There’s a lad down our way singing in Eurovision. Not twenty minutes to the south of where I am now in Western Australia is the former timber town of Manjimup where a young Marty Zambotto aka Go-Jo grew up and is now representing Australia in this year’s contest. Apparently he sings about milkshakes.
Quite something for a country boy better known locally for his prowess as an Aussie Rules footballer.
Quite something for a country that is not even in Europe. Maybe Trump sold us to the EU when I wasn’t looking. Part of a ‘buy one get one free’ Greenland deal.
I remember the Eurovision Song Contest of my youth before it was an over the top pantomime. Or at least before I noticed.
It started with a shoe-less Sandie Shaw in 1967 with ‘Puppet On A String’. Who knew the bassoon could be so funky !
Cliff Richard got second place for ‘Congratulations’ in 1968 with it’s subtle accelerando (the foot stomping bit !) before Dennistoun’s finest Lulu regained the title in 1969 with ‘Boom Bang A Bang’, an in depth existential critique of the proliferation of nuclear armament and the futility of war or am I reading too much into it ?
Dana’s ‘All Kinds Of Everything’ won in 1970. I know she represented Ireland but she was born in Islington before moving to Derry at the age of five. And I had a bit of a crush on her at the time.
Edinburgh’s Usher Hall was the venue in 1972 but the British ‘Beg, Steal Or Borrow’ by the New Seekers could only manage a second place.
Some Swedish outfit got the gong in 1974 singing about public conveniences. OBBO or ADDA, something like that. Never heard of again.
1976 was the next UK winner. Brotherhood of Man with ‘Save You Kisses For Me’ with it’s intricate choreography. It made the slosh look like classical ballet.
Not sure if the Pommes have won it since as I lost interest and emigrated.
Watching the final tonight here in Australia hosted by a drag act called Courtney Act – never would have happened in Terry Wogan’s day!
Go Go-Jo !
(Post by John Allan of Bridgetown, Western Australia – May 2025)
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onceuponatimeinthe70s.com 
One of the mysteries of the world to me is how this bandwagon is still rollin’ along and how younger people (including my daughter) still love it.
Maybe I’m just bitter after the delicious Clodagh Rodgers was cruelly robbed in 1971 with “Jack in the Box”!
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I was surprised when I started blogging about music to find Katrina , without her Waves, won once in the ’90s. ‘Waterloo’ was the only winner I knew of. Good look to the Aussie dude anyway. Coincidentally ‘Eurovison’ was a ‘Jeopardy’ question in one I watched last night
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Spoiler alert!!!
(He got eliminated in the semi-final. The song, ‘Milkshakes’ was truly awful!
😂😂😂
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Among dairy related songs ‘Milkshake’ certainly bombed……………or should that be curdled. ‘Ernie (The Fastest Milkman In The West)’ retains it’s top spot.
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