100 Days. 100 Songs. The Big Eurovision Countdown

The 7th of February marked exactly 100 hundred days until Eurovision, it seems fitting to celebrate this by counting down 100 days with 100 songs. The last sixty three years has brought us nearly eighteen hundred fantastic, and unique Eurovision entries that some will love, whist others might not like so much. Each day we will bring you a song, and give you details on how it performed at the contest, but also information on the artist, and find out what happened next? Join us on this journey as we countdown from day 100 to 1 where we will have another 43 songs to add to this list.

Day 95- Joy Fleming - "Ein Lied kann eine Brücke sein" For Germany 1975

The year was 1975, and the contest was being held in Sweden for the very first time. It came live from from the Stockholmsmässan, Stockholm, and was hosted by Karin Falk. Earlier, than some years, the show was broadcast on the 22nd March 1975, and it was thanks to Abba's Waterloo that the contest would come to Sweden for the first time. It was also a year of records that saw nineteen nations compete, which beat the previous contest by one country. Eurovision was getting bigger. It would be a two horse race that would see the United Kingdom come second once again, and the Netherland's would take the crown for the fourth time, when "Teach-In" would sing their hit "Ding-a-Dong". Greece withdrew this year, that saw Turkey make it's debut. France, and Malta had also decided to re-join the competition.

The late Joy Fleming would be Germany's representative this year. Although she did not win, her performance was perhaps one of the more notable ones, and is certainly an evergreen of the competition. It deserved a higher placing. "Ein Lied kann eine Brücke sein" was the entry which would see Germany place 17th out of nineteen songs, scoring 15 points. She scored points from 3 countries. Luxembourg were to award her 8, Malta gave the song 3 points, whilst Spain would give it 4 points. Check the entry out below:

Who Is Joy Fleming?

Erna Raad, known as Joy Fleming was born in Mannheim, on the 15th November 1944, and was best known for her Eurovision Song Contest debut in 1975. Her singing career started young, and she began performing from the age of 14, that saw her win a German talent show. It was her performance of another Eurovision song from 1959, “Ciao, ciao bambina” that would propel her into stardom. Her career really took off in the 60's where her style of music, that featured the Jazz and Blue genre was very popular. Especially in Mannheim where she would perform for the American soldiers. Her band "Joy Unlimited" saw even more notoriety. It was however, when she were to become a soloist in 1971 that her career really took off internationally. The Eurovision Song Contest would add an even greater fandom internationally, as her entry is still very highly regarded today.

What Happened After Eurovision?

Despite the over all result of her Eurovision entry, it would not stop this singer. In 1976 she would release another album. She would continue singing around Germany, and would still have a passion for Eurovision, that would see her attempt to represent her home nation on two further attempts. The first came in 1986 when she and Marc Berry would duet with the song, “Miteinander”. This placed fourth. She would also try again in 2002 when she would sing, "Joy To The World". This would place second, and see Corina May represent Germany that year. Sadly on the 27th September 2017, this wonderful singer passed away, aged 72, leaving a wonderful legacy behind her. "Ein Lied kann eine Brücke sein" is a classic song. Thank you for the music Joy Fleming.

Have you heard this song? Please tell us what you think of it in the comments below. Join us again tomorrow on our countdown to Tel Aviv.