He has entered the national Norwegian Eurovision Song Contest numerous times, but has only won it once, and represented Norway in the international final in 1997, where he came last with nul points.
Endresen was part of a popular Norwegian TV show in the early 1990s, a show with pop music from the 1950s and 1960s called Lollipop, as a singing bartender. The show went on for 30 episodes, and there were released three albums (English lyrics) with music from the show which sold very well in Norway.
A single called "Black Rain" which was released from his album Call Me Stranger in 1986, was nearly chosen as the themesong for the James Bond film The Living Daylights in 1987. (The choice fell on the Norwegian group a-ha instead.)
He has been awarded two film music awards from Disney for his singing contribution to the Norwegian version of Disney films.
San Francisco
Tor Endresen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Da alle sang Make Love, Not War
Og hele verden hadde lengre hår
Det føles som det var i går
Da det å være bror og søster var in
California Dreaming
De store spørsmål og et åpent sinn
Svarene was Blowing in the Wind
Kjærlighetstid i San Francisco
Drømmen om fred en ungdomsvår
Ingen gevær - No War, No Disco
Kun vakre blomster i ditt hår (Kun vakre blomster i ditt)
Da alle surfet på en god vibrasjon (Do-do-do)
Og USA fikk sin Man on the Moon
Og Jimi Hendrix spilte ild og pasjon
I Woodstock for en ny generasjon
Yeah
Da var det sterkt å være ung og fri
Livet hadde bedre tid
Og hele verden hadde lengre hår
Det føles som det var i går
Yeah-i-yeah
Kjærlighetstid i San Francisco
Drømmen om fred en ungdomsvår
Ooh-ooh-ooh-yeah
Ingen gevær - No War, No Disco
Kun vakre blomster i ditt hår
Over jorden lød Lennons sang
Love, Love, Love
Med et bud om at kjærlighet gjør alle fri
Om vi ikke lar den fare forbi
Kjærlighetstid i San Fran
Kjærlighetstid i San Francisco
Drømmen om fred en ungdomsvår
Ooh-ooh-ooh-yeah
Ingen gevær - No War, No Disco
Kun vakre blomster i ditt
Kun vakre blomster i ditt hår
Yeah-yeah
The song "San Francisco" by Tor Endresen is a nostalgic tribute to the counterculture movement of the 1960s and the city of San Francisco, which served as a hub for the movement. The song harkens back to a time when love, peace, and understanding seemed possible, and when the world was full of hope and promise. Endresen uses a series of images and references to evoke this time - he mentions the mantra "Make Love, Not War," the long hair that was fashionable among young people, and the sense that anything was possible if people worked together and embraced a spirit of brotherhood and sisterhood.
The chorus of the song sums up the message: it was a time of love in San Francisco, a dream of peace during Springtime. There were no guns, no war, no disco - just beautiful flowers in your hair. Endresen also references important cultural touchstones of the time, such as the Woodstock festival and the first moon landing, both of which symbolized the possibility of new beginnings and expanded horizons.
Overall, the song is a wistful and nostalgic look back at a time of great possibility and hope, evoking the spirit of a generation that sought to change the world through love and understanding.
Line by Line Meaning
Det føles ennå som det var i går
The memories of that era still fresh in the mind
Da alle sang Make Love, Not War
At that time, everyone was supporting love over war
Og hele verden hadde lengre hår
Everybody had long hair all over the world
Da det å være bror og søster var in
The concept of brotherhood and sisterhood was quite popular
California Dreaming
People had high hopes for California
De store spørsmål og et åpent sinn
People were curious and open to ask bigger questions
Svarene was Blowing in the Wind
The answers were uncertain and kept changing
Kjærlighetstid i San Francisco
It was a time of love in San Francisco
Drømmen om fred en ungdomsvår
The dream of peace in their youth
Ingen gevær - No War, No Disco
No war or disco, just love!
Kun vakre blomster i ditt hår
Only beautiful flowers in their hair
Da alle surfet på en god vibrasjon
Everyone was in good spirit and riding a wave of positive energy
Og USA fikk sin Man on the Moon
The US put a man on the moon
Og Jimi Hendrix spilte ild og pasjon
Jimi Hendrix played with great fire and passion
I Woodstock for en ny generasjon
Woodstock was a music festival that became a symbol for the new generation of youth
Da var det sterkt å være ung og fri
It was powerful to be young and free at that time
Livet hadde bedre tid
Life was less hectic and busy
Over jorden lød Lennons sang
John Lennon's song was heard all over the world
Love, Love, Love
The message of the song was universal love
Med et bud om at kjærlighet gjør alle fri
The song's message was that love frees all
Om vi ikke lar den fare forbi
The message was only valuable if it's not ignored
Kjærlighetstid i San Fran
It was time for love in San Francisco
Kun vakre blomster i ditt hår
Only beautiful flowers in their hair
Yeah
An expression of excitement and agreement
Contributed by Evan F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@AnIrishMan500
I don't care how many points this song got,in 1997 I was 18 and i LOVED it!
@BULGARIA_ANTI_MAPPING
Agree! Both songs that got zero points in 1997 are in my top 3.
@naorion247
I can see why many ppl hate this. So it's right for this song to get 0pts.
I love this song AND THE COLORS ON STAGEEE!!!
@Billy219
This don't deserve 0 point. He did a so great song
@daffa67437
Usually, an uptempo song like this would definetly get more points in ESC, but idk why this song didn't get points
@spannamatronic
I really enjoy this and it's a great performance. 97 was a year where the contest was shifting and this was behind the curve. They would get it much more right the following year.
@SuperJNG18
Norway had been moving in such an interesting direction by the mid-90s, and their run of entries from '93 to '96 is about as fine a run as any country has ever had at Eurovision. Then this happened, and it was, to say the very least, a regression. His enthusiasm counts for something, but overall it's pretty inane. I wouldn't vote for it. Nil points is harsh, but I don't know which countries I'd place it over either.
@JeSuisRene
I have this as my 10th place of 1997 — just so jolly and optimistic, I like it. I love Norway’s run of entries between 1993 and 2000 (discounting 1999 though).
[And yes — I am looking at nul pointers on YouTube after the UK’s result in Rotterdam]
@carilicious
@Rene why don’t you love living my life without you?
@acathosh
Hopefully not the last time we get 0 points. It's our pride by now <3