United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 1989

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United Kingdom in the
Eurovision Song Contest 1989

Eurovision Song Contest 1989
Participating broadcaster| British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
Country|  United Kingdom
Selection process| A Song for Europe 1989
Selection date| 24 March 1989
Competing entry
Song| "Why Do I Always Get It Wrong"
Artist| Live Report
Songwriters|

* Brian Hodgson
* John Beeby

Placement
Final result| 2nd, 130 points
Participation chronology
| ◄1988 • | 1989 | • 1990►

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The United Kingdom was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 1989 with the song "Why Do I Always Get It Wrong", composed by John Beeby, with lyrics by Brian Hodgson, and performed by Live Report. The British participating broadcaster, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), selected its entry through a national final.

## Before Eurovision

[edit]

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Find sources: "United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 1989" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (April 2025)

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### A Song for Europe 1989

[edit]

200 entrants were submitted to a panel of selectors to sing in the national final.[1]

The BBC held the final on 24 March 1989 at Studio 6 of the BBC Television Centre in London, featuring eight songs and hosted by Terry Wogan on BBC1. A separate results show was broadcast on BBC1 the same evening. BBC Radio 2 simulcast the final and also broadcast the results show, both with commentary by Ken Bruce.

The eight songs in contention to represent the United Kingdom were premiered in various programmes on BBC Radio 2 between 20 and 23 March.

The BBC Concert Orchestra under the direction of Ronnie Hazlehurst as conductor accompanied all but the winning song, but despite performing live, the orchestra were off-screen, behind the set. Hazlehurst conducted two live keyboard players who accompanied the UK entry’s backing track at the Eurovision final in Lausanne.

For the second year running the BBC convened a panel to pass comment on each of the songs. The panel comprised Deke Arlon, Gary Davies, Leslie Bricusse, and former Eurovision winner Lulu.

There were 300,000 televotes cast in 90 minutes of telephone lines being open for voting.

A Song for Europe 1989 – 24 March 1989[2] Draw  | Artist  | Song  | Songwriter(s)  | Televotes  | Place

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1  | Frankie Johnson  | "Back in the Groove"  | Bradley James, Stewart James  | 10,731  | 6
2  | James Oliver  | "Can't Stop Loving You"  | James Oliver  | 9,110  | 7
3  | Jane Alexander  | "Shame"  | Marwenna Haver, Peter Oxendale | 47,664  | 3
4  | Danny Ellis | "Just for the Good Times"  | Les Reed, David Reilly | 6,777  | 8
5  | Julie C  | "You Stepped Out of My Dreams"  | Bill Jessop, Jason Havenhand  | 51,449  | 2
6  | Live Report | "Why Do I Always Get It Wrong"  | Brian Hodgson, John Beeby  | 111,996  | 1
7  | The Pearls  | "Love Come Down"  | Joe Ortiz, Pauly Moore  | 33,279  | 4
8  | Linda Carroll  | "Heaven Help My Heart"  | Clark Sorely  | 17,084  | 5

## At Eurovision

[edit]

The 1989 contest was staged at the Palais de Beaulieu in Lausanne, Switzerland on 6 May. 22 countries participated, and the UK performed seventh on the night. Live Report took second place with 130 points, seven points behind the winners, Yugoslavia.[3]

### Voting

[edit]

Points awarded to the United Kingdom[4] | Score  | Country

|

12 points  |

*  France
*  Germany
*  Luxembourg
*  Norway
*  Portugal

10 points  |

*  Spain
*  Sweden

8 points  |  Austria
7 points  |

*  Israel
*  Netherlands

6 points  |

*  Finland
*  Italy
*  Yugoslavia

5 points  |
4 points  |  Ireland
3 points  |
2 points  |

*  Cyprus
*  Greece

1 point  |

*  Denmark
*  Turkey

Points awarded by the United Kingdom[4] | Score  | Country

|

12 points  |  Yugoslavia
10 points  |  Denmark
8 points  |   Switzerland
7 points  |  Spain
6 points  |  Cyprus
5 points  |  Greece
4 points  |  Sweden
3 points  |  Netherlands
2 points  |  Israel
1 point  |  Germany

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Marshall, William (18 March 1989). "Going for a song". Daily Mirror. London, United Kingdom. p. 11. Retrieved 22 March 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
2. ^ Roxburgh, Gordon (2016). Songs for Europe: The United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest. Volume Three: The 1980s. Prestatyn: Telos Publishing. pp. 351–369\. ISBN 978-1-84583-118-9.
3. ^ "Final of Lausanne 1989". European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 17 April 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
4. ^ a b "Results of the Final of Lausanne 1989". European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 17 April 2021. Retrieved 17 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 1989

Countries|

* Austria
* Belgium
* Cyprus
* Denmark
* Finland
* France
* Germany
* Greece
* Iceland
* Ireland
* Israel
* Italy
* Luxembourg
* Netherlands
* Norway
* Portugal
* Spain
* Sweden
* Switzerland
* Turkey
* United Kingdom
* Yugoslavia

Artists|

* Nino de Angelo
* Kiev Connolly and the Missing Passengers
* Da Vinci
* Thomas Forstner
* Furbaz
* Gili and Galit
* Daníel Ágúst Haraldsson
* Ingeborg
* Britt Synnøve Johansen
* Birthe Kjær
* Live Report
* Marianna
* Tommy Nilsson
* Nina
* Anna Oxa and Fausto Leali
* Pan
* Nathalie Pâque
* Park Café
* Justine Pelmelay
* Fani Polymeri and Yiannis Savvidakis
* Riva
* Anneli Saaristo

Songs|

* "Apopse as vrethoume"
* "Avrei voluto"
* "Bana Bana"
* "Blijf zoals je bent"
* "Conquistador"
* "Derekh Hamelekh"
* "La dolce vita"
* "Door de wind"
* "En dag"
* "Flieger"
* "J'ai volé la vie"
* "Monsieur"
* "Nacida para amar"
* "Nur ein Lied"
* "The Real Me"
* "Rock Me"
* "Það sem enginn sér"
* "To diko sou asteri"
* "Venners nærhet"
* "Vi maler byen rød"
* "Viver senza tei"
* "Why Do I Always Get It Wrong"

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