Eurovision Song Contest 1978
Eurovision Song Contest 1978 | |
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Dates | |
Final | 22 April 1978 |
Host | |
Venue | Palais des Congrès Paris, France |
Presenter(s) | |
Musical director | François Rauber |
Directed by | Bernard Lion |
Executive supervisor | Frank Naef |
Host broadcaster | Télévision Française 1 (TF1) |
Interval act | |
Website | eurovision![]() |
Participants | |
Number of entries | 20 |
Debuting countries | None |
Returning countries | |
Non-returning countries | None |
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Vote | |
Voting system | Each country awarded 12, 10, 8-1 points to their 10 favourite songs |
Nul points | ![]() |
Winning song | ![]() "A-Ba-Ni-Bi" |
The Eurovision Song Contest 1978 was the 23rd edition of the annual Eurovision Song Contest. It was held on 22 April 1978 in Paris. The contest was won by Izhar Cohen & the Alphabeta who represented Israel with the song "A-Ba-Ni-Bi". Although 'A-Ba-Ni-Bi' is the correct title, French television mistakenly captioned on screen the song title as 'Ah-Bah-Nee-Bee'. The presenters were Denise Fabre and Léon Zitrone, and this was the first time more than one presenter hosted an edition of the Contest and the first to have a male presenter since 1956. In addition, the two presenters served as commentators for France. Twenty countries participated, a record at the time.
The winning entry was a love song sung in the Hebrew equivalent of Ubbi dubbi (the title is an expansion of the Hebrew word ani אני, meaning "I"). This was Israel's first Eurovision win, which was also the first winning song to be performed in one of the Semitic languages. The win caused problems for several North African and Middle-Eastern nations that were televising the contest, even though they were not participating. According to author and political commentator John Kennedy O'Connor in his book The Eurovision Song Contest: The Official History, when Israel became the clear winners during the voting, most of the Arabic stations ended their transmission of the contest. Jordanian TV finished the show with a photo of a bunch of daffodils on screen,[1] later announcing that the Belgian entry (which finished second) was the winner. Television of the USSR for the first time showed a competition, and until 1988 only performances of several participants, each time with the exception of representatives of Israel.[2] Norway finished last for the fifth time, gaining the first nul points during the current voting system was implemented in 1975.
Location[edit]
The event took place in Paris, the capital and largest city of France, with the host venue being the Palais des congrès de Paris which is a concert venue, convention centre and shopping mall in the 17th arrondissement of Paris. The venue was built by French architect Guillaume Gillet, and was inaugurated in 1974.
Format[edit]
The postcards were filmed live, featuring the artists making their way to the stage. They took a corridor, then an elevator. Leaving the lift, they were greeted by the previous participants and then made their entrances to the stage. The camera also made several shots of the audience, notably Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg.
Björn Skifs was unhappy with the rule that every country would have to perform in their native language. He planned to sing in English anyway, but changed his mind at the last moment, causing him to completely forget the lyrics. He therefore sang the first few lines in gibberish before finding the words again. Along with the 20 participating countries, the show was also broadcast live in Yugoslavia, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Jordan, East Germany, Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Dubai, Hong Kong, the Soviet Union and Japan.
Participating countries[edit]
Denmark returned to the competition after twelve years of absence, while Turkey did so after missing out two years.[3]
Conductors[edit]
Each performance had a conductor who directed the orchestra.[4][5]
Ireland – Noel Kelehan
Norway – Carsten Klouman
Italy – Nicola Samale
Finland – Ossi Runne
Portugal – Thilo Krasmann
France – Alain Goraguer
Spain – Ramón Arcusa
United Kingdom – Alyn Ainsworth
Switzerland – Daniel Janin
Belgium – Jean Musy
Netherlands – Harry van Hoof
Turkey – Onno Tunç
Germany – Jean Frankfurter
Monaco – Yvon Rioland
Greece – Haris Andreadis
Denmark – Helmer Olesen
Luxembourg – Rolf Soja
Israel – Nurit Hirsh
Austria – Richard Oesterreicher
Sweden – Bengt Palmers
Returning artists[edit]
Artist | Country | Previous year(s) |
---|---|---|
Jean Vallée | ![]() |
1970 |
Norbert Niedermeyer (as part of Springtime) | ![]() |
1972 (as part of The Milestones) |
Ireen Sheer | ![]() |
1974 (for ![]() |
Trio La la la (backings for José Vélez) | ![]() |
1968, 1970, 1971, 1975 (all years as backings) |
Results[edit]
Scoreboard[edit]
Ireland | 86 | 12 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 10 | 10 | 6 | 8 | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Norway | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Italy | 53 | 10 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 3 | |||||||
Finland | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||
Portugal | 5 | 4 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||
France | 119 | 6 | 3 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 12 | 10 | |
Spain | 65 | 7 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 12 | 2 | 6 | 7 | |||||||||
United Kingdom | 61 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 3 | |||||
Switzerland | 65 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 10 | ||||||
Belgium | 125 | 12 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 12 | 2 | 12 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 12 | 12 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 4 | |||
Netherlands | 37 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 12 | 1 | ||||||||||||
Turkey | 2 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||
Germany | 84 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 7 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 7 | ||||||
Monaco | 107 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 10 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 10 | 8 | 1 | 12 | |||
Greece | 66 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 3 | 2 | ||||||||
Denmark | 13 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
Luxembourg | 73 | 2 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 6 | ||||||||
Israel | 157 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 12 | 8 | ||
Austria | 14 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 5 | |||||||||||||||
Sweden | 26 | 5 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
12 points[edit]
Below is a summary of all 12 points in the final:
N. | Contestant | Nation(s) giving 12 points |
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6 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
5 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
3 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
1 | ![]() |
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Spokespersons[edit]
This section needs additional citations for verification. (July 2021) |
Listed below is the order in which votes were cast during the 1978 contest along with the spokesperson who was responsible for announcing the votes for their respective country.
Ireland – John Skehan
Norway – Egil Teige[11]
Italy – Mariolina Cannuli
Finland – Kaarina Pönniö[12]
Portugal – Isabel Wolmar
France – Marc Menant
Spain – Matías Prats Luque
United Kingdom – Colin Berry[5]
Switzerland – Michel Stocker[13]
Belgium – André Hagon
Netherlands – Dick van Bommel
Turkey – Meral Savcı
Germany – Sigi Harreis[14]
Monaco – Carole Chabrier
Greece – Niki Venega
Denmark – Jens Dreyer
Luxembourg – Jacques Harvey
Israel – Yitzhak Shim'oni[15]
Austria – Jenny Pippal
Sweden – Sven Lindahl[16]
Broadcasts[edit]
This section needs additional citations for verification. (July 2021) |
Each national broadcaster also sent a commentator to the contest, in order to provide coverage of the contest in their own native language.
Country | Broadcaster(s) | Commentator(s) | Ref(s) |
---|---|---|---|
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ENTV | Unknown | [5] |
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ČST | Unknown | [5] |
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Deutscher Fernsehfunk | Unknown | [5] |
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RTHK | Unknown | [5] |
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RTV | Unknown | [5] |
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Sjónvarpið | Ragna Ragnars | [5][30] |
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TBC | Unknown | [5] |
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JRTV | Unknown | [5] |
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TVM | Unknown | [5] |
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TVP | Unknown | [5] |
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Soviet Central Television | Unknown | [5] |
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RTT | Unknown | [5] |
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Dubai Radio and Colour Television | Unknown | [5] |
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TVB 2 | Serbo-Croatian: Milovan Ilić | [5] |
TVZ 1 | Serbo-Croatian: Oliver Mlakar | ||
TVL 1 | Slovene: Tomaž Terček |
Notes[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ O'Connor, John Kennedy. The Eurovision Song Contest – The Official History. Carlton Books, UK. 2007 ISBN 978-1-84442-994-3
- ^ Телевизионная передача "Мелодии и ритмы зарубежной эстрады"
- ^ "Paris 1978". Eurovision.tv.
- ^ "And the conductor is..." Retrieved 10 August 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Roxburgh, Gordon (2014). Songs for Europe: The United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest. Volume Two: The 1970s. Prestatyn: Telos Publishing. pp. 312–327. ISBN 978-1-84583-093-9.
- ^ "Eurovision Song Contest 1978". The Diggiloo Thrush. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
- ^ "Eurovision Song Contest 1978". 4Lyrics.eu. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
- ^ "Final of Paris 1978". European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 11 April 2021. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
- ^ "Results of the Final of Paris 1978". European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 11 April 2021. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
- ^ "Eurovision Song Contest 1978 – Scoreboard". European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
- ^ Dyrseth, Seppo (OGAE Norway)
- ^ "Selostajat ja taustalaulajat läpi vuosien? • Viisukuppila". Viisukuppila.fi. Retrieved 2012-08-10.
- ^ Baumann, Peter Ramón (OGAE Switzerland)
- ^ Eurovision Club Germany
- ^ "פורום אירוויזיון". Sf.tapuz.co.il. 1999-09-13. Archived from the original on October 8, 2011. Retrieved 2012-08-10.
- ^ a b c "Infosajten.com". Infosajten.com. Archived from the original on July 18, 2012. Retrieved 2012-08-10.
- ^ Adriaens, Manu & Loeckx-Van Cauwenberge, Joken. Blijven kiken!. Lannoo, Belgium. 2003 ISBN 90-209-5274-9
- ^ "Forside". esconnet.dk. Archived from the original on 2012-03-24. Retrieved 2012-08-10.
- ^ "Selostajat ja taustalaulajat läpi vuosien? • Viisukuppila". Viisukuppila.fi. Retrieved 2012-08-10.
- ^ a b Christian Masson. "1978 – Paris". Songcontest.free.fr. Retrieved 2012-08-10.
- ^ "Eurovision Song Contest 1978". Ecgermany.de. Retrieved 2012-08-10.
- ^ "Η Μακώ Γεωργιάδου και η EUROVISION (1970–1986)". Retromaniax.gr. Archived from the original on 2012-05-30. Retrieved 2012-08-10.
- ^ "Welkom op de site van Eurovision Artists". Eurovisionartists.nl. Retrieved 2012-08-10.
- ^ "Hvem kommenterte før Jostein Pedersen? - Debattforum". Nrk.no. Archived from the original on November 2, 2012. Retrieved 2012-08-10.
- ^ "Comentadores Do ESC – escportugalforum.pt.vu | o forum eurovisivo português". 21595.activeboard.com. Archived from the original on April 21, 2012. Retrieved 2012-08-10.
- ^ "FORO FESTIVAL DE EUROVISIÓN • Ver Tema – Uribarri comentarista Eurovision 2010". Eurosongcontest.phpbb3.es. Archived from the original on 2012-03-17. Retrieved 2012-08-10.
- ^ "Programme TV du 22 au 28 avril". Radio TV - Je vois tout. Lausanne, Switzerland: Le Radio SA. 20 April 1978.
- ^ "Programme radio du 22 au 28 avril". Radio TV - Je vois tout. Lausanne, Switzerland: Le Radio SA. 20 April 1978.
- ^ "Grand Final: 1978, 1978, Eurovision Song Contest". BBC.
- ^ Háskólabókasafn, Landsbókasafn Íslands -. "Timarit.is". timarit.is.
External links[edit]
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