Could we have a win from ‘Old Europe’ this year? People are touting a win from the continent’s western half, maybe even from as far west as Europe goes.
Of course, back in the day, Eurovision was a club purely for the west, with a few guests from the deep south-east. Our friends in Switzerland had been there through think and thin (mostly thin), and managed a sneaky little third place in 1982. It came from today’s birthday girl Arlette Zola (née Arlette Jaquet) with a song some have likened to Congratulations (Cliff’s, not Sylvia Night’s). Maybe that’s why it did so well. But if it wasn’t for those Germans giving their 12 points to someone else, she would have finished second to one of the best winners ever.
Arlette is 70 today.
Bonne anniversaire/Frohe Geburtstag/Buon compleanno, Arlette!