Go (Scott Fitzgerald song)
Encyclopedia
"Go", written and composed by Julie Forsyth, was the United Kingdom's entry at the Eurovision Song Contest 1988
, performed by Scott Fitzgerald
.
Fitzgerald won the right to perform at Dublin by winning the UK national final, A Song for Europe
, where he was the eighth singer to perform. Fitzgerald was also the first singer to be chosen to represent the United Kingdom via a national telephone vote
. In Dublin, the song was performed fourth on the night, after Finland
's Boulevard with "Nauravat silmät muistetaan
", and before Turkey
's Mazhar-Fuat-Özkan
with "Sufi
."
At the end of judging that evening, "Go" took the second-place slot with 136 points. Turkey, Belgium and Italy awarded their 12 point designations to the UK that evening. In one of the closest voting rounds up to that time, the UK lost the competition by one point to Switzerland
's representative, Canadian
singer Celine Dion
, with her song "Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi
." According to author and contest historian John Kennedy O'Connor
, this was the closest contest yet, with the winning margin being just 0.73%. The strong showing in the 1988 contest was an indicator of things to come for the United Kingdom, as it would become the first of eleven straight Top Ten placings in the Contest, and the first of four second-place finishes in the next six years.
In a departure from the past two years, an easy listening
ballad was on offer this year, telling the story of two former lovers meeting by chance. Fitzgerald, in the role of the lovesick man, relates the sad story; his former lover had left him years before for another man, and now that she has returned, so has all the sorrow he felt.
After the Eurovision, the song placed at #52 on the UK Singles Chart
.
Eurovision Song Contest 1988
The Eurovision Song Contest 1988 was the 33rd Eurovision Song Contest and was held on 30 April 1988 in Dublin. The presenters were Pat Kenny and Michelle Rocca...
, performed by Scott Fitzgerald
Scott Fitzgerald (singer)
Scott Fitzgerald is a Scottish singer, who had his biggest success in the 1970s and later represented the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest.-Career:...
.
Fitzgerald won the right to perform at Dublin by winning the UK national final, A Song for Europe
A Song for Europe
A Song for Europe may refer to:*A Song for Europe, former name of British pre-selection competition for the Eurovision Song Contest, now known as Eurovision: Your Country Needs You...
, where he was the eighth singer to perform. Fitzgerald was also the first singer to be chosen to represent the United Kingdom via a national telephone vote
Televoting
Televoting, telephone voting or phone voting is a method of decision making and opinion polling conducted by telephone. Televoting can also extend to voting by SMS text message via a mobile cell phone.- Broadcast contest televoting :...
. In Dublin, the song was performed fourth on the night, after Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
's Boulevard with "Nauravat silmät muistetaan
Nauravat Silmät Muistetaan
"Nauravat silmät muistetaan" was the Finnish entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1988, performed in Finnish by Boulevard .The song was performed third on the night, following Sweden's Tommy Körberg with "Stad...
", and before Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
's Mazhar-Fuat-Özkan
Mazhar-Fuat-Özkan
Mazhar-Fuat-Özkan is a Turkish band. The names of the band's singers are Mazhar Alanson, Fuat Güner and Özkan Uğur....
with "Sufi
Sufi (song)
"Sufi" was the Turkish entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1988, performed in Turkish by MFÖ.The song was performed fifth on the night, following United Kingdom's Scott Fitzgerald with "Go" and preceding Spain's La Década Prodigiosa with "La chica que yo quiero "...
."
At the end of judging that evening, "Go" took the second-place slot with 136 points. Turkey, Belgium and Italy awarded their 12 point designations to the UK that evening. In one of the closest voting rounds up to that time, the UK lost the competition by one point to Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
's representative, Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
singer Celine Dion
Celine Dion
Céline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record...
, with her song "Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi
Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi
"Ne partez pas sans moi" is the Swiss winning entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1988, performed by Céline Dion. It was released as a single in Europe on May 6, 1988...
." According to author and contest historian John Kennedy O'Connor
John Kennedy O'Connor
John Kennedy O'Connor is an author, entertainment and political commentator, based in the United States. Born in North London, United Kingdom, he has written, reported and broadcast for numerous media organizations, as well as writing, creating and producing media events for a number of...
, this was the closest contest yet, with the winning margin being just 0.73%. The strong showing in the 1988 contest was an indicator of things to come for the United Kingdom, as it would become the first of eleven straight Top Ten placings in the Contest, and the first of four second-place finishes in the next six years.
In a departure from the past two years, an easy listening
Easy listening
Easy listening is a broad style of popular music and radio format that emerged in the 1950s, evolving out of big band music, and related to MOR music as played on many AM radio stations. It encompasses the exotica, beautiful music, light music, lounge music, ambient music, and space age pop genres...
ballad was on offer this year, telling the story of two former lovers meeting by chance. Fitzgerald, in the role of the lovesick man, relates the sad story; his former lover had left him years before for another man, and now that she has returned, so has all the sorrow he felt.
After the Eurovision, the song placed at #52 on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
.