Tommy Körberg (born July 4, 1948) is a Swedish singer and actor. English-sp… Read Full Bio ↴Tommy Körberg (born July 4, 1948) is a Swedish singer and actor. English-speaking audiences know him best for his role in the Benny Andersson–Björn Ulvaeus–Tim Rice musical Chess. He was the first to play the role of "The Russian" on the 1984 concept album Chess, and performed the same role on stage in the 1986 world premiere production in London. In the 1990s and 2000s he took time off from other projects in order to recreate the role in subsequent productions of Chess, including the 1994 tenth anniversary concert and the 2002 Stockholm production. He has also appeared in the Swedish productions of other musicals, including The Sound of Music and Les Miserables.

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.

Välkommen till New Orleans
Tommy Körberg Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Ner i Södern
Finns ett ställe
Lengst nere vid floden
Där finns världens vackraste mamseller
Och män som vet vad som gäller
Se'n musiken som alltid spelar
Börjar på dan tills natten är slut
Och när du hör musiken spela

Bleknar din sorg, bekymren ebbar ut
Ta nåns hand och va spontan
Ta med dig pensel
Vi färglägger stan
Ja, sockersöt blir hela dan
Välkommen till New Orleans

Här finns magi, svart och vit
Våga dig hit, gör oss en visit
Fånga lyckan eller gå på en nit
Nere i New Orleans
Ursäkta - om jag stör
Kom och testa, vi vet vad vi gör
Vill du vara med om livet, innan du dör
Gör det här i New Orleans

Här bor miljonärer
Dom har bomullsfält och sockerplantage

Fattiga, rika, dom drömmar som finns
Dom kan slå in i New Orleans

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Tommy Körberg's song Välkommen till New Orleans are an invitation to visit a place filled with magic, music, and beauty. The song describes a location down south by a river, where the world's most beautiful women and men who know what's what gather. The music starts playing from the morning until the night comes to an end, and one can forget their sorrows and worries when they listen to it. The lyrics encourage the listener to take someone's hand and be spontaneous, to carry a paintbrush and color the town. The whole day turns sugary sweet, and the listener is welcomed to New Orleans.

The song welcomes people of all walks of life- black and white. The invitation is extended to capture happiness or take a chance and fail. The song describes New Orleans as a place where both millionaires and the poor dreamers can find their calling. The song invites the listener to come to New Orleans and experience life before they die.

The song portrays New Orleans as a remarkable place where magic, music, and art all converge. The song's invitation is compelling, and the potency of the city of New Orleans shines through the lyrics.

Line by Line Meaning

Ner i Södern
Down in the South

Finns ett ställe
There is a place

Lengst nere vid floden
Down by the river

Där finns världens vackraste mamseller
Where the world's most beautiful women are found

Och män som vet vad som gäller
And men who know what's what

Se'n musiken som alltid spelar
Then there's the music that always plays

Börjar på dan tills natten är slut
Starting in the day until the night is through

Och när du hör musiken spela
And when you hear the music play

Bleknar din sorg, bekymren ebbar ut
Your sorrows fade away, your worries ebb out

Ta nåns hand och va spontan
Take someone's hand and be spontaneous

Ta med dig pensel
Bring your paintbrush