545/917 Scott Fitzgerald: Go (United Kingdom 1988)

The 1988 Eurovision Song Contest is remembered for being one with the tightest and most exiting votings ever in the Eurovision history. Right until the last jury the UK and Switzerland were head to head, and even though the UK at some point seemed to run away with the victory, Switzerland came back from the behind. Before the last jury the UK were only five points ahead, and when the Yugoslav jury gave six points to Céline Dion and none to Scott Fitzgerald, the UK saw the victory flee from their hands by just one point.

Unfortunately the voting thriller of the 1988 has overshadowed both the songs in question. Céline Dion would become one of the best selling singers of all time, but few fans of hers even know the song Ne partez-pas sans moi. Scott Fitzgerald suffered crueller fate. Go reached only 52th place in the UK singles charts, and his career never recovered.

I've never really understood how such a unremarkable ballad ever got so high in the contest. It has been only recently that I have understood and started to like the song, which to me is not the kind of Euroballad to do well in the contest. Scott Fitzgerald delivers the song professionally and the string arrangement of the live version makes it much better than the blunt studio version. Definately not one of the best songs in 1988 and not worthy the second place, but still a pleasent ballad that should have been treated better.

My points 3/5