What's Another Year
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| What's Another Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Eurovision Song Contest 1980 entry | ||
| Country | Ireland | |
| Artist(s) | Seán Michael Patrick Sherrard | |
| As | Johnny Logan | |
| Language | English | |
| Composer(s) | Shay Healy | |
| Lyricist(s) | Shay Healy | |
| Conductor(s) | Noel Kelehan | |
| Place | 1st | |
| Points | 143 | |
| Lyrics | from Diggiloo Thrush | |
"What's Another Year" was Johnny Logan's first Eurovision Song Contest winner, achieving success in the 1980 edition of the Contest. This was Ireland's second Contest victory. As most Eurovision songs do, the song reached number one in the UK for two weeks in May.
The song is often misinterpreted as a power ballad, sung from the point of view of a man who has been waiting for the girl of his dreams to fall in love with him. On some level, he seems to recognise that she will never share his feelings, but he still holds them regardless. The title appears in the chorus, specifically "What's another year/To someone who is getting used to being alone?" In other words, he is prepared to wait as long as it takes.
In reality, the song was written by Shay Healy about watching his father, actor Seamus Oh-Eili from Glencalry, County Mayo, coming to terms with the death of his wife and companion, Mairin Ni Shuilleabhain from Killorglin, a noted traditional singer of her day and winner of The McCall Cup for singing at the Feis Cheoil of 1931.
Musically, the song is easily identifiable by its saxophone introduction. The arranger/producer was Bill Whelan who 14 years later achieved his own notoriety by composing Riverdance for the interval entertainment slot at the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest in Dublin.The saxophone solo in "What's Another year" was played by Scottish musician Colin Tully, who now lives and teaches in Wales.
The song was written and composed by Shay Healy, and is particularly famous for launching Logan's Eurovision career (he would go on to success in 1987 with "Hold Me Now"). In addition, the song was selected as one of the 14 greatest Eurovision entries in a special to mark the 50th anniversary of the contest. It was covered by Shane McGowan of The Pogues in the "Song for Eurotrash" cover album of 1998.
Famously, after being announced as the winner of the Contest, Logan was overcome with emotion and could not achieve the high notes near the end of the song in his reprise. Instead, he called out "I love you Ireland", a phrase he would repeat seven years later.
The song was performed seventeenth on the night (following France's Profil with "Hé Hé M'Sieurs Dames" and preceding Spain's Trigo Limpio with "Quédate Esta Noche"). At the close of voting, it had received 143 points, placing 1st in a field of 19.
The song was succeeded as Eurovision winner at the Eurovision Song Contest 1981 by British band Bucks Fizz and the song "Making Your Mind Up".
It was succeeded as Irish representative at the 1981 Contest by Sheeba with "Horoscopes".
| Preceded by "Geno" by Dexys Midnight Runners |
UK Singles Chart number-one single May 13, 1980 - May 20, 1980 |
Succeeded by "Suicide Is Painless" by Mash |
| Preceded by Hallelujah by Gali Atari & Milk and Honey |
Eurovision Song Contest winners 1980 |
Succeeded by Making Your Mind Up by Bucks Fizz |
