| "Rock 'n' Roll Kids" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Single byPaul Harrington andCharlie McGettigan | |
| B-side | "Rock 'N' Roll Kids (Acoustic Mix)" |
| Released | 1994 |
| Songwriter | Brendan Graham |
| Eurovision Song Contest 1994 entry | |
| Country | |
| Artists | |
| Language | English |
| Composer | |
| Lyricist | Brendan Graham |
| Conductor | None |
| Finals performance | |
| Final result | 1st |
| Final points | 226 |
| Entry chronology | |
| ◄ "In Your Eyes" (1993) | |
| "Dreamin'" (1995) ► | |
| Official performance video | |
| "Rock 'n' Roll Kids" onYouTube | |
"Rock 'n' Roll Kids" is a song recorded byPaul Harrington andCharlie McGettigan written byBrendan Graham. Itrepresented Ireland in theEurovision Song Contest 1994 held inDublin, resulting an unprecedented third consecutive time that the same country had won the contest, being Ireland's sixth overall win.
"Rock 'n' Roll Kids" was written byBrendan Graham. Lyrically, the song originally had seven verses, representing various decades including the '60s, '70s, '80s and '90s but on the advice of a DJ, Graham dropped the last two verses as they felt the song was too long. Graham got the inspiration for the title while attending aFats Domino concert at Dublin'sNational Stadium in 1991. He entered it in 1992 and 1993 and it failed to get through both times, but was accepted in 1994. According to Graham, "I saw the song as a small song, as a conversation in the kitchen, and I wanted the listeners to be drawn into that kitchen, and into that conversation".[1]
On 13 March 1994, "Rock 'n' Roll Kids" performed byPaul Harrington andCharlie McGettigan competed in thenational selection organised byRaidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ) to select its song and performer for the39th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. The song won the competition, so it became theIrish entrant — and McGettigan and Harrington the performers — for Eurovision.[2]
There was a myth among Irish media that the song was deliberately chosennot to win. As the contest rules expect the previous year's winner to host the next edition of the contest, the argument runs that RTÉ was not prepared to do this for a third consecutive year, hence the selection; this has never been proven. Even when Ireland hosted the event in1997, Irish entrantMarc Roberts confirmed that RTÉ wanted him to go out and win it, as they had done a deal with theBBC to host it the following year in case of another Irish victory.
On 30 April 1994, the Eurovision Song Contest was held at thePoint Theatre inDublin hosted by RTÉ, and broadcast live throughout the continent. McGettigan and Harrington performed "Rock 'n' Roll Kids" third on the evening, followingFinland's "Bye Bye Baby" byCatCat and precedingCyprus' "Ime Anthropos Ki Ego" byEvridiki.[3]
At the close of voting, it had received 226 points, placing first in a field of twenty-five, winning the contest.[4] It was the first winning song ever to be performed without orchestral accompaniment, as McGettigan's guitar and Harrington's piano were the only instruments needed. It was also the first time in the contest that a song scored over 200 points and the third consecutive win for Ireland, sixth overall. The song was succeeded as winner in1995 "Nocturne" performed bySecret Garden representingNorway. It was succeeded as Irish representative that year by "Dreamin'" byEddie Friel.
In the Eurovision fiftieth anniversary competitionCongratulations: 50 Years of the Eurovision Song Contest, held on 22 October 2005 inCopenhagen, McGettigan andJakob Sveistrup performed "Rock 'n' Roll Kids" as part of the interval act.[5]
To commemorate the 20th anniversary of their victory, Harrington and McGettigan performed a gig in the Sugar Club in Dublin in 2014. Graham reminisced about the inspiration of the song while accepting his Eurovision trophy: "As I stood on the stage at thePoint Depot, through the applause and the cheers, I heard a sound roll in over the Liffey Banks – the sound of a rollin', rumbling piano… and for a moment, I wasn't there. I was back in the Stadium on Bourbon Street, on that steamy Dublin night in 1991. Thank you Fats!"
| Chart (1994) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[6] | 42 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[7] | 30 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[8] | 2 |
Following three consecutive Irish victories in the ESC in 1992, 1993, and 1994, writers of theFather Ted comedy series wrote an episode entitled "A Song For Europe" jumping on the idea that RTÉ would pick a song that would lose on purpose.
| Preceded by | Eurovision Song Contest winners 1994 | Succeeded by |
