The Eurovision Song Contest is back and we couldn’t be happier, with the show – which was cancelled in 2020 due to coronavirus – finally about to choose a successor to 2019’s champion Duncan Laurence.
Duncan, of course, won Eurovision for the Netherlands back at the last contest in Tel Aviv – joining that line-up of acts who have managed to get their hands on the coveted trophy, and win their country the honour of hosting the following year.
Only a handful of the thousands of songs to take to the Eurovision stage over the decades have ever actually won, of course. But for every song which has taken top honours there have been many many others which have missed out, in spite of being hugely popular with the voters and taking their place in contest history.
That’s not to say the voters always get it wrong, mind – because many of the winners have gone on to become Eurovision classics – but as the next batch of hopefuls warm up their vocal cords in the hope of being crowned champions in Rotterdam, let’s pause for a moment to pay tribute to those which came so near and yet so far.
Because in hindsight, all of these could – and maybe should – have won the whole darn thing…
Dami Im – Sound Of Silence (Australia, 2016)
Australia were only ever meant to be guest participants at Eurovision in 2015, but they returned in 2016, and very nearly won the whole thing with a flawless performance from former X Factor Australia winner Dami Im.
After taking a comfortable lead in the jury vote, however, she fell at the final hurdle to Ukraine’s Jamala and her song 1944. The word ‘robbed’ could have been invented for this.
However, Dami did previously indicate – before Covid came along – that she planned to make another bid for the Australian ticket, so we remain hopeful she might return and win at some point in the future.
Eleni Foureira – Fuego (Cyprus, 2018)
2018’s contest was a veritable fight to the finish between Cyprus’ Eleni Foureira and Israel’s Netta – with Israel’s song Toy eventually coming off the winner.
As good as that was, however, Fuego – with its sizzling stage routine and that catsuit of Eleni’s – has firmly cemented its place in the contest’s hall of fame, and is still far more of a dancefloor staple at Eurovision clubs and parties than the song that beat it to the crown, leading many to believe it was the true winner of 2018.
Ani Lorak – Shady Lady (Ukraine, 2008)
2008’s contest, a thoroughly weird affair which was big on novelty entries (take a bow, Ireland’s notorious Dustin The Turkey), did have some utter bangers in its line-up – chiefly this little number from Ukraine’s Ani Lorak which would have been a very creditable champion.
Unfortunately for Ani, she was beaten to the title by Russia’s Dima Bilan – who previously finished second in 2006 with Never Let You Go – with his song Believe. Which in spite of its impressive stage show featuring a Russian ice skater, wasn’t quite as good as his previous Eurovision effort.
Selma – All Out Of Luck (Iceland, 1999)
Iceland are on that list of countries who have come close to the crown on several occasions but have yet to actually score a Eurovision win (although Dadi Freyr might well have handed them their first victory in 2020 had the contest not been canned. Still, Dadi is back for Iceland in 2021 so that win may yet happen).
Iceland, meanwhile, have taken the bridesmaid’s spot on a handful of occasions – including in 1999, with this utterly joyful little number from Selma, which lost out to Sweden’s Charlotte Nilsson singing Take Me To Your Heaven.
OK we know that’s a joyful little song too, but this one has the edge for us.
Bardo – One Step Further (UK, 1982)
It would be remiss of us not to include a UK contender in the mix of also-rans, so let’s hear a belated shout of ‘robbed!’ for 1982’s Bardo, performing on home soil no less after Bucks Fizz’s 1981 victory brought the contest to Harrogate.
This song is classic Eurovision, dance routine and all – yet got no higher up the scoreboard than a lowly seventh as Germany’s Nicole went on to take the title with her lilting anthem A Little Peace.
That said, just imagine how excited we would be if we finished seventh these days…
Keiino – Spirit In The Sky (Norway, 2019)
Aka the People’s Champion of 2019, Spirit In The Sky was a classic contest banger – with a bit of traditional Joik music thrown in. It didn’t impress the juries too much but stormed the televote with a whopping 291 points – the highest public score of the night.
In an all-televote world it would have been Norway who took the title ahead of the Netherlands’ Duncan Laurence – but with Keiino having made another bid for the Norwegian ticket in 2021 (losing out to singer Tix), who’s to say they won’t come back and win it at some point?
The Common Linnets – Calm After The Storm (Netherlands, 2014)
This one’s a bit of an odd one, as there’s no denying the Dutch duo, who finished second at the 2014 contest in Copenhagen, were superb and would have been very worthy winners. However, they were up against Austrian Eurovision superstar Conchita Wurst, who delivered one of the most meaningful contest wins in many years with Rise Like A Phoenix. (Seriously, was there any reason why we couldn’t have had two winners that year)?
In any other year, however, this would have been a very deserved winner – and therefore warrants a mention.
Sonia – Better The Devil You Know (UK, 1993)
Having narrowly missed out on the crown in 1992 after Michael Ball lost to Ireland’s Linda Martin, the United Kingdom fielded Sonia with an effortlessly catchy little tune the following year. She subsequently performed the socks off it during the contest, only to finish second behind Ireland’s Niamh Kavanagh, nabbing the title on home turf with her ballad In Your Eyes. Anyone detecting a sense of deja vu here?
Eric Saade – Popular (Sweden, 2011)
Yes, we know Sweden have won more than their fair share of contests (six, in fact, the last coming in 2015) – but that doesn’t mean to say that there are years when they really ought to have taken the title.
Such is the case with Eric Saade, who brought the barnstorming pop track Popular to Dusseldorf in 2011, only to finish undeservedly third while Azerbaijan’s Ell and Nikki took top honours with Running Scared – one of the less memorable winners of recent times.
Sweden did soar to the top of the scoreboard the following year with Loreen’s Euphoria, mind, so that at least partly made up for it.
Ofra Haza – Chai (Israel, 1983)
The late Ofra Haza enjoyed some chart success in the UK in the 80s, but prior to that she graced the Eurovision stage for her native Israel back in 1983, and came very close to winning the entire thing.
Sadly, in spite of a spirited performance of the insanely catchy song Chai, she lost out on the chance to bring her native country their third win in the space of five years. And who was she pipped to the post by? Well, we wouldn’t be surprised if you struggle to remember this one, but it was Luxembourg’s ballad Sie La Vie Est Cadeau by Corinne Hermes. We’re not sure we could sing you a line of that one if we tried.
Ira Losco – Seventh Wonder (Malta, 2002)
Despite their best efforts Malta have never actually won Eurovision (although that may be about to change if Destiny can pull off a victory in Rotterdam). However they have come very close a few times, notably in 2002 with this charming little number from Ira Losco. Seventh Wonder was sitting pretty at the top end of the scoreboard all the way through the voting and thoroughly deserved to take the title – only to be beaten by Latvia’s Marie N with I Wanna, which you probably remember for its many, many costume changes.
Having also finished third in 1998 and second again in 2005, both times with powerhouse singer Chiara, surely it’s high time Malta actually got their hands on the trophy?
Amina – C’est le dernier qui a parle qui a raison (France, 1991)
The 1991 contest in Rome is already infamous for its dodgy presentation and chaotic voting, but it also gave rise to one of the most notorious non-winners of all time.
France’s Amina appeared to be on track for a win with her beautifully performed lilting ballad – only to end up tied on 146 points with Sweden’s Carola at the end of the voting.
Rules dictate that in the event of a tie the country with the most ‘douze points’ wins, but when it appeared there was a tie for that too the 10 point scores were taken into account – handing victory to Carola’s Fangad Av En Stormvind.
With the sort of outrage you can probably imagine given the French song was clearly better – and while Sweden have notched up a further three victories since, France are still waiting to win the contest again – having last done so all the way back in 1977.
The Eurovision Song Contest semi-finals are on Tuesday May 18 and Thursday May 20 on BBC Four from 8pm.
The Eurovision Song Contest grand final is on BBC One on Saturday, May 22 from 8pm.
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