Eurovision Song Contest: The UK’s big winners and losers

Nil points? The United Kingdom’s history of the Eurovision Song Contest is a case of early success, followed by two decades of disappointment.

The successes the UK’s winners

Sandie Shaw Puppet On A String (1967)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=jfeiCaRJgMY

The first 10 years of Eurovision was one of real success for the UK, with five 2nd places and two fourths.

But it wasn’t until Sandie Shaw’s Puppet on a String that the coveted top spot was finally grabbed.

It also became a number one in the UK charts and a worldwide hit.

A far cry from the fate of most current Eurovision winners.Checkout our interactive Eurovision 2015 mapLulu Boom Bang-a-Bang (1969)

“My heart goes boom bang-a-bang boom bang-a-bang when you are near”.

Lulu’s entry brought the UK a second taste of Eurovision glory, but her ditty had to share the top spot with three other countries: Spain, Netherlands, and France.

Like Sandie Shaw, Lulu’s track became a big hit in the UK, taking the number 2 spot.

Brotherhood of Man Save Your Kisses For Me (1976)

“Won’t you save them for me…even though you’re only three?”

Perhaps not lyrically the strongest ever entry in the song contest, Brotherhood of Man landed Eurovision gold in 1976 with Save Your Kisses For Me.

The song was about a man leaving his loved one for work, only for the song to reveal a late twist that the singer is singing to his son/daughter.

“Save Your Kisses for Me” is still one of the best-selling singles of all time in the UK, with over a million copies in sales.Checkout our interactive Eurovision 2015 mapBucks Fizz Making Your Mind Up (1981)

Perhaps the catchiest Eurovision song of all time.

This cheeky track was another hit after its Eurovision exposure, topping the UK charts.

It is often held up as a classic example of a great Eurovision track and that’s hard to argue against.

It’s also hard to get the song out of your head once you hear it!

Katrina and the Waves Love Shine a Light (1997)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=X8oTtSTRdSw

When Katrina and the Waves clinched the UK’s fifth Eurovision title in 1997, no one was to know that it would be the last.

Love Shine A Light ended a 16-year barren spell for the UK, in which time there had only been four second place finishes and many, many 10ths.

Katrina may have shone a light on the UK’s hopes for a return to Eurovision prominence, but it was soon extinguished.

Since The Waves’ success, the UK has had one second and one third placed finish.

That’s it.

Love Shine a Light was Katrina and the Waves’ biggest hit since Walking on Sunshine 12 years earlier, and their lead single on their Walk on Water album.

Checkout our interactive Eurovision 2015 mapThe losers the entries to finish bottom

Jemini Cry Baby (2003)

Jemini broke all sorts of Eurovision Song Contest records when the duo performed Cry Baby in 2003.

Not only did they suffer the embarrassment of becoming the first UK act to receive no points from any other country, but Cry Baby was also the first ever English language song to endure that fate.

There must have been a few tears…

Andy Abraham Even If (2008)

With the bookies offering them odds of 100/1 to win, it was always going to be a struggle for The X Factor finalist.

But despite the low expectations, few anticipated that he would finish bottom joint last with Germany and Poland.

The song received an equally cool reception in the UK, reaching number 67 in the singles chart.

Josh Dubovie That Sounds Good to Me (2010)

It may have sounded good to Josh, but the Eurovision judges were not as impressed.

Josh Dubovie was the product of a talent hunt “Eurovision: Your Country Needs You” a show where the entry of the contest was selected.

So really we’ve only got ourselves to blame.

The track only squeezed into the UK top 200 placing in 179 and becoming the lowest charting UK Eurovision.