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Wiekes weetjes: Facts about the Song Festival

By Wieke Veenboer | #!31Sun, 14 May 2023 10:45:28 +0200+02:002831#31Sun, 14 May 2023 10:45:28 +0200+02:00-10Europe/Amsterdam3131Europe/Amsterdam202331 14am31am-31Sun, 14 May 2023 10:45:28 +0200+02:0010Europe/Amsterdam3131Europe/Amsterdam2023312023Sun, 14 May 2023 10:45:28 +02004510455amSunday=9#!31Sun, 14 May 2023 10:45:28 +0200+02:00Europe/Amsterdam5#05-14-2023#!31Sun, 14 May 2023 10:45:28 +0200+02:002831#/31Sun, 14 May 2023 10:45:28 +0200+02:00-10Europe/Amsterdam3131Europe/Amsterdam202331#!31Sun, 14 May 2023 10:45:28 +0200+02:00Europe/Amsterdam5#

For about four years now, I've been really into the Eurovision Song Contest. Not that I watch both semi-finals fanatically, but I definitely catch the final — and I really enjoy watching it. It's all so exaggerated, so colorful, so cheerful and (to be honest) it's often sung so out of tune. It's great TV.

Unfortunately, we didn't make it to the final yesterday, but we all kind of saw that coming, right? And it was really enjoyable again, so it's high time to go over some fun facts about the Eurovision Song Contest.

1. When the Eurovision Song Contest started in 1956, only seven countries participated
This was also the only edition where each country was allowed to perform two songs — otherwise, they couldn't fill the program. It wasn't until the 1990s, after the Soviet Union fell apart, that countries were eager to participate.

2. The largest edition was in 2001: 38,000 people were present at the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen

3. Ireland has the most victories to its name
Ireland won no less than seven times; Sweden is in second place with six wins. Following them are Luxembourg, France, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands with five wins. So we're not doing that badly at all.

4. And Norway performs the worst
They have finished last eleven times, unfortunately. They won a total of three times.

5. It has happened once that there were multiple winners
And there were actually four: in 1969 there was a tie for first place, so the United Kingdom, Spain, the Netherlands, and France all won. At that time, there were no rules for a scenario like this — shortly after, those were changed.

6. The song that has been covered the most is Nel Blu Di Pinto Di Blu
But you probably know it as Volare; which is also still regularly played in Dutch pubs, but then the version by Hazes.

7. Johnny Logan is the only person who has won the Eurovision Song Contest three times
He won in 1980 and 1987 representing Ireland, and wrote the winning song in 1992, for Linda Martin.

8. In 2016, the most people watched the Eurovision Song Contest
204 (!) million people were watching TV at that time. Hoooly shit.

9. Poland had the best debut
They participated for the first time in 1994, with To Nie Ja, and immediately came in second place.

10. In total, more than 1500 songs have been sung during the Eurovision Song Contest
And that would cost you about 72 hours of your life if you listened to them all without a break.