This Is Our Night
Encyclopedia
"This Is Our Night" is a song by Greek
singer Sakis Rouvas
, from the album Irthes
. It was selected as Greece's entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009
. The song was released as a digital download
along with the other candidate songs from the national final on February 25 and was soon released as a three track CD single and then included on the re-release of Rouvas' 2008 album Irthes which was renamed This Is Our Night
.
as one of the three candidates that Rouvas would sing for the Eurovision Song Contest 2009
. The lyrics were written by two Greek Australian
songwriters: Craig Porteils
, who had previously written and produced hits for Cher
, Billy Idol
, Tevin Campbell
, Richie Sambora
, Guns N' Roses
and Ozzy Osbourne
, and Cameron Giles-Webb, who is the president of Gusto Music. It is described as being a "powerful dance song".
where it placed first.
At the end of voting, "This Is Our Night" was revealed as the winner receiving over eighty percent of the votes. "Right on Time" and "Out of Control" placed second and third respectively.
during the second semi-final on May 14, 2009 and was one of the ten performances which qualified for the grand final. In the final on May 16, "This Is Our Night" finished in seventh place with a total of 120 points, receiving maximum 12 points from Albania
, Bulgaria
, and Cyprus
. The song therefore carried on Greece
's Eurovision success by finishing within the top-ten for the sixth consecutive year, thus making the country the second most successful entrant of the past decade, despite not having even participated in 2000. The event was watched by 86% of the Greek television audience.
The performance had extremely complex choreography
, with BBC News
announcing that "Greece's Sakis Rouvas had one of the more ambitious dance routines". Rouvas performed on a rotating podium
which transported him from left to right across the stage, was part of his group dance routine with four other performers and, in the end, was responsible for lifting him high into the air. In the same moment, a Greek flag is displayed on the floor, only visible to the television viewers. The final part of the performance was completed by silver fireworks
in two separate parts. The official Eurovision website states that, this year, Greece had made "high-tech advancements" in the contest's standards.
Whilst Rouvas was disappointed with his seventh place finish, announcing to Greek media "I am so sorry, I wanted us to win", there was still unanimous support towards the artist himself in the country. "Seventh in Europe
, first in our hearts" many journalists reported on Greek television. The media and public pronounced their support for Rouvas, the general consensus being that the artist gave it his best even though this did not translate in enough votes in the contest. All criticism in Greece focused on the selection of the song itself, rather than the artist's performance. Rouvas stated that, overall, it has all been a wonderful experience for him: "some win, some lose, personally, I gave everything I had. But it was a wonderful experience".
Some critics, including those from LGR, suggested the reason why Greece failed to achieve a higher placing was due to a lack of an ethnic-sounding song. He notes the way in which all of Greece's top-three placings, including Rouvas' performance of "Shake It
" in 2004, had an ethnic bouzouki
sound, as did the 2009 Azerbaijan
i and Turkish
entries which finished in third and fourth place respectively.
The Greek broadcaster ERT
has confirmed that Greece will participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010
.
The music video
for the song was filmed over two days over a total duration of 24 hours, finally wrapping up on February 24, while it was also reported that it would take around three days afterward for the final processing to be completed. The video was directed by Katya Tsaryk, a young but well-known Ukrainian director who also created the video for the 2008 Ukrainian entry
"Shady Lady
" for popular singer Ani Lorak
, being choreographed by Fokas Evangelinos. The shooting took place in Athens
, at two main locations. The first was at the STARZ club where Rouvas is performing along with the Maggira Sisters
for the winter season, set in front of a huge screen and many flashing lights, while the second is at the King George suite hotel, where the morning shooting took place. The rest of the video was shot around the city life of Athens, some shot solely by the cameramen while other filming was taking place, and other scenes featuring Rouvas. During the filming at STARZ, the doors were opened at 23:00 where reporters were allowed to enter, while Evangelinos, and the song's composer, Dimitris Kontopoulos, as well as Rouvas' entire entourage and some ERT staff were also present.
MAD TV reported that the video features the strong beat of the song in combination with bright flashing lights in a dark setting that give an intense erotic sensation, also stating that the general concept of the video is of people in love surrounding Rouvas who wanders the city to showcase its most impressive sights. ERT stated that their production gave their best for the creation of the video, which features impressive Athenian scenery, beautiful landscapes, a lot of color, and scenes of people having fun and performing energetic choreography and the use of elaborate lighting that underpin the video clip along with a strong combination of Athenian culture. The director, Tsaryk, expressed how impressed she was with Rouvas' professionalism and capabilities.
Upon wrapping up filming, ERT released two backstage videos, and also stated that it would soon be released all over Europe
as part of the promotion, while MAD TV also released a special photo report. On March 10, ERT released a special preview, while the video officially premiered exclusively on March 12 on the official Eurovision/ert.gr site as well as on television on ERT-NET
and ERT World for international audiences.
|-
|-
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
singer Sakis Rouvas
Sakis Rouvas
Anastasios "Sakis" Rouvas II , often referred to mononymously as Sakis, is a Greek musician, television and film artist, businessman, and former pole vaulter who is one of the most successful and influential entertainers of all time in Greece and Cyprus...
, from the album Irthes
Irthes
-This Is Our Night :-Singles:"+ Se Thelo""Irthes""This Is Our Night"'"Ksehna To Prin Kai To Meta"-Release history:-Promotion:...
. It was selected as Greece's entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009
Eurovision Song Contest 2009
The Eurovision Song Contest 2009 was the 54th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest and was hosted by Russia after their win in 2008. It took place between 12 and 16 May 2009 at the Olympic Indoor Arena in Moscow, Russia....
. The song was released as a digital download
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
along with the other candidate songs from the national final on February 25 and was soon released as a three track CD single and then included on the re-release of Rouvas' 2008 album Irthes which was renamed This Is Our Night
Irthes
-This Is Our Night :-Singles:"+ Se Thelo""Irthes""This Is Our Night"'"Ksehna To Prin Kai To Meta"-Release history:-Promotion:...
.
Production history
The song was produced by Dimitris KontopoulosDimitris Kontopoulos
Dimitris Kontopoulos is one of the most famous Greek music composers known for his dance-pop music.-Personal life:Dimitris Kontopoulos was born in Athens, Greece on November 9, 1971...
as one of the three candidates that Rouvas would sing for the Eurovision Song Contest 2009
Eurovision Song Contest 2009
The Eurovision Song Contest 2009 was the 54th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest and was hosted by Russia after their win in 2008. It took place between 12 and 16 May 2009 at the Olympic Indoor Arena in Moscow, Russia....
. The lyrics were written by two Greek Australian
Greek Australian
Greeks are the seventh-largest ethnic group in Australia, after those declaring their ancestry simply as "Australian". In the 2006 census, 365,147 persons declared having Greek ancestry, either alone or in conjunction with another ethnicity....
songwriters: Craig Porteils
Craig Porteils
Craig Porteils is a Greek Australian musical composer, songwriter, lyricist, guitarist, record producer, and former performer based out of Sydney, Australia.-Career:...
, who had previously written and produced hits for Cher
Cher
Cher is an American recording artist, television personality, actress, director, record producer and philanthropist. Referred to as the Goddess of Pop, she has won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, three Golden Globes and a Cannes Film Festival Award among others for her work in...
, Billy Idol
Billy Idol
William Michael Albert Broad , better known by his stage name Billy Idol, is an English rock musician. A member of the Bromley Contingent of Sex Pistols fans, Idol first achieved fame in the punk rock era as a member of the band Generation X...
, Tevin Campbell
Tevin Campbell
Tevin Jermod Campbell is an American R&B singer-songwriter and actor. He scored a string of R&B chart hits as a teenager in the early to mid-1990s.-Music career:...
, Richie Sambora
Richie Sambora
Richard Stephen "Richie" Sambora is an American rock guitarist, producer, musician, singer, and songwriter who is the longtime lead guitarist of the rock band, Bon Jovi. He and frontman Jon Bon Jovi form the primary songwriting unit of the band...
, Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...
and Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
, and Cameron Giles-Webb, who is the president of Gusto Music. It is described as being a "powerful dance song".
Lyrical content
Pertaining the song, Rouvas said:National final
The song was presented as the last performance of the press conference held on February 12, 2009 where the three songs were revealed. The song was performed by Rouvas at the Greek National FinalGreece in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009
Greece participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 with the song "This Is Our Night" sung by Sakis Rouvas. The Greek national television broadcaster Ellinikí Radiofonía Tileórasi announced that it had internally selected Rouvas to represent Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest on July 15,...
where it placed first.
At the end of voting, "This Is Our Night" was revealed as the winner receiving over eighty percent of the votes. "Right on Time" and "Out of Control" placed second and third respectively.
| Draw | Song | Composer - Lyricist | Percentage | Place |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Out of Control" | Dimitris Kontopoulos Dimitris Kontopoulos Dimitris Kontopoulos is one of the most famous Greek music composers known for his dance-pop music.-Personal life:Dimitris Kontopoulos was born in Athens, Greece on November 9, 1971... – Alexandra Zakka |
9% | 3 |
| 2 | "Right on Time" | Dimitris Kontopoulos Dimitris Kontopoulos Dimitris Kontopoulos is one of the most famous Greek music composers known for his dance-pop music.-Personal life:Dimitris Kontopoulos was born in Athens, Greece on November 9, 1971... – Craig Porteils Craig Porteils Craig Porteils is a Greek Australian musical composer, songwriter, lyricist, guitarist, record producer, and former performer based out of Sydney, Australia.-Career:... , Cameron Giles-Webb |
10% | 2 |
| 3 | "This Is Our Night" | Dimitris Kontopoulos Dimitris Kontopoulos Dimitris Kontopoulos is one of the most famous Greek music composers known for his dance-pop music.-Personal life:Dimitris Kontopoulos was born in Athens, Greece on November 9, 1971... – Craig Porteils Craig Porteils Craig Porteils is a Greek Australian musical composer, songwriter, lyricist, guitarist, record producer, and former performer based out of Sydney, Australia.-Career:... , Cameron Giles-Webb |
81% | 1 |
Eurovision
The song was performed in MoscowMoscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
during the second semi-final on May 14, 2009 and was one of the ten performances which qualified for the grand final. In the final on May 16, "This Is Our Night" finished in seventh place with a total of 120 points, receiving maximum 12 points from Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
, Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, and Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
. The song therefore carried on Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
's Eurovision success by finishing within the top-ten for the sixth consecutive year, thus making the country the second most successful entrant of the past decade, despite not having even participated in 2000. The event was watched by 86% of the Greek television audience.
The performance had extremely complex choreography
Choreography
Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements in which motion, form, or both are specified. Choreography may also refer to the design itself, which is sometimes expressed by means of dance notation. The word choreography literally means "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" ...
, with BBC News
BBC News
BBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
announcing that "Greece's Sakis Rouvas had one of the more ambitious dance routines". Rouvas performed on a rotating podium
Podium
A podium is a platform that is used to raise something to a short distance above its surroundings. It derives from the Greek πόδι In architecture a building can rest on a large podium. Podia can also be used to raise people, for instance the conductor of an orchestra stands on a podium as do many...
which transported him from left to right across the stage, was part of his group dance routine with four other performers and, in the end, was responsible for lifting him high into the air. In the same moment, a Greek flag is displayed on the floor, only visible to the television viewers. The final part of the performance was completed by silver fireworks
Fireworks
Fireworks are a class of explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. The most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display. A fireworks event is a display of the effects produced by firework devices...
in two separate parts. The official Eurovision website states that, this year, Greece had made "high-tech advancements" in the contest's standards.
Whilst Rouvas was disappointed with his seventh place finish, announcing to Greek media "I am so sorry, I wanted us to win", there was still unanimous support towards the artist himself in the country. "Seventh in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, first in our hearts" many journalists reported on Greek television. The media and public pronounced their support for Rouvas, the general consensus being that the artist gave it his best even though this did not translate in enough votes in the contest. All criticism in Greece focused on the selection of the song itself, rather than the artist's performance. Rouvas stated that, overall, it has all been a wonderful experience for him: "some win, some lose, personally, I gave everything I had. But it was a wonderful experience".
Some critics, including those from LGR, suggested the reason why Greece failed to achieve a higher placing was due to a lack of an ethnic-sounding song. He notes the way in which all of Greece's top-three placings, including Rouvas' performance of "Shake It
Shake It
Shake It may refer to:* Shake It All About - Danish comedy-drama from 2001 * "Shake It" - B-side of the "China Girl" single* "Shake It" - Debut single by Caesars...
" in 2004, had an ethnic bouzouki
Bouzouki
The bouzouki , is a musical instrument with Greek origin in the lute family. A mainstay of modern Greek music, the front of the body is flat and is usually heavily inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The instrument is played with a plectrum and has a sharp metallic sound, reminiscent of a mandolin but...
sound, as did the 2009 Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
i and Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
entries which finished in third and fourth place respectively.
The Greek broadcaster ERT
ERT
ERT can stand for:*Earth-received time, a measurement used when dealing with interplanetary spacecraft*Electrical resistivity tomography, a geophysical imaging technique...
has confirmed that Greece will participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010
Eurovision Song Contest 2010
The Eurovision Song Contest 2010 was the 55th annual Eurovision Song Contest, broadcast from the Telenor Arena in Bærum, Greater Oslo, Norway. It was the third time Norway had hosted the contest, having previously done so in 1986 and 1996. The 2010 winner was Germany with Lena singing "Satellite",...
.
Track listing
- Digital download
- "Right on Time" – 3:05
- "This Is Our Night" – 2:59
- "Out of Control" – 3:01
- CD single
- "This Is Our Night" – 2:59
- "Right on Time" – 3:05
- "Out of Control" – 3:01
Music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for the song was filmed over two days over a total duration of 24 hours, finally wrapping up on February 24, while it was also reported that it would take around three days afterward for the final processing to be completed. The video was directed by Katya Tsaryk, a young but well-known Ukrainian director who also created the video for the 2008 Ukrainian entry
Ukraine in the Eurovision Song Contest 2008
Ukraine competed in the second semi-final on the 22 May 2008, in the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 and won a place in the final. The country chose their singer by choosing an internal selection. Therefore they selected the young and talented singer Ani Lorak to be their representative for Eurovision...
"Shady Lady
Shady Lady
"Shady Lady" was the Ukrainian entry for the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest. It was sung by Ani Lorak, composed by Philipp Kirkorov and written by Karen Kavaleryan. However, in Greece, around the time of the Contest, there were many rumors stating that popular composer Dimitris Kontopoulos had...
" for popular singer Ani Lorak
Ani Lorak
Karolina Miroslavivna Kuiek, , popularly known as Ani Lorak , born 27 September 1978, Kitsman, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union, is a famous Ukrainian pop singer, songwriter, actress, entrepreneur, and former UN Goodwill Ambassador...
, being choreographed by Fokas Evangelinos. The shooting took place in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, at two main locations. The first was at the STARZ club where Rouvas is performing along with the Maggira Sisters
Maggira Sisters
Betty and Mathildi Maggira also known as "The Maggira sisters" are two Greek television presenters, and a comedy act. They are known for hosting the Greek Eurovision Song Contest selections and also being the commentators at the Eurovision Song Contest for ERT, the Greek network broadcasting the...
for the winter season, set in front of a huge screen and many flashing lights, while the second is at the King George suite hotel, where the morning shooting took place. The rest of the video was shot around the city life of Athens, some shot solely by the cameramen while other filming was taking place, and other scenes featuring Rouvas. During the filming at STARZ, the doors were opened at 23:00 where reporters were allowed to enter, while Evangelinos, and the song's composer, Dimitris Kontopoulos, as well as Rouvas' entire entourage and some ERT staff were also present.
MAD TV reported that the video features the strong beat of the song in combination with bright flashing lights in a dark setting that give an intense erotic sensation, also stating that the general concept of the video is of people in love surrounding Rouvas who wanders the city to showcase its most impressive sights. ERT stated that their production gave their best for the creation of the video, which features impressive Athenian scenery, beautiful landscapes, a lot of color, and scenes of people having fun and performing energetic choreography and the use of elaborate lighting that underpin the video clip along with a strong combination of Athenian culture. The director, Tsaryk, expressed how impressed she was with Rouvas' professionalism and capabilities.
Upon wrapping up filming, ERT released two backstage videos, and also stated that it would soon be released all over Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
as part of the promotion, while MAD TV also released a special photo report. On March 10, ERT released a special preview, while the video officially premiered exclusively on March 12 on the official Eurovision/ert.gr site as well as on television on ERT-NET
ERT
ERT can stand for:*Earth-received time, a measurement used when dealing with interplanetary spacecraft*Electrical resistivity tomography, a geophysical imaging technique...
and ERT World for international audiences.
Release history
| Region | Date | Label | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greece Greece Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe.... |
February 12, 2009 | Minos EMI Minos EMI Minos EMI is the domestic trade name of EMI Music Greece, a record company in Greece. It is the Greek record label division of the British-based, multinational EMI Group.... |
Radio single |
| February 25, 2009 | Minos EMI Minos EMI Minos EMI is the domestic trade name of EMI Music Greece, a record company in Greece. It is the Greek record label division of the British-based, multinational EMI Group.... |
Digital download Music download A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment... |
|
| Cyprus Cyprus Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the... |
February 12, 2009 | Minos EMI Minos EMI Minos EMI is the domestic trade name of EMI Music Greece, a record company in Greece. It is the Greek record label division of the British-based, multinational EMI Group.... |
Radio single |
| 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... |
March 23, 2009 | Minos EMI Minos EMI Minos EMI is the domestic trade name of EMI Music Greece, a record company in Greece. It is the Greek record label division of the British-based, multinational EMI Group.... |
Radio single |
| March 23, 2009 | Minos EMI Minos EMI Minos EMI is the domestic trade name of EMI Music Greece, a record company in Greece. It is the Greek record label division of the British-based, multinational EMI Group.... |
Digital download Music download A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment... |
Reception
The song received mostly positive reviews from critics and the commercial audience, being the favorite of all three songs to win the selection.Charts
| Chart (2009) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Swedish Singles Chart | 30 |
External links
|-
|-