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.
Julens ljus
Tommy Körberg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tårarna, en flod
Det är som gift, som tär i mig
Som ett gift i mitt blod
Jag tog mig hit, till Oxford Street
Ville tro på nåt gott
Men en främling här, är vad jag är
Snön som faller, faller ner som regn
Du söker efter något du känner igen
Högt där uppe flaggar ljusen
Se de glimmar och de far
Och jag jagar efter hopp
Det är det enda jag har kvar
Och jag sjunger över taken
Med en vilsen, drucken röst
Om att jag alltid ska älska dig
Och att kärleken är störst
Och snön som faller, faller ner som regn
Du söker efter något du känner igen
Snön som faller, ligger kvar som regn
Du letar efter något du känner igen
Brinn julens ljus, längs gatan fram
Lys upp min väg, gör drömmen sann
Låt mina sorger få ett slut
Brinn julens ljus, brinn aldrig ut
Brinn julens ljus, längs gatan fram
Till där havet möter land
Låt dina sorger få ett slut
Brinn julens ljus, brinn aldrig ut
(Ooooh)
Brinn julens ljus, ta mig tillbaks till hennes famn
Låt mina sorger få ett slut
Brinn julens ljus, brinn aldrig ut
Brinn julens ljus, längs gatan fram
Lys upp min väg, gör drömmen sann
Låt mina sorger få ett slut
Brinn julens ljus, brinn aldrig ut
The lyrics of Tommy Körberg's song "Julens ljus" convey a deep sense of longing, loneliness, and hope during the Christmas season. The opening lines speak of the holiday season as a struggle, with tears flowing like a river and a sense of poison coursing through one's veins. These sentiments paint a picture of inner turmoil and emotional pain, suggesting that the festive season can sometimes exacerbate feelings of isolation and sadness.
The singer finds themselves in Oxford Street, seeking solace and belief in something good amidst their inner turmoil. However, they feel like a stranger in this unfamiliar place, indicating a sense of displacement and alienation. The imagery of snow falling like rain and the search for familiarity reflect the singer's longing for connection and comfort in a world that feels cold and unfamiliar.
The recurring motif of chasing hope and the declaration of eternal love amidst the backdrop of twinkling Christmas lights symbolize the singer's desperate search for meaning and reassurance in a difficult time. The lyrics capture a sense of vulnerability and fragility, as the singer sings with a lost, intoxicated voice about holding onto love and the enduring power of affection amidst life's uncertainties.
The final verses of the song call for the Christmas lights to illuminate the path forward, to turn dreams into reality, and to bring an end to sorrow. The repeated refrain of "Brinn julens ljus, brinn aldrig ut" (Burn, Christmas lights, never burn out) speaks to a plea for hope, healing, and the preservation of light in the midst of darkness. Ultimately, "Julens ljus" encapsulates a poignant exploration of love, loss, and the enduring search for solace and salvation during the holiday season.
Line by Line Meaning
Juletid, än en strid
The Christmas season, yet another battle
Tårarna, en flod
The tears, a river
Det är som gift, som tär i mig
It's like poison that wears me down
Som ett gift i mitt blod
Like a poison in my blood
Jag tog mig hit, till Oxford Street
I came here, to Oxford Street
Ville tro på nåt gott
Wanted to believe in something good
Men en främling här, är vad jag är
But a stranger here, is what I am
Jag borde ha förstått
I should have understood
Snön som faller, faller ner som regn
The snow falling, falls like rain
Du söker efter något du känner igen
You're looking for something you recognize
Och snön som faller, ligger kvar som regn
And the snow that falls, remains like rain
Du letar efter något du känner igen
You're searching for something you recognize
Brinn julens ljus, längs gatan fram
Burn the light of Christmas, along the street
Lys upp min väg, gör drömmen sann
Light up my path, make the dream come true
Låt mina sorger få ett slut
Let my sorrows come to an end
Brinn julens ljus, brinn aldrig ut
Burn the light of Christmas, never burn out
Writer(s): Jonathan Mark Buckland, Christopher Anthony John Martin, William Champion, Guy Rupert Berryman, Tommy Korberg
Contributed by Lily W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.