Eurovision Song Contest 1979

Infobox Eurovision
name = Eurovision Song Contest 1979


final = 31 March 1979
presenters = Daniel Peer
Yardena Arazi
conductor = Kobi Oshrat
director =
host = flagicon|Israel IBA
venue = International Convention Center, Jerusalem, Israel
winner = flag|Israel
"Hallelujah"
vote = Each country awarded 12, 10, 8-1 points to their 10 favourite songs
entries = 19
debut = None
return = None
withdraw = flag|Turkey
null = None
interval = Shalom '79
opening =
con = Eurovision Song Contest
pre = ◄1978
nex = 1980►The Eurovision Song Contest 1979 was the 24th Eurovision Song Contest and was held on March 31, 1979 in Jerusalem, Israel. The presenters were Daniel Pe'er and Yardena Arazi, and the event was staged in the International Convention Center. Representing Israel, Gali Atari and Milk and Honey were the winners of this Eurovision with the song, Hallelujah. This was a second victory in a row for Israel, it was also their second victory in the contest.

As noted in author and historian John Kennedy O'Connor's book "The Eurovision Song Contest - The Official History", at one point before the contest Turkey was going to participate, but they withdrew. If they had gone ahead they would have appeared eleventh on stage. They had selected Maria Rita Epik & 21.Peron to represent Turkey with the song 'Seviyorum' (I'm Loving). Turkey was forced to retire from the contest under pressure from Arab states who objected to a predominantly Muslim country taking part in a contest held in Israel. [O'Connor, John Kennedy. The Eurovision Song Contest - The Official History. Carlton Books, UK. 2007 ISBN 98-1-84442-994-3]

Results

Voting structure

Each country had a jury who awarded 12, 10, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 points for their top ten songs. This was the last year in which the points were announced via order of appearance, as opposed to order of preference.

The voting was extremely close. Israel gained a good lead in the early stages of the voting, but Spain eventually caught up and took a good lead themselves. At the close of the penultimate jury's votes, Israel were one point behind Spain, and only the Spanish jury had yet to give their votes. Spain ended up giving Israel 10 points, causing the crowd to erupt into enormous cheers.

core sheet

		Results
	Portugal		6	0	0	2	5	0	4	4	0	10	5	3	3	3	6	0	7	6
	Italy	8		0	0	8	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	8
	Denmark	0	0		2	0	3	"'12	1	10	"'12	6	7	4	8	1	0	3	3	4
	Ireland	5	5	5		6	0	10	6	6	3	0	10	7	0	8	5	4	0	0
	Finland	0	7	0	0		0	7	8	5	0	5	0	6	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Monaco	1	2	4	0	0		0	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2
	Greece	10	0	1	4	0	7		7	2	10	4	1	5	7	2	0	0	2	7
	Switzerland	0	0	7	1	10	2	2		7	4	7	0	0	0	0	8	0	"'12	0
	Germany	2	1	"'12	5	3	"'12	0	0		6	"'12	4	1	2	6	0	8	0	"'12
	Israel	"'12	0	6	"'12	"'12	8	4	5	0		1	2	8	1	"'12	"'12	"'12	8	10
	France	6	10	0	0	1	10	8	10	0	5		6	"'12	"'12	5	7	6	5	3
	Belgium	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0		0	0	0	0	2	0	0
	Luxembourg	7	0	0	3	4	4	5	3	0	0	2	0		4	0	2	10	0	0
	Netherlands	0	0	8	10	5	0	3	0	3	7	0	3	0		4	4	0	4	0
	Sweden	0	0	0	6	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	0		0	0	0	0
	Norway	3	3	0	8	0	6	0	0	0	2	0	8	2	6	10		7	1	1
	United Kingdom	4	8	10	7	7	1	0	2	8	0	0	0	0	5	0	10		6	5
	Austria	0	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1		0
	Spain	0	"'12	3	0	0	0	6	"'12	"'12	8	8	"'12	10	10	7	1	5	10
THE TABLE IS ORDERED BY APPEARANCE

Map

References