The seventh episode started at 18.10 on Sunday 13 August July. Elsje van Jaarsveld presented it while Ilse Schurmann wrote the text and produced the show.
This episode again ended after 20 minutes at 6.30 pm. During that time, 5 songs were played.
SONG 1 was LET ME BE THE ONE by THE SHADOWS. This guitar group often backed Cliff Richard but they represented the United Kingdom on their own at the 1975 Eurovision song contest. Many of the songs the Shadows did were instrumental but this one of course has lyrics. They ended in second position. The United Kingdom holds the record for most second places in the contest, a staggering 18 of them and this is one of three in this episode.
SONG 2 was ARE YOU SURE by THE ALLISONS. They are brothers John and Bob. They also represented the United Kingdom and ended in second place. We were a little surprised by the inclusion of this song as it is not that well-known among most Eurovision fans. But a South African singer JODY WAYNE covered it, also in English and it was released on a vinyl single.
SONG 3 was KNOCK KNOCK WHO’S THERE by MARY HOPKIN. She too represented the United Kingdom in 1970 and ended also in second position. Mary had a big hit with the song Those were the days which is a Russian song of a decade or so ago which she sang in English. Mary did not really like her Eurovision entry and seldom sang it at her shows.
SONG 4 was DIGGI LOO DIGGI LEY by THE HERREYS. The Herreys are three brothers, Per, Richard and Louis. They represented Sweden at the 1984 Eurovision song contest and it became Sweden’s second victory ten years after their first. The Herrys sang the song in Swedish and so it was Sweden’s first victory in their native language as Abba sang in 1974 in English. The Herreys also recorded an English version. ESC Covers and Eurovision South Africa had an Afrikaans cover done through Michael de Lange and Ernie Bates. They got two session singers to record the Afrikaans version which is also called DIGGI LOO DIGGI LEY. Roy van der Merwe, who is facebook friends with Richard Herrey, one of the brothers took the promo single to Stockholm in 2016 and surprised Richard with it at the Stockholm Hard Rock Café of which Richard is the owner.
SONG 5 was HOLD ME NOW by JOHNNY LOGAN. He won Eurovision for Ireland in 1980 and repeated it in 1987. He became the first artist to win Eurovision twice. Johnny won Eurovision again in the 90’s but this time only as composer.
The 7th was again very entertaining and we are looking forward to the remaining 6 episodes.