Lilla stjärna

"Lilla stjärna" (Swedish pronunciation: [ˈlɪ̂lːa ˈɧæ̂ːɳa]; literally "Little star") performed by Alice Babs was the Swedish entry to the Eurovision Song Contest 1958 held in Hilversum, the Netherlands. This was Sweden's first song in the contest, and the first time that the Swedish language was performed on the Eurovision stage.

Sweden "Lilla stjärna"
Eurovision Song Contest 1958 entry
Country
Artist(s)
Language
Composer(s)
Lyricist(s)
Gunnar Wersén
Conductor
Finals performance
Final result
4th
Final points
10
Entry chronology
"Augustin" (1959) ►

Sweden's first participation in the contest was the source of some controversy between the artist Alice Babs and the composer; the song was originally titled "Samma stjärnor lysa för oss två" ("The same stars shine for the two of us"), but neither Sveriges Radio nor Babs approved of the lyrics and commissioned journalist and lyricist Gunnar Wersén (at the time an employee of the TV station) to rewrite the song as well as providing it with a new title: "Lilla stjärna" – this without the knowledge or approval of original composer Åke Gerhard. As a result of this, Gerhard in turn would not allow Alice Babs to make a studio recording of what legally still was his work, albeit in considerably rewritten form. The only existing audio recording of "Lilla stjärna" is consequently sourced from the TV footage of Babs' live performance at the Contest in Hilversum, which had its first commercial release as part of the Swedish CD compilation Rätt Låt Vann?! – Vinnarna in 1994.[1]

Dressed in the Leksand national costume, Babs performed 5th in the running order on the night of the contest, following Luxembourg's Solange Berry with "Un grand amour" and preceding Denmark's Raquel Rastenni with "Jeg rev et blad ud af min dagbog". The song received 10 points, placing 4th in a field of 10.

The song was succeeded as Swedish representative at the Eurovision Song Contest 1959 by Brita Borg with "Augustin".

The name of John Ajvide Lindqvist's novel Lilla stjärna is taken from the song title.[2]

References
  1. Leif Thorsson. Melodifestivalen genom tiderna ["Melodifestivalen through time"] (2006), p. 12. Stockholm: Premium Publishing AB. ISBN 91-89136-29-2
  2. Himmelska toner och ond bråd död Archived 2010-05-25 at the Wayback Machine, DN article by Pontus Dahlman, 22 May 2010.
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