Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest 1997

Eurovision Song Contest 1997

Participating broadcaster| Norsk rikskringkasting (NRK)
Country|  Norway
National selection
Selection process| Melodi Grand Prix 1997
Selection date(s)| 8 February 1997
Selected artist(s)| Tor Endresen
Selected song| "San Francisco"
Selected songwriter(s)|

* Tor Endresen
* Arne Myksvoll

Finals performance
Final result| 24th, 0 points
Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest
| ◄1996 • | 1997 | • 1998►

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Norway was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 1997 with the song "San Francisco", written by Tor Endresen and Arne Myksvoll, and performed by Endresen himself. The Norwegian participating broadcaster, Norsk rikskringkasting (NRK), organised the national final Melodi Grand Prix 1997 in order to select its entry for the contest. Eight entries competed in a show that took place on 8 February 1997 and the winner, "San Francisco" performed by Tor Endresen, was determined by the votes from a six-member jury panel and a public televote. Endresen won Melodi Grand Prix on his eighth attempt.

Norway competed in the Eurovision Song Contest which took place on 3 May 1997. Performing during the show in position 3, Norway placed twenty-fourth (joint last) out of the 25 participating countries and failed to score any points.

## Background

[edit]

Main article: Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest

Prior to the 1997 contest, Norsk rikskringkasting (NRK) had participated in the Eurovision Song Contest representing Norway 36 times since its first entry in 1960.[1] It had won the contest on two occasions: in 1985 with the song "La det swinge" performed by Bobbysocks!, and in 1995 with the song "Nocturne" performed by Secret Garden. It also had the two distinctions of having finished last in the Eurovision final more than any other country and for having the most nul points (zero points) in the contest, the latter being a record the nation shared together with Austria. It had finished last seven times and had failed to score a point during four contests.

As part of its duties as participating broadcaster, NRK organises the selection of its entry in the Eurovision Song Contest and broadcasts the event in the country. The broadcaster has traditionally organised the national final Melodi Grand Prix to select its entry for the contest in all but one of its participation. NRK organized of Melodi Grand Prix 1997 in order to select its 1997 entry.[2]

## Before Eurovision

[edit]

### Melodi Grand Prix 1997

[edit]

Tor Endresen won Melodi Grand Prix on his eighth attempt in the competition

Melodi Grand Prix 1997 was the 36th edition of the national final Melodi Grand Prix and was organised by NRK to select its entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 1997. Eight songs, selected for the competition by a three-member jury panel from 350 received submissions, competed during the final which was televised on NRK1 on 8 February 1997 and hosted by Tande-P.[3][4] A live orchestra conducted by Geir Langslet accompanied each performance in varying capacities and the combination of votes from public televoting (60%) and an expert jury (40%) led to the victory of "San Francisco" performed by Tor Endresen.[5] The jury consisted of H.C. Andersen (NRK P3 radio host), Elisabeth Andreassen (singer), Kari Gjærum (singer), Ole Evenrud (producer), Leif Erik Forberg (TV3 presenter) and Frode Viken (composer).[6] The national final was watched by 1.308 million viewers in Norway.[7]

70,000 votes were registered by the televote during the show, however Telenor later revealed that at least 400,000 additional votes were unable to be registered due to technical issues, which led to strong dissatisfaction from viewers that failed to cast their votes during the 15-minute window.[8] There was also criticism of Tor Endresen's victory as several of the jury members were friends of Endresen; Elisabeth Andreassen told the press that "Endresen deserved to win" regardless of what song he participated with.[9]

Final – 8 February 1997  Draw  | Artist  | Song  | Songwriter(s)  | Percentage  | Place

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1  | Marianne E. Olsen  | "Min egen superstar"  | Marianne Elstad Olsen, Henning Hoel Eriksen, Fredrik Friis | 11.3%  | 5
2  | Angela Kim Lewis  | "So ro lille tull"  | Torstein Bieler, Chris Påhlman, Nora Skaug  | 14.3%  | 3
3  | Guro Håvik  | "Consensus"  | Gunnar Lorentzen  | 10.6%  | 6
4  | Penthouse Playboys  | "Om du elsket meg"  | Kjetil Rolness, Jørn Mortensen  | 12.6%  | 4
5  | Geir Rønning | "Venter på deg"  | Are Selheim  | 7.0%  | 7
6  | Beate Olsen  | "Rolig"  | Beate Olsen  | 2.9%  | 8
7  | Tor Endresen | "San Francisco"  | Tor Endresen, Arne Myksvoll  | 23.9%  | 1
8  | Manjari | "Lys"  | Rune Lindstrøm | 18.0%  | 2

## At Eurovision

[edit]

The Eurovision Song Contest 1997 took place at the Point Theatre in Dublin, Ireland, on 3 May 1997.

According to Eurovision rules, the twenty-four countries which had obtained the highest average number of points over the last four contests competed in the final on 3 May 1997.[10] On 28 November 1996, an allocation draw was held which determined the running order and Norway was set to perform in position 3, following the entry from Turkey and before the entry from Austria.[11] Heading into the final of the contest, Norway was considered by bookmakers to be the seventeenth most likely country to win the competition.[12] The Norwegian conductor at the contest was Geir Langslet and Norway finished in twenty-fourth (joint-last) place failing to score any points.[13]

In Norway, the contest was broadcast on NRK1 with commentary by Jostein Pedersen as well as broadcast via radio on NRK P1 with commentary by Kristian Lindeman.[14][15] NRK appointed Ragnhild Sælthun Fjørtoft as its spokesperson to announce the Norwegian votes during the show.

### Voting

[edit]

Norway did not receive any points at the 1997 Eurovision Song Contest. The nation awarded its 12 points to France in the contest with the full breakdown of points awarded by Norway displayed below.[16]

Points awarded by Norway[17] Score  | Country

|

12 points  |  France
10 points  |  Malta
8 points  |  Sweden
7 points  |  Denmark
6 points  |  United Kingdom
5 points  |  Greece
4 points  |  Poland
3 points  |  Ireland
2 points  |  Cyprus
1 point  |  Russia

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Norway Country Profile". EBU. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
2. ^ "Norway: Melodi Grand Prix 1997". Eurovisionworld. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
3. ^ Jacobsen, Hasse Christian. "MGP 1997 -" (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 20 May 2024.
4. ^ "8. Februar". Sarpsborg Arbeiderblad (in Norwegian). 7 February 1992. p. 35. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
5. ^ ESC National Finals database 1997
6. ^ Melodi Grand Prix 1997 - norsk finale (in Norwegian Bokmål). 13 January 2023. Retrieved 20 May 2024 - via tv.nrk.no.
7. ^ Brunmark, Kristine (11 February 1997). "Nedover med GP". Verdens Gang (in Norwegian).
8. ^ "Endelig, Tor!". Verdens Gang (in Norwegian). 9 February 1997. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
9. ^ Kato M. Hansen. "Norway national final 1997" in OGAE News 56/57, 1997:19.
10. ^ "Rules of the Eurovision Song Contest (Part 1)". Radió Telefís Éireann. Archived from the original on 2 February 1999. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
11. ^ "Rules of the Eurovision Song Contest (Part 1)". Radió Telefís Éireann. Archived from the original on 2 February 1999. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
12. ^ "What are the Odds?". Radio Telefís Éireann. Archived from the original on 24 February 1999. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
13. ^ "Final of Dublin 1997". European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 14 April 2021. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
14. ^ "Radio- og TV-Programmene – Lørdag 3. mai 1997" [Radio and TV Programmes – Saturday 3 May 1997]. Moss Dagblad (in Norwegian). 3 May 1997. pp. 38–40. Retrieved 26 June 2022 - via National Library of Norway.
15. ^ "Norgeskanalen NRK P1 – Kjøreplan lørdag 3. mai 1997" [The Norwegian channel NRK P1 – Schedule Saturday 3 May 1997] (in Norwegian). NRK. 3 May 1997. pp. 16–17. Retrieved 20 June 2022 - via National Library of Norway. (subscription may be required or content may be available in libraries)
16. ^ "Results of the Final of Dublin 1997". European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 14 April 2021. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
17. ^ "Results of the Final of Dublin 1997". European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 14 April 2021. Retrieved 14 April 2021.

* v
* t
* e

Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest

Melodi Grand Prix

Participation|

* 1960
* 1961
* 1962
* 1963
* 1964
* 1965
* 1966
* 1967
* 1968
* 1969
* 1971
* 1972
* 1973
* 1974
* 1975
* 1976
* 1977
* 1978
* 1979
* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* ~~2020~~
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024

Artists|

* Agnete
* Alessandra
* Elisabeth Andreassen
* Bendik Singers
* Arne Bendiksen
* Margaret Berger
* Bobbysocks!
* Benny Borg
* Odd Børre
* Nora Brockstedt
* Charmed
* Jan Werner Danielsen
* Dollie de Luxe
* Tor Endresen
* Carl Espen
* Lars A. Fredriksen
* Gåte
* Kate Gulbrandsen
* Christine Guldbrandsen
* Mattis Hætta
* Jostein Hasselgård
* Inger Jacobsen
* Britt Synnøve Johansen
* Jowst
* Just 4 Fun
* Finn Kalvik
* Grethe Kausland
* Keiino
* Sverre Kjelsberg
* Åse Kleveland
* Hanne Krogh
* Karoline Krüger
* Haldor Lægreid
* Mørland
* Stella Mwangi
* Ellen Nikolaysen
* Alexander Rybak
* Debrah Scarlett
* Guri Schanke
* Secret Garden
* Anita Skorgan
* Didrik Solli-Tangen
* Knut Anders Sørum
* Kirsti Sparboe
* Ketil Stokkan
* Maria Haukaas Storeng
* Anne-Karine Strøm
* Subwoolfer
* Jahn Teigen
* Anita Thallaug
* Tix
* Tooji
* Merethe Trøan
* ~~Ulrikke~~
* Stig van Eijk
* Silje Vige
* Wig Wam

Songs|

* "Adieu"
* "Aldri i livet"
* "Alle mine tankar"
* "Alltid sommer"
* "Alvedansen"
* ~~"Attention"~~
* "Brandenburger Tor"
* "Casanova"
* "Do Re Mi"
* "Duett"
* "Dukkemann"
* "Fairytale"
* "Fallen Angel"
* "The First Day of Love"
* "For vår jord"
* "Give That Wolf a Banana"
* "Grab the Moment"
* "Haba Haba"
* "High"
* "Hold On Be Strong"
* "I evighet"
* "I Feed You My Love"
* "Icebreaker"
* "I'm Not Afraid to Move On"
* "In My Dreams"
* "Intet er nytt under solen"
* "It's Just A Game"
* "Karusell"
* "Kom sol, kom regn"
* "La det swinge"
* "Lenge leve livet"
* "Living My Life Without You"
* "Lykken er"
* "Mata Hari"
* "Mil etter mil"
* "Mitt liv"
* "A Monster Like Me"
* "Mrs. Thompson"
* "My Heart Goes Boom"
* "My Heart Is Yours"
* "Nocturne"
* "Oj, oj, oj, så glad jeg skal bli"
* "Oliver"
* "On My Own"
* "Queen of Kings"
* "Romeo"
* "Sámiid ædnan"
* "San Francisco"
* "Silent Storm"
* "Småting"
* "Solhverv"
* "Sommer i Palma"
* "Spiral"
* "Spirit in the Sky"
* "Stay"
* "Stress"
* "That's How You Write a Song"
* "Touch My Life (with Summer)"
* "Ulveham"
* "Ven a bailar conmigo"
* "Venners nærhet"
* "Visjoner"
* "Voi Voi"

* Note: Entries scored out signify where Norway did not compete

* v
* t
* e

Eurovision Song Contest 1997

Countries|

* Austria
* Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Croatia
* Cyprus
* Denmark
* Estonia
* France
* Germany
* Greece
* Hungary
* Iceland
* Ireland
* Italy
* Malta
* Netherlands
* Norway
* Poland
* Portugal
* Russia
* Slovenia
* Spain
* Sweden
* Switzerland
* Turkey
* United Kingdom

Artists|

* Barbara Berta
* Blond
* Alma Čardžić
* Tor Endresen
* E.N.I
* Fanny
* Jalisse
* Anna Maria Jopek
* Katrina and the Waves
* Kølig Kaj
* Hara and Andreas Konstantinou
* Célia Lawson
* Maarja
* Marcos Llunas
* Mrs. Einstein
* Paul Oscar
* Şebnem Paker and Grup Ethnic
* Alla Pugacheva
* Tanja Ribič
* Marc Roberts
* Debbie Scerri
* Bianca Shomburg
* Bettina Soriat
* V.I.P.
* Marianna Zorba

Songs|

* "Ale jestem"
* "Antes do adeus"
* "Bara hon älskar mig"
* "Dentro di me"
* "Dinle"
* "Fiumi di parole"
* "Goodbye"
* "Horepse"
* "Keelatud maa"
* "Let Me Fly"
* "Love Shine a Light"
* "Mana mou"
* "Miért kell, hogy elmenj?"
* "Minn hinsti dans"
* "Mysterious Woman"
* "Niemand heeft nog tijd"
* "One Step"
* "Primadonna"
* "Probudi me"
* "San Francisco"
* "Sentiments songes"
* "Sin rencor"
* "Stemmen i mit liv"
* "Zbudi se"
* "Zeit"

* v
* t
* e

Melodi Grand Prix

* History

* Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest

Contests|

* 1960
* 1961
* 1962
* 1963
* 1964
* 1965
* 1966
* 1967
* 1968
* 1969
* 1971
* 1972
* 1973
* 1974
* 1975
* 1976
* 1977
* 1978
* 1979
* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024

Artists|

| Winners|

* Nora Brockstedt
* Nora Brockstedt
* Inger Jacobsen
* Anita Thallaug
* Arne Bendiksen
* Kirsti Sparboe
* Åse Kleveland
* Kirsti Sparboe
* Odd Børre
* Kirsti Sparboe
* Hanne Krogh
* Grethe Kausland & Benny Borg
* Bendik Singers
* Anne-Karine Strøm
* Ellen Nikolaysen
* Anne-Karine Strøm
* Anita Skorgan
* Jahn Teigen
* Anita Skorgan
* Sverre Kjelsberg & Mattis Hætta
* Finn Kalvik
* Jahn Teigen & Anita Skorgan
* Jahn Teigen
* Dollie de Luxe
* Bobbysocks!
* Ketil Stokkan
* Kate Guldbrandsen
* Karoline Krüger
* Britt Synnøve Johansen
* Ketil Stokkan
* Merethe Trøan
* Silje Vige
* Elisabeth Andreassen & Jan Werner Danielsen
* Secret Garden
* Elisabeth Andreassen
* Tor Endresen
* Lars A. Fredriksen
* Stig van Eijk
* Charmed
* Haldor Lægreid
* Jostein Hasselgård
* Knut Anders Sørum
* Wig Wam
* Christine Guldbrandsen
* Guri Schanke
* Maria Haukaas Storeng
* Alexander Rybak
* Didrik Solli-Tangen
* Stella Mwangi
* Tooji
* Margaret Berger
* Carl Espen
* Mørland & Debrah Scarlett
* Agnete
* Jowst feat. Aleksander Walmann
* Alexander Rybak
* Keiino
* Ulrikke Brandstorp
* Tix
* Subwoolfer
* Alessandra
* Gåte

|

* A1
* Stephen Ackles
* Adelén
* Åge Aleksandersen
* Lene Alexandra
* Maria Arredondo
* Per Asplin
* Avalanche
* Beady Belle
* Arne Bendiksen
* Julie Bergan
* Bjelleklang
* The BlackSheeps
* Jens Book-Jenssen
* Odd Børre
* Erlend Bratland
* Belinda Braza
* Elisabeth Carew
* Charmed
* Cir.Cuz
* Mira Craig
* Carina Dahl
* Linnea Dale
* Laila Dalseth
* Tone Damli
* Jan Werner Danielsen
* Dizzie Tunes
* Dollie de Luxe
* D'Sound
* Jan Eggum
* Bjørn Eidsvåg
* Birgitte Einarsen
* Tor Endresen
* Jorun Erdal
* Lars A. Fredriksen
* Alejandro Fuentes
* Susanne Fuhr
* Mikkel Gaup
* Siri Gellein
* Kari Gjærum
* Rolf Graf
* Trond Granlund
* Kate Gulbrandsen
* Brit Elisabeth Haagensli
* Jostein Hasselgård
* Anita Hegerland
* Hilde Heltberg
* Jan Høiland
* Tom Hugo
* Kristin Husøy
* Infinity
* Stein Ingebrigtsen
* Nora Foss al-Jabri
* Inger Jacobsen
* Jorn
* Freddy Kalas
* Finn Kalvik
* Grethe Kausland
* Keep of Kalessin
* Kikki, Bettan & Lotta
* Venke Knutson
* Karin Krog
* Hanne Krogh
* Karoline Krüger
* Philip Kruse
* Haldor Lægreid
* Jenny Langlo
* Marika Lejon
* Lill-Babs
* Rolf Løvland
* Manjari
* Ida Maria
* Chris Medina
* Grynet Molvig
* Bjørn Johan Muri
* Wenche Myhre
* Silje Nergaard
* Ellen Nikolaysen
* Gaute Ormåsen
* Ovi
* Daniel Owen
* Karin Park
* Atle Pettersen
* Queentastic
* Trine Rein
* Geir Rønning
* Alexandra Rotan
* Rune Rudberg
* Inger Lise Rypdal
* Claudia Scott
* Amina Sewali
* Sichelle
* Sie Gubba
* Silya
* Halvdan Sivertsen
* Maria Solheim
* Emil Solli-Tangen
* Dag Spantell
* Kirsti Sparboe
* Olav Stedje
* Alexander Stenerud
* Anne-Karine Strøm
* Øystein Sunde
* Surferosa
* Anita Thallaug
* Radka Toneff
* Heine Totland
* Kristian Valen
* Marthe Valle
* Silje Vige
* Hank von Hell
* Sølvi Wang

Melodi Grand Prix Junior
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