Better the Devil You Know (Sonia song)

Infobox Single
Name = Better the Devil You Know
Type = Single
Artist = Sonia
from Album = "Better the Devil You Know"
B-side = "Not What I Call Love"


Released = 1993
Genre = Pop
Length = 2:36
Label = Arista Records
Writer =
Last single = "Boogie Nights"
(1992)
This single = "Better the Devil You know" (1993)
Next single = "Hopelessly Devoted to You" (1994)Infobox ESC entry
artist = Sonia Evans
song = flagicon|United Kingdom Better the Devil You Know
country = United Kingdom
year = 1993
as = Sonia
with =
language = English
languages =
composer = "Red" (Brian Teasdale) and Dean Collinson
lyricist = Red and Collinson
conductor = Nigel Wright
place = 2nd
points = 164
lyrics = [http://www.diggiloo.net/?1993uk from Diggiloo Thrush]
place_semi =
points_semi =
clip =
prev = One Step Out of Time
prev_link = One Step Out of Time
next = We Will Be Free (Lonely Symphony)
next_link = Lonely Symphony (We Will Be Free)

"Better the Devil You Know", written and composed by Brian Teasdale (credited as "Red") and Dean Collinson, was the United Kingdom's entry at the Eurovision Song Contest 1993, performed by Sonia.

For "A Song for Europe 1993", the BBC asked the heads of each of the Eurovision Network member broadcasters for their opinion regarding who should represent the United Kingdom from a shortlist the BBC had prepared. A plurality chose 22-year-old recording artist Sonia Evans, who already had a #1 hit to her credit. She then sang eight different songs at the national final. For the second year running, a nationwide telephone vote was held to pick one song to send to the Eurovision finals, held this year at Millstreet, County Cork, Ireland. "Better the Devil You Know," the fifth song performed, won with over 156,000 supporters, twice as many as the second-place entry.

At Millstreet, the song was performed nineteenth on the night, after Bosnia and Herzegovina's Fazla with "Sva bol svijeta", and before the Netherlands' Ruth Jacott with "Vrede." At the end of judging that evening, "Better the Devil You Know" took the second-place slot with 164 points. Belgium, Iceland, Austria and Israel gave the UK 12 points that evening. This was the last of four occasions the UK ranked second in the voting since 1988.

The song was a retro rock 'n' roll offering with a 1950s flair. Sonia tells the story about how in love she is with her boyfriend, wishing he won't hurt her, for her love is true. She lets it known that she would "sell her heart and soul" to get his unconditional love in return, rationalising that it's better that one deal with "the devil you know" (him with his faults) instead of "the devil you don't" (another potential boyfriend).

Commenting on the song, Collinson stated that he'd written the song years before in an attempt to recreate "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" by Wham!. The song was played as part of a "Eurovision special" on "TOTP2". DJ Steve Wright commented during the song's introduction, "This is a good song, but Sonia is a bit too eager to please, so therefore didn't give it the required 'I don't care too much about Eurovision' attitude," implying that was her downfall. The second loss to Ireland in as many years prompted a bit of speculation in the British tabloid press; one of the most popular stories spread was that Sonia took Eurovision so seriously and hoped she would win that she sobbed uncontrollably after she learned she lost. For her part, immediately after the winner was known, Sonia accepted defeat in a humble manner, smiled, and shook winner Niamh Kavanagh's hand. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnBCgp2nYNA Eurovision 1993 winning votes on YouTube] ]

After Eurovision, the song placed at #15 on the UK Singles Chart.

References