Summary
"Tom Pillibi" is a song written in French by Pierre Cour, composed by André Popp and performed in 1960 by Jacqueline Boyer as France's entry and the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 1960, gaining other versions including covers by other Eurovision entrants and by Hollywood star Julie Andrews. It was released as a single on 10 April 1960.[1]
 "Tom Pillibi" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Eurovision Song Contest 1960 entry | |
| Country | |
| Artist(s) | |
| Language | |
| Composer(s) | |
| Lyricist(s) | Pierre Cour |
| Conductor | |
| Finals performance | |
| Final result | 1st |
| Final points | 32 |
| Entry chronology | |
| ◄ "Oui, oui, oui, oui" (1959) | |
| "Printemps, avril carillonne" (1961) ► | |
Original and cover lyrics edit
The song is a moderately up-tempo number, with the singer talking about her lover – the title character. She describes his material wealth – two castles, ships, other women wanting to be with him. She then admits that he has "only one fault", that being that he is "such a liar" and that none of what she had previously said about him was true. Nonetheless, she sings, she still loves him.
In what would become increasingly the norm over Contest history, the English version of the song, while still about the same man, conveyed quite a different impression. In this version, Tom is a compulsive womaniser and not to be trusted at all. Perhaps as a result of this, Des Mangan's book on Contest history confuses the issue further by describing the song as being about "a man with two castles and two boats and who's generally a right bastard, but she still loves him anyway." Boyer also recorded a German-language version of the song, under the same title.
Eurovision Song Contest edit
The song was performed thirteenth on the night, following Italy's Renato Rascel with "Romantica". At the close of voting, it had received 32 points, placing 1st in a field of 13.
The song is noted as the first Eurovision winner to be performed last, reviewed by entertainment website Screen Rant as an initial proof that a bias for recency "might just be at play in Eurovision".[2]
The song was succeeded as contest winner in 1961 by Jean-Claude Pascal, singing "Nous les amoureux" for Luxembourg. It was succeeded as French representative that year by Jean-Paul Mauric with "Printemps, avril carillonne".
Cover versions edit
"Tom Pillibi" gained several recordings by internationally known and national well-established figures, including other Eurovision representatives, on the same year of the original release. Numerous accolades receiver, actress and singer Julie Andrews, recorded the song in English in April 1960. Laila Kinnunen, one of Finland's most popular singers and the country's 1961 Eurovision debutante, recorded a Finnish version on 14 June 1960, as well as Sweden's 1962 Eurovision representative Inger Berggren.[1]
References edit
- ^ a b "Tom Pillibi by Jacqueline Boyer". secondhandsongs.com. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
- ^ MELLO, DAVID (11 July 2021). "Eurovision: The First 10 Winners (& Their Songs)". Screen Rant. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
External links edit
- Official Eurovision Song Contest site, history by year, 1960
- Detailed info & lyrics, The Diggiloo Thrush, "Tom Pillibi".