Eurovision Song Contest 1974
eurovision song contest th edition eurovision song contest held april dome brighton united kingdom organised european broadcasting union ebu host broadcaster british broadcasting corporation bbc presented katie boyle fifth time united kingdom staged contest although luxembourg contest song tu te reconnaîtras annemarie david made luxembourg presumptive host luxembourgish broadcaster compagnie luxembourgeoise de télédiffusion clt opted host event staged contest following win spain placed second previous year also declined opportunity stage contest israeli broadcaster iba british broadcaster bbc itv subsequently made bid stage contest bbc ultimately winning fourth time bbc staged contest another broadcaster declined opportunity done previously entry representing eighteen country submitted contest greece making first appearance however france ultimately participate contest coincided death french president george pompidou national day mourning scheduled date contest french broadcaster ortf deemed participating event inappropriate voting system used scrapped replaced system last used ten people country awarding one vote favourite song winner sweden song waterloo composed benny andersson björn ulvaeus written stig anderson performed abba italy netherlands placed second third respectively followed threeway tie fourth place luxembourg monaco united kingdom sweden first contest win previous success within european market ring ring abba attempted represent sweden eurovision waterloo gave group first global hit eurovision win launching point abba become one world bestselling music artist olivia newtonjohn represented united kingdom event would also go achieve worldwide success year following contest contest held brighton united kingdom fifth time united kingdom hosted contest previously done selected venue dome completed originally built prince regent stable riding school personal use sold queen victoria stable converted concert hall assembly room riding school market corn merchant concert hall could normally seat people contest seating removed commentator booth technical equipment leaving space audience people among venue considered stage event bbc royal opera house royal albert hall london latter previously staged contest venue proved unavailable however broadcaster looking outside capital potential venue dome ultimately selected choice announced publicly bbc ebu july contest luxembourg song tu te reconnaîtras performed annemarie david according eurovision tradition made luxembourg presumptive host contest country staged event three previous occasion time luxembourg city luxembourg also hosted event previous year luxembourgish broadcaster compagnie luxembourgeoise de télédiffusion clt declined opportunity stage event second consecutive year due financial strain undertaking would entail spain come second previous year also considered event however spanish broadcaster televisión española tve also turned opportunity stage contest spain previously hosted event contest organiser european broadcasting union ebu originally asked bbc participating broadcaster country came third make offer initial stage order determine participating broadcaster willing stage event four previous event held united kingdom three staged place previous year winning country specifically event two offer subsequently made israel broadcasting authority iba bbcs commercial rival itv concern raised prospect israel hosting event country joined contest felt country would prepared accept israeliheld contest israel also distance geographically core western european nation participated event time iba still lagged behind many european broadcaster technological perspective successful itv bid would effectively barred bbc participating one broadcaster given country participate event resulting bbc submitting counteroffer ebu accepted june total eighteen country submitted entry compete edition contest comprising seventeen country participated greece making first appearance contest turkey also expressed interest competing turkish radio television corporation late submitting request ebu subsequently informed scoreboard space eighteen country already constructed planned entry would possible ultimately however seventeen participating entry performed contest france made decision withdraw event due death french president george pompidou april state memorial service national day mourning scheduled held day contest deemed french broadcaster office de radiodiffusion télévision française ortf competing broadcasting contest would inappropriate france would represented song la vie à vingtcinq an written christine fontaine performed dani jeanclaude petit scheduled conduct orchestra performance among participating artist number act competed eurovision song contest previous year italy gigliola cinquetti previously contest song non ho letà romuald representing monaco contest previously represented monaco luxembourg respectively norway bendik singer supporting annekarine strøm event represented norway previous year contest strøm also member group contest eurovision song contest produced british broadcasting corporation bbc bill cotton served executive producer michael hurll served producer director john burrowes served designer ronnie hazlehurst served musical director leading bbc concert orchestra separate musical director could nominated country lead orchestra performance host musical director also available conduct country nominate conductor participating broadcaster submitted one song required longer three minute duration previous year event artist able perform language necessarily country represented maximum six performer allowed stage country performance entry could utilise part live orchestra could use instrumentalonly backing track however backing track used could include sound instrument featured stage mimed performer rehearsal contest venue began tuesday april involving technical rehearsal production team orchestra test voting system scoreboard followed rehearsal competing act subsequent day first rehearsal country held two day april participating act minute slot stage perform entry orchestra without stage costume second round rehearsal time costume held act april country given minute stage followed evening complete runthrough whole show including dummy voting technical rehearsal held morning april second full dress rehearsal held afternoon rehearsal also recorded use backup case technical failure meant contest could go ahead planned security brighton tight leadup contest due threat action irish republican militant increased police presence tank could seen street brighton week contest contest presenter katie boyle also recalled ferried bulletproof coach hotel contest venue time taking different route due part closeness voting previous year contest new voting system planned introduced event incorporated element two previous voting system used contest country jury would comprise ten member would based country member awarding one five vote song abstention allowed without option vote country entry would resulted country potentially awarding maximum vote minimum vote country song eighteen planned participating country would meant highest possible score country could received lowest possible score case tie two country first place act would performed country involved tie would one vote determine winner lottery element voting order add greater suspense also devised order voting would determined stage voting segment card drawn random decide order country would vote rehearsal however quickly became apparent organiser misjudged long would take conduct new voting system well mounting concern issue totalling score live could exacerbate problem although computerised system calculate country total investigated rejected cost reason ultimately contest executive producer bill cotton took unilateral decision abandon proposed voting system given jury structure ten people already established jury member likely already recruited broadcaster determined alternative revert scoring system last used ten jury member one vote award favourite song lottery aspect voting system however retained although due timing sound quality reason draw held contest ebus scrutineer clifford brown contest held april beginning bst lasting hour minute contest presented british television presenter actress katie boyle previously presented contest hosted contest four time boyle hold record contest appearance presenter following confirmation eighteen planned participating country draw determine running order ro contest held december prior withdrawal france scheduled perform fourteenth position entry ireland germany interval act prerecorded video montage featuring wombles novelty pop band based childrens character name various location across brighton medallion awarded winning songwriter presented directorgeneral bbc president european broadcasting union charles curran winner sweden represented song waterloo composed benny andersson björn ulvaeus written stig anderson performed abba sweden first contest win country nominated spokesperson connected contest venue via telephone line responsible announcing english french vote respective country known spokesperson contest listed finland – aarre elo monaco – sophie hecquet sweden – sven lindahl united kingdom – colin wardlewis yugoslavia – helga vlahović jury voting used determine point awarded country announcement result country conducted predetermined order chosen random spokesperson announcing country vote english french performance order detailed breakdown point awarded country listed table voting country listed order presented vote broadcaster competing event required relay contest via network nonparticipating ebu member broadcaster also able relay contest broadcaster able send commentator provide coverage contest native language relay information artist song television viewer well participating nation exception italy broadcast contest live television contest also reportedly aired live deferred broadcaster algeria austria bulgaria cyprus czechoslovakia france hungary japan jordan iceland morocco poland south korea soviet union tunisia addition television coverage participating broadcaster belgium finland germany ireland norway spain sweden switzerland united kingdom also reported relayed contest via radio although script contest opening remark katie boyle suggested around million viewer expected watch listen contest ebu later put actual estimated figure total audience million known detail broadcast country including specific broadcasting station commentator shown table contest retrospectively gained notability number aspect particularly due success competing act well political development within europe indirect link edition event two competing artist year event particular went sustained worldwide success contest sweden abba united kingdom olivia newtonjohn individual member abba made previous attempt reach eurovision participating sweden national selection melodifestivalen several time group individually annifrid lyngstad participated melodifestivalen placing fourth song härlig är vår jord benny andersson competed edition songwriter placing second song hej clown performed jan malmsjö andersson björn ulvaeus subsequently competed songwriting partnership penning lena andersson song säg det med en sång placed third following formation abba group performing name björn benny agnetha annifrid competed melodifestivalen song ring ring ultimately placed third ring ring popular within european market wider success group particularly englishspeaking market proved elusive group saw eurovision launchpad exposure among market resulting attempt get contest although waterloo written eurovision mind group also considered submitting song hasta mañana swedish broadcaster sverige television svt latter song felt inline song done well eurovision previous year ultimately however waterloo chosen given likely unlike entry submitted therefore would stand hasta mañana also mainly sung agnetha fältskog whereas waterloo four member group could give vocal song following group win waterloo went top chart multiple european country including uk single chart well reaching top ten billboard hot longterm success group however materialise release so allowed group shrug perception onehit wonder led string hit rest early catapulted foursome become one bestselling music group time abbas international success within global music scene starting eurovision win additionally led large growth accessibility swedish pop music worldwide sweden often considered superpower realm music export claim made thirdlargest exporter music globally behind united state united kingdom olivia newtonjohn early stage career approached bbc represent united kingdom eurovision achieved previous success chart uk u particularly country pop song frequent guest cliff richard show fronted twotime eurovision entrant united kingdom cliff richard newtonjohn performed six song year song europe contest long live love chosen viewing public postcard voting although considered favourite win contest later told press placing fourth felt wrong song chosen would preferred performed ballad newtonjohn subsequently achieved considerable success united state global recognition starring musical film grease xanadu following contest portuguese entry e depois adeus paulo de carvalho played large part launching carnation revolution ultimately led overthrow authoritarian estado novo regime setting portugal along path towards reestablishment democracy ending country war african colony broadcast song radio evening april used signal alert rebelling officer portuguese army begin coup kicked overnight following playing another song grândola vila morena josé afonso early hour april italian broadcaster radiotelevisione italiana rai air contest two month due content entry contest coincided campaigning period referendum abolishing divorce within country held month contest fear italian entry sì yes gigliola cinquetti could seen attempt sway result vote contest however available watch part northern italy transmission swiss yugoslav italianlanguage television accessible contest eventually broadcast rai june month referendum official website