Blast from the past: Ireland 2003

This year’s Eurovision Song Contest has been won by Austria. It was the 57th Austrian entry. Reason for us to go back to all the Austrian entries in history! For the second episode, we will look back at the time when the world was still in black and white. Austria found the perfect contestant: Udo Jürgens. It took him three times to win, but he did it! 1963: Carmela Corren – “Vielleicht geschieht ein Wunder” Carmela Corren, an Israeli-born singer and actress, represented Austria in 1963 with the song “Vielleicht geschieht ein Wunder” (“Maybe a Miracle Will Happen”). It’s a romantic schlager-style ballad. The song was composed by Erwin Halletz with lyrics by Peter Wehle and performed in German (with a few lines in English). It earned a respectable 16 points, finishing 7th out of 16 countries. Corren was already known in the early 1960s German-language music scene and had appeared in films, bringing star quality to Austria’s Eurovision stage. In 1962, she did an attempt to represent Germany. 1964: Udo Jürgens – “Warum nur, warum?” Austria’s 1964 entry “Warum nur, warum?” was written and performed by Udo Jürgens. He was a renowned Austrian singer-songwrite. He would later win Eurovision 1966. The song is in an elegant chanson style, with Jürgens poignantly asking “why” bad things happen in life. Jürgens composed both the music and lyrics himself. The song scored 11 points and placed 6th among 16 entries, establishing Jürgens as a strong Eurovision contender. 1965: Udo Jürgens – “Sag ihr, ich lass sie grüßen” For the second year in a row, Udo Jürgens represented Austria at Eurovision. In 1965 he performed “Sag ihr, ich lass sie grüßen” (“Tell Her I Send My Greetings”). The ballad brims with longing and emotional depth. Jürgens again composed the music, with Frank Bohlen supplying the lyrics. The song earned 16 points and finished 4th out of 18 entries in Naples. That strong result further cemented Udo Jürgens’s status as one of Austria’s leading pop stars and set up his ultimate Eurovision triumph the following year. 1966: Udo Jürgens – “Merci, Chérie” In 1966, Udo Jürgens finally clinched Austria’s first Eurovision victory with “Merci, Chérie”. This entry, an earnest orchestral ballad of farewell, was composed by Jürgens with lyrics co-written by actor Thomas Hörbiger. Performed in Luxembourg, “Merci, Chérie” stood out for its emotional melody and gracious theme. It scored 31 points, securing the 1st-place trophy against 17 competitors. Already a beloved entertainer (Jürgens’s career spanned 50 years and over 1,000 songs), his Eurovision win solidified his legacy in Austrian pop music history. 1967: Peter Horten – “Warum es hunderttausend Sterne gibt” As host country in 1967, Austria fielded singer‑guitarist Peter Horten (the stage name of Peter Müller) on home soil. His entry, “Warum es hunderttausend Sterne gibt” (“Why Are There a Hundred Thousand Stars”), delivered a gentle pop‑schlager ballad with philosophical lyrics about life’s mysteries. Kurt Peche composed the song, and Karin Bognar wrote the words. Despite its reflective tone, the entry earned just 2 points, finishing 14th of 17 contestants. Horten, a classically trained singer, began his career in the Vienna Boys’ Choir. He remained active in music throughout the years despite this low Eurovision placing. 1968: Karel Gott – “Tausend Fenster” In 1968, Austria chose Karel Gott as its representative to perform its Eurovision entry. Fans dubbed the Czech pop superstar the “Golden Voice of Prague”. His song “Tausend Fenster” (“Thousand Windows”) is a dramatic chanson (a sweeping orchestral ballad). Eurovision veteran Udo Jürgens composed it, and Walter Brandin wrote the lyrics. The song about urban loneliness earned only 2 points, placing 13th out of 17 in London in the contest. Although Eurovision 1968 disappointed Austria, Karel Gott’s illustrious career continued. He released over 100 albums and enjoyed decades of fame across Europe. Next time, we will look at the next episode of Austria in the Eurovision Song Contest.