Eurovision Song Contest 1977

Marie Myriam

Date: May 7, 1977
Venue: Wembley Conference Centre, London, United Kingdom
Presenter: Angela Rippon
Orchestra: BBC Television orchestra
Conductor: Ronnie Hazlehurst
Director: Stewart Morris
Scruteneer: Clifford Brown
Host broadcaster: BBC
Price presenter: Sir Charles Curran
Interval act: Mr. Acker Bilk & his Paramount jazz men
Duration: 2 hours, 12 minutes
Number of entries: 18
Debuting countries: -
Returning countries: Sweden
Withdrawing countries: Yugoslavia, Tunesia
Winning Song: L'oiseau et l'enfant - Marie Myrianm, France
Voting system: Each country awarded 12, 10, 8-1 points to their 10 favourite songs

 Marie Myriam

Entries

01. Ireland: The Swarbriggs Plus Two - It's nice to be in love again (3rd place, 119 points)
02. Monaco: Michèle Torr - Une petite française (4th place. 96 points)
03. The Netherlands: Heddy Lester - De mallemolen (12th place, 35 points)
04. Austria: Schmetterlinge - Boom boom boomerang (17th place, 11 points)
05. Norway: Anita Skorgan - Casanova (15th place, 18 points)
06. Germany: Silver Convention - Telegram (8th place, 55 points)
07. Luxembourg: Anne-Marie B - Frère Jacques (16th place, 17 points)
08. Portugal: Os Amigos - Portugal no coração (14th place, 18 points)
09. UK: Lynsey De Paul & Mike Moran - Rock bottom (2nd place, 121 points)
10. Greece: Paschalis, Marianna, Robert & Bessy - Mathema solfege (5th place, 92 points)
11. Israel: Ilanit - Ahava Hi Shir Lishnayim (11th place, 49 points)
12. Switzerland: Pepe Lienhard Band - Swiss Lady (6th place, 71 points)
13. Sweden: Forbes - Beatles (18th place, 2 points)
14. Spain: Micky - Enséñame a cantar (9th place, 52 points)
15. Italy: Mia Martini - Libera (13th place, 33 points)
16. Finland: Monica Aspelund - Lapponia (10th place, 50 points)
17. Belgium: Dream Express - A million in one, two, three (7th place, 69 points)
18: France: Marie Myriam - L'oiseau et l'enfant (1st place, 136 points)

Heddy Lester

The Eurovision Song Contest 1977 was the 22nd contest, and was held on 7 May 1977 in London. With Angela Rippon as the presenter, the contest was won by Marie Myriam who represented France, with her song L'oiseau et l'enfant which was written by Jean-Paul Cara and Joe Gracy . This was France's fifth victory, a record, which was equalled by Luxembourg in 1983, the United Kingdom in 1997, and most recently Sweden in 2012. It was equalled and beaten by Ireland in 1993 and 1994, respectively.

Format

The language rule was brought back in this contest, four years after it had been dropped in 1973. However Germany and Belgium were allowed to sing in English, because they had already chosen the songs they were going to perform before the rule was reintroduced.

As noted in The Eurovision Song Contest - The Official History by author and historian John Kennedy O'Connor, the contest was originally planned to be held on 2 April 1977, but because of a strike of BBC cameramen and technicians, it had to be postponed for a month.

The Belgian act Dream Express had created some controversy in the press with reports that the three female members would wear transparent tops; this did not materialise for the actual event.

Although Marie Myriam won, the song which finished second, Rock Bottom, written and performed by Lynsey De Paul and Mike Moran, was the most commercial with the European public since this song went on to become a top 10 hit in most European countries, unlike the winner L'oiseau et l'enfant. The British conductor Ronnie Hazlehurst used an umbrella and wore a bowler hat.

Participating countries

At one point before the contest Tunisia was going to participate but they withdrew. Had Tunisia gone ahead they would have appeared fourth on stage. Yugoslavia also withdrew, and didn't return until 1981.

 Mike Moran & Lynsey De Paul

Returning artists

This year there were 10 returning artists. Beatrix Neudlinger and Günter Grosslercher, both member of the Austrian band Schmetterlinge, were also members of the band The Milstones, who represented Austria in 1972.
Patricia, Bianca and Stella Maessen, members of the Belgian band Dream Express, represented the Netherlands in 1970 as Patricia & Hearts of Soul.
Fernando Tordo, who represented Portugal in 1973 and Paulo de Carvalho, who represented Portugal in 1974, were member of the Portuguese band Os Amigos.
The Swarbriggs represented Ireland in 1975, Ilanit represented Israel in 1973 and Michèle Torr represented Luxembourg in 1966.