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Refrain (song)
Encyclopedia
"Refrain" was the winning song of the Eurovision Song Contest 1956
, co-written by Émile Gardaz
and Géo Voumard
, performed by Lys Assia
representing Switzerland
. It was the first-ever winner of the Contest, but not the first-ever performance by Switzerland. This apparent anomaly is due to the rules of the 1956 Contest allowing (for the only time to date) each competing country to be represented by two songs. Assia represented Switzerland singing both songs (one of only two performers to do this), and had previously performed "Das alte Karussell
" in German
("Refrain" was sung in French
).
The song is in the classic chanson mode and laments the lost loves of the singer's "adolescence" (the French original reads "vingt ans", which can also be rendered "twenties" in English).
The song was performed 9th on the night of the contest, following the Netherlands
' Corry Brokken
with "Voorgoed voorbij
" and preceding Belgium
's Mony Marc
"Le plus beau jour de ma vie
". It was the winner of the contest, however the number of points given to it was never revealed.
The song was succeeded as Contest winner in 1957 by Corry Brokken
representing the Netherlands
singing "Net als toen
".
The song was accompanied at the 1956 contest by Assia with "Das alte Karussell
" and was succeeded as Swiss representative at the 1957 contest
by Assia with "L'enfant que j'étais
".
Eurovision Song Contest 1956
The Eurovision Song Contest 1956 was the first edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, held at the Teatro Kursaal in Lugano, Switzerland on 24 May 1956...
, co-written by Émile Gardaz
Émile Gardaz
Émile Gardaz was a Swiss Romand radio moderator and author from Villars-le-Terroir, canton of Vaud, Switzerland, working for Radio suisse romande since 1955...
and Géo Voumard
Géo Voumard
Géo Voumard was a Swiss jazz pianist and composer. He was a co-founder of the Montreux Jazz Festival and composer of the song "Refrain" which won the first Eurovision Song Contest.- Biography :...
, performed by Lys Assia
Lys Assia
Lys Assia born Rosa Mina Schärer on 3 March 1924, Rupperswil, Aargau, Switzerland) is a Swiss singer who won the first Eurovision Song Contest in 1956. When Lys Assia was a young girl she was a dancer. In 1940, however, she stood in for a female singer...
representing Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. It was the first-ever winner of the Contest, but not the first-ever performance by Switzerland. This apparent anomaly is due to the rules of the 1956 Contest allowing (for the only time to date) each competing country to be represented by two songs. Assia represented Switzerland singing both songs (one of only two performers to do this), and had previously performed "Das alte Karussell
Das Alte Karussell
"Das alte Karussell" was the first Swiss entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1956.It was performed in German by Lys Assia.It is unknown what position the song finished, as only the winning song was announced....
" 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....
("Refrain" was sung in 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...
).
The song is in the classic chanson mode and laments the lost loves of the singer's "adolescence" (the French original reads "vingt ans", which can also be rendered "twenties" in English).
The song was performed 9th on the night of the contest, 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...
' Corry Brokken
Corry Brokken
Corry Brokken is a former Dutch singer.Brokken won the 1957 Eurovision Song Contest, representing the Netherlands singing "Net als toen"...
with "Voorgoed voorbij
Voorgoed Voorbij
"Voorgoed voorbij" was the second Dutch entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1956 - the only Contest where competing countries were permitted to enter two songs - performed in Dutch by Corry Brokken....
" and preceding 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 Mony Marc
Mony Marc
Mony Marc is a Belgian singer.She was the second singer to represent Belgium at the Eurovision Song Contest, in its first year 1956, singing "Le plus beau jour de ma vie" with music by Claude Alix and lyric by David Bee Mony Marc is a Belgian singer.She was the second singer to represent Belgium...
"Le plus beau jour de ma vie
Le Plus Beau Jour De Ma Vie
"Le plus beau jour de ma vie" was the second Belgian entry at the Eurovision Song Contest 1956, performed in French by Mony Marc....
". It was the winner of the contest, however the number of points given to it was never revealed.
The song was succeeded as Contest winner in 1957 by Corry Brokken
Corry Brokken
Corry Brokken is a former Dutch singer.Brokken won the 1957 Eurovision Song Contest, representing the Netherlands singing "Net als toen"...
representing 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...
singing "Net als toen
Net Als Toen
"Net als toen" was the winning song of the Eurovision Song Contest 1957 performed in Dutch by Corry Brokken representing the Netherlands....
".
The song was accompanied at the 1956 contest by Assia with "Das alte Karussell
Das Alte Karussell
"Das alte Karussell" was the first Swiss entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1956.It was performed in German by Lys Assia.It is unknown what position the song finished, as only the winning song was announced....
" and was succeeded as Swiss representative at the 1957 contest
Eurovision Song Contest 1957
The Eurovision Song Contest 1957 was the 2nd Eurovision Song Contest. Like the first contest, this one was still mainly a radio programme, but there was a noticeable increase in the number of people with televisions....
by Assia with "L'enfant que j'étais
L'enfant que j'étais
"L'enfant que j'étais" was the Swiss entry at the Eurovision Song Contest 1957, performed in French by Lys Assia.The song was performed last on the night, following Denmark's Birthe Wilke & Gustav Winckler with "Skibet skal sejle i nat"...
".