Logan was born in Frankston near Melbourne, Australia. His father was an Irish tenor, Patrick O'Hagan, who performed three times at The White House, for John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Richard Nixon. The family moved back to Ireland when Johnny was aged three. He learned 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 Eve".
Having adopted the stage name Johnny Logan, he released his first single in 1978 and took part in the Irish national final for the Eurovision Song Contest in 1979, but did not win. The following year, Logan entered the contest again with the Shay Healy song "What's Another Year" and won. Representing Ireland in the Netherlands, Logan won the Eurovision Song Contest on April 19. The song became a hit all over Europe and reached No.1 in the UK.
Due 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. Another single released in late 1980, a cover of a recent [arist]Cliff Richard song, "Give A Little Bit More" was a more concerted effort and although it narrowly missed the chart, the momentum from Eurovision was now lost. Logan blames his lack of success in the UK on poor management and his inexperience.
In early 1983, Logan attempted a comeback in the UK with the song "Becoming Electric" with a new sound and image and promotional push, but was unsuccessful and again in 1986 when he rebranded himself Logan with the song "Stab In The Back".
In 1987, he decided to make another attempt at Eurovision and with his self-penned song "Hold Me Now", he represented Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest in Belgium. The song won the contest and again, Logan had a major European hit with the song and reached No.2 in the UK (although it outsold "What's Another Year"). Keen to continue this success, Logan released a cover of the 10cc song "I'm Not In Love", produced by Paul Hardcastle as a follow-up, and an album. Both single and album made the UK charts but were 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 then on, concentrated on his career in Ireland and Europe.
Having composed the Irish 1984 Eurovision Song Contest entry for Linda Martin, "Terminal 3" (which came 2nd), Logan repeated the collaboration in 1992 when he gave Martin another of his songs, "Why Me". The song became the Irish entry at the finals in Sweden. The song took the title and cemented Logan as the most successful artist in Eurovision history with three wins.
Author and historian John Kennedy O'Connor notes in his book The Eurovision Song Contest - The Official History that Logan is the only lead singer to have sung two winning entries and one of only five authors/composers (all men) to have written/composed two winning songs.
He is sometimes referred to as "Mister Eurovision" by fans of the contest and the media at large. "Hold Me Now" has been adopted by fans of Bohemian FC as their anthem and it is sung primarily at away games. He mentioned on "TTV" on RTÉ that he was considering writing a song for Ireland in the 2010 Eurovision.
"Hold Me Now" was voted as the 3rd most popular song in Eurovision history at the 50th anniversary concert in Copenhagen, Denmark in October 2005. "What's Another Year?" was also nominated amongst the 14 finalists. It has sold over 3 million copies worldwide. "Hold Me Now" is also a global million-seller.
Throughout his career, which spans four decades, Logan has issued no less than 40 singles and 19 albums. He has continued his love of participating in musical theatre, having toured Norway with Which Witch, an opera-musical originating in that country. In 2002 Logan took part in the UK TV Quiz show Never Mind The Buzzcocks as a team panelist in a Eurovision-special.
Logan continues to perform and write songs. In 2007 he advertised McDonald's Eurosaver menu in Ireland. In 2007 he sang "A State of Happiness", advertising the Dutch Center Parcs. In 2009 he performed in the Celtic rock opera Excalibur.
Logan lives in Ashbourne, County Meath, Ireland.
Molly Malone
Johnny Logan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone
As she wheeled her wheelbarrow through streets broad and narrow
Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live O!
A-live a-live O! A-live a-live O!
Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live O!
For so were her father and mother before
And they both wheeled their barrows through streets broad and narrow
Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live O!
A-live a-live O! A-live a-live O!
Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live O!
She died of a fever and no one could save her
And that was the end of sweet Molly Malone
Now her ghost wheels her barrow through streets broad and narrow
Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live O!
A-live a-live O! A-live a-live O!
Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live O!
A-live a-live O! A-live a-live O!
Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live O!
Johnny Logan's song "Molly Malone" is a tribute to the beloved folk heroine who was said to have lived on the streets of Dublin. The lyrics describe the city's beauty, and how the singer first set eyes on the eponymous protagonist, who is out selling fish from her wheelbarrow. Her cries of "cockles and mussels, alive a-live-O!" ring out through the streets, capturing the essence of the bustling, vibrant city.
Molly's occupation is no surprise, given that she comes from a long line of fishmongers, and her parents used to sell their wares from wheelbarrows as well. The chorus is repeated twice, emphasizing the infectiousness of her calls: "A-live a-live O! Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live O!"
In the final verse, we learn that Molly died of a fever, and her ghost is now said to roam the streets of Dublin, still selling her cockles and mussels from beyond the grave. The song ends on the same chorus as before, driving home the enduring legacy of this beloved character.
Line by Line Meaning
In Dublin's fair city, where the girls are so pretty
The story is set in Dublin, a city full of beautiful girls.
I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone
The storyteller first saw Molly Malone, who was beautiful.
As she wheeled her wheelbarrow through streets broad and narrow
Molly Malone would push a wheelbarrow through the wide and narrow streets.
Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live O!
Molly Malone would shout that her seafood is fresh and alive.
She was a fishmonger and sure it was no wonder
It was no surprise that Molly Malone was a fishmonger, considering her parents were also fishmongers.
And they both wheeled their barrows through streets broad and narrow
Molly's mother and father also pushed wheelbarrows of seafood through the wide and narrow streets.
She died of a fever and no one could save her
Molly Malone died of a fever, and nobody could save her.
And that was the end of sweet Molly Malone
Molly Malone's death was the end of her life.
Now her ghost wheels her barrow through streets broad and narrow
Molly's ghost would push her wheelbarrow through the wide and narrow streets.
Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live O!
Even after death, Molly Malone would still shout that her seafood is fresh and alive.
A-live a-live O! A-live a-live O!
Molly Malone's haunting cry of fresh seafood.
Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live O!
Molly Malone's haunting cry of fresh seafood.
A-live a-live O! A-live a-live O!
Molly Malone's haunting cry of fresh seafood.
Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live O!
Molly Malone's haunting cry of fresh seafood.
Contributed by Annabelle S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@MrBachfie
In Dublin's fair city,
where the girls are so pretty,
I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone,
As she wheeled her wheel-barrow,
Through streets broad and narrow,
Crying, "Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh!"
"Alive, alive, oh,
Alive, alive, oh",
Crying "Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh".
She was a fishmonger,
And sure 'twas no wonder,
For so were her father and mother before,
And they each wheeled their barrow,
Through streets broad and narrow,
Crying, "Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh!"
"Alive, alive, oh,
Alive, alive, oh",
Crying "Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh".
She died of a fever,
And no one could save her,
And that was the end of sweet Molly Malone.
Now her ghost wheels her barrow,
Through streets broad and narrow,
Crying, "Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh!"
"Alive, alive, oh,
Alive, alive, oh",
Crying "Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh".
@maritajansson1469
Okay, here I am again! To watch and listen to his videos, I probably do as long as I have hearing and sight preserved!
@Angelflower83
This is the Unofficial Irish National Anthem!☘️🌹😊
@Angelflower83
A Wonderful Irish Song!☘️❤️😊
@frankebbing3765
I enjoyed singing it with my two friends, now it's just me left.
@petraschleich3159
Johnny Logan ❤️ super Sänger 👍👍 tolle Lieder 🥰 superschön 🥰🥰 i love IT ❤️ wunderschöne Musik 😀😀❤️❤️
@lizdoyle7158
EXCELLENT 💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚
@uwelohr7958
this is how to put all spirit off of a wonderful song...
@maritajansson1469
Love you and miss you here in Sweden!
@wheretheeaglefly4451
I adore this song so much and John sings it beautifully !
@yvesstoeckel193
J'aime beaucoup 👍😭💕💞💞😍🤩