28 September – I’m dancing on the pole

As you’ll know, the rules of our favourite TV show impose a strict three minute on sing duration. It has been more in the past, but when one 1950s singer had a song that lasted in the region of five minutes, the EBU had to act. So three minutes it is. This isn’t usually a problem, but some songs have had to be trimmed to get them within this limit. They’re usually Italian.

However, today’s birthday boy isn’t Italian, although he did perform his song in Italy, and was ‘adopted’ by the male host. It is of course Sergio Dalma (né Josep Sergi Capdevila Querol). His song may well have won in any other year, but against a clutch of strong songs in 1991, his stripped-back song managed a fourth place. Best Spanish song ever? It must be one of them.

Sergio is 58 today.

Feliz cumpleaños, Sergio!