United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 1972

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United Kingdom in the
Eurovision Song Contest 1972

Eurovision Song Contest 1972
Participating broadcaster| British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
Country|  United Kingdom
Selection process| Artist: Internal selection
Song: A Song for Europe 1972
Selection date| 12 February 1972
Competing entry
Song| "Beg, Steal or Borrow"
Artist| The New Seekers
Songwriters|

* Tony Cole
* Steve Wolfe
* Graeme Hall

Placement
Final result| 2nd, 114 points
Participation chronology
| ◄1971 • | 1972 | • 1973►

|
|

The United Kingdom was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 1972 with the song "Beg, Steal or Borrow", written by Tony Cole, Steve Wolfe, and Graeme Hall, and performed by The New Seekers. The British participating broadcaster, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), selected its entry through a national final, after having previously selected the performers internally. In addition, the BBC was also the host broadcaster and staged the event at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh, after the winner of the previous edition, Télé Monte Carlo (TMC) from Monaco, opted not to host the event.

## Before Eurovision

[edit]

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Find sources: "United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 1972" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (April 2025)

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### Artist selection

[edit]

Contemporary press reports suggested that Cliff Richard was the first artist selected to represent the UK in 1972 by the BBC, but he was already committed to a concert on the date of the contest - 25 March 1972 - and was thus unavailable. As The New Seekers were booked to appear on his 1972 UK series, the BBC opted to offer them the opportunity. The group had just spent five weeks at No.2 with the song "Never Ending Song of Love" when they were confirmed as the UK entrants and their single "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing" hit No.1 for four weeks at the same week the group began presenting the six short listed songs weekly on the Cliff Richard show.

### A Song for Europe 1972

[edit]

The show was held on 12 February 1972 and presented by Cliff Richard as a special edition of his BBC1 TV series It's Cliff Richard! All songs were performed by the group The New Seekers, the first group ever to represent the UK in the contest and the first quintet ever to appear in Eurovision as a group. "Beg, Steal or Borrow" was chosen by viewers who cast votes via postcard through the mail. The UK was undergoing national and regional power cuts during the winter of 1972, due to a coal mining strike, leading to many viewers missing the broadcast of the six songs and the result the following week. The postal vote was thus lower than in previous years, but the winner still received 62,584 votes.

A Song for Europe 1972 - 12 February 1972[1] Draw  | Song  | Songwriter(s)  | Votes  | Place

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|
|
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1  | "Out on the Edge of Beyond"  | John Bendall, Mike Sammes  | 14,645  | 3
2  | "Sing Out"  | Ronnie Dunlop  | 7,412  | 5
3  | "Why Can't We All Get Together"  | Ray Davies | 11,337  | 4
4  | "One by One"  | Mike Leander, Eddie Seago  | 27,314  | 2
5  | "Songs of Praise"  | Roy Wood | 3,842  | 6
6  | "Beg, Steal or Borrow"  | Tony Cole, Steve Wolfe, Graeme Hall  | 62,584  | 1

### Chart success

[edit]

The group released all six songs from the UK final shortly after the contest. The winner, together with the runner up "One By One", was released on single and spent three weeks at No. 2 in the UK singles chart. Both tracks were then included in the album We'd Like to Teach the World to Sing, together with the last placed song "Songs of Praise". The album was also a No. 2 hit in the UK. Roy Wood who had composed the last placed entry released his own version of the track on the B-side of his 1973 No. 18 hit "Dear Elaine". Later in 1972, the remaining three songs from the UK final were released by The New Seekers in the budget LP What Have They Done To My Song, Ma? released on the Contour label. In subsequent years, all six songs by the group have been released on CD compilations.

## At Eurovision

[edit]

"Beg, Steal or Borrow" won the national and went on to come second in the contest.[2]

This was also the only Eurovision Song Contest between 1971 and 2008 in which Terry Wogan had no involvement with. Actor and royal commentator Tom Fleming provided the BBC Television commentary, whilst Pete Murray provided the radio commentary for BBC Radio 1 and 2 listeners. The contest was seen by 9.1 million viewers.[3]

Each country nominated two jury members, one below the age of 25 and the other above, who voted for their respective country by giving between one and five points to each song, except that representing their own country. All jury members were colocated in the Grand Hall of Edinburgh Castle. The jury members from the United Kingdom were Doreen Samuels and Robert Walker.[4]

### Voting

[edit]

Points awarded to the United Kingdom[5] | Score  | Country

|

10 points  |  Norway
9 points  |

* France
* Monaco
* Yugoslavia

8 points  |

* Germany
* Luxembourg
* Netherlands
* Switzerland

7 points  |

* Austria
* Finland
* Italy

6 points  |

* Ireland
* Sweden

5 points  |
4 points  |

* Belgium
* Portugal

3 points  |
2 points  |

* Malta
* Spain

Points awarded by the United Kingdom[5] | Score  | Country

|

10 points  |  Luxembourg
9 points  |

* France
* Netherlands

8 points  |
7 points  |
6 points  |  Malta
5 points  |

* Belgium
* Finland
* Germany
* Monaco
* Yugoslavia

4 points  |

* Ireland
* Norway
* Portugal
* Switzerland

3 points  |

* Austria
* Italy
* Spain
* Sweden

2 points  |

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Roxburgh, Gordon (2014). Songs for Europe: The United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest. Volume Two: The 1970s. Prestatyn: Telos Publishing. pp. 65–75\. ISBN 978-1-84583-093-9.
2. ^ "Final of Edinburgh 1972". Eurovision Song Contest. Archived from the original on 9 April 2021. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
3. ^ "Song contest seen in 9m homes". The Daily Telegraph. London, United Kingdom. 5 April 1972. p. 15. Retrieved 19 March 2025 - via Newspapers.com.
4. ^ Roxburgh, Gordon (2014). Songs for Europe: The United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest. Volume Two: The 1970s. Prestatyn, United Kingdom: Telos Publishing. pp. 60, 89. ISBN 978-1-84583-093-9.
5. ^ a b "Results of the Final of Edinburgh 1972". European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 9 April 2021. Retrieved 9 April 2021.

* v
* t
* e

United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest

National selection (former; contestants)

Participation|

* 1957
* 1959
* 1960
* 1961
* 1962
* 1963
* 1964
* 1965
* 1966
* 1967
* 1968
* 1969
* 1970
* 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
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* ~~2020~~
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024
* 2025

Artists|

* Andy Abraham
* Olly Alexander
* The Allisons
* Michael Ball
* Bardo
* Belle and the Devotions
* Black Lace
* Blue
* Patricia Bredin
* Brotherhood of Man
* Bucks Fizz
* Pearl Carr and Teddy Johnson
* Ronnie Carroll
* Co-Co
* Josh Dubovie
* Electro Velvet
* Emma
* Jade Ewen
* Scott Fitzgerald
* James Fox
* Nicki French
* Jessica Garlick
* Gina G
* Mary Hopkin
* Engelbert Humperdinck
* Imaani
* Samantha Janus
* Javine
* Jemini
* Joe and Jake
* Bryan Johnson
* Lucie Jones
* Katrina and the Waves
* Kathy Kirby
* Lindsay
* Live Report
* Love City Groove
* Lulu
* Kenneth McKellar
* Molly
* Matt Monro
* Mike Moran
* Mae Muller
* The New Seekers
* James Newman
* Olivia Newton-John
* Lynsey de Paul
* Precious
* Prima Donna
* Remember Monday
* Michael Rice
* Cliff Richard
* Rikki
* Clodagh Rodgers
* Frances Ruffelle
* Ryder
* Sam Ryder
* Daz Sampson
* Scooch
* The Shadows
* Sandie Shaw
* Sonia
* SuRie
* Sweet Dreams
* Bonnie Tyler
* Vikki

Songs|

* "All"
* "Are You Sure?"
* "The Bad Old Days"
* "Beg, Steal or Borrow"
* "Believe in Me"
* "Better the Devil You Know"
* "Bigger than Us"
* "Boom Bang-a-Bang"
* "Children of the Universe"
* "Come Back"
* "Congratulations"
* "Cry Baby"
* "Dizzy"
* "Don't Play That Song Again"
* "Embers"
* "Even If"
* "Flying the Flag (For You)"
* "Give a Little Love Back to the World"
* "Go"
* "Hold On to Our Love"
* "I Belong"
* "I Can"
* "I Love the Little Things"
* "I Wrote a Song"
* "I'm Never Giving Up"
* "It's My Time"
* "Jack in the Box"
* "Knock, Knock Who's There?"
* "Let Me Be the One"
* "Long Live Love"
* "Looking High, High, High"
* "Love City Groove"
* "Love Enough for Two"
* "Love Games"
* "Love Is..."
* "Love Shine a Light"
* "Love Will Set You Free"
* "Making Your Mind Up"
* "A Man Without Love"
* "Mary Ann"
* "A Message to Your Heart"
* ~~"My Last Breath"~~
* "Never Give Up on You"
* "No Dream Impossible"
* "One Step Further"
* "One Step Out of Time"
* "Only the Light"
* "Ooh Aah... Just a Little Bit"
* "Power to All Our Friends"
* "Puppet on a String"
* "Ring-A-Ding Girl"
* "Rock Bottom"
* "Runner in the Night"
* "Save Your Kisses for Me"
* "Say It Again"
* "Say Wonderful Things"
* "Sing, Little Birdie"
* "Space Man"
* "Still in Love with You"
* "Storm"
* "Teenage Life"
* "That Sounds Good to Me"
* "Touch My Fire"
* "We Will Be Free (Lonely Symphony)"
* "What the Hell Just Happened?"
* "Where Are You?"
* "Why Do I Always Get It Wrong"
* "You're Not Alone"

* Note: Entries scored out signify where the United Kingdom did not compete. Italics indicate an entry in a future contest.
* See also: UK Eurovision discography

* v
* t
* e

Eurovision Song Contest 1972

Countries|

* Austria
* Belgium
* Finland
* France
* Germany
* Ireland
* Italy
* Luxembourg
* Malta
* Monaco
* Netherlands
* Norway
* Portugal
* Spain
* Sweden
* Switzerland
* United Kingdom
* Yugoslavia

Artists|

* Nicola Di Bari
* Family Four
* Serge and Christine Ghisoland
* Anne-Marie Godart and Peter MacLane
* Helen and Joseph
* Sandie Jones
* Grethe Kausland and Benny Borg
* Tereza Kesovija
* Vicky Leandros
* Betty Mars
* Carlos Mendes
* Milestones
* Jaime Morey
* Véronique Müller
* The New Seekers
* Päivi Paunu and Kim Floor
* Mary Roos
* Sandra and Andres

Songs|

* "À la folie ou pas du tout"
* "Als het om de liefde gaat"
* "Amanece"
* "Après toi"
* "Beg, Steal or Borrow"
* "C'est la chanson de mon amour"
* "Ceol an Ghrá"
* "Comé-comédie"
* "Comme on s'aime"
* "Falter im Wind"
* "A festa da vida"
* "I giorni dell'arcobaleno"
* "Härliga sommardag"
* "L-imħabba"
* "Muistathan"
* "Muzika i ti"
* "Nur die Liebe läßt uns leben"
* "Småting"

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