Après Toi
Encyclopedia
"Après toi" was the winning song of the Eurovision Song Contest 1972
performed in French
by Greek
singer Vicky Leandros
, representing Luxembourg
. The song was co-written by Leandros' father Leandros Papathanasiou, also known as Leo Leandros
, under his pseudonym
Mario Panas. This was Vicky Leandros' second entry in the Contest. In 1967 she had finished 4th with "L'amour est bleu" (better known under its English title "Love is Blue") which subsequently went on to become a worldwide hit when covered by French orchestra leader Paul Mauriat
.
"Après toi" is a dramatic ballad
, with the singer telling her lover what will happen to her once he has finally left her for someone else; "After you I will be nothing but the shadow of your shadow".
The song was performed seventeenth on the night (following Belgium
's Serge & Christine Ghisoland
with "À la folie ou pas du tout
" and preceding the Netherlands
' Sandra
& Andres
with "Als het om de liefde gaat"). By the close of voting, it had received 128 points, placing it first in a field of 18.
The song was released in Britain in an English
translation, "Come What May", also sung by Vicky Leandros, which reached no. 2 in the UK charts. Leandros also recorded the song in Italian ("Dopo Te"), German ("Dann kamst du"), Spanish ("Y Despues"), Greek ("Mono Esi") and Japanese ("Omoide Ni Ikiru ").
"Après toi" was succeeded as Contest winner in 1973 by Anne-Marie David
singing "Tu te reconnaîtras
", also for Luxembourg
.
As with "L'amour est bleu", "Après toi" has been afforded a number of translated cover versions including "Jak Mám Spát" (Czech) recorded by Helena Vondráčková
, "Tulethan – rakastan" (Finnish) recorded by Carola Standertskjöld, "Posle Tebe" (Serbian) recorded by Lola Novaković
, "Si te vas" (Spanish) recorded by Paloma San Basilio
, and "Vad än sker" (Swedish) recorded by Ann-Louise Hanson
.
The English version "Come What May" was covered by Filipina singer Pilita Corrales
on her 1976 album Live At The Riveira With Pilita Amado Vol. 2.
Eurovision Song Contest 1972
The Eurovision Song Contest 1972 was the 17th edition series. Monaco was unable to host this year's Eurovision as they were unable to provide the resources. They approached French TV, who agreed to produce the contest, but only if the contest was staged in France and not the planned Monte Carlo...
performed in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
by Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
singer Vicky Leandros
Vicky Leandros
Vicky Leandros is a Greek singer with a long international career. She is the daughter of singer, musician and composer Leandros Papathanasiou...
, representing Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
. The song was co-written by Leandros' father Leandros Papathanasiou, also known as Leo Leandros
Leo Leandros
Leo Leandros , is a Greek musician, composer and producer. Born in Astakos, Greece, Leandros left in the 1950s for Germany to pursue a career in singing and composing. He had some success, but shifted his focus to his daughter, Vicky, who had been singing from a very early age and turned out to be...
, under his pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
Mario Panas. This was Vicky Leandros' second entry in the Contest. In 1967 she had finished 4th with "L'amour est bleu" (better known under its English title "Love is Blue") which subsequently went on to become a worldwide hit when covered by French orchestra leader Paul Mauriat
Paul Mauriat
Paul Mauriat was a French orchestra leader, specializing in light music. He is best known in the United States for his million selling remake of André Popp's "Love is Blue", which was #1 for 5 weeks in 1968...
.
"Après toi" is a dramatic ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
, with the singer telling her lover what will happen to her once he has finally left her for someone else; "After you I will be nothing but the shadow of your shadow".
The song was performed seventeenth on the night (following Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
's Serge & Christine Ghisoland
Serge & Christine Ghisoland
Serge & Christine Ghisoland are a singing duo from Mouscron, Belgium, best known for their participation in the 1972 Eurovision Song Contest.- Eurovision Song Contest :...
with "À la folie ou pas du tout
À La Folie Ou Pas Du Tout
"À la folie ou pas du tout" was the Belgian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1972, performed in French by Serge & Christine Ghisoland....
" and preceding the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
' Sandra
Sandra Reemer
Barbara Alexandra "Sandra" Reemer is a Dutch Indo singer of Dutch, Chinese and Javanese extraction...
& Andres
Dries Holten
Dries Holten is a Indonesian born Dutch singer, Songwriter. He represented the Netherlands at the 1972 Eurovision Song Contest alongside Sandra Reemer. After he and Reemer broke up Holten formed a new group with Rosy Pereira and called it Rosy & Andres...
with "Als het om de liefde gaat"). By the close of voting, it had received 128 points, placing it first in a field of 18.
The song was released in Britain in an English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
translation, "Come What May", also sung by Vicky Leandros, which reached no. 2 in the UK charts. Leandros also recorded the song in Italian ("Dopo Te"), German ("Dann kamst du"), Spanish ("Y Despues"), Greek ("Mono Esi") and Japanese ("Omoide Ni Ikiru ").
"Après toi" was succeeded as Contest winner in 1973 by Anne-Marie David
Anne-Marie David
Anne-Marie David is a French singer. She represented two different countries at the Eurovision Song Contest.-Career:...
singing "Tu te reconnaîtras
Tu Te Reconnaîtras
"Tu te reconnaîtras" , sung in French by French singer Anne-Marie David representing Luxembourg, was the winning song at the Eurovision Song Contest 1973 – on one of the rare occasions when a country has won the contest two years in succession...
", also for Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
.
As with "L'amour est bleu", "Après toi" has been afforded a number of translated cover versions including "Jak Mám Spát" (Czech) recorded by Helena Vondráčková
Helena Vondrácková
Helena Vondráčková is a Czech singer whose career has spanned five decades.- Early life/career :Vondráčková spent her childhood years in the town of Slatinany. She took piano lessons from an early age...
, "Tulethan – rakastan" (Finnish) recorded by Carola Standertskjöld, "Posle Tebe" (Serbian) recorded by Lola Novaković
Lola Novakovic
Zorana "Lola" Novaković is a Serbian singer, hugely popular during 1960s and to a lesser degree 1970s. Internationally, she is most notable for representing FPR Yugoslavia at Eurovision Song Contest in 1962 where she finished 4th.- References :...
, "Si te vas" (Spanish) recorded by Paloma San Basilio
Paloma San Basilio
Paloma San Basilio is a Spanish singer. Although she was born in Madrid, at the age of 6 months the family moved to Sevilla , where she was raised till the age of 8...
, and "Vad än sker" (Swedish) recorded by Ann-Louise Hanson
Ann-Louise Hanson
Ann-Louise Hanson is a Swedish singer and has been involved in the music industry for over 40 years.Many of her solo recordings from the 1960s feature Bruno Glenmarks Orkester and, following their marriage, Ann-Louise and Bruno Glenmark formed the group Glenmarks with Bruno's niece Karin and...
.
The English version "Come What May" was covered by Filipina singer Pilita Corrales
Pilita Corrales
Pilita Garrido Corrales is a Popular Filipina singer. She is tagged "Asia's Queen of Songs."-Biography:Pilita Garrido Corrales was born in Lahug, Cebu to a Spanish mother Maria Garrido and a half Filipino half Spanish father Jose Corrales...
on her 1976 album Live At The Riveira With Pilita Amado Vol. 2.