Eurovision Song Contest 1969 - Madrid
Entry for Sweden
Performer: Tommy Körberg
Song title: Judy, Min Vän
Song writer(s): Britt Lindeborg
Song composer(s): Roger Wallis
Sang in Position: 9
Final Position: 9
Total Points: 8
For the first time in the history of the Eurovision Song Contest, the outcome of the voting resulted in a tie for the first place. Four countries gained 18 points each: France, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom. Since there was no solution for this situation, all four countries were declared winners. Luckily, there were four medals available to the four winning singers - the four medals were intended for the winning singer and three winning songwriters.
The four winners differed a lot from one another: France had a haunting ballad performed by Frida Boccara, the Netherlands sent in Lenny Kuhr with a guitar, Spain and Salomé performed the energetic Vivo Cantando whereas the star from the British islands, Lulu, had a happy, clap-along song. However, having four winners caused lots of criticism from the media and several TV-stations re-considered participating in the following Eurovision Song Contest. Had the 1969 Eurovision Song Contest still attracted 16 countries, the number went down to only 12 in the 1970 edition of the contest.
Eurovision Song Contest 1988 - Dublin
Entry for Sweden
Performer: Tommy Körberg
Song title: Stad I Ljus
Song writer(s):
Song composer(s): Py Bäckman
Sang in Position: 2
Final Position: 12
Total Points: 52
The 1988 Eurovision Song Contest was hosted in Dublin for the third time, and featured one of the most exciting votings in the long history of the contest. Switzerland's entry Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi performed by Céline Dion beat the runner-up, the United Kingdom's Scott Fitzgerald by just a single point. Before the last vote, the UK entry was leading with 136 points to Switzerland's 131 but then Yugoslavia, the last country to vote, gave six points to Switzerland while ignoring the British song Go completely.
For Céline Dion, winning the 1988 Eurovision Song Contest was the starting point of her globe-wide career. Had she only been known in Canada and France before 1988, the Eurovision Song Contest gave her the opportunity to record songs which would sell millions of copies all around the world. But not only Céline Dion made a huge profit from the 1988 Eurovision Song Contest, also her colleague Lara Fabian who was singing for Luxembourg started a successful career after the contest with a mainly French-sung repertoire.
In 1988, 21 countries participated in the Eurovision Song Contest. Cyprus decided to withdraw because their entry did not match the rules of the contest: it had already been published previously. The venue of the 1988 contest was the same as in 1981, but this time, RTÉ managed to create a very special stage that created the illusion of a spage age-style grid which suggested that it was a huge arena with lots of lighting and special effects. Even nowadays, this set is still praised by experts.
Den Första Gång Jag Såg Dig
Tommy Körberg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
På förmiddagen, då solen lyste klar
Och ängens alla blommor av många hundra slag
De stodo bugade i par vid par
Och vinden drog så saktelig, och nere invid stranden
Där smög en bölja kärleksfullt till snäckan uti sanden
Den första gång jag såg dig, det var en sommardag
Den första gång jag tog dig uti handen
Den första gång jag såg dig, då glänste sommarskyn
Så bländande som svanen i sin skald
Då kom det ifrån skogen, från skogens gröna bryn
Liksom ett jubel utav fåglars ljud
Då ljöd en sång från himmelen så skön som inga flera
Det var den lilla lärkan grå, så svår att observera
Den första gång jag såg dig, då glänste sommarskyn
Så bländande och grann som aldrig mera
Och därför när jag ser dig, om och i vinterns dag
Då drivan ligger glittrande och kall
Nog hör jag sommarns vindar och lärkans friska slag
Och vågens brus i alla fulla fall
Nog tycker jag ur dunig bädd sig gröna växter daga
Med blåklint och med klöverblad, som älskande behaga
Att sommarsolen skiner på dina anletsdrag
Som rodna och som stråla och betaga
The song "Den Första Gång Jag Såg Dig" by Tommy Körberg describes the first time the singer saw his love during a summer day when the sun was shining brightly. He describes how the flowers in the meadow were bowing in pairs, and the wind was blowing gently. He talks about a wave that lovingly went up to the seashell in the sand. The singer expresses his joy when he took his lover's hand for the first time. He describes the summer sky as a dazzling swan and how the forest was filled with the joyful sound of birds.
The song has a nostalgic feel to it, with the singer recalling the memory of the first time he saw his love. He remembers the beauty of the summer day and how it made him feel. He associates the memory with the sounds of the wind, the birds, and the waves. The singer also mentions how even during the winter, when everything is cold and covered in snow, he still thinks of the warm summer day when he first saw his love. The lyrics are touching and evoke a sense of longing and fondness for the memory of the first meeting.
Overall, the song "Den Första Gång Jag Såg Dig" is a beautiful depiction of one's first encounter with love during a warm, sunny summer day. The lyrics are poignant and filled with vivid imagery, making it easy to empathize with the singer's emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
Den första gång jag såg dig, det var en sommardag
The first time I saw you was on a sunny summer day
På förmiddagen, då solen lyste klar
It was in the morning and the sun was shining brightly
Och ängens alla blommor av många hundra slag
And all the flowers in the meadow of countless varieties
De stodo bugade i par vid par
They were standing bent, in pairs upon pairs
Och vinden drog så saktelig, och nere invid stranden
The wind blew gently, down by the beach
Där smög en bölja kärleksfullt till snäckan uti sanden
And a wave lovingly snuck up to a shell in the sand
Den första gång jag tog dig uti handen
The first time I held your hand
Den första gång jag såg dig, då glänste sommarskyn
The first time I saw you, the summer sky shone brightly
Så bländande som svanen i sin skald
As dazzling as a swan in its plumage
Då kom det ifrån skogen, från skogens gröna bryn
Then from the forest, from the green edge of the woods
Liksom ett jubel utav fåglars ljud
There was a sound like a chorus of birds singing
Då ljöd en sång från himmelen så skön som inga flera
Then a hymn from heaven sounded, more beautiful than any other
Det var den lilla lärkan grå, så svår att observera
It was the little graylark, so hard to spot
Den första gång jag såg dig, då glänste sommarskyn
The first time I saw you, the summer sky shone brightly
Så bländande och grann som aldrig mera
As dazzling and beautiful as never before
Och därför när jag ser dig, om och i vinterns dag
And therefore when I see you, even on a winter day
Då drivan ligger glittrande och kall
When the snowdrift lies glittering and cold
Nog hör jag sommarns vindar och lärkans friska slag
I still hear the summer winds and the fresh beat of the lark
Och vågens brus i alla fulla fall
And the murmur of the waves in all their fullness
Nog tycker jag ur dunig bädd sig gröna växter daga
I imagine green plants sprouting from the fluffy bed
Med blåklint och med klöverblad, som älskande behaga
With cornflowers and clover leaves, pleasing to lovers
Att sommarsolen skiner på dina anletsdrag
That the summer sun shines on your face, blushing and radiant
Som rodna och som stråla och betaga
That blush, shine and enchant
Writer(s): JOAKIM DANIEL ANDREN, VIKTOR NOREN, BIRGER SJOBERG
Contributed by Stella I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.