"Hold Me Now" | ||||
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Single by Johnny Logan | ||||
from the album Hold Me Now | ||||
B-side | "Living a Lie" | |||
Released | 1987 | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Length | 3:00 | |||
Label | Epic | |||
Songwriter(s) | Seán Sherrard | |||
Producer(s) | Bill Whelan | |||
Johnny Logan singles chronology | ||||
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Eurovision Song Contest 1987 entry | ||||
Country | ||||
Artist(s) | Seán Sherrard | |||
As | ||||
Language | English | |||
Composer(s) | Seán Sherrard | |||
Lyricist(s) | Seán Sherrard | |||
Conductor | ||||
Finals performance | ||||
Final result | 1st | |||
Final points | 172 | |||
Entry chronology | ||||
◄ "You Can Count on Me" (1986) | ||||
"Take Him Home" (1988) ► |
"Hold Me Now" is a song written and recorded by Irish singer-songwriter Johnny Logan. It represented Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest 1987 held in Brussels, resulting in his second win at the contest, as well as the country's third victory.
"Hold Me Now" was written, composed, and recorded by Johnny Logan. Lyrically, It is a ballad sung from the point of view of a man whose love interest is leaving him for someone else ("from now on you'll be with someone else instead of me"). The singer pleads with his girlfriend to "touch, touch [him] the way you used to do" in order to leave him with good memories of their relationship, even as they "fill this memory / for the last time". The chorus then tells the girl "don't say a word", as they prepare to part. Despite the sad nature of the parting, the singer says "I will know / though we're apart / we'll always be together", which implies some sort of optimism on his part. The music is a typical power ballad, with the final chorus being introduced by a choir of backing singers –Joan Lea, Karen Black, and Alain Pentony–. [1]
Logan had previously won the Eurovision Song Contest with "What's Another Year" in the 1980 contest and had written "Terminal 3" for Linda Martin, placing second in the 1984 contest, both representing Ireland.
On 8 March 1987, "Hold Me Now" performed by him competed in the national selection organised by Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ) to select its song and performer for the 32nd edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. The song won the competition so it became the Irish entrant –and Logan the performer– for Eurovision. [2]
On 9 May, the Eurovision Song Contest was held at the Centenary Palace in Brussels hosted by the Radio-télévision belge de la Communauté française (RTBF), and broadcast live throughout the continent. Logan performed "Hold Me Now" twentieth on the evening, following Denmark's "En lille melodi" by Anne-Cathrine Herdorf & Bandjo and preceding Yugoslavia's "Ja sam za ples" by Novi Fosili. Noel Kelehan conducted the event's live orchestra in the performance of the Irish entry. [3]
At the close of voting, it had received 172 points, placing first in a field of twenty-two, winning the contest. [4] After Logan, had been proclaimed the winner with this song, he was overcome with emotion during the reprise and was unable to reach the high notes in this part of the song. As he had when he won in 1980 with "What's Another Year", he shouted "I still love you, Ireland". It was succeeded as winner in 1988 "Ne partez pas sans moi" sung by Céline Dion representing Switzerland. It was succeeded as Irish representative at the 1988 contest by "Take Him Home" sung by Jump The Gun.
Logan would go on to write the winner song of the 1992 contest, "Why Me?" performed by Linda Martin.
"Hold Me Now" is regarded as one of the high points of the contest history, it was one of fourteen songs chosen by Eurovision fans and a European Broadcasting Union (EBU) reference group, from among the 992 songs that had ever participated in the contest, to participate in the fiftieth anniversary competition Congratulations: 50 Years of the Eurovision Song Contest held on 22 October 2005 in Copenhagen, [5] where it was voted the third-best song in Eurovision history behind "Waterloo" and "Nel blu dipinto di blu". On 31 March 2015, in the Eurovision sixtieth anniversary concert Eurovision Song Contest's Greatest Hits held in London, Logan performed the song as part of a medley with "Why Me?" and "What's Another Year". [6] [7]
"Hold Me Now 2001" | ||||
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Single by Johnny Logan | ||||
from the album Reach for Me | ||||
B-side | "Hold Me Now 2001 (Instrumental)" | |||
Released | 2001 | |||
Recorded | 2001 | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Length | 3:35 | |||
Label | Epic | |||
Songwriter(s) | Johnny Logan | |||
Johnny Logan singles chronology | ||||
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In 2001, Logan released the album Reach for Me , with the first two tracks being revamped versions of his Eurovision winning songs which are titled in the album as "What's Another Year 2001" and "Hold Me Now 2001" in a revamped up-beat version. "Hold Me Now" from the album had a limited chart success in Denmark where it made it to #9 in the Hitlisten chart. It also made it to #54 in Swedish Sverigetopplistan Singles Chart.
A decade later, Johnny Logan recorded yet a new version of both winning songs now titled "What's Another Year 2010" and "Hold Me Now 2010" in his studio album Nature of Love without releasing either as a single.
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Belgium (BEA) [33] | Gold | 25,000* |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
The song is usually sung by Bohemians at home matches in Dalymount Park.
The song has been covered by several performers, including a reggae version by Tanya Stephens. It has also been updated by Belgian rapper Kaye Styles as "Don't Cry". This cover also features Logan performing the chorus of the song at a slightly faster tempo than the traditional version. The late Macedonian superstar Toše Proeski covered this song during his concerts. [34]
The song was also used in an Irish advertising campaign launched by McDonald's toward the end of 2007. These ads feature Logan bursting into the room with a McDonald's bag in an effort to cheer a series of teens in humorous predicaments. Logan interrupts his singing to pose the question "Twisty Fries?" (among other products offered by McDonald's).
Seán Patrick Michael Sherrard, also known professionally as Johnny Logan, is an Australian-born Irish singer, songwriter and musician. He is best known for being the first performer to win the Eurovision Song Contest as a lead singer twice.
"Ding-a-dong" is a song recorded by Dutch band Teach-In, with music composed by Dick Bakker and lyrics written by Will Luikinga and Eddy Ouwens. It represented the Netherlands in the Eurovision Song Contest 1975, held in Stockholm, winning the contest. It reached number 1 in both the Swiss and the Norwegian Singles Chart. Teach-In recorded the song in English, Dutch, and German.
"Wild Dances" is a song composed and recorded by Ukrainian singer-songwriter Ruslana, with lyrics by herself, Oleksandr Ksenofontov, Jamie Maher, Michael Fayne, and Sherena Dugani. It represented Ukraine in the Eurovision Song Contest 2004, held in Istanbul, resulting in the country's first win at the contest.
Ireland has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 56 times since making its debut at the 1965 contest in Naples, missing only two contests since, in 1983 and 2002. The contest's final is broadcast in Ireland on RTÉ One. Ireland shares a joint record total of seven wins with Sweden, and is the only country to have won three times consecutively. Ireland has finished second four times, while Sweden has done that just once. However, all of Ireland's victories were decided by juries only, in the era before public voting became the norm in 1998.
"All Kinds of Everything" is a song recorded by Irish singer Dana written by Derry Lindsay and Jackie Smith. It represented Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest 1970 held in Amsterdam, resulting in the country's first ever win at the contest. The recording became an international hit.
"La det swinge" is a song recorded by the pop duo Bobbysocks! –Hanne Krogh and Elisabeth Andreassen– with music composed and Norwegian lyrics written by Rolf Løvland. It represented Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest 1985 held in Gothenburg, resulting in the country's first ever win at the contest.
"What's Another Year" is a song recorded by Irish singer-songwriter Johnny Logan with music composed and lyrics written by Shay Healy. It represented Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest 1980 held in The Hague, resulting in his first win at the contest, as well as the country's second victory.
"Ein bißchen Frieden" is a song recorded by German singer Nicole, with music composed by Ralph Siegel and German lyrics written by Bernd Meinunger. It represented Germany in the Eurovision Song Contest 1982, held in Harrogate, resulting in the country's first ever win at the contest.
"Boom Bang-a-Bang" is a song recorded by Scottish singer Lulu, with music composed by Alan Moorhouse and lyrics by Peter Warne. It represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 1969, held in Madrid, and became one of the four winning songs. It made No. 2 in the UK Singles Chart and was a major hit throughout Europe.
"Hard Rock Hallelujah" is a song by Finnish hard rock band Lordi. It represented Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006, held in Athens, resulting in the country's only ever victory in the contest. It reached the No. 1 spot in Finland and reached the top 10 in eight other European countries. In the United Kingdom, the song peaked at No. 25.
"Diggi-Loo Diggi-Ley" is a song recorded by Swedish trio Herreys –brothers Per, Louis, and Richard Herrey–, with music composed by Torgny Söderberg and Swedish lyrics written by Britt Lindeborg. It was produced by Anders Engberg and Torgny Söderberg. It represented Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest 1984, held in Luxembourg, winning the contest.
"J'aime la vie" is a song recorded by Belgian singer Sandra Kim, with music composed by Jean Paul Furnémont and Angelo Crisci, and lyrics by Marino Atria. It represented Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest 1986, held in Bergen, winning the contest. It is the only song from Belgium to win the contest, and Kim is the youngest ever Eurovision winner.
"Why Me?" is a 1992 song recorded by Northern-Irish singer Linda Martin written by Seán Sherrard. It represented Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest 1992 held in Malmö, winning the contest.
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