| "What's Another Year" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single byJohnny Logan | ||||
| from the albumWhat's Another Year | ||||
| B-side | "One Night Stand" | |||
| Released | April 1980 | |||
| Genre | Pop | |||
| Length | 3:08 | |||
| Label |
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| Songwriter | Shay Healy | |||
| Producers |
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| Johnny Logan singles chronology | ||||
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| Eurovision Song Contest 1980 entry | ||||
| Country | ||||
| Artist | Seán Sherrard | |||
| As | ||||
| Language | English | |||
| Composer | ||||
| Lyricist | Shay Healy | |||
| Conductor | ||||
| Finals performance | ||||
| Final result | 1st | |||
| Final points | 143 | |||
| Entry chronology | ||||
| ◄ "Happy Man" (1979) | ||||
| "Horoscopes" (1981) ► | ||||
| Official performance video | ||||
| "What's Another Year" onYouTube | ||||
"What's Another Year" is a song recorded by Irish singer-songwriterJohnny Logan with music composed and lyrics written byShay Healy. Itrepresented Ireland in theEurovision Song Contest 1980 held inThe Hague, resulting in his first win at the contest, as well as the country's second victory.
The song reached number one on theUK Singles Chart for two weeks in May 1980.
"What's Another Year" was written byShay Healy. Whenshowband frontman Glen Curtin, the original choice of singer, turned it down, the song was rearranged byBill Whelan to suitJohnny Logan's singing style.[1] Musically, the song is easily identifiable by itssaxophone introduction played by Scottish musician Colin Tully. Logan recorded the song in English, German –as "Was ist schon ein Jahr"–, and Spanish –as "¿Qué es un año más?"–.[2]
On 9 March 1980, "What's Another Year" performed by Logan competed in thenational selection organised byRaidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ) to select its song and performer for the25th edition of theEurovision Song Contest. The song won the competition so it became theIrish entrant –and Logan the performer– for Eurovision.[3]
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On 19 April 1980, the Eurovision Song Contest was held at theNederlands Congresgebouw inThe Hague hosted byNederlandse Omroep Stichting (NOS), and broadcast live throughout the continent. Logan performed "What's Another Year" seventeenth on the evening, followingFrance's "Hé, hé M'sieurs dames" byProfil and precedingSpain's "Quédate esta noche" byTrigo Limpio.Noel Kelehan conducted the event's live orchestra in the performance of the Irish entry.[4]
At the close of voting, it had received 143 points, placing first in a field of nineteen, and winning the contest.[5] In his winning reprise, Logan was overcome with emotion and could not achieve the high notes near the end of the song. Instead, he called out "I love you Ireland", a phrase he would repeat seven years later. It was succeeded as Eurovision winner at the1981 contest by "Making Your Mind Up" byBucks Fizz for theUnited Kingdom. It was succeeded as Irish representative 1981 by "Horoscopes" bySheeba.
The success of "What's Another Year" launched Logan's Eurovision career. He would go on to win the1987 contest with "Hold Me Now", and he would have another win as songwriter with "Why Me?" byLinda Martin in the1992 contest.
On 22 August 1981, Logan performed his song in the Eurovision twenty-fifth anniversary concertSongs of Europe held inMysen.[6] "What's Another Year" was one of fourteen songs chosen by Eurovision fans and aEuropean Broadcasting Union (EBU) reference group, from among the 992 songs that had ever participated in the contest, to participate in the fiftieth anniversary competitionCongratulations: 50 Years of the Eurovision Song Contest held on 22 October 2005 inCopenhagen.[7] On 31 March 2015, in the Eurovision sixtieth anniversary concertEurovision Song Contest's Greatest Hits held inLondon, Logan performed the song as part of a medley with "Why Me?" and "Hold Me Now".[8][9]
In the television specialEurovision: Europe Shine a Light, aired on 16 May 2020 throughout Europe, Logan performed the song live from a studio inDublin. He was backed by the special's presentersEdsilia Rombley,Chantal Janzen, andJan Smit from their studio inHilversum, and a chorus of Euro-fans from around the world. A short video highlighting Logan's three Eurovision wins was shown during the instrumental bridge of the song.[10][11]
The song reached number one on theUK Singles Chart for two weeks in May.[12]
Weekly charts[edit]
| Year-end charts[edit]
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The song was covered byShane MacGowan ofthe Pogues for the 1998 covers albumSong forEurotrash.
| Preceded by | Eurovision Song Contest winners 1980 | Succeeded by |
