Les Jardins De Monaco
Encyclopedia
"Les jardins de Monaco" ("The Gardens of Monaco") was the Monegasque
entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1978
, performed in French
by French
duo Caline & Olivier Toussaint
.
This was Toussaint's second consecutive entry for the principality
of Monaco; in 1977
he and his longtime collaborator Paul de Senneville
had composed Michèle Torr's "Une petite française
".
"Les jardins de Monaco" is a mid-tempo disco
duet, with the singers recalling their innocent childhoods in the titular "gardens of Monaco" and singing about the famous people who could have kept assignations there; Greta Garbo
, Brigitte Bardot
, Roger Vadim
or even Romeo and Juliet
. One of the other famous people listed is Charlie Chaplin
, himself the subject of the next song performed at that Contest. Caline and Toussaint also recorded the song in English
and German
, as "The Garden of Monaco" and "Auf Wiederseh'n in Monaco" respectively.
The song was performed fourteenth on the night, following Germany
's Ireen Sheer
with "Feuer
" and preceding Greece
's Tania Tsanaklidou
with "Charlie Chaplin
". At the close of voting, it had received 107 points, placing 4th in a field of 20.
It was succeeded as Monegasque representative
at the 1979 contest
by Laurent Vaguener with "Notre vie c'est la musique
".
Monaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1978
Eurovision Song Contest 1978
The Eurovision Song Contest 1978 was the 23rd of its kind, and was held on 22 April 1978 in Paris. With Denise Fabre and Léon Zitrone as the presenters - the first time more than one presenter hosted the contest - the contest was won by Izhar Cohen & the Alphabeta who represented Israel, with their...
, 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 French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
duo Caline & Olivier Toussaint
Olivier Toussaint
Olivier Toussaint is a French composer, pop singer, orchestra arranger, company manager, and record producer.-Early life:He was born in Paris, in a family of classical musicians. His great-grandfather, Gilbert Duprez was a very well known Opera singer...
.
This was Toussaint's second consecutive entry for the principality
Principality
A principality is a monarchical feudatory or sovereign state, ruled or reigned over by a monarch with the title of prince or princess, or by a monarch with another title within the generic use of the term prince....
of Monaco; in 1977
Eurovision Song Contest 1977
The Eurovision Song Contest 1977 was the 22nd edition series, and was held on 7 May 1977 in London. With Angela Rippon as the presenter, the contest was won by Marie Myriam who represented France, with her song "L'oiseau et l'enfant" . This was France's fifth victory, a record, which was equalled...
he and his longtime collaborator Paul de Senneville
Paul de Senneville
Paul de Senneville is a French melody composer and a music producer.-Career:He began his career as a journalist working for big French newspapers such as France Soir...
had composed Michèle Torr's "Une petite française
Une Petite Française
"Une petite française" was the Monegasque entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1977, performed in French by French singer Michèle Torr....
".
"Les jardins de Monaco" is a mid-tempo disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
duet, with the singers recalling their innocent childhoods in the titular "gardens of Monaco" and singing about the famous people who could have kept assignations there; Greta Garbo
Greta Garbo
Greta Garbo , born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson, was a Swedish film actress. Garbo was an international star and icon during Hollywood's silent and classic periods. Many of Garbo's films were sensational hits, and all but three were profitable...
, Brigitte Bardot
Brigitte Bardot
Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot is a French former fashion model, actress, singer and animal rights activist. She was one of the best-known sex-symbols of the 1960s.In her early life, Bardot was an aspiring ballet dancer...
, Roger Vadim
Roger Vadim
Roger Vadim was a French screenwriter, director, and producer as well as a journalist, author and actor, who launched Brigitte Bardot's career in the film And God Created Woman.-Early life:...
or even Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular archetypal stories of young, teenage lovers.Romeo and Juliet belongs to a...
. One of the other famous people listed is Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin
Sir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin, KBE was an English comic actor, film director and composer best known for his work during the silent film era. He became the most famous film star in the world before the end of World War I...
, himself the subject of the next song performed at that Contest. Caline and Toussaint also recorded the song in 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...
and German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, as "The Garden of Monaco" and "Auf Wiederseh'n in Monaco" respectively.
The song was performed fourteenth on the night, following Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
's Ireen Sheer
Ireen Sheer
Ireen Sheer is a German-British pop singer, who has competed in several Eurovision Song Contests over the past four decades...
with "Feuer
Feuer
Feuer is the German language word for fire. From its origins, the word "feuer" has made its way into contemporary use as a family name.According to Israel's Diaspora Museum, the surname, Feuer, indicates that the ancestors of those bearing this name were the "shedders of light and wisdom" on their...
" and preceding Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
's Tania Tsanaklidou
Tania Tsanaklidou
Soultana Tsanaklidou is a Greek artist, both singer and actress, who represented Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest 1978.-Biography:...
with "Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin (song)
"Charlie Chaplin" was the Greek entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1978, performed in Greek by Tania Tsanaklidou....
". At the close of voting, it had received 107 points, placing 4th in a field of 20.
It was succeeded as Monegasque representative
Monaco in the Eurovision Song Contest
Monaco first participated in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1959. The country's first and only win in the contest came in 1971, when Séverine performed "Un banc, un arbre, une rue". In 1972 Monaco was expected to host the contest, but declined...
at the 1979 contest
Eurovision Song Contest 1979
The Eurovision Song Contest 1979 was the 24th Eurovision Song Contest and was held on 31 March 1979 in Jerusalem, Israel. The presenters were Daniel Pe'er and Yardena Arazi, and the event was staged at the International Convention Center. Representing Israel, Gali Atari and Milk and Honey were the...
by Laurent Vaguener with "Notre vie c'est la musique
Notre Vie C'Est La Musique
"Notre vie c'est la musique" was the Monegasque entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1979, performed in French by French singer Laurent Vaguener.The song was composed by Paul de Senneville and one Jean Baudlot...
".