What happened to UK's Song For Europe 1979: Schlager-Pop 5-Guys'n'Dolls

As Eurovision history goes 1976 gave us Brotherhood of Man- The UK's winning Vocal-pop group of the moment - but that same year a second group gained greater populality this same year- In fact the group even had there own TV music show in 1976 'The Guys'n'Dolls Show' on ITV this was on the back of 2x Top 5 British hits 'There's a whole lot of loving' & 'You don't have to say you love me'

As well a Eurovision song- that was called

'How do you mend a broken Heart?'

this tune was submitted for Song for Europe 1979. Along with irish sisters The Nolans- 'Harry My Honolulu' these 2 songs alone gave UK a great chance of winning honours at Eurovision in Jerusalem. Instead the dreaded 'Mary-Ann' came to pass? How could this have happened we ask? How did a nation come to be represented by Black Lace! when UK had so much more to offer?

The answer was- BBC industrial-action, a whole 'Song for Europe' Live contest after been rehearsed & set to go on air Live on Thursday 8th March 1979 at Royal Albert Hall was pulled on the night- When suddenly the whole audience was sent home & the artists told the show would not go on! The full account of the event-horror can read here in Paul Griggs (Guys n Dolls) Memories here So it ended up that a small panel listened to records of the 12 entries and came up with Black Lace as a winner- did they play the other 11 songs all at the wrong speed we ask! or a power cut.

So it came to be Guys 'n' Dolls just perfect for Eurovision never had a real chance of Euro fame. Guys 'n' Dolls had recently been slimmed down to just a 4-piece band as the duo of David Van Day & Thereze Bazar had been dropped from the original 6 -piece. They went on to greater huge success in the 80's as Dollar. Another pop band of the eighties that never ventured into the Eurovision arena, Dollar were constantly compared to Buck Fizz of course- and there was even the copy-cat Bardo duo- they sung 'One Step Further' in 1982. This could so easily have been a Dollar hit

of the early eighties. As well as one of UK's biggest pop-hits from Eurovis' Land at this time.

Certainly 'How do you mend a broken heart?' would have been a better choice for Eurovision 1979. Guys 'n' Dolls did have great success following 1979 only in Holland with a new record deal with EMI, in fact during the 80's the foursome relocated accoss the channel in Holland. More recently all 6 original members reformed Guy'n'Dolls for the dutch fans in 2008. See them with Thereze & David Van Day on their 'Love Train'

Dollar- became the pop duo of the eighties

However sadly Guy'n'Dolls never went near Eurovision/Song for Europe again! could you really blame them after 79?

schlager Pop: 4- Marie Myriam - Le France winner of 1977

This year at Eurovision saw the return of France as a top favourite to win in Dusseldorf - with 'Sognu' by Amaury Vassili - It has now been 30 years since France won Eurovision Song Contest. Amaury Vassili finished in a disappointing 15th place. This tune could well have topped the list 10-15 years ago, so this does raise the question is Eurovision still all about a good new song! or has the size and all those para-technics all taken this european song contest somewhere else.

With this in mind- we are placing the spot-light on 'Marie Myriam' a wonderful french singer who seems to have frozen in time- the past traditional chanson-melody with her excellent winner of 1977 'L'oiseau Et L'enfant' (the bird and the child)

France have the track record of being winners five times. Yet they have an amazing record of between 1957-1970 during this 14 year period only once (1966) did they finish outside the Top 5 at Eurovision. A success run like this we may never see repeated today.

Marie Myriam is of portuguese origin, she was discovered performing at her father's restaurant 'L' Auberge de Marie' by the songwriter Jean-Paul cara. Marie was a genuine unknown talent even in homeland France before 7th May 1977 at Wembley UK. This Eurovision win took her career to brand new heights- followed several hit albums and songs such as 'Sentimentale'

(check out fab vid) a tune she sang at the Japanese Yamaha Music Festival in 1981.

Her most recent studio album was the wonderful 'Encore' CD from 2007 when Marie did a new almost jazzy version of her Eurovision winner. Marie has remained faithful to her family and two children during her singing career, and made several appearance at ESC presenting the french votings as well as being an active member of many French juries.

As well as singing at the 50th Anniversary concert in Copenhagen in 2005.

A few Eurovision artists really do 'shine' - as not just for being wonderful singers/artist but also down-to-earth people with a kind & modest personality for me -Marie Myriam is one of them.

Marie recently spoke for herself in a wonderful interview about her life, career and continued support to the Eurovision cause even in more modern times- As well as the full story of how Marie was held up returning to the stage at Wembley in 1977 to sing her wonderful encore -

with host Angela Ripon on the night. (final encore view here)

indepth Marie Myriam interview

-with special thanks /and courtesy of 'Radio International'

'L'oiseau et l'enfant' that performance- that defined the French chanson

Schlager Pop: 3- Dschinghis Khan -or Genghis Khan

Dschinghis Khan- are a german pop-group formed by schlager guru Herr Ralph Siegel back in Eurovision 1979 in Jerulsam.

A perfect example how a 6-piece band could find great success based on one-tune in Eurovision Song Contest. The song also titled 'Dschinghis Khan' sung in german - a-tribute to the historical leader, a tune in the style of Boney M- of the same times.

The group built on this Eurovision success having not even won the contest- in fact 'Dschinghis Khan' finished in 4th place for some reason. They found success in many european countries as well as Australia & Japan selling in the region of 20 million records during their whole career. One of the biggest hits being 'Moscow' that stayed at No:1 in Australia for an impressive 6-week run in 1980.

Over the group's histroy their has been many line-up changes, however back in 79 the original members were:

Edina Pop: from Hungary and no stranger to eurovis-hits she had a hit already singing 'knock knock who's there?' in german in 1971.

Wolfgang & Henriette Heichel: a married couple that were both former dentistry students no less- who had turned to singing, composing & producing music.

Lesley Mandoki: from Hungary a jazz musician who went over to schlager-pop

Louis Potgieter: from South Africa- dressed in a crown & cape with a long beard was the 'dancing Khan' of the band -he returned back to South Africa in the 90's and

later died of HIV at only 43- he remains the iconic Khan of the group and remembered as such.

Steve Bender: the bald guy in the group- his daughter Melanie sang with Mekado who sang for Germay in 1994 "Wir geben ne Party" he died in 2006 from cancer and is sadly missed in the band.

Louis- Genghis Khan

Dschinghis Khan never returned to the Eurovision stage - during their career except in 1986

they did try in the Germany Pre-selection with another Ralph Siegel tune 'Wir gehor'n zusammen' called 'Dschinghis Khan Family' they finished runner up to Ingrid Peters. A very dsifferent line-up & sound from the hits 'Hadschi Haref Omar' 'Moskow' 'Rom' & 'Loreley'

of the early 80's.

Schlager Pop History part two - Jürgen Marcus

Jürgen Marcus- became a popular Schlager artist of the 70's & 80's - who had over 23 hit schlager hits in Germany alone - and became a regular singer on ZDF Tv music shows.

He was born in Herne, and started out as a locksmith no-less - however thankfully today he lives in Munchen, Germany with his partner Nikolaus.

Jürgen's main Eurovision claim-to-fame was infact singing in french for Luxembourg back in Eurovision Song Contest 1976

at Deen Haag. The song 'Chansons pour ceux qui S'Aiment' was perfect for Jürgen- he

only managed a low 14th place.

In the charts he had much greater success the year before in the German Pre-selection. This song was on the german charts for 26 weeks and made No: 3 - placed only 9th in the German Pre-selection- the song was 'Ein Lied zieht hinaus in die welt' ( we much prefer his haircut as well that year!)

In 1975 Joy Fleming won the place to sing for Germany. Yet the artists in the '75 lead-up to Eurovision featured Severine (1971 Monaco winner) Peggy March(2nd) Katja Ebstein (5th) Mary Roos & Marianne Rosenberg singing the now legenary song 'Er gehort zu mir' (10th place)

After a break from Eurovision Jurgen came back to sing in the Pre-selection of 1982- another tough year to find success as Nicole won the honour that year However the song 'Ich Wurde Gerne bei sein' came 5th this time, certainly over these years Jurgen has made his

own mark in schlager-history.

Schlager-Pop in Eurovision: Peter Sue & Marc- Part one

It's time to look at some Eurovision History from that ole Book on the shelf ( -always repeating it's self ? )

Schlager today and here on schlagertunes is so often associated with the scandinavian countries, however its orgins do come from the Germanic parts of Europe- Germany, Austria & Switzerland. A good place to start..

The Swiss vocal band that formed back as far as 1968 in Bern. In the style of New Seekers with a German folk style the group was made up of Peter Reber (the songwriter of many Eurovision hits during the 70s & 80s), Sue Schell and Marcel Dietrich.

In europe long before Sweden's Abba set the blue-print for 70's European Pop. Peter Sue & Marc had a string of hits and represented Switzerland an amazing 4-times

In 1971, Switzerland was one of the first Countries to submit a pop-group for Eurovision Song Contest, in Dublin they sung Illusions of us vingt ans (The illusion of our twenty years) in this year only Sweden submitted a vocal group with Family Four singing 'Vita Vidder' Sweden finished 6th & Peter Sue & Marc came only 12th. The formal commentary of these Eurovision times - often refered to these groups with a title of..

'The Family Four- group' or 'The Peter Sue & marc -group' and seemed to highlight how out of place they were in a contest of solo vocal performers - with the odd -normally male/female -duo.

However this song scored a hit for Peter, Sue & Marc not just in Switzerland also in the charts of Germany, Austria, and even Japan, where they performed several concerts. The song was sung in French and a German version called Keiner hat gesagt (No one has said). No english version that we know of was recorded.

Meanwhile The New Seekers from UK proved Vocal pop could be winning force in Eurovision in Edinburgh in 1972- 'Beg Steal or borrow' came 2nd to the winner Vicky Leandros.

In 1975 the Peter Sue & Marc released the singles Ein neuer Tag and Zigeuner. As well as submitting a unsuccesful new tune for the Swiss Pre-selection for Eurovision 1975 with a song called Mild-toi, soleil.

The three-some returned in 1976 with Djambo, Djambo a song penned once again by Peter sung in english -all about a lovable clown that was also part of the act in Eurovision Song Contest 1976 In fact the clown accompanied them on stage. As Brotherhood of Man took the trophy home for UK -Peter Sue & Marc came 4th.

In 1977, Peter wrote Swiss Lady for the Pepe Lienhard Band who sung for Switzerland. This fun swiss-folk tune did well & came in 6th place with 71 points.

In 1978, Peter Sue & Marc switched teams and tried out in Germany at Pre-Selection with the song Charlie Chaplin, this pop tune and tribute finished in 3rd place in the Germany. Strangely Greece in 1978 had a song also titled Charlie Chaplin, which presumably would have left some confusion in the final back then.

In 1979 Peter Sue & Marc took their third Eurovision entry sung in german and called 'Trodler & Co' to Jerusalem- for Switzerland. At this stage the group had gained an even larger success in europe, so it could have been 3rd time lucky! however this new tune seemed to be all about a scrape-metal 2nd hand merchant! something like 'Steptoe & Son' they came 10th -this was the very same year UK sent Black Lace 'Mary-ann'- who got a 7th placing somehow! crazzy times indeed!

Thankfully in 1981 Peter Sue & Marc came back for Switzerland with 'Io senza te' (Without You), a beautiful melodic song that seems to be the favorite song in the history of Peter Sue & Marc this came

in 4th place for the Swiss- and become a Euro-classic featuring the bands famous pan-pipes intro-

As a songwriter Peter had another entry for switzerland back in 1980 Paola's 'Cinema' it was co-wrote by Veronique Muller (she sang for Switzerland in 1972) Peter conducted the orchester that year as well

the song finished .... yes again- 4th.