1970 Spain: Julio Iglesias - Gwendolyne (4th place at Eurovision Song Contest in Amsterdam)

Performed by: Julio Iglesias Music and lyrics by: Julio Iglesias Conductor: Augusto Algueró Language: Spanish Placing: 4th (8 points) “Gwendolyne“ (Spanish pronunciation: [ɡwendoˈlin]), sometimes spelt “Gwendoline“, is a song composed and recorded by Spanish singer Julio Iglesias, co-written by Leo Johns. It is best known as the Spanish entry at the Eurovision Song Contest 1970, held in Amsterdam. The single was also one of the final records to be issued in the by then obsolete 78 RPM format, only being released in that format in Columbia. Background The song is a ballad, with both music and lyrics co-written by Iglesias himself, written about his first girlfriend, the titular Gwendolyne, a French girl whom he met at the age of 20 while still a law student and a goalkeeper for Spanish football team Real Madrid Castilla. In 1963, Iglesias was involved in a near-fatal car accident, which ended his football career, left him in rehabilitation for considerable time and indirectly led him to start learning the guitar, as a means of physical therapy. Iglesias began composing his own music; in 1968 he entered and won the Benidorm International Song Festival with the song “La vida sigue igual“ (“Life goes on the same way“) and shortly thereafter he signed with the Spanish branch of Columbia Records. His participation in the Eurovision Song Contest in March 1970, held in Amsterdam, was his first major international TV appearance. “Gwendolyne“ went on to become his first number 1 single in Spain and was also a modest commercial success in a few other countries in Europe and South America. His international breakthrough single “Un canto a Galicia“ (“A song to Galicia“) followed in 1972. Iglesias recorded “Gwendolyne“ in five languages: Spanish, English, French, German and Italian. The song was also the title track to his second Spanish studio album, released in 1970, and subsequently also included on his eponymous international debut album in 1972. The song reached number one in Spain.[ Julio José Iglesias de la Cueva is recognized as the most commercially successful continental European singer in the world and one of the top record sellers in music history, having sold more than 100 million records worldwide in 14 languages. It is estimated that during his career he has performed in more than 5000 concerts, for over 60 million people in five continents. In April 2013, Iglesias was inducted into the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 1983, Iglesias was celebrated as having recorded songs in the most languages in the world, and in 2013 for being the artist in Latin music with the most records sold in history. In April 2013 in Beijing, he was honoured as the most popular international artist in China. In Brazil, France, Italy and elsewhere, Iglesias is the most successful foreign record seller, while in his home country, Spain, he has sold the most records in history, with 23 million records. During his career, Iglesias has won many awards in the music industry, including the Grammy, Latin Grammy, World Music Award, Billboard Music Award, American Music Award and Lo Nuestro Award. He has been awarded the Gold Medal for Merit in the Fine Arts of Spain and the Legion of Honour of France. UNICEF named him Special Ambassador for the Performing Arts in 1989. He has had a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame since 1985. Lyrics: Tan dentro de mí Conservo el calor Que me haces sentir Conservo tu amor Tan dentro de mí Que aún puedo vivir Muriendo de amor Muriendo de ti Como buscan las olas la orilla del mar Como busca un marino su puerto y su hogar Yo he buscado en mi alma queriéndote hallar Y tan sólo encontré mi soledad Y a pesar que estás lejos, tan lejos de mí A pesar de otros besos, quizás, Gwendolyne Aún recuerdes el tiempo de aquel nuestro amor Aún te acuerdes de mí Y aún recuerdo aquel ayer Cuando estabas junto a mí Tú me hablabas del amor Yo aún podía sonreír Aún recuerdo aquel amor Y ahora te alejas de mí Le he pedido al silencio que me hable de ti He vagado en la noche queriéndote oír Y al murmullo del viento le he oído decir Tu nombre, Gwendolyne English: So deep inside of me I keep the warmth Which you make me feel I keep your love So deep inside of me That I can still live Dying for love Dying for you Like the waves that searches the sea shore Like the sailor that searches his harbour and his home I have searched in my soul, willing to find you And I only found my loneliness And although you’re far away, so far away from me Although other kisses, maybe, Gwendolyne You still remember the time of our love You still remember me And I still remember that yesterday When you were by my side You were talking about love I could still smile I still remember that love And now you go away from me I’ve asked the silence to talk to me about you I’ve wandered in the night, wanting to hear you And I heard the whisper of the wind say Your name, Gwendolyne