Did you ever envy Switzerland? Not only are they good at chocolate and cheese, but during those no-free language rule days, they had a choice of four of them. And they used them too.
You might think it was all French and German, but there were songs in Italian too. In 1994, the Confederation sent today’s birthday boy Duilio (né Lorenzo Duilio di Cicco). His was the eighth Swiss song that had Italian in it, but the only one in the language that year. With the new influx of countries who saw the contest with fresh eyes, it was always going to be difficult for the first winners to mix it with them. And it happened. Duilio beat three newbies, but it wasn’t enough to make Switzerland avoid sitting the next year out on the sidelines with the half-time oranges and the sicknote from matron.
Duilio is 48 today.
Buon compleanno/Frohe Geburtstag/Bonne anniversaire/Cordialas gratulaziuns per l’anniversari, Duilio!