ESC CANNES 1959 (4ª)

1959.jpg

  • Dates – Grand Final: Wednesday, 11 March 1959 – 20:00 CET
  • Host – Venue & Location: Palais des Festivals (Palais des Festivals et des Congrès; Palace of Festivals and Conferences), Cannes, 🇫🇷 France
  • Presenter (s): Jacqueline Joubert
  • Musical Director: Franck Pourcel
  • Director: Marcel Cravenne
  • Executive Producer:
  • Executive Supervisor:
  • Multicamera Director:
  • Host broadcaster: Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française (RTF) /  Office de Radiodiffusion Télévision Française (ORTF)
  • Interval Act: —
  • Participants – Number of entries: 11 [🇧🇪 Belgium (4ª), 🇫🇷 France (4ª), 🇩🇪 Germany (4ª), 🇮🇹 Italy (4ª), 🇳🇱 The Netherlands (4ª), 🇨🇭 Switzerland (4ª), 🇦🇹 Austria (3ª), 🇩🇰 Denmark (3ª), 🇸🇪 Sweden (2ª), 🇬🇧 United Kindom (2ª), 🇲🇨 Monaco (1ª)]
  • Debuting countries: 🇲🇨 Monaco (1ª)
  • Return: 🇬🇧 United Kindom (2ª)
  • Non-returning countries: 🇱🇺 Luxembourg (3ª)
  • Vote – Voting system: Ten-member juries in each country; each member gave one vote to their favourite song. Each participating country had 10 jury members, and each jury member could award one point to one song. Each participating country had 10 jury members, and each jury member could award one point to one song.
  • Nil Points:
  • Winning song: 1f3c6 Een Beetje” – Teddy Scholten – 🇳🇱 The Netherlands (2ª)

AboutThe glamorous Mediterranean resort of Cannes, France hosted the 4th Eurovision Song Contest in March 1959.

73 minutes live from Cannes. The Eurovision Song Contest of 1959 welcomed the small principality of Monaco. Moreover, the United Kingdom re-entered the contest after one year of absence, and Luxembourg decided not to participate. A new rule was introduced to this fourth Eurovision Song Contest; musical experts were no longer allowed in the national juries, but other than that, the same voting system as in 1957 and 1958 was used.

About the winner. The Netherlands won the contest for the second time with the song “Een Beetje” performed by Teddy Scholten. The lyrics of the song were written by Willy van Hemert, who also wrote the winning song of 1957. Domenico Modugno returned again for Italy, this time finishing in 6th place. 

Facts & figures. For the first and the last time in the history of the Eurovision Song Contest, the top three songs were reprised at the end of the show.

R/o  Country  Participant (S) SONG – Translate –  language Poins RANK
01 🇫🇷 France RTF Jean Philippe Oui, oui, oui, oui (Yes, yes, yes, yes) French 015 03
02  🇩🇰 Denmark DSR Birthe Wilke Uh, jeg ville ønske jeg var dig (Oh, I wish I were you) Danish 012 05
03  🇮🇹 Italy RAI Domenico Modugno Piove (Ciao, ciao bambina) [It’s raining (Bye, bye baby)] Italian 009 06
04 🇲🇨 Monaco TMC Jacques Pills Mon ami pierrot (My friend Pierrot) French 001 11
05 🇳🇱 The Netherlands NTS Teddy Scholten Een beetje (A little bit) Dutch 021 01
06 🇩🇪 Germany ARD Alice and Ellen Kessler Heute abend woll’n wir tanzen geh’n (Tonight we want to go dancing) German 005 08
07 🇸🇪 Sweden SR Brita Borg Augustin Swedish 004 09
08 🇨🇭 Switzerland SSR SRG Christa Williams Irgendwoher (From somewhere) German 014 04
09 🇦🇹 Austria ÖRF Ferry Graf Der K. und K. kalypso aus Wien (The K and K calypso from Vienna) German 004 09
10 🇬🇧 United Kindom BBC Pearl Carr & Teddy Johnson Sing, little birdie English 016 02
11 🇧🇪 Belgium NIR Bob Benny Hou toch van mij (Please love me) Dutch 009 06

Participation map

Transmitirá a 2º semifinal noutro horário. Participating countries  Transmitirá a 1º semifinal em direto. Countries that participated in the past but not in 1959  

ESC 1959 Scoreboard Ι Detailed voting results:

Scoreboard - Eurovision Song Contest 1959

The Eurovision Song Contest 1959 was the fourth edition of the annual Eurovision Song Contest, held in Cannes, France, following the country’s victory at the 1958 contest with the song “Dors, mon amour“, performed by André Claveau. Organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and host broadcaster Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française (RTF), the contest, originally known as the Grand Prix Eurovision de la Chanson Européenne 1959 (English: Grand Prix of the Eurovision Song Contest 1959[1]), was held at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès on 11 March 1959 and was hosted by French television presenter Jacqueline Joubert.

In total eleven countries participated in the contest, with Monaco making its first appearance and the United Kingdom returning after their absence the previous year. Luxembourg, however, decided not to participate after competing in all former editions.

The winner was the Netherlands with the song “Een beetje“, performed by Teddy Scholten, composed by Dick Schallies and written by Willy van Hemert. It was the nation’s second victory – the first time a country had won the contest more than once – and Van Hemert also became the first individual to win twice, having also written the first Dutch winning song from 1957, “Net als toen“. The United Kingdom placed second, marking the first of a record sixteen second place finishes that the United Kingdom would go on to achieve, while France placed third.

Palais des Festivals et des Congrès, Cannes – host venue of the 1959 contest

1.Location. The event took place in Cannes, France, following the nation’s victory at the 1958 edition with the song “Dors, mon amour“, performed by André Claveau. The selected venue was the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès, built in 1949 to host the Cannes Film Festival and located on the Promenade de la Croisette along the shore of the Mediterranean Sea. Due to the growth in the film festival a new building bearing the same name was opened in 1982, with the original building renamed as the Palais Croisette and subsequently demolished in 1988.

This marked the second occasion in which the previous year’s winning country organised the event, and the first time in which the winning country was given first choice at hosting the following year’s event, as the rights to host the 1958 contest were only awarded to the Netherlands after all other countries declined.

2.Format. The contest was organised and broadcast by the French public broadcaster Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française (RTF) and was hosted by French broadcaster Jacqueline Joubert. The stage constructed for the event featured three revolving platforms, with each platform segmented into four, similar to a revolving door, to include various backdrops. These backdrops were specific to each of the participating countries and featured scenery or objects associated with that country.

As in the 1957 and 1958 contests, each country, participating through a single EBU member broadcaster, was represented by one song performed by up to two people on stage. The results of the event were determined through jury voting, with each country’s jury containing ten individuals who each gave one vote to their favourite song, with no abstentions allowed. One rule change implemented for this contest specified that musical experts were no longer allowed to be included among the national juries.

3.Participating countries. A total of eleven countries competed in the contest, with Monaco making its first appearance and the United Kingdom returning after a one year absence. Beginning with this event the United Kingdom holds the record for the longest string of consecutive appearances in the Eurovision Song Contest, appearing in every subsequent contest final as of 2022. Luxembourg was absent from the event, having participated in all previous contests, and appears to have decided against participating late in the preparations for the contest as the country was listed among the participants in several radio and television listings.

3.1.Conductors. Each country was allowed to nominate their own musical director to lead the orchestra during the performance of their country’s entry, with the host musical director, Franck Pourcel, also conducting for those countries which did not nominate their own conductor. The conductors listed below led the orchestra during the performance for the indicated countries.

  • 🇫🇷 France – Franck Pourcel
  • 🇩🇰 Denmark – Kai Mortensen
  • 🇮🇹 Italy – William Galassini 
  • 🇲🇨 Monaco – Franck Pourcel
  • 🇳🇱 The Netherlands – Dolf van der Linden
  • 🇩🇪 Germany – Franck Pourcel
  • 🇸🇪 Sweden – Franck Pourcel
  • 🇨🇭 Switzerland – Franck Pourcel
  • 🇦🇹 Austria – Franck Pourcel
  • 🇬🇧 United Kindom – Eric Robinson
  • 🇧🇪 Belgium – Francis Bay

3.2.Returning artists. 

Artist Country Previous year(s)
Lys Assia 🇨🇭 Switzerland 1956, 1957, 1958
Corry Brokken 🇳🇱 The Netherlands 1956, 1957, 1958
Fud Leclerc 🇧🇪 Belgium 1956, 1958
Margot Hielscher 🇩🇪 Germany 1957, 1958

3.3.Participants and results. Among this year’s participants, two artists had previously competed in the contest. Birthe Wilke had placed third for Denmark in the 1957 contest, performing “Skibet skal sejle i nat” alongside Gustav Winckler, and Domenico Modugno had placed third for Italy in the 1958 contest with “Nel blu, dipinto di blu”.

Teddy Scholten upon returning to the Netherlands following her contest win

Upon winning the contest, the Netherlands became the first country to achieve two victories in the event, and the winning lyricist Willy van Hemert became the first individual to win the contest twice, after previously providing lyrics for the Netherlands’ winner in 1957, “Net als toen“. The United Kingdom’s result was the first of sixteen British entries to finish in second place, a contest record as of 2022. Alongside the traditional reprise performance of the winning song, the second- and third-placed songs were also performed again, for the first and only time at the contest.

3.4.All the national selections for Eurovision Song Contest 1959: 

• National Selections in 1959:

OUNTRY EVENT WINNER
🇧🇪 Belgium Eurosong 1959 Bob Benny – “Hou toch van mij
🇩🇰 Denmark Melodi Grand Prix 1959 Birthe Wilke – “Uh, jeg ville ønske jeg var dig
🇮🇹 Italy Sanremo 1959 Domenico Modugno – “Piove (Ciao, ciao bambina)
🇳🇱 The Netherlands Nationaal Songfestival 1959 [a] Teddy Scholten – “Een beetje
🇸🇪 Sweden Eurovisionsschlagern 1959 (song selection) [b] Siw Malmkvist – “Augustin”
🇨🇭 Switzerland Concours Eurovision 1959 Christa Williams – “Irgendwoher
🇬🇧 United Kindom Eurovision British Final 1959 Pearl Carr & Teddy Johnson – “Sing, Little Birdie”

• Internal Selections in 1959: 

🇦🇹 Austria Ferry Graf – “Der K und K Kalypso aus Wien
🇫🇷 France Jean Philippe – “Oui, oui, oui, oui
🇩🇪 Germany Alice and Ellen Kessler – “Heute Abend wollen wir tanzen geh’n
🇲🇨 Monaco Jacques Pills – “Mon ami Pierrot

3.5.Connections:

Connections Participants of the Eurovision Song Contest 1959

# Artist Backing Composers Lyricists Conductor
01 Jean Philippe:

  • Switzerland 1962: Le retour (solo)
  • France 1959: Oui oui oui oui (solo)

 

Hubert Giraud:

  • France 1979: Je suis l’enfant-soleil (lyricist)
  • Luxembourg 1971: Pomme, pomme, pomme (composer)
  • France 1967: Il doit faire beau là-bas (composer)
  • Monaco 1961: Allons, allons les enfants (composer)
  • Monaco 1960: Ce soir-là (composer)
  • France 1959: Oui oui oui oui (composer)
  • France 1958: Dors, mon amour (lyricist)
Pierre Cour:

  • Luxembourg 1977: Frère Jacques (composer, lyricist)
  • Luxembourg 1975: Toi (lyricist)
  • Luxembourg 1971: Pomme, pomme, pomme (lyricist)
  • The Netherlands 1969: Le troubadour (lyricist French version)
  • Luxembourg 1967: L’amour est bleu (lyricist)
  • France 1964: Le chant de Mallory (lyricist)
  • France 1960: Tom Pillibi (lyricist)
  • France 1959: Oui oui oui oui (lyricist)
Franck Pourcel:

  • France 1972: Comé comédie (conductor)
  • France 1971: Un jardin sur la terre (conductor)
  • France 1970: Marie-Blanche (conductor)
  • France 1969: Un jour, un enfant (conductor)
  • France 1967: Il doit faire beau là-bas (conductor)
  • France 1966: Chez nous (conductor)
  • France 1965: N’avoue jamais (conductor)
  • France 1964: Le chant de Mallory (conductor)
  • France 1963: Elle était si jolie (conductor)
  • France 1962: Un premier amour (conductor)
  • Austria 1961: Sehnsucht (conductor)
  • Germany 1961: Einmal sehen wir uns wieder (conductor)
  • France 1961: Printemps, avril carillonne (conductor)
  • France 1960: Tom Pillibi (conductor)
  • France 1959: Oui oui oui oui (conductor)
  • Monaco 1959: Mon ami Pierrot (conductor)
  • Germany 1959: Heute Abend wollen wir tanzen geh’n (conductor)
  • Sweden 1959: Augustin (conductor)
  • Switzerland 1959: Irgendwoher (conductor)
  • Austria 1959: Der K. und K. Kalypso aus Wien (conductor)
  • France 1958: Dors, mon amour (conductor)
  • France 1956: Le temps perdu (conductor)
  • France 1956: Il est là (conductor)
02 Birthe Wilke:

  • Denmark 1957: Skibet skal sejle i nat (with Gustav Winckler)
  • Denmark 1959: Uh, jeg ville ønske, jeg var dig (solo)
Otto Lington Carl Andersen Kai Mortensen:

  • Denmark 1964: Sangen om dig (conductor)
  • Portugal 1964: Oração (conductor)
  • Denmark 1963: Dansevise (conductor)
  • Denmark 1962: Vuggevise (conductor)
  • Denmark 1961: Angelique (conductor)
  • Denmark 1960: Det var en yndig tid (conductor)
  • Denmark 1959: Uh, jeg ville ønske, jeg var dig (conductor)
  • Denmark 1958: Jeg rev et blad ud af min dagbog (conductor)
  • Denmark 1957: Skibet skal sejle i nat (conductor)
03 Domenico Modugno:

  • Italy 1966: Dio, come ti amo (solo, composer, lyricist)
  • Italy 1962: Addio, addio (composer)
  • Italy 1959: Piove (Ciao, ciao bambina) (solo, composer)
  • Italy 1958: Nel blu dipinto di blu (Volare) (solo, composer, lyricist)
Domenico Modugno:

  • Italy 1966: Dio, come ti amo (solo, composer, lyricist)
  • Italy 1962: Addio, addio (composer)
  • Italy 1959: Piove (Ciao, ciao bambina) (solo, composer)
  • Italy 1958: Nel blu dipinto di blu (Volare) (solo, composer, lyricist)
Dino Verde:

  • Italy 1960: Romantica (as Dino Verde, composer)
  • Italy 1959: Piove (Ciao, ciao bambina) (as Dino Verde, lyricist)
William Galassini
04 Jacques Pills Florence Veran Raymond Bravard Franck Pourcel:

  • France 1972: Comé comédie (conductor)
  • France 1971: Un jardin sur la terre (conductor)
  • France 1970: Marie-Blanche (conductor)
  • France 1969: Un jour, un enfant (conductor)
  • France 1967: Il doit faire beau là-bas (conductor)
  • France 1966: Chez nous (conductor)
  • France 1965: N’avoue jamais (conductor)
  • France 1964: Le chant de Mallory (conductor)
  • France 1963: Elle était si jolie (conductor)
  • France 1962: Un premier amour (conductor)
  • Austria 1961: Sehnsucht (conductor)
  • Germany 1961: Einmal sehen wir uns wieder (conductor)
  • France 1961: Printemps, avril carillonne (conductor)
  • France 1960: Tom Pillibi (conductor)
  • France 1959: Oui oui oui oui (conductor)
  • Monaco 1959: Mon ami Pierrot (conductor)
  • Germany 1959: Heute Abend wollen wir tanzen geh’n (conductor)
  • Sweden 1959: Augustin (conductor)
  • Switzerland 1959: Irgendwoher (conductor)
  • Austria 1959: Der K. und K. Kalypso aus Wien (conductor)
  • France 1958: Dors, mon amour (conductor)
  • France 1956: Le temps perdu (conductor)
  • France 1956: Il est là (conductor)
05 Teddy Scholten Dick Schallies:

  • The Netherlands 1961: Wat een dag (composer)
  • The Netherlands 1960: Wat een geluk (composer)
  • The Netherlands 1959: Een beetje (composer)
Willy van Hemert:

  • The Netherlands 1960: Wat een geluk (lyricist)
  • The Netherlands 1959: Een beetje (lyricist)
  • The Netherlands 1957: Net als toen (lyricist)
Dolf van der Linden:

  • The The Netherlands 1971: Tijd (conductor)
  • The The Netherlands 1970: Waterman (conductor)
  • Ireland 1970: All kinds of everything (conductor)
  • The The Netherlands 1968: Morgen (conductor)
  • The The Netherlands 1967: Ring-dinge-ding (conductor)
  • The The Netherlands 1966: Fernando en Filippo (conductor)
  • The The Netherlands 1965: ‘t Is genoeg (conductor)
  • The The Netherlands 1964: Jij bent mijn leven (conductor)
  • The The Netherlands 1962: Katinka (conductor)
  • The The Netherlands 1961: Wat een dag (conductor)
  • The The Netherlands 1960: Wat een geluk (conductor)
  • The The Netherlands 1959: Een beetje (conductor)
  • The The Netherlands 1958: Heel de wereld (conductor)
  • Luxembourg 1958: Un grand amour (conductor)
  • Sweden 1958: Lilla stjärna (conductor)
  • Belgium 1958: Ma petite chatte (conductor)
  • Germany 1958: Für zwei Groschen Musik (conductor)
  • The The Netherlands 1957: Net als toen (conductor)
06 Alice & Ellen Kessler Helmut Zander Astrid Voltmann Franck Pourcel:

  • France 1972: Comé comédie (conductor)
  • France 1971: Un jardin sur la terre (conductor)
  • France 1970: Marie-Blanche (conductor)
  • France 1969: Un jour, un enfant (conductor)
  • France 1967: Il doit faire beau là-bas (conductor)
  • France 1966: Chez nous (conductor)
  • France 1965: N’avoue jamais (conductor)
  • France 1964: Le chant de Mallory (conductor)
  • France 1963: Elle était si jolie (conductor)
  • France 1962: Un premier amour (conductor)
  • Austria 1961: Sehnsucht (conductor)
  • Germany 1961: Einmal sehen wir uns wieder (conductor)
  • France 1961: Printemps, avril carillonne (conductor)
  • France 1960: Tom Pillibi (conductor)
  • France 1959: Oui oui oui oui (conductor)
  • Monaco 1959: Mon ami Pierrot (conductor)
  • Germany 1959: Heute Abend wollen wir tanzen geh’n (conductor)
  • Sweden 1959: Augustin (conductor)
  • Switzerland 1959: Irgendwoher (conductor)
  • Austria 1959: Der K. und K. Kalypso aus Wien (conductor)
  • France 1958: Dors, mon amour (conductor)
  • France 1956: Le temps perdu (conductor)
  • France 1956: Il est là (conductor)
07 Brita Borg Harry Sandin Åke Gerhard:

  • Sweden 1962: Sol och vår (composer, lyricist)
  • Sweden 1960: Alla andra får varann (lyricist)
  • Sweden 1959: Augustin (lyricist)
  • Sweden 1958: Lilla stjärna (composer)
Franck Pourcel:

  • France 1972: Comé comédie (conductor)
  • France 1971: Un jardin sur la terre (conductor)
  • France 1970: Marie-Blanche (conductor)
  • France 1969: Un jour, un enfant (conductor)
  • France 1967: Il doit faire beau là-bas (conductor)
  • France 1966: Chez nous (conductor)
  • France 1965: N’avoue jamais (conductor)
  • France 1964: Le chant de Mallory (conductor)
  • France 1963: Elle était si jolie (conductor)
  • France 1962: Un premier amour (conductor)
  • Austria 1961: Sehnsucht (conductor)
  • Germany 1961: Einmal sehen wir uns wieder (conductor)
  • France 1961: Printemps, avril carillonne (conductor)
  • France 1960: Tom Pillibi (conductor)
  • France 1959: Oui oui oui oui (conductor)
  • Monaco 1959: Mon ami Pierrot (conductor)
  • Germany 1959: Heute Abend wollen wir tanzen geh’n (conductor)
  • Sweden 1959: Augustin (conductor)
  • Switzerland 1959: Irgendwoher (conductor)
  • Austria 1959: Der K. und K. Kalypso aus Wien (conductor)
  • France 1958: Dors, mon amour (conductor)
  • France 1956: Le temps perdu (conductor)
  • France 1956: Il est là (conductor)
08 Christa Williams Lothar Löffler Lothar Löffler Franck Pourcel:

  • France 1972: Comé comédie (conductor)
  • France 1971: Un jardin sur la terre (conductor)
  • France 1970: Marie-Blanche (conductor)
  • France 1969: Un jour, un enfant (conductor)
  • France 1967: Il doit faire beau là-bas (conductor)
  • France 1966: Chez nous (conductor)
  • France 1965: N’avoue jamais (conductor)
  • France 1964: Le chant de Mallory (conductor)
  • France 1963: Elle était si jolie (conductor)
  • France 1962: Un premier amour (conductor)
  • Austria 1961: Sehnsucht (conductor)
  • Germany 1961: Einmal sehen wir uns wieder (conductor)
  • France 1961: Printemps, avril carillonne (conductor)
  • France 1960: Tom Pillibi (conductor)
  • France 1959: Oui oui oui oui (conductor)
  • Monaco 1959: Mon ami Pierrot (conductor)
  • Germany 1959: Heute Abend wollen wir tanzen geh’n (conductor)
  • Sweden 1959: Augustin (conductor)
  • Switzerland 1959: Irgendwoher (conductor)
  • Austria 1959: Der K. und K. Kalypso aus Wien (conductor)
  • France 1958: Dors, mon amour (conductor)
  • France 1956: Le temps perdu (conductor)
  • France 1956: Il est là (conductor)
09 Ferry Graf Norbert Pawlicki Günther Leopold:

  • Austria 1959: Der K. und K. Kalypso aus Wien (lyricist)
  • Austria 1958: Die ganze Welt braucht Liebe (composer, lyricist)
Franck Pourcel:

  • France 1972: Comé comédie (conductor)
  • France 1971: Un jardin sur la terre (conductor)
  • France 1970: Marie-Blanche (conductor)
  • France 1969: Un jour, un enfant (conductor)
  • France 1967: Il doit faire beau là-bas (conductor)
  • France 1966: Chez nous (conductor)
  • France 1965: N’avoue jamais (conductor)
  • France 1964: Le chant de Mallory (conductor)
  • France 1963: Elle était si jolie (conductor)
  • France 1962: Un premier amour (conductor)
  • Austria 1961: Sehnsucht (conductor)
  • Germany 1961: Einmal sehen wir uns wieder (conductor)
  • France 1961: Printemps, avril carillonne (conductor)
  • France 1960: Tom Pillibi (conductor)
  • France 1959: Oui oui oui oui (conductor)
  • Monaco 1959: Mon ami Pierrot (conductor)
  • Germany 1959: Heute Abend wollen wir tanzen geh’n (conductor)
  • Sweden 1959: Augustin (conductor)
  • Switzerland 1959: Irgendwoher (conductor)
  • Austria 1959: Der K. und K. Kalypso aus Wien (conductor)
  • France 1958: Dors, mon amour (conductor)
  • France 1956: Le temps perdu (conductor)
  • France 1956: Il est là (conductor)
10 Teddy Johnson & Pearl Carr Stan Butcher:

  • United Kingdom 1962: Ring-a-ding girl (lyricist)
  • United Kingdom 1959: Sing little birdie (composer)
Syd Cordell:

  • United Kingdom 1962: Ring-a-ding girl (composer)
  • United Kingdom 1959: Sing little birdie (lyricist)
Eric Robinson:

  • United Kingdom 1965: I belong (conductor)
  • United Kingdom 1963: Say wonderful things (conductor)
  • Netherlands 1963: Een speeldoos (conductor)
  • Switzerland 1963: T’en vas pas (conductor)
  • Luxembourg 1963: À force de prier (conductor)
  • United Kingdom 1960: Looking high, high, high (conductor)
  • Luxembourg 1960: So laang we’s du do bast (conductor)
  • United Kingdom 1959: Sing little birdie (conductor)
  • United Kingdom 1957: All (conductor)
11 Bob Benny:

  • Belgium 1961: September, gouden roos (as Bob Benny, solo)
  • Belgium 1959: Hou toch van mij (as Bob Benny, solo)
Hans Flower:

  • Belgium 1963: Waarom (as Hans Flower, composer)
  • Belgium 1961: September, gouden roos (as Hans Flower, composer)
  • Belgium 1959: Hou toch van mij (as Hans Flower, composer)
Ke Riema Francis Bay:

  • Belgium 1979: Hey nana (as Francis Bay, conductor)
  • Belgium 1975: Gelukkig zijn (as Francis Bay, conductor)
  • Belgium 1973: Baby, baby (as Francis Bay, conductor)
  • Belgium 1971: Goeiemorgen, morgen (as Francis Bay, conductor)
  • Belgium 1969: Jennifer Jennings (as Francis Bay, conductor)
  • Belgium 1967: Ik heb zorgen (as Francis Bay, conductor)
  • Belgium 1963: Waarom (as Francis Bay, conductor)
  • Belgium 1961: September, gouden roos (as Francis Bay, conductor)
  • Belgium 1959: Hou toch van mij (as Francis Bay, conductor)

Crowds gathered at Schipol Airport for Scholten’s homecoming

4.Voting. Each participating country had 10 jury members, and each jury member could award one point to one song. The announcement of the results from each country was conducted in reverse order to the order in which each country performed.

Voting results in the Eurovision Song Contest 1959

Total score
Belgia Regatul Unit Austria Elveția Suedia Germania Țările de Jos Monaco Italia Danemarca Franța
C
o
n
t
e
s
t
a
n
t
s
🇫🇷 France 15 2 1 1 4 2 1 4
🇩🇰 Denmark 12 2 2 1 4 1 1 1
🇮🇹 Italy 9 1 3 1 1 3
🇲🇨 Monaco 1 1
🇳🇱 The Netherlands 21 3 1 3 2 1 7 4
🇩🇪 Germany 5 1 1 1 2
🇸🇪 Sweden 4 3 1
🇨🇭 Switzerland 14 1 5 1 3 1 1 2
 🇦🇹 Austria 4 1 2 1
🇬🇧 United Kindom 16 2 2 3 5 2 1 1
🇧🇪 Belgium 9 2 3 1 1 2

4.1.Spokespersons.

Each country nominated a spokesperson who was responsible for announcing the votes for their respective country via telephone. Known spokespersons at the 1959 contest are listed below.

  • 🇳🇱 The Netherlands – Siebe van der Zee
  • 🇸🇪 Sweden – Roland Eiworth

5.Broadcasts. Each participating broadcaster was required to relay the contest via its networks. Broadcasters were able to send commentators to provide coverage of the contest in their own native language and to relay information about the artists and songs to their television viewers. Known details on the broadcasts in each country, including the specific broadcasting stations and commentators are shown in the tables below.

Broadcasters and commentators in participating countries
Country Broadcaster(s) Commentator(s)
 🇦🇹 Austria ORF Unknown
🇧🇪 Belgium INR Unknown
NIR Unknown
🇩🇰 Denmark Danmarks Radio TV Sejr Volmer-Sørensen
Program 2
🇫🇷 France RTF Unknown
France II Unknown
🇩🇪 Germany Deutsches Fernsehen Unknown
🇮🇹 Italy Programma Nazionale Renato Tagliani [it]
Secondo Programma
🇲🇨 Monaco Télé Monte-Carlo Unknown
Radio Monte-Carlo Unknown
🇳🇱 The Netherlands NTS Piet te Nuyl Jr.
Hilversum 1
🇸🇪 Sweden Sveriges TV Jan Gabrielsson [sv]
SR P1
🇨🇭 Switzerland TV DRS Unknown
TSR Unknown
TSI Unknown
Radio Bern Unknown
Radio Genève Unknown
Radio Monte Ceneri Unknown
🇬🇧 United Kindom BBC Television Service Tom Sloan

6.Notes. 

  • [a] The Netherlands held a national selection to choose the song for Eurovision Song Contest 1959. Each of the eight songs was performed by two artists. The song “Een beetje” for Eurovision 1959 was performed by Teddy Scholten / John de Mol. The winning song was selected by regional juries, and an expert jury chose which of the two artists should go to Eurovision 1959. “Een beetje” was performed by Teddy Scholten at Eurovision 1959.
  • [b] Sweden held a national selection to choose the song for Eurovision Song Contest 1959. All songs were performed by two different artists. “Augustin” was performed by Siw Malmkvist. Before Eurovisionsschlagern 1959, the Swedish Radio-TV had internally selected Brita Borg to sing the winning song at Eurovision 1959. “Augustin” was performed by Brita Borg at Eurovision 1959.

7.Trivial / Fun facts.

  • The longest song in Eurovision Song Contest is Italy’s “Corde Della Mia Chitarra” from 1957: 5 minutes and 9 seconds. After the contest, the rules were tightened so songs couldn’t be longer than 3.5 minutes initially and later 3 minutes.
  • Eurovision Song Contest is normally held every year in May. The earliest Eurovision date was in 1957, on 3rd March and the latest was in 1999 and 2010 when it was held on 29th May.
  • The first scandal in Eurovision history occurred in 1957 where the Danish singers Birthe Wilke and Gustav Winckler kissed for 11 seconds in the end of the song. Generating a furious reaction.
  • A new rule was introduced to the 4th contest; music experts were not allowed into the National juries any longer.
  • This year only, not just the winning song by Teddy Scholten got a reprise at the end, but also the 2nd and 3rd finalists.

← Eurovision Song Contest 1958 • Eurovision Song Contest 1959 • Eurovision Song Contest 1960 →

Countries (in order of appearance)

Final France ⦁ Denmark ⦁ Italy ⦁ Monaco ⦁ The Netherlands (winner) ⦁ Germany ⦁ Sweden ⦁ Switzerland ⦁ Austria ⦁ United Kingdom • Belgium

Artists (in order of appearance)

Final Jean Philippe ⦁ Birthe Wilke ⦁ Domenico Modugno ⦁ Jacques Pills ⦁ Teddy Scholten (winner) ⦁ Alice and Ellen Kessler ⦁ Brita Borg ⦁ Christa Williams ⦁ Ferry Graf ⦁ Pearl Carr and Teddy Johnson • Bob Benny

Songs (in order of appearance)

Final Oui, oui, oui, oui” ⦁ “Uh, jeg ville ønske jeg var dig” ⦁ “Piove (Ciao, ciao bambina)” ⦁ “Mon ami Pierrot” ⦁ “Een beetje” (winner) ⦁ “Heute Abend wollen wir tanzen geh’n” ⦁ “Augustin” ⦁ “Irgendwoher” ⦁ “Der K und K Kalypso aus Wien” ⦁ “Sing, Little Birdie” • “Hou toch van mij