Liefde Is Een Kaartspel
Encyclopedia
"Liefde is een kaartspel" ("Love is a Card Game") was the Belgian
entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1996
, performed in Dutch
by Lisa del Bo
.
The song was performed sixteenth on the night, following the Netherlands
' Maxine & Franklin Brown with "De eerste keer
" and preceding Ireland
's Eimear Quinn
with "The Voice". At the close of voting, it had received 22 points, placing 16th in a field of 23.
The song features Del Bo likening love to a card game. She describes a relationship which appears not to have been based on honesty, which explains the metaphor. The song was recorded in Dutch
, French
(as "Comme au jeu de cartes"), English
("Love is Like a Card Game") and German
("Liebe ist ein Kartenspiel").
Due to the Contest's rapid expansion, entry in the 1997 Contest
was limited to those countries with the best average scores over the past five years - a group of which Belgium again was not a member, the first time being at the 1994 Contest
. As a "passive country" (one which broadcast but did not enter the Contest), Belgium was however able to enter the 1998 edition. Thus, "Liefde is een kaartspel" was succeeded as Belgian representative
at the 1998 Contest
by Mélanie Cohl
singing "Dis oui
".
The song became part of a controversy after it was claimed that the 2001
Swedish
Eurovision entry "Listen To Your Heartbeat" was plagiarised from it. At first this was denied by the Swedish songwriters, one of whom was Thomas G:son
, but after the Belgian songwriters and the author's organisation SABAM
pressed for legal action, a cash settlement was agreed.
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...
entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1996
Eurovision Song Contest 1996
The Eurovision Song Contest 1996 was the 41st Eurovision Song Contest and was held on 18 May 1996 in Oslo Spektrum in Oslo, Norway. The presenters were Ingvild Bryn and Morten Harket. Harket, lead singer of a-ha, opened the show with a performance of his single "Heaven's Not For Saints". Eimear...
, performed 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 Lisa del Bo
Lisa del Bo
Lisa del Bo, was born Reinhilde Goossens on 9 June 1961 in Mopertingen, Belgium. She is a Belgian singer who is popular in her own country and also in Germany...
.
The song was performed sixteenth on the night, following the Netherlands
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...
' Maxine & Franklin Brown with "De eerste keer
De Eerste Keer
"De eerste keer" was the Dutch entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1996, performed in Dutch by Maxine & Franklin Brown.The song is a moderately up-tempo number, with the duo singing about getting back in touch with one another years after the end of their relationship...
" 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 Eimear Quinn
Eimear Quinn
Eimear Quinn is an Irish singer. Dublin born Eimear joined her first choir at four years of age and at fifteen she started formal vocal training at the College of Music under the tutelage of Jody Beggan. Eimear later graduated with a degree in Music from National University of Ireland Maynooth...
with "The Voice". At the close of voting, it had received 22 points, placing 16th in a field of 23.
The song features Del Bo likening love to a card game. She describes a relationship which appears not to have been based on honesty, which explains the metaphor. The song was recorded 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...
, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
(as "Comme au jeu de cartes"), 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...
("Love is Like a Card Game") and 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....
("Liebe ist ein Kartenspiel").
Due to the Contest's rapid expansion, entry in the 1997 Contest
Eurovision Song Contest 1997
The Eurovision Song Contest 1997, was the 42nd Eurovision Song Contest and it was held at the Point Theatre Dublin, Ireland, on 3 May 1997. Boyzone member Ronan Keating and Carrie Crowley were the presenters of the show....
was limited to those countries with the best average scores over the past five years - a group of which Belgium again was not a member, the first time being at the 1994 Contest
Eurovision Song Contest 1994
The Eurovision Song Contest 1994 was the 39th Eurovision Song Contest and was held on 30 April 1994 in the Point Theatre in Dublin, Ireland. The presenters were Cynthia Ní Mhurchú and Gerry Ryan. The pair hosted the evening in French, English and Irish...
. As a "passive country" (one which broadcast but did not enter the Contest), Belgium was however able to enter the 1998 edition. Thus, "Liefde is een kaartspel" was succeeded as Belgian representative
Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest
Belgium is a founding member of the Eurovision Song Contest. Since 1956, the country has participated 52 times, only being absent three times in total: in 1994, 1997 and 2001, due to low scores in the previous contests that relegated Belgium from the contest.-History of Belgium in the Eurovision...
at the 1998 Contest
Eurovision Song Contest 1998
The Eurovision Song Contest 1998 was the 43rd Eurovision Song Contest and was held on 9 May 1998 at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham, United Kingdom. The presenters were Terry Wogan and Ulrika Jonsson...
by Mélanie Cohl
Mélanie Cohl
Mélanie Cohl is a Belgian singer who represented her country in the Eurovision Song Contest 1998 with the song "Dis oui", written by Philippe Swan and scored 6th place.-External links:*...
singing "Dis oui
Dis Oui
"Dis oui" was the Belgian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1998, written by Philippe Swan and performed in French by Mélanie Cohl. The song was composed Belgian singer-songwriter Philippe Swan....
".
The song became part of a controversy after it was claimed that the 2001
Eurovision Song Contest 2001
The Eurovision Song Contest 2001 was the 46th Eurovision Song Contest and was held on 12 May 2001 in the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen, Denmark. It was the first time in 36 years that Denmark hosted the Eurovision Song Contest, thanks to the Olsen Brothers' win the previous year in Stockholm...
Swedish
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....
Eurovision entry "Listen To Your Heartbeat" was plagiarised from it. At first this was denied by the Swedish songwriters, one of whom was Thomas G:son
Thomas G:son
Thomas Gustafsson is a Swedish composer and musician from Skövde, Västergötland, Sweden, north-east of Göteborg. However, he is much more known nationally and internationally simply as Thomas G:son, his artistic name. Since 1998, Thomas has worked full time as a songwriter for the company G:songs...
, but after the Belgian songwriters and the author's organisation SABAM
SABAM
SABAM is the Belgian association of authors, composers and publishers. The acronym stands for "Société d’Auteurs Belge – Belgische Auteurs Maatschappij"....
pressed for legal action, a cash settlement was agreed.
Charts
| Chart (1996) | Peak position |
|---|