Eurovision 1979: Jerusalem

For the first time the contest left Europe. Israel had won, and the 1979 show was held in Jerusalem, in a 3,104-seat auditorium at the International Convention Centre. Daniel Pe’er and Yardena Arazi presented.

It ended with a result decided by the very last jury to vote — the one with most to lose.

Turkey withdraws

Turkey had entered. Its song was chosen and it had a place in the running order, eleventh, between Israel and France.

Then it pulled out. Arab states had objected to a predominantly Muslim country taking part in a contest held in Israel, and Turkish television gave way to the pressure.

Yugoslavia stayed away as well, for political reasons, and did not show the contest — although almost a hundred thousand people had backed a return in a public poll. That left nineteen.

Borrowed cameras

Israeli television did not yet broadcast in colour, apart from a handful of special occasions. To make the show, it borrowed cameras from the BBC, just as Irish television had done in 1971.

The orchestra had 39 players, the only time it has been that size. Italy’s entry did not use it at all.

The stage, and the mimes

The set was built around a moving symbol based on the broadcaster’s logo, three concentric rings like a lamp. To one side, where the presenters stood, were plants of the country: prickly pear, date, pomegranate and orange.

The film that opened the programme showed Jerusalem’s monuments, those sacred to Judaism, to Christianity and to Islam, and the people who use them.

There were no films of the singers between songs. Instead a troupe of mime artists performed in front of drawings of each country’s landmarks. The interval was Israeli folk dancing.

Familiar faces

Anne-Marie David, who had won for Luxembourg in 1973, came back to sing for France. The Swiss trio Peter, Sue and Marc appeared for the third time, with reinforcements, and so, under a new stage name, did the Dutch singer Sandra Reemer.

Germany sent a group called Dschinghis Khan, singing a song called “Dschinghis Khan”.

One point behind, one jury to go

Israel went ahead early. Spain caught up and then built a lead of its own.

With one jury left to vote, Spain was in front by a single point. The jury that had not yet voted was Spain’s.

A country cannot vote for itself. The Spanish jury gave ten points to Israel, and that was that: “Hallelujah”, by Milk and Honey with Gali Atari, won by 125 to 116. Spain’s Betty Missiego was second and Anne-Marie David third.

Israel had won two years running. Only Spain and Luxembourg had done that before.

The corrections

It was the last year the points were read out in the order the songs had been performed, and it was a messy one. Several spokespeople gave the same number of points to two countries.

The worst mix-up involved the presenter. Yardena Arazi misunderstood the Spanish spokesperson, and the board showed Spain giving ten points to both Portugal and Israel. When the scores were checked afterwards, Portugal should have had six. Its total was cut by four, to 64.

From the following year, juries would announce their points from the lowest up to the highest. They have done it that way ever since.