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What's Another Year
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox song
| name = What's Another Year
| cover =
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Johnny Logan
| album = What's Another Year
| B-side = One Night Stand
| released = April 1980
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Pop
| length = 3:08
| label =
* Release Records
* Epic
| writer = Shay Healy
| producer =
* Bill Whelan
* Dave Pennefather
| prev_title = Angela
| prev_year = 1979
| next_title = In London
| next_year = 1980
| misc =
}}
"'What's Another Year'" was Irish singer and composer Johnny Logan's first Eurovision Song Contest winning song, achieving success in the 1980 edition of the contest, as well as 's second Eurovision victory. Composed by Shay Healy (who also wrote "The Ultimate Country and Western Song" performed by Billy Connolly), the song reached number one in the UK Singles Chart for two weeks in May.
When showband frontman Glen Curtin, the original choice of singer, turned down "What's Another Year", the song was rearranged by Bill Whelan to suit Johnny Logan's singing style.'The Irish Times', "Golden boy, forgotten man", 8 August 2009 Whelan later composed "Riverdance" for the interval entertainment slot at the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest in Dublin. Musically, the song is easily identifiable by its saxophone introduction played by Scottish musician Colin Tully, who now lives and teaches in Wales. The success of "What's Another Year" launched Logan's Eurovision career (he would go on to achieve success in with "Hold Me Now", and he would have another win as songwriter for Linda Martin's "Why Me?" in ). In addition, the song was selected as one of the 14 greatest Eurovision entries in a special to mark the 50th anniversary of the contest. It was covered by Shane MacGowan of The Pogues in the 'Song for Eurotrash' cover album of 1998.
Famously, after being announced as the winner of the Contest, Logan was overcome with emotion and could not achieve the high notes near the end of the song in his reprise. Instead, he called out "I love you Ireland", a phrase he would repeat seven years later.
The song was performed seventeenth on the night, following 's Profil with "H, h M'sieurs dames" and preceding 's Trigo Limpio with "Qudate esta noche". At the close of voting, it had received 143 points, placing 1st in a field of 19.
The song was succeeded as Eurovision winner at the Eurovision Song Contest 1981 by British band Bucks Fizz and the song "Making Your Mind Up".
It was succeeded as Irish representative at the 1981 contest by Sheeba with "Horoscopes".
Johnny Logan released German-language and Spanish-language versions of "What's Another Year".
During the 2020 special 'Eurovision: Europe Shine a Light', Logan performed the song live in a studio in Dublin. He was backed by the special's presenters Edsilia Rombley, Chantal Janzen and Jan Smit from their studio in Hilversum, and a chorus of Eurovision Song Contest fans from around the world. A short video highlighting Logan's three Eurovision wins (1980 and 1987 as main performer, 1992 as composer) was shown during the instrumental bridge of the song.
Track listing
* 'European single 7" / 45 RPM single' (RL 1005)/(EPC 8572)
:A. "What's Another Year"
:B. "One Night Stand"
* 'Spanish single 7" single' (EPC 8572)
:A. "Por un Ao Ms" - 3:08
:B. "One Night Stand" - 3:52
* 'West German single 7" single' (EPC 8732)
:A. "Was Ist Schon Ein Jahr" - 3:08
:B. "One Night Stand" - 3:52
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
References
Category:1980 singles
Category:Johnny Logan (singer) songs
Category:Eurovision songs of 1980
Category:Congratulations Eurovision songs
Category:UK Singles Chart number-one singles
Category:European Hot 100 Singles number-one singles
Category:Number-one singles in Finland
Category:Number-one singles in Israel
Category:Number-one singles in Norway
Category:Number-one singles in Portugal
Category:Number-one singles in Sweden
Category:Eurovision songs of Ireland
Category:Irish Singles Chart number-one singles
Category:Eurovision Song Contest winning songs
Category:Pop ballads
Category:1980 songs
Category:Epic Records singles
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