Denmark in the Eurovision Song Contest 1957

Eurovision Song Contest 1957
Country	Denmark
National selection
Selection process	Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 1957
Selection date(s)	17 February 1957
Selected entrant	Birthe Wilke and Gustav Winckler
Selected song	"Skibet skal sejle i nat"
Finals performance
Final result	3rd, 10 points
Denmark in the Eurovision Song Contest
1957 • 1958►

Denmark took part in the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time at the Eurovision Song Contest 1957, held in Frankfurt, Germany. The Danish entry was chosen during a national final called Dansk Melodi Grand Prix.

Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 1957 was held on February 17, 1957 at the Radiohouse in Copenhagen. The host was Volmer Sørensen

The country was represented by Birthe Wilke and Gustav Winckler with the song "Skibet skal sejle i nat", written by Erik Fiehn and Poul Sørensen. Denmark had wanted to take part in the first Eurovision Song Contest in 1956 but was disqualified because no entry was submitted right in time.

Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 1957

The first Dansk Melodi Grand Prix, Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 1957, was held in Copenhagen on February 17, 1957. The show was hosted by Volmer Sørensen. 117 songs had been submitted to the broadcaster and six of them were chosen for the national final. Two singers were competing in the selection - Birthe Wilke and Gustav Winckler. Both performed two songs as soloists and they also performed two songs as a duo. A jury of ten people selected the winner and only the top two were announced, which turned out to be the two duets. "Skibet skal sejle i nat" was the overall winner and would become Denmark's first entry in the Eurovision Song Contest.

Participants

Releases

"Skibet skal sejle i nat" was recorded and released on an EP of the same title. The runner-up entry "Kærlighedens Cocktail" was included on this record too.^[1] After the contest, Gustav Winkler has recorded a German version of the song ("Das Schiff Geht in See Heute Nacht") with Bibi Johns.^[2] Winkler himself appeared as Gunnar Winkler on this record, the name under which he was popular in Germany in these days.

At Eurovision

Denmark was the first Scandinavian country in the competition. At the Eurovision Song Contest in Frankfurt, the Danish entry was visually one of the most impressive ones that year: to illustrate the content of the song, which is about a sailor who has to say goodbye to a woman he met and fell in love with during a shore leave,^[3] Winkler was dressed up as a sailor and Wilke as a woman standing at the harbour wearing a coat with a purse in her hand. Furthermore, a tar vat was brought on stage to create a harbour atmosphere. The Danish entry was performed ninth (2nd last) on the night following France and preceding Switzerland. At the close of voting, Denmark had received ten points in total placing the country third among the ten participants. Denmark would remain the most successful debuting country in the Eurovision Song Contest until Poland finished second on its debut in 1994. However, Denmark has only received points from three of the other nine countries, most notably five points from the Netherlands.

Voting

Every country had a jury of ten people. Every jury member could give one point to his or her favourite song.

Sources

• The Danish final of esconnet.dk
• Information about the national final

References

Denmark in the Eurovision Song Contest   Participation 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 to 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016   Artists 1950s 1956 Birthe Wilke and Gustav Winckler Raquel Rastenni Birthe Wilke 1960s Katy Bødtger Dario Campeotto Ellen Winther Grethe and Jørgen Ingmann Bjørn Tidmand Birgit Brüel Ulla Pia 1967 to 1969 1970s 1970 to 1977 Mabel Tommy Seebach 1980s Bamses Venner Tommy Seebach and Debbie Cameron Brixx Gry Johansen Hot Eyes Hot Eyes Lise Haavik Anne-Cathrine Herdorf and Bandjo Hot Eyes Birthe Kjær 1990s Lonnie Devantier Anders Frandsen Lotte Nilsson and Kenny Lübcke Tommy Seebach Band 1994 Aud Wilken Dorthe Andersen & Martin Loft Kølig Kaj 1998 Michael Teschl and Trine Jepsen 2000s Olsen Brothers Rollo & King Malene 2003 Thomas Thordarsson Jakob Sveistrup Sidsel Ben Semmane DQ Simon Mathew Niels Brinck 2010s Chanée and N'evergreen A Friend In London Soluna Samay Emmelie de Forest Basim Anti Social Media Lighthouse X   Songs 1950s 1956 "Skibet skal sejle i nat" "Jeg rev et blad ud af min dagbog" "Uh, jeg ville ønske jeg var dig" 1960s "Det var en yndig tid" "Angelique" "Vuggevise" "Dansevise" "Sangen om dig" "For din skyld" "Stop - mens legen er go'" 1967 to 1969 1970s 1970 to 1977 "Boom Boom" "Disco Tango" 1980s "Tænker altid på dig" "Krøller eller ej" "Video, Video" "Kloden drejer" "Det' lige det" "Sku' du spørg' fra no'en?" "Du er fuld af løgn" "En lille melodi" "Ka' du se hva' jeg sa'?" "Vi maler byen rød" 1990s "Hallo Hallo" "Lige der hvor hjertet slår" "Alt det som ingen ser" "Under stjernerne på himlen" 1994 "Fra Mols til Skagen" "Kun med dig" "Stemmen i mit liv" 1998 "This Time I Mean It" 2000s "Fly on the Wings of Love" "Never Ever Let You Go" "Tell Me Who You Are" 2003 "Shame on You" "Talking to You" "Twist of Love" "Drama Queen" "All Night Long" "Believe Again" 2010s "In a Moment Like This" "New Tomorrow" "Should've Known Better" "Only Teardrops" "Cliche Love Song" "The Way You Are" "Soldiers of Love" (Note: Entries scored out are when Denmark did not compete)