The first esctoday.com TOP TEN list was presented this week. Now we will provide a complete overview as well as the songs that were the closest to reaching the list. Furthermore, next week's topic will be revealed.
This is the full top ten:
- Zwei kleine Italiener by Conny Froboess
…the most sold German entry and a pan-European hit - Satellite by Lena
…Germany's second winning song and one that broke countless records in the download section - No no never by Texas Lightning
…the song that was the most sold one produced in Germany of the year 2006 - Ein bißchen Frieden by Nicole
…Germany's first winnig song that reached the top of many charts all over Europe - Dschnghis Khan by Dschinghis Khan
…a controversial song that became more popular than anyone might have expected - Er gehört zu mir by Marianne Rosenberg
…one of THE classics of German schlager music - Wunder gibt es immer wieder by Katja Ebstein
…a song that is more famous and popular than its sales figures might show - Wir wollen niemals auseinandergeh'n by Heidi Brühl
…a classic of 1960s schlager music - Can't wait until tonight by Max Mutzke
…the first number one hit to represent Germany since 1982 - Herzensschöner by Rosenstolz
…the first commercial success of one of the best selling German bands ever
Songs that almost made it…
Wadde hadde dudde da by Stefan Raab was a hit in Germany and it received heavy media attention. However, it was not as much of a hit in sales figures as many people think – in fact, it is one of his singles that were never certified gold or platinum. Out of all the eleven singles he has released to date, at least four were sold more often than his 2000 Eurovision Song Contest entry.
Guildo hat euch lieb, written by Stefan Raab, brought the Eurovision Song Contest back into the spotlight in 1998. The contest received remarkable media coverage and was watched by more people than any other edition in the 1990s. The song reached number four on the charts but dropped out of the top ten soon. Generally, it was probably the singer who is remembered more than the song.
Theater by Katja Ebstein reached number eleven on the German charts and its sales figures were about as high as those of her 1970 entry Wunder gibt es immer wieder. Although the song can be considered a classic, Theater never reached the status of Wunder gibt es immer wieder, but it is far more known today than her 1971 entry Diese Welt. Theater was also overshadowed by What's another year, winning song of 1980, which was a bigger success in Germany. At the Eurovision Song Contest, Theater finished second.
The song that represented Germany the year after Theater, Johnny Blue, finished second again. It remains Lena Valaitis' only top ten song in Germany and it also reached the charts in Austria and Switzerland. However, it is less of a classic than many other Germany entries.
Jigga jigga by Scooter from the 2004 national final was a top ten hit in Germany and also reached the charts in Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands and all Scandinavian countries. Nevertheless, it is one of their less known hits today.
Ein Lied zieht hinaus in die Welt by Jürgen Marcus took part in the 1975 national final and it was also very close to making the top ten. The song reached number three on the charts and was also a hit in Austria, Switzerland and the Netherlands. It is Jürgen Marcus' second most known song.
…and popular songs that could have never made it
Some songs were very far from making the top ten, although they are popular among Eurovision Song Contest fans. One of them is Reise nach Jerusalem by Sürpriz, which represented Germany in 1999 after Corinna May's song Hör den Kindern einfach zu had been disqualified. The song finished third in the contest but was a commercial flop. It never reached the single charts and both song and band are widely forgotten these days among the general public.
A similar story is behind the 1994 German entry. Wir geben 'ne Party was performed by Mekado in Dublin and it finished third being one of the few more lively entries that year. However, the song went by almost unnoticed in Germany. It entered the single charts for one week peaking at number 100. The Do of Mekado – Dorkas Kiefer – is the only band member who is still known today. Not as a singer though – she is mainly an actress now.
Let's get happy was written by Ralph Siegel and Bernd Meinunger, just like Reise nach Jerusalem and Wir geben ne Party. The song was performed by Lou in the Eurovision Song Contest 2003 and it finished 12th. It is the last German entry to date not to reach the single charts. The song also received hardly any airplay and it is mostly remembered for its line "Let's get happy and let's be gay".
Ein Lied kann eine Brücke sein by Joy Fleming is one of the most popular German entries among Eurovision Song Contest fans despite its low placing in Stockholm in 1975. Nevertheless, it was no major commercial success only reaching number 32 in the charts. Two songs from the national final were bigger hits – Er gehört zu mir and Ein Lied zieht hinaus in die Welt. Ding-a-dong, winning song of the international contest, was also a bigger hit reaching number nine on the charts.
This concludes our first top ten list. Now it is time to reveal the topic of next week's list. It will be:
Which innovations do you think have changed the Eurovision Song Contest the most? You can tell us by posting a reaction below.
