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To nie ja!

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Wikipedia article


{{Infobox song

| name = To Nie Ja

| cover = Edyta Grniak-To nie ja.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Edyta Grniak

| released = March 1994

| album = Dotyk

| format =

| recorded = January 1994

| studio =

| venue =

| genre =

* Pop

* ballad

| length = 3:05

| label = Pomaton, EMI

| writer =

* Jacek Cygan

* Stanisaw Syrewicz

| producer =

* Stanisaw Syrewicz

* Graham Sacher

| misc =

}}

"'To nie ja!'" (; "It wasn't me!"; often rendered without the exclamation mark) was the entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1994, performed in Polish by Edyta Grniak. This marked Poland's debut at the contest, and consequently the first time that the Polish language had been used in a contest entry. The song achieved second place in the Eurovision final at the time the highest ever placing attained by a debut song (even in , Switzerland won with their second song of the night). It was released as a single in English as "'Once in a Lifetime'".

The song is a dramatic ballad, with Grniak describing herself as having an "easy world" seemingly one of easy distinctions between good and bad. She sings that she is not Eve, referring to the Biblical character, and asking for her listener not to blame her for the sins of that figure, and to accept her for who she really is.

Overview



In 1984, composer Stanisaw Syrewicz was in Chicago to demonstrate a composition to another composer named Pawel Ocztkowo, to be used by an American band upon the release of their album.

Ten years later, singer Edyta Grniak, while in London, contacted Jacek Cygan to write the lyrics to the music, that she had heard and had won her heart. She said that it should be understandable to people who do not know Polish. It was picked as first Polish representative at Eurovision.

At Eurovision



The result stood as the most successful first-time entry in contest history, until the ballad "Molitva" performed for by Marija erifovi won the Eurovision Song Contest 2007. 's entry in the 2004 contest also placed second. At the same contest, entrant Friderika, making her country's dbut with "Kinek mondjam el vtkeimet?" placed fourth,

Grniak was threatened with disqualification after singing the second half of the song in English during the dress rehearsal watched by the national jury members. An English-language version was later recorded, titled "Once in a Lifetime", with lyrics by Graham Sacher.

The song was performed twenty-fourth on the night, following 's Youddiph with "Vyechniy stranik" and preceding 's Nina Morato with "Je suis un vrai garon". At the close of voting, it had received 166 points, placing second in a field of twenty five.

It was succeeded as the Polish representative in the 1995 contest by Justyna with "Sama".

English version



The English version "Once in a Lifetime" was released as Grniak's debut single and was featured on her debut album 'Dotyk'. It features Grniak telling her lover that their relationship is a "once in a lifetime" event. The original Polish version also appears as the B-side of the single.

The single cover includes pictures by photographer Marlena Bieliska. The cover artwork was designed by Debi Ani Design Associates.

Music video



Two videos were made, one for the Polish version and another for the English version. "To nie ja" starts with Grniak singing on a dark stage surrounded by smoke and blue light. Inserts of her singing in the recording studio occur throughout the video. For "Once in a Lifetime", Grniak wears yellow clothes in front of a white background, while the camera shows her from different perspectives.

Track listing



# "Once in a Lifetime" (3:00)

# "To nie ja" (3:00)

Certifications



References



Category:Polish-language songs

Category:1994 singles

Category:Edel AG singles

Category:Eurovision songs of Poland

Category:Eurovision songs of 1994

Category:1994 songs

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