Yamaha Music Festival

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The Yamaha Music Festival, officially known as World Popular Song Festival and unofficially as the "Oriental Eurovision", used to be the world's biggest song contest, until it ended in 1989; that honour has now passed to the Eurovision Song Contest, in terms of viewership and participation. It was organised by the Yamaha Music Foundation in Tokyo, Japan from 1970 until 1989. The first edition of the World Popular Song Festival (WPSF) took place on 20, 21 and 22 November 1970 with 37 participating countries from all continents.

Belgium was represented at the 1970 edition by the dazzling Daliah Lavi, famous for her role in Casino Royale (1967), the James Bond parody featuring Woody Allen. Ms. Lavi performed the chanson "Prends L'Amour" and ended up 13th in the Grand Final (the contest had two semi-finals and one final). The Netherlands delegated world-known jazz singer Rita Reys with the song "Just Be You", a composition by her husband Pim Jacobs. Other famous 1970 participants were 1969 Eurovision winner Frida Boccara for France, Jacques Michel for Canada and Ted Mulry for Australia, who scored a national number 1 hit with his entry. Winner of the 1st WPSF was Israel with the duo Hedva & David. More than 2 million copies of their winning entry "Ani Holem Al Naomi" (I Dream Of Naomi) were sold worldwide, giving a serious credibility boost to the new Festival.

Well-established names as well as new talents tried their fortune at the WPSF: (a very young) ABBA performing the track "Santa Rosa", Céline Dion (Best Song Award in 1982), Bryan Adams (Participating in 1982), Tina Charles, Eros Ramazzotti, Gianna Nannini, Demis Roussos, Bonnie Tyler, B.J. Thomas, LaToya Jackson, Erasure and many others.

In the history of the WPSF the United Kingdom is the ultimate "pop nation", winning the "WPSF Grand Prix" 5 times in the seventies (even three times in row). The United Kingdom is followed by the United States with 4 Grand Prix victories. Not only big nations but also smaller countries managed to deliver the ultimate "world pop song": Jamaica in 1972 with Ernie Smith, Norway in 1974 with Ellen Nikolaysen, Cuba in 1981 with Osvaldo Rodríguez and Hungary in 1983 with Newton Family.

[edit] Grand Prix Winners

Year Country Artist Title
1970 Israel Hedva & David I Dream of Naomi
1971 France Martine Clémenceau Un Jour l'Amour
Japan Tsunehiko Kamijo & Rokumonsen Tabidachi No Uta
1972 United Kingdom Capricorn Feeling
Jamaica Ernie Smith Life is Just for Livin'
1973 Italy Gilda Giuliani Parigi a Volte Cosa Fa
USA Shawn Phillips All the Kings and Castles
United Kingdom Keeley Ford Head over Heels
1974 Norway Ellen Nikolaysen You Made Me Feel I Could Fly
1975 Mexico Mister Loco Lucky Man
Japan Miyuki Nakajima Jidai (Time Goes Around)
1976 Italy Franco & Regina Amore Mio
Japan Sandy Goodbye Morning
1977 United Kingdom Rags Can't Hide My Love
Italy Mia Martini Ritratto di donna
Japan Masanori Sera and Twist Anta no Ballade
1978 United Kingdom Tina Charles Love Rocks
Japan Hiroshi Madoka Musoubana (Fly on All the Way)
1979 United Kingdom Bonnie Tyler Sitting on the Edge of the Ocean
Japan Crystal King Daitokai (In the City of Strangers)
1980 USA Mary MacGregor What's The Use
1981 Cuba Osvaldo Rodríguez Digamos Que Mas Da
1982 USA Anne Bertucci Where Did We Go Wrong
1983 Hungary Newton Family Time Goes By
1984 Canada France Joli Party Lights
1985 Argentina Valeria Lynch Rompecabezas
1986 USA Stacy Lattisaw Longshot
1987 Australia Pseudo Echo Take on the World
1988 (Undecided)
1989 (Benefit Concert Only)

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