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In 1968, the six songs in contention to represent the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest were performed by Cliff Richard during a special A Song for Europe edition of Cilla on Tuesday 5th March 1968.
Transmission Date:
Tuesday 5th March 1968
Channel:BBC One
Time:20.00-20.50

Presenter:
Cilla Black
Performer:Cliff Richard
Musical Director:Norrie Paramor
Backing Vocals:The Breakaways

Producer:
Michael Hurll
Designer:Robert Macgowan

Voting:
Public postal vote

Result:


Cilla
Tuesday 12th March 1968
Time:20.00-20.50

Winning Song:
Congratulations
Cliff Richard

  • Performances of all six songs in A Song For Europe 1968 still exist in the BBC archives.
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SCOREBOARD

SONGComposer(s)TOTALPosition
1Wonderful WorldGuy Fletcher & Doug Flett19,9003
2Do You Remember?Tommy Scott4,2006
3High ’N' DryRoger Cook & Roger Greenaway30,5002
4The Sound Of The Candyman's TrumpetAnthony Hazzard11,2004
5CongratulationsBill Martin & Phil Coulter171,3001
6Little Rag DollMike Leander (aka Michael Farr)10,4005
Voting information taken with permission from Songs For Europe Volume One - The1950s and 1960s by Gordon Roxburgh
  • Congratulations reached No. 1 in the UK charts.
  • All the songs were issued on an EP.
  • As well as Spanish and Italian versions of the song called Congratulations, Cliff Richard also recorded the song in French as Ah! Quelle Histoire and in German as Man gratuliert mir.
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Cliff Richard at The Eurovision Song Contest 1968

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AT THE EUROVISION SONG CONTEST 1968

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At the Eurovision Song Contest 1968 in London, United Kingdom on Saturday 6th April 1968, Congratulations finished in 2nd place with 28 points. The song was conducted by Norrie Paramor.

Katie Boyle presented the live broadcast for BBC One Television. A recording in colour was also shown on BBC Two the following afternoon. For the first time in the United Kingdom, the Contest was also broadcast on radio. Pete Murray provided the commentary for BBC Radio 2.

For more information on the Eurovision Song Contest 1968 go to the Host Years section.