Belgium was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 1975 with the song "", written by , and performed by Ann Christy. The Belgian participating broadcaster, Flemish (BRT), selected its entry through a national final. Ann Christy had previously taken part in the and . Future Belgian representatives Micha Marah () and Dream Express () also took part in the national final.
Before Eurovision
Eurosong Eurosong was the national final format developed by Flemish broadcaster (BRT) which determined the song that would represent Belgium at the Eurovision Song Contest 1975. This was the first edition of Eurosong, which would become the name of every BRT and VRT national final after 1975 (With the exception of 1996), and would become synonymous with the Eurovision Song Contest itself in Belgium. This was also the first ever national final called Eurosong in the history of Eurovision Song Contest national finals, a name that would be adopted by several other countries for their national finals, such as: , the , , , and .
Format The first stage of the selection process consisted of seven semi-finals at the Amerikaans Theater in Brussels, taking part between 17 November 1974 and 16 February 1975, hosted by Staf Van Berendoncks. The format was similar to the former Belgian national final , where each semi-final had ten artists and the top three songs would be reused by their artists in the next semi-final while the other seven artists would select new songs. Songs that got top three in two consecutive semi-finals qualified to the final.
Competing entries BRT shortlisted eight singers and two groups for Eurosong 1975: Ann Christy, Rita Deneve, Ingriani, Micha Marah, Ann Michel, , , , The Lollipops, and . A rule in Eurosong 1975 allowed artists to also participate with bands, causing Dream Express, Jeremiah, Road, and The Pebbles to participate as well. A total of 58 songs competed in Eurosong 1975.
+Competing entriesArtistSongSongwriter(s)Composer(s)Lyricist(s)Ann Christy"Als je eenzaam bent"Erik Marijsse"Gelukkig zijn""Oh mon amour"Léonil McCormickNelly BijlAnn Christy and Dream Express"Hartenbreker"Nelly BijlAnn Michel"Alleen voortaan"Gerd Frank, G. Van den OstendeCahelo"Als de lente komt"Gerd Frank, G. Van den OstendePhil Van Cauwenbergh"Droomland aan zee"Rudy WittErnie Frank, Dolphi"Je hebt je vergist"Gerd Frank, G. Van den OstendeCahelo"Mijn gentleman"Jacques RaymondRaymond Resmann"Come On Baby"Gerd Frank, G. Van Ostende, Ernie Frank"Fils à papa"Jacques RaymondRaymond Resmann"Ik ben funny"Rudy Witt, Frank ErnieDolphi"Leven moet je drinken"D. HermesHuguette De Backer"Mijn droom"Gerd Frank, G. Van den Ostende, Huguette De Backer"Ook dat nog"Walter Ertveld"Vraag niet waarom"Paul QuintensPhil Van CauwenberghIngriani"Dan zal ik dansen"Greta Mestdagh"Hey capitano"Eddy Govert"Hey hey dandy"Greta Mestdagh"Lady"Greta Mestdagh, Rick Vervecken"Zo zacht"Eddy Govert"De wereld", Van Winkele, Pavic"De wereld zingt een nieuw refrein"J. Paul, J. R. Van Herck"Hou je van mij"J. Leopold, Roos Windels"Sla je handen in elkaar"Eddy Govert"Zo was er niemand"J. Van Hoeck, Roos Windels and Jeremiah"Het is zo goed weer thuis te zijn", Van Winkele, Pavic"Alleen"Dirk Devriendt"Alles wat ik heb"Willy van Couwenberghe"Een zonnige zondagmiddag"Dirk Devriendt"Laat een jongenshart nooit alleen"Romain Schoonis"Kom geef mij je kleine hand""Morgen zal alles beter gaan" and Road"Ik wil terug naar mijn moeder"Willy van Couwenberghe"Alleen je lichaam"Roland Arnould, Wim ReilingRoland Arnould"De dikke encyclopedie"Roland Arnould, Wim ReilingRoland Arnould"Een kind van nog geen zeven"Roland Arnould, Wim ReilingRoland Arnould"Het land van friet en pils"A. Arnould, Wim Reiling"Mens wat wil je meer"Roland Arnould, Wim ReilingRoland Arnould"Wat over Frits en zin familie wordt verteld"Roland Arnould, Wim ReilingRoland Arnould"Zonder geld, zonder vrouw, zonder baan"Roland Arnould, Wim ReilingRoland ArnouldMicha Marah"Ik weet"Willy Van Couwenberghe"Kom bij mij"Willy Van Couwenberghe"Weet je waarom"Willy Van Couwenberghe"Zeven uur is liefde"Willy Van CouwenbergheMicha Marah and the Pebbles"t Is over"Fred Bekky, Rita Deneve"Ben je vergeten dat ik van je hou"J. G. CallebautYan Nick"Ciao adieu, auf wiedersehen"J. G. CallebautYan Nick"Dance Dance Mama"J. G. Callebaut, P. Montouris"Maar toch blijf je de eerste" colspan="2" "Niemand, is er dan niemand"Sylvain Van HolmenYan Nick"Vogelvrij"Sylvain Van HolmenPenny ElsThe Lollipops"Hello Everyone, Everywhere in the World"Bobby Ranger"Kansas City Joe"C. Van Mere, José Fontaine"Love, Love, Love", Rick VerveckenE. Debacker"My Love, Oh My Love"Erik Marijsse"Shalala"Willy van CouwenbergheVan Mere"Valentijn"Paul QuintensPhil van Cauwenbergh"t Was een mooie tijd"C. Van Mere, José Fontaine, Rick Vervecken
Shows
Semi-finals Voting in the semi-finals was done by five provincial juries, each consisting of ten members of the public, five men and five women. After every show, all fifty were replaced. Since songs introduced in semi-final 9 could not get top three in two semi-finals and qualify to the final, the rules to qualify for the final were changed for semi-final 9. Songs had to receive at least 377 points, the average number of points that every song that qualified to the final got in their last semi-final.
The first four semi-finals were recorded on a Saturday and broadcast on the Sunday. The fifth semi-final was never recorded and broadcast due to a strike at BRT, but it still took place behind closed doors. The sixth and seventh semi-finals were broadcast live on a Saturday.
+Semi-final 1 – 17 November 1974 Artist SongPoints Place Result 1 Micha Marah "Kom bij mij" 365 3 Advanced 2 Ingriani "Hey capitano" 336 4 3 "Het land van friet en pils" 250 8 4The Lollipops"Shalala" 219 9 5 "Ik ben funny" 331 5 6 "De wereld zingt een nieuw refrein" 275 7 7 "Kom geef mij je kleine hand" 286 6 8 Rita Deneve "Ben je vergeten dat ik van je hou" 377 1 Advanced 9 Ann Michel "Mijn gentleman" 340 2 Advanced Ann Christy was absent from semi-final 1 as she was abroad at the time. +Semi-final 2 – 1 December 1974 Artist SongPoints Place Result 1 Ann Michel "Mijn gentleman" 401 1 Qualified 2 Micha Marah "Kom bij mij" 383 2 Qualified 3 Ingriani "Zo zacht" 316 6 4 "Alleen je lichaam" 189 9 5 The Lollipops "Kansas City Joe" 142 10 6 "Ook dat nog" 231 7 7 Ann Christy "Als je eenzaam bent" 376 3 Advanced 8 "Sla je handen in elkaar" 321 5 9 "Alleen" 226 8 10 Rita Deneve "Ben je vergeten dat ik van je hou" 372 4 +Semi-final 3 – 15 December 1974 Artist SongPoints Place Result 1 Ann Michel "Alleen voortaan" 360 3 Advanced 2 Micha Marah "Weet je waarom" 360 3 Advanced 3 Ingriani "Dan zal ik dansen" 380 2 Advanced 4 "De dikke encyclopedie" 192 8 5 The Lollipops "Hello Everyone, Everywhere in the World" 350 5 6 "Mijn droom" 323 6 7 Ann Christy "Als je eenzaam bent" 413 1 Qualified 8 "Hou je van mij" 311 7 9 "Een zonnige zondagmiddag" 156 9 Rita Deneve would have participated with the song "Maar toch blijf je de eerste" but was absent due to the birth of her son. +Semi-final 4 – 29 December 1974 Artist SongPoints Place Result 1 "Alles wat ik heb" 269 9 2 Rita Deneve "Vogelvrij" 314 6 3 Ann Michel "Alleen voortaan" 359 3 Qualified 4 Micha Marah "Weet je waarom" 356 4 5 Ingriani "Dan zal ik dansen" 375 1 Qualified 6 "Zonder geld, zonder vrouw, zonder baan" 186 10 7 The Lollipops "Valentijn" 296 8 8 "Come On Baby" 318 5 9 Ann Christy "Gelukkig zijn" 372 2 Advanced 10 "Zo was er niemand" 305 7 +Semi-final 5 – 18 January 1975 Artist SongPoints Place Result 1 and Jeremiah "Het is zo goed weer thuis te zijn" 387 3 Advanced 2 "Morgen zal alles beter gaan" 279 7 3 Rita Deneve "Niemand, is er dan niemand" 337 4 4 Ann Michel "Je hebt je vergist" 321 6 5 Micha Marah "Zeven uur is liefde" 325 5 6 Ingriani "Hey hey dandy" 402 2 Advanced 7 "Mens wat wil je meer" 262 9 8 The Lollipops "My Love, Oh My Love" 220 10 9 "Leven moet je drinken" 267 8 10 Ann Christy "Gelukkig zijn" 423 1 Qualified The fifth semi-final was not broadcast due to a strike at BRT, but it still took place. +Semi-final 6 – 1 February 1975 Artist SongPoints Place Result 1 Ann Christy and Dream Express "Hartenbreker" 319 4 2 and Jeremiah "Het is zo goed weer thuis te zijn" 325 3 Qualified 3 "Laat een jongenshart nooit alleen" 233 9 4 Rita Deneve "Ciao adieu, aufwiedersehn" 317 5 5 Ann Michel "Droomland aan zee" 272 7 6 Micha Marah "Ik weet" 381 1 Disqualified 7 Ingriani "Hey hey dandy" 378 2 Qualified 8 "Een kind van nog geen zeven" 192 10 9 The Lollipops "Love, Love, Love" 281 6 10 "Fils à papa" 262 8 After Semi-final 6, Micha Marah withdrew "Ik weet" as she wanted to participate with a different song in semi-final 7. +Semi-final 7 – 15 February 1975 Artist SongPoints Place Result 1 "Vraag niet waarom" 329 5 2 Ann Christy "Oh mon amour" 351 3 3 "De wereld" 341 4 4 and Road "Ik wil terug naar mijn moeder" 209 10 5 Rita Deneve "Dance Dance Mama" 394 1 Qualified 6 Ann Michel "Als de lente komt" 286 7 7 Micha Marah and the Pebbles "t Is over" 384 2 Qualified 8 Ingriani "Lady" 329 5 9 "Wat over Frits en zin familie wordt verteld" 242 8 10 The Lollipops "t Was een mooie tijd" 235 9
Final The final, consisting of ten songs, took place on 1 March 1975 also at the Amerikaans Theater, hosted by Staf Van Berendoncks. Six singers were involved, with four (including Christy) performing two songs apiece. Voting was by five regional juries, each consisting of 20 members of the public, and "" emerged the winner by a margin of almost 60 points.
+ Final – 1 March 1975 Artist Song Points Place 1Ann Christy"Als je eenzaam bent"7653 2Ann Michel"Mijn gentleman" 59810 3 and Jeremiah"Het is zo goed weer thuis te zijn"6009 4Ingriani"Dan zal ik dansen"7444 5Micha Marah"Kom bij mij"6957 6Rita Deneve"Dance Dance Mama"7276 7Ann Michel"Alleen voortaan"6268 8Ingriani"Hey hey dandy"7672 9Ann Christy"Gelukkig zijn"8251 10Micha Marah and the Pebbles"t Is over"7355 + Detailed Regional Jury Results Song scope="col" scope="col" scope="col" scope="col" scope="col" Total 1"Als je eenzaam bent"160156150150149765 2"Mijn gentleman"112115120122129598 3"Het is zo goed weer thuis te zijn"103110139123125600 4"Dan zal ik dansen"138147148175136744 5"Kom bij mij"148126149127145695 6"Dans dans mama"128146168137148727 7"Alleen voortaan"124116129117140626 8"Hey hey dandy"138159150160160767 9"Gelukkig zijn"195156164154156825 10"t Is over"175123166144127735
At Eurovision On the night of the final Christy performed 11th in the running order, following and preceding . Under the free-language rule in operation at the time, Christy performed the first half of the song in Dutch, before switching to English. At the close of the voting "" had received 17 points, placing Belgium 15th of the 19 participating countries.
Voting
+ Points awarded to Belgium Score Country 12 points 10 points 8 points 7 points 6 points 5 points 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point
+ Points awarded by Belgium Score Country 12 points 10 points 8 points 7 points 6 points 5 points 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point
References