Black and white is an underrated medium. It can cover a multitude of sins, not least you can wear what garish colour you like and it appears as a shade of grey. It’s a great leveller.
Anyway, onto today’s song. It was in 1965 when a Greek singer closed the contest. Just like 30 years later. But this Greek singer – today’s birthday girl Yovanna/Γιοβάννα (née Ioanna Fassou Kalpaxi/Ιωάννα Φάσσου Καλπαξή) – sang for Switzerland. Her own country didn’t participate for nine years, so she had to false flag. Who could blame her, getting the gig in sunny Naples one March evening. France thought her the favourite singer, with her only other points coming from Austria. If you’ve never seen the scoreboard in 1965, give it a whirl. It’ll blow your mind.
Yovanna is 79 today.
Bonne anniversaire/Buon sompleanno/Frohe Geburtstag/Χρόνια πολλά, Yovanna/Γιοβάννα!