United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 1959
{{more citations needed|1=section|date=April 2025}}
{{Short description|none}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2014}}
{{Infobox song contest national year
| Year = 1959
| Broadcaster = British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
| Country = United Kingdom
| Selection process = Eurovision Song Contest British Final
| Selection date = 7 February 1959
| Song = Sing, Little Birdie
| Artist = Pearl Carr and Teddy Johnson
| Writer = {{unbulleted list|Stan Butcher|Syd Cordell}}
| Final result = 2nd, 16 votes
}}
The United Kingdom was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 1959 with the song "Sing, Little Birdie", composed by Stan Butcher, with lyrics by Syd Cordell, and performed by Pearl Carr and Teddy Johnson. The British participating broadcaster, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), organised a national final to select its entry for the contest. The song placed second, at the time the United Kingdom's best result in the competition, and remained so until their first victory in {{Escyr|1967}}.
Before Eurovision
Prior to the 1959 contest, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) had participated in the Eurovision Song Contest representing the United Kingdom once, in {{Escyr|1957}}, represented with the song "All" by Patricia Bredin. The song placed 7th in a field of 10 entries.{{cite web|url=https://eurovision.tv/event/frankfurt-1957/final|title=Final of Frankfurt 1957 - Eurovision Song Contest|access-date=24 May 2019|website=eurovision.tv}} The BBC declined to take part in the inaugural contest in {{Escyr|1956}}, as it had created its own contest, the Festival of British Popular Songs, aspects of which influenced the {{escyr|1957||1957 contest}}. The BBC initially intended to participate in {{Escyr|1958}} but ultimately withdrew.{{cite web|url=https://eurovision.tv/story/shining-a-light-on-the-united-kingdom-60-years-at-eurovision|title=Shining a light on the United Kingdom: 60 Years at Eurovision|date=11 January 2017|access-date=24 May 2019|website=eurovision.tv}}
= ''Eurovision Song Contest British Final'' =
The Eurovision Song Contest British Final was a national final organised by the BBC to select its entry for the contest. The selection consisted of two semi-finals held on 2 February and 5 February 1959, and a final held on 7 February 1959, broadcast on BBC Television and presented by Pete Murray.
The songs were scored by seven 14-member regional juries representing the South of England, the Midlands, Northern England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and the West of England.
==Competing entries==
Twelve entries were shortlisted by the BBC for the contest. "I'll Be With You" was originally scheduled to be performed by Alma Cogan, but was replaced by Marion Keene.
| class="sortable wikitable" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto"
! Artist ! Song ! Songwriter(s) |
| bgcolor="#F08080"
| | | |
| Don Rennie
| "How Could I Know" | Tommy Sampson, Barbara Nelson |
| Glen Mason
| "Suddenly" | Michael Pratt |
| John Hanson
| "Success" | Ralph Ruvin, Harold Irving, Dick James |
| Lester Ferguson
| "This I Will Tell My Son" | Terry and Irene Roper |
| Lita Roza
| "This Is My Town" | John S Rossiter, Harold Cornelius, Dominic John, Bob Halfin |
| Marion Keene
| "I'll Be With You" | Lee Lennox |
| style="font-weight:bold;background:gold;"
| Pearl Carr and Teddy Johnson | Stan Butcher, Syd Cordell |
| Pearl Carr and Teddy Johnson
| "That's It, That's Love" | Sam Johnson |
| Rosemary Squires
| "Cha Cha Chocola" | Max Francis, Bill Craig |
| Sheila Buxton
| "Love Me, Love Me" | Norman Percival |
| Steve Martin
| "One Lonely Heart" | Peter Callander, Dick James |
| Valerie Shane
| "Oh, Oh, Reckon I Must Be In Love" | Michael Pratt |
==Shows==
=== Semi-final 1 ===
Semi-final 1 was held on 2 February 1959. The highlighted songs qualified for the final.
| class="sortable wikitable" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto"
|+ Semi-final 1 – 2 February 1959 | ||
| Draw | Artist | Song
!Result |
|---|---|---|
| style="text-align:center;" | 1 | Sheila Buxton | "Love Me, Love Me"
|Eliminated |
| style="font-weight: bold; background: navajowhite;"
| style="text-align:center;" | 2 | Steve Martin | "One Lonely Heart"
|Advanced |
| style="font-weight: bold; background: navajowhite;"
| style="text-align:center;" | 3 | Pearl Carr and Teddy Johnson | "Sing, Little Birdie"
|Advanced |
| style="text-align:center;" | 4 | Don Rennie | "How Could I Know"
|Eliminated |
| style="font-weight: bold; background: navajowhite;"
| style="text-align:center;" | 5 | Glen Mason | "Suddenly"
|Advanced |
| style="text-align:center;" | 6 | Marion Keene | "I'll Be With You"
|Eliminated |
===Semi-final 2===
Semi-final 2 was held on 5 February 1959. The highlighted songs qualified for the final.
| class="sortable wikitable" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto"
|+ Semi-final 2 – 5 February 1959 | ||
| Draw | Artist | Song
!Result |
|---|---|---|
| style="text-align:center;" | 1 | Pearl Carr and Teddy Johnson | "That's It, That's Love"
|Eliminated |
| style="font-weight: bold; background: navajowhite;"
| style="text-align:center;" | 2 | John Hanson | "Success"
|Advanced |
| style="text-align:center;" | 3 | Rosemary Squires | "Cha Cha Chocola"
|Eliminated |
| style="text-align:center;" | 4 | Lester Ferguson | "This I Will Tell My Son"
|Eliminated |
| style="font-weight: bold; background: navajowhite;"
| style="text-align:center;" | 5 | Valerie Shane | "Oh, Oh, Reckon I Must Be In Love"
|Advanced |
| style="font-weight: bold; background: navajowhite;"
| style="text-align:center;" | 6 | Lita Roza | "This Is My Town"
|Advanced |
===Final===
The final was held on 7 February 1959 at 19:30 GMT.
| class="sortable wikitable" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto; text-align:center"
|+ Final – 7 February 1959 | |||
| Draw | Artist | Song | Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | align="left"| Valerie Shane | align="left"| "Oh, Oh, Reckon I Must Be In Love" | 5 |
| 2 | align="left"| Steve Martin | align="left"|"One Lonely Heart" | 4 |
| style="font-weight: bold; background: gold;"
| 3 | align="left"|Pearl Carr and Teddy Johnson | align="left" | "Sing, Little Birdie" | 1 |
| 4 | align="left"| John Hanson | align="left"| "Success" | 6 |
| 5 | align="left"|Glen Mason | align="left" | "Suddenly" | 3 |
| 6 | align="left"| Lita Roza | align="left"| "This Is My Town" | 2 |
At Eurovision
In the final, Pearl Carr and Teddy Johnson performed tenth in the running order, following {{Esccnty|Austria|y=1959}} and preceding {{Esccnty|Belgium|y=1959}}. At the close of the voting "Sing Little Birdie" had received 16 votes, placing United Kingdom 2nd in a field of 11 entries. The British jury awarded 5 of its 10 votes to {{Esccnty|Switzerland|y=1959}}.
= Voting =
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
| class="wikitable" |
| + Votes awarded to the United Kingdom{{cite web |title=Results of the Final of Cannes 1959 |url=https://eurovision.tv/event/cannes-1959/final/results/united-kingdom |publisher=Eurovision Song Contest |access-date=27 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210327213615/https://eurovision.tv/event/cannes-1959/final/results/united-kingdom |archive-date=27 March 2021 |url-status=live}} |
| scope="col" width="20%" | Score
! scope="col" | Country |
|---|
| scope="row" | 5 votes
| {{Esc|Netherlands|y=1959}} |
| scope="row" | 3 votes
| {{Esc|Switzerland|y=1959}} |
| scope="row" | 2 votes
| {{Unbulleted list|{{Esc|Austria|y=1959}}|{{Esc|Belgium|y=1959}}|{{Esc|Monaco|y=1959}}}} |
| scope="row" | 1 vote
| {{Unbulleted list|{{Esc|Denmark|y=1959}}|{{Esc|France|y=1959}}}} |
{{col-2}}
{{col-end}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest}}
{{Eurovision Song Contest 1959}}