Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest 1969

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Switzerland in the
Eurovision Song Contest 1969
Eurovision Song Contest 1969
Participating broadcaster Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG SSR)
CountryFlag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Switzerland
Selection processInternal selection
Announcement date17 January 1969
Competing entry
Song"Bonjour, Bonjour"
Artist Paola del Medico
Songwriters
Placement
Final result5th, 13 points
Participation chronology
◄1968 •1969• 1970►

Switzerland was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 1969 with the song "Bonjour, Bonjour", composed by Henry Meyer, with lyrics by Jack Stark, and performed by Paola del Medico. The Swiss participating broadcaster, the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG SSR), internally selected its entry for the contest.

Contents

Before Eurovision

Internal selection

Unlike in most previous years, the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG SSR) held an internal selection to select their entry for Eurovision rather than a televised national final. [1] [2] This was due to the contest regulations set by the European Broadcasting Union, in which songs were not allowed to be released or otherwise published before 3 March and the Swiss broadcaster viewed the criticism of their national selections as "premature and tactically incorrect." [3]

The internal selection took place from 4-17 January in two rounds. [4] A total of 36 songs were submitted and presented, all of which required songwriters of Swiss citizenship. [2] In the first round which took place in Lugano, two songs were shortlisted by jurors from Televisione svizzera di lingua italiana (TSI); "Bonjour, Bonjour" by Paola del Medico and "Mon clown à moi" by Jacqueline Midinette. [3] [5]

The final round took place on 17 January in Bern, where test video recordings of both songs were presented to jurors from the three regional SRG SSR studios. [4] In the events of a tiebreaker, the artist who had the most Swiss citizenship would be selected. [2] The following day, it was first reported the internal jury selected to compete "Bonjour, Bonjour" performed by Paola del Medico, and composed by Henry Meyer, with lyrics by Jack Stark. [1] From 5-10 March, Jacqueline Midinette competed in the Golden Stag Festival with her song "Mon clown à moi". [5]

Internal selection final stage – 17 January 1969 [2] [4]
ArtistSongLanguageSongwriter(s)Place
ComposerLyricist
Paola del Medico "Bonjour, Bonjour"German Henry Meyer Jack Stark1
Jacqueline Midinette"Mon clown à moi"FrenchJacqueline Midinette2

At Eurovision

Paola del Medico (pictured in 1968) represented Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest 1969 Paola Del Medico Com C17-026-002.tif
Paola del Medico (pictured in 1968) represented Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest 1969

At the Eurovision Song Contest 1969 in Madrid, the Swiss entry was the eleventh song of the night following Belgium and preceding Norway. It was conducted by Henry Meyer himself. At the close of voting, Switzerland had received 13 points and finished fifth among the seventeen participants. [6]

Voting

Each participating broadcaster assembled a ten-member jury panel. Every jury member could give one point to their favourite song.

References

  1. 1 2 "Contribution suisse: Eurovision de la chanson à Madrid: «Bonjour, Bonjour!»" [Swiss contribution: Eurovision Song Contest in Madrid: "Bonjour, Bonjour!"]. Tribune de Genève (in French). No. 15–3. 18 January 1969. p. 14. Retrieved 25 June 2025– via E-newspaperarchives.ch.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "La Suisse représentée par Paola au Prix Eurovision de la chanson" [Switzerland represented by Paola at the Eurovision Song Contest]. Tribune de Genève (in French). No. 21–4. 25 January 1969. p. 11. Retrieved 25 June 2025– via E-newspaperarchives.ch.
  3. 1 2 "Der Schweizer Beitrag zum Chansonwettbewerb der Eurovision" [The Swiss entry to the Eurovision Song Contest]. Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in German). No. 67. 31 January 1969. p. 27. Retrieved 26 June 2025– via E-newspaperarchives.ch.
  4. 1 2 3 "Bonjour: Ein möglicher Schlager wird vorgestellt" [Bonjour: A possible hit song is presented]. Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in German). No. 139. 4 March 1969. p. 31. Retrieved 26 June 2025– via E-newspaperarchives.ch.
  5. 1 2 "Lettres et arts" [Letters and Arts]. La Liberté (in French). 8 March 1969. p. 31. Retrieved 26 June 2025– via E-newspaperarchives.ch.
  6. ↑ "Final of Madrid 1969". Eurovision Song Contest. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
  7. 1 2 "Results of the Final of Madrid 1969". Eurovision Song Contest. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
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