Skip to main content

Jerusalem 1999

The 1999 Eurovision Song Contest took place in Jerusalem for the first time since 1979. Free language rules were introduced meaning that participating countries could choose which language they performed in.

Goodbye to the orchestra

In 1999 it was also decided that France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom, as the highest-paying European Broadcasting Union members, would automatically be allowed to participate every year, irrespective of their five-year point average. For the first time since the 1970s participants were free to choose which language they performed in. In a controversial move, the orchestra became an optional requirement in 1999 meaning that for the first time in the history of the contest, all entries would perform using a backing track.

Latvia intended to take part this year but the country withdrew at a late stage, giving the opportunity to Hungary, but Hungarian TV didn't accept the offer either. As a result, the 23rd spot was given to Portugal. Due to their lower average scores over the previous five contests, Finland, Greece, FYR Macedonia, Romania and Switzerland stayed at home.

The Cypriot entry performed by Marlain had been one of the favourites to win the contest but the song received only two points in total. The Croatian entry Maria Magdalena was sanctioned after the contest, as it used synthesized male backing vocals despite the rule stating that all vocals would have to be performed live on stage. Croatia lost 33% of their points, giving it a lower five-year average.

About the winner

Sweden's Charlotte Nilsson won the contest with Take Me To Your Heaven. The song had been seen as rather old-fashioned in Sweden but the audience thought differently. Take Me To Your Heaven won at a time when ABBA were enjoying a revival in the European charts and the similarities in musical style were noted by the media. Sweden beat off strong competition from Iceland which achieved its best ever placing in 1999.

Facts & figures

  • When the winner of the 1998 contest, Dana International, was about to hand over the trophy to the winner, she fell down on stage in her stilettos causing a security alert in the hall.
  • At the end of the show all the participating artists gathered on-stage to perform the winning song from 1979, Hallelujah, as a tribute to the victims of the war in the Balkans which was on-going at the time.