Two middle-aged guys on piano and guitar singing a wistful ballad about their lost youth isn’t your typical Eurovision hit. “Rock ‘n’ Roll Kids” – Paul Harrington and Charlie McGettigan (Ireland, 1994) Trivia fans might like to know that the demo was recorded by a young, then-unknown Idina Menzel.ġ4. It’s one of those “of the moment” songs that could easily have been a hit for Whitney or Mariah during this period. Regarded as one of the best singers to grace the competition, Kavanagh soars through this challenging power ballad. “In Your Eyes” – Niamh Kavanagh (Ireland, 1993) It’s cheesy but undeniably catchy, and in the chronological order of winners, it jumps out as the moment the competition ditched easy listening for contemporary pop.ġ5. The first win for the UK was one of the biggest margins in Eurovision history, though Shaw herself called the ditty “sexist drivel”, and hated it “from the very first oompah to the final bang”. “Puppet on a String” – Sandie Shaw (United Kingdom, 1967)
The song itself sounds like it was made for gay clubbing with its cries of adoration for iconic women like Cleopatra, Aphrodite, and Victoria (you have to assume she means Posh Spice).ġ7. “Diva” – Dana International (Israel, 1998)Īs the first transgender woman to compete in the contest, Dana caused a bit of a stir among Israeli conservatives but was roundly embraced by Eurovision audiences. Heavy stuff, but as Jamala’s vocals cry out over a powerful fusion of trip-hop and traditional folk instrumentation, it works perfectly.ġ8. Arguably the most political of the winning songs, “1944” deals with Soviet deportation of Crimean Tatars against the backdrop of renewed repression.
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