Johnny Logan

Irish singer, also known as mister eurovision, because he won three times - 2 as a singer and one time as the composer. In 1980 with 'What's Another Year', 1987 with 'Hold me now' and he composed the song 'Why me' (1992)

Eurovision Song Contest 1980

Performer: Johnny Logan
Song title: What's Another Year
Song writer(s):
Song composer(s): Shay Healy

Sang in Position: 17
Final Position: 1
Total Points: 143

Israeli TV didn't want to host the 1980 Song Contest again even if they won it the year before on home ground. After a lot of discussions with several European broadcasters it was decided that the contest would be arranged by Dutch TV NOS in The Hague.

The Hague was once more the host city for the song contest after both Israel and the United Kingdom declined to be hosts. Because of the fact that the 1979 winner, Israel, did not have the means of hosting the song contest again, the UK broadcaster BBC was asked if they would be willing to organise the event. They declined, so the Netherlands became the organiser despite the fact that there was not enough time left and Dutch TV NOS had to re-use most of the stage from 1976 when they hosted the contest last. NOS picked April 19th as the date for the song contest, but as this was the Holocaust Memorial Day in Israel, the defending champion decided not to participate which marked the only time when the winner of one Eurovision Song Contest didn't participate in the next.

For the first time in the history of the song contest, an African country - Morocco - participated with Samira, a star in all of the Arabian countries, but when her entry Bitakat Hob ended up at 18th position with just 7 points altogether, Moroccan TV decided that the country should not participate in the contest again. Turkey returned to the contest after one year's absence and Monaco stayed home which meant that the total amount of participating countries amounted to 19 - just as in 1979. Each country brought along a presenter of its own choice along in order to introduce the song in their native language.

The Irish Johnny Logan who would later be called "Mr. Eurovision" secured Ireland's second victory. The Australian-born singer who only became an Irish citizen after he sang for Ireland in the 1980 contest, would later return and win the contest again in 1987. His 1980 victory brought him a number one hit in the UK and numerous television appearances across Europe. What's another year received seven times the maximum of 12 point votes, ending up with 143 points in total.

Eurovision Song Contest 1987

Performer: Johnny Logan
Song title: Hold Me Now
Song writer(s):
Song composer(s): Sean Sherrard

Sang in Position: 20
Final Position: 1
Total Points: 172


Belgian superstar Viktor Laszlo was the host of the 32nd Eurovision Song Contest which was held on 9th May, 1987 in the capital Brussels

Belgium had the honour of hosting the 1987 Eurovision Song Contest for the first time in the country's history. he highest number of participants ever entered this year's song contest: 22 countries found their way to Brussels. Greece and Italy returned to the contest after one year's absence. The 1986 contest was won by a Walloon entry, but in 1987 the Flemish broadcaster, BRT, was responsible for the Belgian entry. BRT also wanted to co-organise the contest, but the Walloon broadcaster, RTBF decided to organise the Eurovision Song Contest 1987 on their own. The presenter of the 3-hour-show was the successful Belgian artist Viktor Laszlo who opened the contest presenting her latest song Breathless.

The winner of the 1987 Eurovision was Hold me now performed and written by Johnny Logan, who had already won in 1980 with What's Another Year and had written the second-placed song in 1984 Terminal 3 performed in Luxembourg by Linda Martin. Johnny was the first singer to win the contest twice as a singer, but this would not be his last victory as he won the trophy again as a composer in 1992 when he wrote Why Me by Linda Martin which would win in Malmö.

Germany came second this year with the song Lass die Sonne in dein Herz by the group Wind. For the group, it was already the second silver ranking after being the runner up in 1985. The song still ranks as one of the best-known Eurovision hits in Denmark. Italy sent two internationally-known stars to Eurovision this year: Tozzi & Raf. Raf had written the worldwide hit Self Control three years earlier which was both a hit for him and for the cover-version by Laura Branigan. Although Eurovision statistics show that most male duos do not do well, Italy finished in third place in 1987.