweden. Table key NOTE, If a country had won the previous year, in addition from 2004-2007, the top ten countries who were not members of the big four did not have to compete in the semi-finals the following year
Johnny Logan (singer)
Johnny Logan is an Australian-born Irish singer and composer. He is known as being the performer to have won the Eurovision Song Contest twice. He composed the song in 1992. Logan first won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1980, with the song Whats Another Year written by Shay Healy, in 1984, Logan composed the song Terminal 3 which placed second at Eurovision, performed by Linda Martin. He won the contest for a time in 1987 with Hold Me Now. His third win came in 1992, as composer of Linda Martins winning entry Why Me, Johnny Logan was born Seán Patrick Michael Sherrard in Frankston, Australia. Logans father was Derry-born Irish tenor Patrick OHagan, the family moved back to Ireland when Logan was three years old. He learnt the guitar and began composing his own songs by the age of thirteen, on leaving school he apprenticed as an electrician, while performing in folk and blues clubs. His earliest claim to fame was starring as Adam in the 1977 Irish musical Adam and he adopted the stage name Johnny Logan for the main character of the film Johnny Guitar.
He released his first single in 1978 and he first attempted to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1979, when he placed third in the Irish National Final with the song Angie. In 1980, Logan again entered the Irish National selection for the Eurovision Song Contest with the Shay Healy song Whats Another Year, representing Ireland in the Netherlands, Logan won the Eurovision Song Contest on 19 April. The song became a hit all over Europe and reached number one in the UK, owing to a mix-up, two follow-up singles were released almost simultaneously, Save Me and In London. With confusion by radio stations over which to play, both singles flopped, Logan blames his lack of success in the UK on poor management and his inexperience. Logan was actually classed as a One-hit Wonder with Whats Another Year in the UK until his second Eurovision winning song was released, seven years later. In 1987, he decided to make another attempt at Eurovision and with his song, Hold Me Now. The song won the contest and again, Logan had a major European hit with the song, keen to continue this success, Logan released a cover of the 10cc song Im Not in Love, produced by Paul Hardcastle as a follow-up, and an album.
The single made the UK charts but was not significant enough to sustain a continued chart career, the following year, Logan released his next single, Heartland which became a hit in the Irish charts and from on, concentrated on his career in Ireland and Europe. Having composed the Irish Eurovision Song Contest 1984 entry for Linda Martin, Terminal 3, Logan repeated the collaboration in 1992 when he gave Martin another of his songs, the song became the Irish entry at the finals in Sweden
Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest
Greece has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 37 times since its debut in 1974, missing six contests in that time. Greece won for the first time in 2005 with My Number One, the national broadcaster, Ellinikí Radiofonía Tileórasi broadcast the event each year and organised the process for the selection of the Greek entry. Greece has never finished last in the contest, in the 21st century, Greece has been more successful, with ten top-ten results, including third-place finishes for Antique in 2001, Sakis Rouvas in 2004 and Kalomira in 2008. Greece was disqualified from the Eurovision Song Contest 1982 after it was revealed that Themis Adamantidis was to sing Sarantapente Kopelies, a previously released song. A known Greek folk song had been revised for the competition, Greece was forced to pay a fine, and was allowed to return the following year. Had Adamantidis been allowed to perform Sarantapente Kopelies, he would have appeared second at Harrogate, after returning in 1983, ERT decided that all of the possible songs were of low quality and decided not to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 1984.
Had she performed, she would have appeared eighteenth and she would have performed the song Wagon-lit, the following year ERT announced that it would not return at the Eurovision Song Contest 2000 due to financial reasons. The song made Greece the first country not a member of Big Four to win the contest without going through a semifinal. Before Greeces win, the highest score was third place, achieved by duo Antique in 2001 with Die for You and again by Sakis Rouvas in 2004 with Shake It. Greeces least successful result was at 20th place in 1998 with the song Mia Krifi Evesthisia by Thalassa, with 12 points, all from Cyprus, riskyKidd, with 35 points, but this time Cyprus was out of the contest. In 2006, the 51st Eurovision Song Contest was held in Athens, the two hosts were popular singer, and former contestant, Sakis Rouvas and Greek American presenter Maria Menounos. The singer representing Greece in their own country was popular Greek Cypriot artist Anna Vissi, for the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest, ERT was able to secure a high-profile artist once again and planned a national final to choose the song.
Greece has been one of the most successful countries in the Eurovision Song Contest in the 21st century, including ninth in 2006, seventh in 2007, third in 2008, seventh in 2009, eighth in 2010 and seventh in 2011. In 2014, Greece finished in 20th place, along with 1998, is the countries worst result in the contest, Greece was one of only three countries to have never failed to qualify from the semifinals since their 2004 introduction. In addition, Greece qualified from the 1996 audio-only pre-qualifying round, in 2015, Greece failed to reach the top-ten for the third time in four years, finishing 19th. Since 2013, the music channel MAD produces the Greek national final, for 2016, ERT selected the Eurovision entry internally. They selected the band Argo with the song Utopian Land For the first time since the semi-finals were introduced in 2004 and they finished 16th in the first semi-final. Greece is famous for, especially in recent years, always giving twelve points to Cyprus and this is one of many examples of the bloc voting seen in contest which occurs between Iberian, Scandinavian, ex-Soviet and Baltic countries
Sandra Kim
Sandra Caldarone, better known as Sandra Kim, is a Belgian singer of Italian descent who won the Eurovision Song Contest 1986. Her father was an Italian immigrant from Torrebruna in the Province of Chieti in the Abruzzo region of Italy, Kim was born in Montegnée, near Liège, and started singing when she was seven. Kim represented Belgium at the Yamaha Music Festival in Tokyo during the autumn of 1986, in 1994, Kim married Olivier Gerard. She has been married to Jurgen Delanghe since 2001
Italy in the Eurovision Song Contest
Italy has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 42 times since making its debut at the first contest in 1956. It was one of seven countries that competed at the very first contest. Italy competed at the contest frequently until 1997, after a fourteen-year absence, the country competed in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011. Italy has won the contest twice, in 1958, Domenico Modugno finished third with the song Nel blu, dipinto di blu. Renamed Volare, the became a huge international hit, reaching the US number one spot. Emilio Pericoli finished third in 1963, before Italy won for the first time in 1964 with Gigliola Cinquetti, Cinquetti returned to the contest in 1974 and finished second with the song Si, losing to ABBA. Italy finished third in 1975 with Wess and Dori Ghezzi, the countrys best result of the 1980s was Umberto Tozzi and Raf finishing third in 1987. Italys second victory in the contest came in 1990 with Toto Cutugno, other good 1990s results were Mia Martini in 1992 and Jalisse in 1997, who both finished fourth.
After 1997, Italy withdrew from the competition, the EBU announced that they would work harder to bring Italy back to the contest in 2010, along with former participants Monaco and Austria, but again Italy did not participate in the contest. Italys return to the contest proved to be successful, with Raphael Gualazzi finishing second, Italy has finished in the top ten in four of the last six contests. In 2015, Il Volo won the televoting receiving votes from all countries, since the introduction of the 50/50 voting system in 2009, this was the first time that the winner of the viewers vote did not win the contest. Italy has withdrawn from the Eurovision Song Contest a number of times, the first withdrawal was in 1981, when RAI stated that interest had diminished in the country. This absence continued through the year, before Italy returned in 1983. Italy again withdrew in 1986 when RAI decided not to enter the contest, from 1994 to 1996 Italy withdrew again, with RAI citing a lack of interest in participating.
Italy returned in 1997, before withdrawing again without explanation, none of the Eurovision winning songs were particularly successful in the Italian charts. Despite the Eurovision contests taking place more than a month before the vote, Italian censors refused to allow the contest. The song thus remained censored on most Italian state TV and radio stations for over a month, at the contest in Brighton, Cinquetti finished second, losing to ABBA. Sì went on to be a UK top ten hit, peaking at number eight and it reached the German top 20
Malta
Malta, officially known as the Republic of Malta, is a Southern European island country consisting of an archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. It lies 80 km south of Italy,284 km east of Tunisia, the country covers just over 316 km2, with a population of just under 450,000, making it one of the worlds smallest and most densely populated countries. The capital of Malta is Valletta, which at 0.8 km2, is the smallest national capital in the European Union, Malta has one national language, which is Maltese, and English as an official language. John and British, have ruled the islands, King George VI of the United Kingdom awarded the George Cross to Malta in 1942 for the countrys bravery in the Second World War. The George Cross continues to appear on Maltas national flag, the country became a republic in 1974, and although no longer a Commonwealth realm, remains a member state of the Commonwealth of Nations. Malta was admitted to the United Nations in 1964 and to the European Union in 2004, in 2008, Catholicism is the official religion in Malta.
The origin of the term Malta is uncertain, and the modern-day variation derives from the Maltese language, the most common etymology is that the word Malta derives from the Greek word μέλι, honey. The ancient Greeks called the island Μελίτη meaning honey-sweet, possibly due to Maltas unique production of honey, an endemic species of bee lives on the island. The Romans went on to call the island Melita, which can be considered either as a latinisation of the Greek Μελίτη or the adaptation of the Doric Greek pronunciation of the same word Μελίτα. Another conjecture suggests that the word Malta comes from the Phoenician word Maleth a haven or port in reference to Maltas many bays, few other etymological mentions appear in classical literature, with the term Malta appearing in its present form in the Antonine Itinerary. The extinction of the hippos and dwarf elephants has been linked to the earliest arrival of humans on Malta. Prehistoric farming settlements dating to the Early Neolithic period were discovered in areas and in caves.
The Sicani were the tribe known to have inhabited the island at this time and are generally regarded as being closely related to the Iberians. Pottery from the Għar Dalam phase is similar to found in Agrigento. A culture of megalithis temple builders either supplanted or arose from this early period, the temples have distinctive architecture, typically a complex trefoil design, and were used from 4000 to 2500 BCE. Animal bones and a knife found behind an altar stone suggest that temple rituals included animal sacrifice. Tentative information suggests that the sacrifices were made to the goddess of fertility, the culture apparently disappeared from the Maltese Islands around 2500 BC. Archaeologists speculate that the builders fell victim to famine or disease
Greece
Italy
Turkey
Ireland
Norway - Terje Fjærn
Israel - Kobi Oshrat
Austria - Richard Österreicher
Iceland - Hjálmar H. Ragnarsson
Belgium - Freddy Sunder
Sweden - Curt-Eric Holmquist
Italy - Gianfranco Lombardi
Portugal - Jaime Oliveira
Spain - Eduardo Leyva
Turkey - Garo Mafyan
Greece - Yiorgos Niarchos
Netherlands - Rogier van Otterloo
Luxembourg - Alec Mansion
United Kingdom - Ronnie Hazlehurst
France - Jean-Claude Petit
Germany - Laszlo Bencker
Cyprus - Jo Carlier
Finland - Ossi Runne
Denmark - Henrik Krogsgaard
Ireland - Noel Kelehan
Yugoslavia - Nikica Kalogjera
Switzerland - no conductor
Austria
Cyprus
Germany
