I See a Star
Encyclopedia
"I See a Star" was the Dutch
entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1974
, performed in English
(the first time the Dutch entry was not entirely in Dutch
) by Mouth & MacNeal
.
The song was composed by Hans van Hemert
and written by Gerrit den Braber
, a duo with several previous entries to their credit. Lyrically, the song is a love duet, with the singers telling each other that their love has helped them see the world in a new way. The "star" of the title is in other words to be found in one's lover's eyes. A second explanation of the lyrics was later revealed by Mouth when he stated in an interview that the song was about the similarities between falling in love and using cannabis. Musically, it is based around a simple melody which is embellished by a number of different instruments, including a barrel organ
with a collection of puppet
s on it.
The brightly-coloured performance has become a favourite among Contest fans, with the song being selected as one of the non-winning "classics" to appear on the double-CD and double-DVD sets produced to support the Congratulations
special of late 2005. At one point in the performance, Mouth in fact played the barrel organ himself - something referenced in the Dutch lyrics ("Dan speel ik er een stukkie orgel bij" - "Then I'll add some organ"). Contest historian and author John Kennedy O'Connor argues in his book The Eurovision Song Contest - The Official History that the "antics" involved in the presentation may ultimately have hurt the song's chances of winning. The winning song at this Contest was "Waterloo" by Sweden
's ABBA
.
Besides the Dutch and English versions, Mouth & MacNeal also recorded the song in German and French, entitled "Ein goldner Stern" and "L'amour au pas" respectively.
The song was performed twelfth on the night, following Belgium
's Jacques Hustin
with "Fleur de liberté
" and preceding Ireland
's Tina Reynolds
with "Cross Your Heart
". At the close of voting, it had received 15 points, placing third in a field of 17.
It was succeeded as Dutch representative
at the 1975 Contest
by Teach-In
with "Ding-A-Dong
". Maggie MacNeal
returned to the Contest as a solo artist in 1980
with "Amsterdam".
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1974
Eurovision Song Contest 1974
The Eurovision Song Contest 1974 was the 19th Eurovision Song Contest. It was held in the seaside resort of Brighton on the south coast of the United Kingdom...
, performed in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
(the first time the Dutch entry was not entirely in Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
) by Mouth & MacNeal
Mouth & MacNeal
Mouth & MacNeal was a pop duo from the Netherlands. They are best known for their million selling recording of "How Do You Do".-Career:They were formed in 1971 when record producer Hans van Hemert brought together the solo talent of Mouth and Maggie MacNeal...
.
The song was composed by Hans van Hemert
Hans van Hemert
Hans van Hemert is a Dutch ASCAP award winning record producer and songwriter. Mouth & MacNeal and Luv' are among the pop acts he produced...
and written by Gerrit den Braber
Gerrit den Braber
Gerrit den Braber was born in Rotterdam and was a Dutch song writer and lyricist.Braber took lessons at the music in Rotterdam and Hilversum. He then went into Hospital Radio and joint the Dutch radio and television company VARA in 1955...
, a duo with several previous entries to their credit. Lyrically, the song is a love duet, with the singers telling each other that their love has helped them see the world in a new way. The "star" of the title is in other words to be found in one's lover's eyes. A second explanation of the lyrics was later revealed by Mouth when he stated in an interview that the song was about the similarities between falling in love and using cannabis. Musically, it is based around a simple melody which is embellished by a number of different instruments, including a barrel organ
Barrel organ
A barrel organ is a mechanical musical instrument consisting of bellows and one or more ranks of pipes housed in a case, usually of wood, and often highly decorated...
with a collection of puppet
Puppet
A puppet is an inanimate object or representational figure animated or manipulated by an entertainer, who is called a puppeteer. It is used in puppetry, a play or a presentation that is a very ancient form of theatre....
s on it.
The brightly-coloured performance has become a favourite among Contest fans, with the song being selected as one of the non-winning "classics" to appear on the double-CD and double-DVD sets produced to support the Congratulations
Congratulations (Eurovision)
Congratulations: 50 Years of the Eurovision Song Contest was a television programme organised by the European Broadcasting Union to commemorate the Eurovision Song Contest's fiftieth anniversary and to determine the Contest's most popular entrant of its fifty years. It took place at Forum,...
special of late 2005. At one point in the performance, Mouth in fact played the barrel organ himself - something referenced in the Dutch lyrics ("Dan speel ik er een stukkie orgel bij" - "Then I'll add some organ"). Contest historian and author John Kennedy O'Connor argues in his book The Eurovision Song Contest - The Official History that the "antics" involved in the presentation may ultimately have hurt the song's chances of winning. The winning song at this Contest was "Waterloo" by Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
's ABBA
ABBA
ABBA was a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1970 which consisted of Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Agnetha Fältskog...
.
Besides the Dutch and English versions, Mouth & MacNeal also recorded the song in German and French, entitled "Ein goldner Stern" and "L'amour au pas" respectively.
The song was performed twelfth on the night, following Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
's Jacques Hustin
Jacques Hustin
Jacques Hustin was a Belgian singer-songwriter and artist who was successful in his homeland in both fields, and is best known internationally for his participation in the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest.-Early career:...
with "Fleur de liberté
Fleur De Liberté
"Fleur de liberté" was the Belgian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1974, performed in French by Jacques Hustin....
" and preceding Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
's Tina Reynolds
Tina Reynolds
Tina Reynolds or simply Tina as she was known professionally, represented Ireland in the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest.Her song "Cross Your Heart" came seventh but was a number 1 hit in the Irish charts....
with "Cross Your Heart
Cross Your Heart
"Cross Your Heart" was the Irish entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1974, performed in English by Tina Reynolds.Reynolds performed all eight songs in the Irish national heats on RTE's Saturday evening entertainment series The Likes of Mike, where she sang four songs in English and four in Irish...
". At the close of voting, it had received 15 points, placing third in a field of 17.
It was succeeded as Dutch representative
Netherlands in the Eurovision Song Contest
The Netherlands was one of the seven countries competing in the very first Eurovision Song Contest in 1956. It has missed only four contests so far...
at the 1975 Contest
Eurovision Song Contest 1975
The Eurovision Song Contest 1975 was the 20th edition of the contest hosted by SR and held in Stockholm, Sweden. The arena for the event was the newly built Stockholm International Fairs in Älvsjö in southern Stockholm. ABBA's victory in Brighton the previous year gave Sweden the right to host the...
by Teach-In
Teach-In
Teach-In was a Dutch band, best known for winning Eurovision Song Contest 1975 with the song Ding-A-Dong. The band was founded in 1969 and parted in 1980. Throughout this time there were several changes in lineup.-History:...
with "Ding-A-Dong
Ding-A-Dong
Ding-A-Dong was the title of the winning song in the Eurovision Song Contest 1975...
". Maggie MacNeal
Maggie macneal
Maggie MacNeal is a Dutch singer.-Biography:After her first solo record in 1971, she teamed up with Willem Duyn, and the duo became known as Mouth & MacNeal...
returned to the Contest as a solo artist in 1980
Eurovision Song Contest 1980
The Eurovision Song Contest 1980 was the 25th Eurovision Song Contest and was held on 19 April 1980 in The Hague. The presenter was Marlous Fluitsma, although each song was introduced by a presenter from the nation represented...
with "Amsterdam".