United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 1989

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Eurovision Song Contest 1989
CountryFlag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
National selection
Selection process A Song for Europe 1989
Selection date(s)24 March 1989
Selected entrant Live Report
Selected song"Why Do I Always Get It Wrong"
Selected songwriter(s)
  • Brian Hodgson
  • John Beeby
Finals performance
Final result2nd, 130 points
United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest
◄198819891990►

Live Report represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 1989 with the song "Why Do I Always Get It Wrong", which placed 2nd in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Contents

Before Eurovision

A Song for Europe 1989

A Song for Europe 1989 was a very dis-jointed final. The original singer chosen for "Back in the Groove" was to have been Garry Gibb; the song "Shame" was to have been sung by its writer, Marwenna Haver, and the song that won had its name and the name of the performer changed.

The final was held on 24 March 1989 from Studio 6, at Television Centre, London, featuring eight songs and hosted by Terry Wogan on BBC1. A separate results show was broadcast on BBC1 the same evening. BBC Radio 2 simulcast the final and also broadcast the results show, both with commentary by Ken Bruce.

The eight songs in contention to represent the United Kingdom were premiered in various programmes on BBC Radio 2 between 20 and 23 March.

The BBC Concert Orchestra under the direction of Ronnie Hazlehurst as conductor accompanied all but the winning song, but despite performing live, the orchestra were off-screen, behind the set. Hazlehurst conducted two live keyboard players who accompanied the UK entry’s backing track at the Eurovision final in Lausanne.

For the second year running, the BBC convened a panel to pass comment on each of the songs. The panel comprised Deke Arlon, Gary Davies, Leslie Bricusse, and former Eurovision winner Lulu.

There were 300,000 televotes cast in 90 minutes of telephone lines being open for voting.

A Song for Europe 1989 24 March 1989 [1]
DrawArtistSongSongwriter(s)TelevotesPlace
1Frankie Johnson"Back in the Groove"Bradley James, Stewart James10,7316
2James Oliver"Can't Stop Loving You"James Oliver9,1107
3Jane Alexander"Shame"Marwenna Haver, Peter Oxendale 47,6643
4 Danny Ellis "Just for the Good Times" Les Reed, David Reilly 6,7778
5Julie C"You Stepped Out of My Dreams"Bill Jessop, Jason Havenhand51,4492
6 Live Report "Why Do I Always Get It Wrong"Brian Hodgson, John Beeby111,9961
7The Pearls"Love Come Down"Joe Ortiz, Pauly Moore33,2794
8Linda Carroll"Heaven Help My Heart"Clark Sorely17,0845

UK Discography

  • Frankie Johnson - Back In The Groove: Polydor FJ2 (7" Single)/FJX2 (12" Single).
  • Elkie Brooks - Shame: Telstar STATS2394.
  • Julie C - You Stepped Out Of My Dreams: Sonet SON2343 (7" Single)/SONL2343 (12" Single).
  • Live Report - Why Do I Always Get It Wrong: Brouhaha CUE7 (7" Single)/12CUE7 (12" Single).

At Eurovision

The 1989 contest was staged at the Palais de Beaulieu in Lausanne, Switzerland on 6 May. 22 countries participated, and the UK performed seventh on the night. Live Report took second place with 130 points, seven points behind the winners, Yugoslavia. [2]

Voting

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest</span>

The United Kingdom has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 65 times. It first took part in the second contest in 1957 and has entered every year since 1959. Along with Sweden and the Netherlands, the UK is one of only three countries with Eurovision victories in four different decades. It is one of the "Big Five" countries, along with France, Germany, Italy and Spain, that are automatically prequalified for the final each year as they are the biggest financial contributors to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). The British national broadcaster, the BBC, broadcasts the event and has, on multiple occasions, organised different national selection processes to choose the British entry. The United Kingdom has won the Eurovision Song Contest five times, and has finished as runner-up on a record sixteen occasions. The UK has hosted the contest a record nine times, four times in London and once each in Edinburgh (1972), Brighton (1974), Harrogate (1982), Birmingham (1998), and Liverpool (2023).

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References

  1. Roxburgh, Gordon (2016). Songs for Europe: The United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest. Volume Three: The 1980s. Prestatyn: Telos Publishing. pp. 351–369. ISBN   978-1-84583-118-9.
  2. "Final of Lausanne 1989". European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 17 April 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  3. 1 2 "Results of the Final of Lausanne 1989". European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 17 April 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2021.