EDINBURGH 1972

Host Broadcaster BBC decided to arrange the 1972 Eurovision Song Contest outside of London and the honour of hosting it went to the Scottish capital Edinburgh. The contest resulted in two big hits all over the continent: Après Toi by winner Vicky Leandros and Beg, Steal Or Borrow by The New Seekers who ended up in second place.

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.

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