| "Ding-a-dong" | |
|---|---|
 French 7" single cover | |
| Single byTeach-In | |
| from the album Festival | |
| B-side | "Let Me In" |
| Released | 1975 |
| Label | Philips |
| Composer | Dick Bakker |
| Lyricists |
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| Music video | |
| "Dinge-dong" onYouTube onTopPop | |
| Eurovision Song Contest 1975 entry | |
| Country | |
| Artists |
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| As | |
| Language | English |
| Composer | |
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| Conductor | |
| Finals performance | |
| Final result | 1st |
| Final points | 152 |
| Entry chronology | |
| ◄ "I See a Star" (1974) | |
| "The Party's Over" (1976) ► | |
"Ding-a-dong" is a song recorded by Dutch bandTeach-In, with music composed byDick Bakker and lyrics written by Will Luikinga andEddy Ouwens. Itrepresented the Netherlands in theEurovision Song Contest 1975, held inStockholm, winning the contest. It reached number 1 in both theSwiss and theNorwegian Singles Chart. Teach-In recorded the song in English, Dutch, and German.
"Ding-a-dong" was composed byDick Bakker with lyrics by Will Luikinga andEddy Ouwens.[1] It is an up-tempo ode to positive thought though the song is written entirely in a minor key. It sings that one should "sing a song that goes ding ding-a-dong" when one is feeling unhappy, with the chorus proclaiming "Ding-a-dong every hour, when you pick a flower. Even when your lover is gone, gone, gone."[1]
In the original Dutch version the "ding-a-dong" describes the heartbeat of the singer remembering the separation from her lover in the past. As well as "ding-a-dong", the lyrics also contain "bim-bam-bom" representing a fearful heartbeat and "tikke-(tikke)-tak" for the ticking of the clock while waiting for the lover to return.[2]
On 26 February 1975, "Dinge dong" –the original Dutch version of "Ding-a-dong"– competed in the19th edition of theNationaal Songfestival, the national final organized byNederlandse Omroep Stichting (NOS) to select its song and performer for the20th edition of theEurovision Song Contest. The song won the three-song competition, so it became theDutch entry for Eurovision. Once selected, it was performed by the three competing acts:Albert West,Debbie, andTeach-In. Teach-In received more points than their rivals, so they became the performers for Eurovision.[3] Teach-In then recorded the song in Dutch –as "Dinge-dong"–, English –as Ding-a-dong–, and German –as "Ding ding-a-dong".[1]
On 22 March 1975, the Eurovision Song Contest was held atSankt Eriks-Mässan inStockholm hosted bySveriges Radio (SR), and broadcast live throughout the continent. Teach-In performed in English "Ding-a-dong"[a] first on the evening precedingIreland's "That's What Friends Are For" byThe Swarbriggs.Harry van Hoof conducted the live orchestra in the performance of the Dutch entry.[4]
At the close of voting, it had received 152 points, placing first in a field of nineteen, winning the contest. The song was the first winner under the current Eurovision voting system whereby each country awards scores of 1–8, 10, and 12.[5]
_terug_op_Schiphol_Teach-in_na_aankoms%2c_Bestanddeelnr_927-8208.jpg)
"Ding-a-dong" was notable for being one of the Eurovision winners that had quirky or entirely nonsensical titles or lyrics, following in the footsteps ofMassiel's "La, la, la" in1968 andLulu's "Boom Bang-a-Bang" in1969, and later followed by theHerreys' "Diggi-Loo Diggi-Ley" in1984. As the first song was performed during the evening, the victory ran contrary to the fact that success usually went to songs performed later in the broadcast. This was the first of three occasions when the first song would win the contest, the second coming the following year in1976, and the third in 1984.[6]
Teach-In performed their song in the Eurovision twenty-fifth anniversary showSongs of Europe held on 22 August 1981 inMysen.[7] On 22 May 2021, the interval act "Rock the Roof" in theEurovision Song Contest 2021 grand final featured "Ding-a-dong" performed by Teach-In.[8]
Weekly charts[edit]
| Year-end charts[edit]
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| "Ding-A-Dong" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single bybeFour | ||||
| from the albumFriends 4 Ever | ||||
| Released | 17 April 2009 | |||
| Recorded | 2009 | |||
| Genre | Pop | |||
| Length | 3:32 | |||
| Songwriters | Will Luikinga, Eddy Ouwens | |||
| BeFour singles chronology | ||||
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"Ding-a-Dong" was also recorded by German bandbeFour for their fourth studio albumFriends 4 Ever and released on 17 April 2009 as its second single in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
| Chart (2009) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Germany (GfK)[23] | 61 |
| Preceded by | Eurovision Song Contest winners 1975 | Succeeded by |
