Johnny Blue was the German

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

 entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1981

Eurovision Song Contest 1981

The Eurovision Song Contest 1981 was the 26th Eurovision Song Contest and was held on 4 April 1981 at the Simmonscourt Pavilion of the Royal Dublin Society in Dublin. The presenter was Doireann Ní Bhriain...

, performed in German

German language

German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....

 by Lena Valaitis

Lena Valaitis

Lena Valaitis is a Lithuanian-German Schlager singer. She had her greatest success during the 1970s and 1980s and competed in three Eurovision Song Contests.- Personal life:...

.


The song was performed third on the night (following Turkey

Turkey

Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...

's Modern Folk Üçlüsü & Ayşegül Aldinç

Aysegül Aldinç

Ayşegül Aldinç is a Turkish singer and actress. Her father was the well-known journalist and sports commentator Orhan Aldinç....

 with "Dönme Dolap

Dönme Dolap

Dönme Dolap was the Turkish entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1981, performed in Turkish by Modern Folk Trio & Ayşegül Aldinç....

" and preceding Luxembourg

Luxembourg

Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...

's Jean-Claude Pascal

Jean-Claude Pascal

Jean-Claude Pascal was a French comedian and singer.After surviving the Second World War in Straßburg, Pascal first studied at the Sorbonne-university and then turned to fashion-designing for Christian Dior...

 with "C'est peut-être pas l'Amérique

C'Est Peut-Être Pas L'Amérique

"C'est peut-être pas l'Amérique" was the Luxembourgish entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1981, performed in French by French singer Jean-Claude Pascal...

"). At the close of voting, it had received 132 points, placing 2nd in a field of 20.

The song is a ballad about the tititular "Johnny Blue" a blind boy who is shunned by other children because of his disability. He receives a guitar and soon learns how to play it, writing popular songs encouraging others to overcome their problems - and thus attaining the fame and popularity that was always his right. Valaitis also recorded the song in English under the same title; "Johnny Blue".


Written and composed by Ralph Siegel and Bernd Meinunger

Bernd Meinunger

Bernd Meinunger is a German lyricist and record producer who frequently works with Ralph Siegel and David Brandes...

, the song has become something of a favourite in Germany, placing 9th in the Best of Eurovision

Best of Eurovision

The Best of Eurovision was a unique event, held in Hamburg, Germany on May 20, 2006. Its aim was to determine the best song from the Eurovision Song Contest, by means of an opinion poll....

poll in 2006.

It was succeeded as German representative

Germany in the Eurovision Song Contest

Germany has participated in every Eurovision Song Contest since its beginning in 1956, although its entry in 1996 did not qualify past the pre‐selection round, and therefore was not seen in the broadcast final. No other country has been represented as often. France and the United Kingdom come in a...

 at the 1982 Contest

Eurovision Song Contest 1982

The Eurovision Song Contest 1982 was the 27th Eurovision Song Contest and was held on 24 April 1982 in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, United Kingdom. The presenter was Jan Leeming. The opening of the contest showed a map of Europe, with the translation "Where is Harrogate?" popping up on-screen from...

 by Nicole with "Ein bißchen Frieden

Ein Bißchen Frieden

"Ein bißchen Frieden" is a song in German, written by prolific German Eurovision-writing duo Ralph Siegel and Bernd Meinunger for the Eurovision Song Contest 1982 in Harrogate, Yorkshire, England....

".