Congratulations (song)

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“Congratulations”
Single by Cliff Richard
B-side "High n Dry" (Cook-Greenaway)
Released 20 March 1968
Format 7", 45rpm
Recorded February 3, 1968 Abbey Road/London
Genre Pop
Length 2:33
Label Columbia DB8376
Writer(s) Bill Martin, Phil Coulter
Producer Norrie Paramour
Cliff Richard singles chronology
"All My Love"
(1967)
"Congratulations"
(1968)
"I'll Love You Forever Today"
(1968)

"Congratulations" is a song written by Bill Martin and Phil Coulter as the UK entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1968 on April 6 with Cliff Richard performing. It finished second losing to Spain's entry "La La La" by just one point, and was a huge hit throughout Europe. In 2008, documentary film-maker Montse Fernandez Vila claimed that the loss was the result of rigging of the Spanish vote by state television on behalf of General Franco's fascist regime.[1]

The song is still popular and was chosen to lead the show which celebrated 50 years of Eurovision and which was named after it: Congratulations.

George Harrison's song "It's Johnny's Bithday" from All Things Must Pass is based on this song.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Fiona Govan. "How Franco cheated Cliff out of Eurovision title", Daily Telegraph, 5 May 2008. 

[edit] See also

Preceded by
"Lady Madonna" by The Beatles
UK number one single
(Cliff Richard version)

April 10, 1968 for two weeks
Succeeded by
"What a Wonderful World"/"Cabaret" by Louis Armstrong