Sweet Dreams won't be giving up

I'm Never Giving Up starts out as one song (a vaguely Euro-disco number) but then, oh dear, along comes the sing-along chorus.

☞ by Allen Therisa in Eurovision

I'm never giving up

Sweet Dreams

1983

79 points (sixth)

WHAT ABOUT THE CONTEST?

For the first time, the contest comes from (West) Germany, and, specifically, the Rudi-Sedlmayer-Halle.

Our hostess for the evening is the alluring blonde lovely Marlene Charell who not only presents in three languages but also dances during the interval and creates the flower arrangements for the show.

The contest begins with the contestants running onto the semi-circular stage in the order of their appearance and then ploughs on through 20 songs until the voting (finally) kicks off, by which point everyone has been exhausted at having to sit through French, English and German introductions to each song, as well as the multi-lingual allocating of points at the end.

It is all slickly done, the set does nothing special, and for the interval act, Charell gets to twirl with some German ballerinas to Strangers in The Night. For a while, it also looks like German entry Rücksicht may win the contest, but alas, no.

AND THE GROUP (OR ARTISTE)?

Sweet Dreams, who give the impression of heavily-drilled willing and charm, and who can also sing and dance a bit, are three game troopers (one boy, two girls) who bash out the British entry with gusto and vim.

WHAT ABOUT THE SONG?

I'm Never Giving Up starts out as one song (a vaguely Euro-disco number) but then, oh dear, along comes a sing-along chorus, complete with generic positive statements about not giving up and/or giving in, etc.

ANY GOOD?

Well actually, it's not that bad. The chorus may be a little predictable, but it does the business (i.e. it is annoying if catchy) and at least it's hummable.

AND IT CAME WHERE?

Sixth with 79 points.

AND WHO WAS THE REAL WINNER?

Corinne Hermès for Luxembourg with the irritating and melodramatic slow stepper Si la vie est cadeau.

SO, IN SUMMARY

It was that uncertain middle period when British Eurovision entries were still trying to fit the contest's inoffensive muzak mould. It would be fourteen years before the UK would win again and in the interim, it was down to machine-tooled, though not totally without their merit acts such as Sweet Dreams to keep the British end up.

I'm Never Giving Up: It's OK but humbled by being, well, just OK. 

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