Eurovision Song Contest 1968
Entry for Portugal

Performer: Carlos Mendes
Song title: Verão
Song writer(s): José Alberto Diogo
Song composer(s): Pedro Osório

Sang in Position: 1
Final Position: 11
Total Points: 5

France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom broadcast the 1968 contest in colour despite the fact that very few TV-viewers at home owned a colour TV set. However, colour was here to stay and all song contests since then have been broadcast primarily in colour. Some countries hired foreign singers to sing for them: Germany was represented by Norwegian Wenche Myhre and Austria's entry was performed by Karel Gott from Prague.

The 1968 Eurovision Song Contest turned out to have a nailbiting finish when the United Kingdom entry and big favourite Congratulations by Cliff Richard was beaten by just one point by Spain's Massiel. Originally Massiel's song La La La was supposed to be sung by Spanish singer Joan Manuel Serrat who wanted perfom the song La, La, La in Catalan. However, Juan Manuel Serrat's wish of singing in his native tongue was not met by the Spanish officials, and Juan Manuel was replaced by Massiel who sang the same song in Spanish.

The 1968 Eurovision Song Contest was not only broadcast in the participating countries, but also all of Eastern Europe and Tunisia could follow it;

For Katie Boyle, it was already her third Eurovision Song Contest as a presenter, but not her last: Mrs. Boyle would return for yet another contest just as the unlucky Cliff Richard!


Eurovision Song Contest 1972
Entry for Portugal

Performer: Carlos Mendes
Song title: A Festa Da Vida
Song writer(s): José Niza
Song composer(s): José Calvário

Sang in Position: 7
Final Position: 7
Total Points: 90

Despite the victory of Monaco the previous year, the 1972 Eurovision Song Contest took place in Edinburgh. The reason that the contest did not take place in Monaco was because the small Mediterranean nation could not provide a decent venue. However, it was later rumoured that the real reason was that Monaco was not in a financial position to host the contest. The BBC took over and chose a venue outside of London for the first time. The contest was broadcast live to Asia for the first time with viewers in Japan, Taiwan, The Philippines, Hong Kong and Thailand, all able to watch the show. It also was the first year that a video wall was used to present song titles and artists.

For the third time already, Luxembourg won the song contest with the entry Aprés Toi performed by Vicky Leandros. The writer of the winning song, Yves Desca, also wrote the winning song of 1971 by Séverine. It was the first time in the history of the Song Contest that the same song writer won twice in a row and for two different countries.

Greek-born singer Vicky Leandros also took part in the contest for the second time and won for Luxembourg thanks to a well-planned PR campaign. This time she also used her surname, something she had avoided the first time when she participated just as "Vicky" in 1967. The winning song Après toi sold míllions of copies all over Europe, and Vicky Leandros appeared in TV-shows all over Europe. She would try to enter the Eurovision Song Contest again in 2006, but only came 3rd in the German national final for the contest.

The Irish entry Ceol An Ghrá by Sandie Jones was sung in the Irish language and until now, it remains the only song ever to be sung in Irish in the Eurovision Song Contest. Malta took part in the contest for the second time and came last again with Helen & Joseph's L' imhabba. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.