After the light hearted 1959 I was hoping for something equally charming in 1960, but I was disappointed soon enough. Despite the eternal sunshine that is Katie Boyle, oozing the class and style that only the British can establish, the 1960 contest is sadly one to classify without much ado.
The Brits did not only get the opportunity to organise the whole shebang but were also granted the honour to open the show. They really set the tone with the simplistic ‘Looking high, high, high‘ which sounded as if it was meant to be sung in a kindergarten. The twelve entries that followed were either from the same simplistic school or hand-me-downs that hardly sounded any different from the dreary ballads we’d heard in the first four editions of the Contest.
Perhaps it’s because I saw the 58 and 59 Contest while I was ironing so I had other things to focus on (or distract me, whichever you prefer) but to me the 1960 edition is almost as uneventful as the very first one in 1956. All good things from the two previous years, like diversity and a bit of creativity, really lack here. None of the songs manage to convince me, and putting together a top ten was not at all easy as I’d rather leave them all without a single point. Still, I agree with the winner. Which is quite the achievement.
And thus it goes:
1 point: Italy
2 points: Denmark
3 points: Germany
4 points: Sweden
5 points: Norway
6 points: Netherlands
7 points: Monaco
8 points: Switzerland – Cielo e terra
Quite a bore, but I respect Anita Traversi’s rendition. Not that I’ll ever watch it again voluntarily.
10 points: United Kingdom – Looking high, high, high
Infantile. Catchy though. But still, too infantile. The fact that it’s so catchy gets it to silver. Wouldn’t have been top three in 1959.
12 points: France -Tom Pilibi
As infantile as the UK song, only snatching the gold because I find Jacqueline more comfortable to listen to than Bryan. But only just.
1 Netherlands 38
2 Italy 34
3 France 30
4 Germany 27
5 Denmark 26
6 Luxembourg 24
7 Switzerland 24
8 United Kingdom 21
9 Sweden 20
10 Belgium 17
Now, what to expect of 1961?
Dimivision 