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...no, not a resumé of a 1960 Harold McMillan speech, but a quick reference to a blast from the Eurovision past, catalysed by the thread on Brian Bennett's appearance in the audience for the 1973 European Song Contest UK heats. This was because Brian had been co-composer of one of the six songs short-listed to be performed by Cliff Richard on TV, with the choice of final entry left to a viewers' vote.

This wasn't the first time that Brian had had an entry in the shortlist. The 1971 ESC was held in Dublin (presumably, thinking back, because Dana's All Kinds Of Everything had won the year before). Brian co-wrote one of that year's shortlisted songs as well: Wind Of Change. The singer chosen to represent the UK that year was Clodagh Rodgers.

Wind Of Change, whilst more than adequately tuneful, wasn't one of the century's great pop songs. Mind you, it was a cut above the song the viewers eventually chose as the official UK entry: Jack In The Box (or Puppet On A String II).

The thing is, from then (1971) to now, forty years later, I haven't heard that song again. It was released as part of the B-side to Jack In The Box, but has never appeared on a Clodagh Rodgers CD. So I bid for a copy on eBay and won. It'll be here in a day or two.

Anyone else remember it?

JN

Indeed, and I'm sure I have a copy somewhere...

Def. superior to the winning song!

G

Ahh . . . Clodagh Rogers . . . . . who can forget her appearance on Michael Palin's very first travel programme (The Cycling Tour Of North Cornwall)
Palin (as Mr Pither, the cyclist)
"September 4th. Well, I never, We are now in the Alpes Maritimes region of Southern France. Clodagh seems more intent on reaching Moscow than on rehearsing her new BBC2 series with Buddy Rich and the Younger Generation . . . . . ."

Ray

The disc arrived yesterday. It's not quite in the most excellent condition I'd hoped for, and because it is a maxi-single with two tracks on the B-side, that side is mastered at 33.33333 rpm (LP speed), meaning, of course, that the noise is exaggerated in time-scale. There are quite a few clicks (easily removed digitally - my speciality), but also a fair bit of abrasion. Making a really listenble copy will take some time.

On the other hand, I find that my memory of the song and its arrangement was fairly accurate. The only thing I'd forgotten is the little two bar extension before the hook line each time round...

JN