We didn’t win last year, we came second if you remember and Luxembourg won so this year’s glittering Eurovision occasion came, on 6 March 1966, from the Villa Louvigny in Luxembourg as it did in 1962.
This year as our singer we choose the resolute Kenneth McKellar, an excellent singer, to sing five songs from which the British public picked ‘A Man Without Love’ as our entry.
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Tagged 1966, 60s, austria, britain, british entry, ebu, europe, eurovision, eurovision song contest, Kenneth McKeller, Music, sixties, song, television, track, uk, winning song
Half way through the decade and still no win for the UK but we have had some near misses and, of course, some not so good results. Maybe 1965 will be our year?
Last year, 1964, a young girl from Italy won the contest and so this year’s contest was held at the Sala di Concerto della RAI in Naples, Italy. Presumably this is the concert hall of the Italian state broadcasting company Radio Audizioni Italiane (RAI). As usual the contest was held in March.
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Tagged 1965, 60s, britain, british entry, ebu, europe, eurovision, eurovision song contest, Kathy Kirby, Luxembourg, Music, sixties, song, television, track, uk, winning song
If you remember, it was Denmark last year and Grethe & Jørgen Ingmann who won with the song Dansevise while we came fourth, a link is above to last year and those years before. So, a new year and a new song, did we have a stronger entry this year?
As Denmark won, the contest was held in the Concert Hall in the Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen which looks to be a very nice venue, you can see more about it here on the Wikipedia page.
Continue reading
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Tagged 1964, 60s, britain, british entry, ebu, europe, eurovision, eurovision song contest, italy, matt munroe, Music, sixties, song, television, track, uk, winning song
Remember last year, 1962? We didn’t do so well, did we? Perhaps, instead, this year might be our year so let’s see what we had to offer this time.
First of all, the contest last year was won by France and so this year’s occasion was celebrated one Saturday in March but not in France! As Holland had done preciously, France did not want to host it again so soon so they passed the honour over to us. Why did they do this? I have no idea but it meant thay the event was held at the BBC Television Centre in London and presided over by the every popular Katie Boyle – remember Katie?
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Tagged 60s, britain, british entry, ebu, europe, eurovision, eurovision song contest, france, Music, ronnie carroll, sixties, song, television, track, uk, winning song
Last year, 1961, if you recall, it was Luxenbourg who won leaving us second once again. Therefore, in 1962 the contest was held one Saturday in March at the Villa Louvigny, the headquarters of the TV company that would later become RTL (Radio Télévision Luxembourg as it was then called) in Luxenbourg.
As ever for this prestigious occasion, smartness was the key as will be evident from the clips mentioned below. Once again, could we do better than second place?
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Tagged 60s, britain, british entry, ebu, europe, eurovision, eurovision song contest, france, Music, ronnie carroll, sixties, song, television, track, uk, winning song
Sunday was a lazy day (except for Mum) when, after morning church, almost everyone was at home for the rest of the day in the 1960s. It really was a day when you wore your ‘Sunday best’ and then sat quietly on the settee or pursued a hobby at the dinning room table after dinner.
Remember, there were no supermarkets open, no garden centres. So, for those who could afford one, what was on TV on a typical late summer Sunday in 1965?
By the mid-60s a good many people had taken the plunge, dipped into their saving and purchased one of the new TV sets. And what sets they were! In the early 60s we had a set that boasted a large wood veneered case complete with doors that would be unbelievable today. However, it was only a 12 inch screen and what my mother wanted was a 17 or 20 inch modern set made of plastic.
Eventually we did get one and I thought it was the most fantastic thing I had ever seen!
The Eurovision Song Contest, 1961, was the sixth contest and, this year, a few more countries came on board to add to the fun. Remember that, in 1961, this contest was a real contest and one of the few opportunities to complete against the other countries in Europe. Last year we came second and France won so would there be better luck for Britain this year?
As France won last year, they were scheduled to host the event and so it took place on Saturday, 18 March 1961 on the shores of the Mediterranean sea. The venue was the original Palais des Festivals et des Congrès building then on lovely Promenade de la Croisette, Cannes in the South of France.
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Tagged 60s, britain, british entry, ebu, europe, eurovision, eurovision song contest, Music, sixties, song, television, track, uk, winning song
In the 1960s radios certainly played music but they also provided more news and entertainment and a greater range of programming than radios do now.
They were also seen as an important information source. Television was still new, not all homes had one and the information and entertainment programs on TV started much later in the afternoon. So the radio was still the main day-time news and information source. We are looking at a typical Sunday on the Light Program from the mid 1960s. The Light program was the station that in a few years would be divided to become both Radio 1 and Radio 2.
But it’s evening now and, as we don’t have a TV yet, we are all sitting in the living room doing the things that people did before they sat and watched TV. The adults are listening to the radio while they glance at a newspaper or magazine while the children are pursuing a hobby or maybe sitting and drawing (that least that’s what I used to do!). So, lets see what they had to entertain them.
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Tagged bbc, light program, radio, radio 1, radio 2, semprini
Introduction
Part 1