Trusty stage show Photo: Halvor Mjaugedal The stage show in the 60s and 70s could not have been more different than what Melodi Grand Prix is about today. Because then it wasn’t the show that was in focus, but the songs themselves. The performances were so subdued that in 1979 news decided to remove the audience, glitter and decor. They even had the artists perform their pieces wearing everyday clothes. In fact, the performance was so unimportant that the jury did not even see the artists perform the songs. They gave points just by listening to the song. And dancing? The artists were told to avoid it as much as possible. 9-year-old participant Anita Hegerland sings “Give me a zebra!” in the Norwegian final of the MGP in 1971. The youngest participant in the Norwegian Melodi Grand Prix’s 61-year history is Anita Hegerland. She was only 9 years old when she performed the song “I want a zebra!” in 1971. And that with a confidence that today’s artists can only dream of! But the one who ran away with the winner that year was 15-year-old Hanne Krogh with “Lykken er”. With that, she is the youngest ever winner of Melodi Grand Prix. Gradually, the rule came that you had to be 16 years old to participate. Norwegian in Norwegian From “Melodi Grand Prix” 1966 with Åse Kleveland. Although Norwegian was mandatory, certain words and stanzas in foreign languages were still allowed. Which explains the song titles “Inkululeko” from 1986 and “Je ne sais pas” in 1988. It wasn’t until 1999 that the artists were allowed to sing in a language other than Norwegian. That year, Stig van Eijk won with the song “Living my life without you”. Plagiarism debts The British musician Cliff Richard has been successful with his career. But how similar is his song and Kari Diesen’s song? Photo: WOLFGANG RATTAY / Reuters Do you hear the similarity between the songs? In 1968, there was an uproar over the winning song “I’ve never been so happy for someone like you”. The song, written by Kari Diesen dy, was accused of plagiarism. The suspicions were that the song was very similar to the super hit “We’re all going on a summer holiday” by Cliff Richard. What’s more, MGP withdrew Kari Diesen’s song, and instead it was second place “Stress” who got to represent Norway in the international final that year. Voting through a hole in the wall Illustration: Halvor Mjaugedal Several methods have been used to choose the winner in Melodi Grand Prix. In the first years, there was usually a male-dominated ten-man jury that gave 1 to 10 points to each song. They usually sat in a neighboring studio and delivered their voices from there. During the voting in 1960, the judges sat behind a wall, and showed their points through holes in the wall. The reason for this was that they should not see each other and allow themselves to be influenced by each other. At that time, anonymity and discretion were important. Reconciliation by postcard and telephone Inger Lise Haug at work at news in the 1960s. Who received the telephone votes in 1997 is not good to know. Photo: Aage Storløkken / NTB The first time the people got to choose the winner was in 1965. They did so by sending in postcards with the number of their favorite melody. The winner was chosen several days later. It would be 37 years before the spectators could vote for the first time during the final itself. It was in 1997 – by telephone. The commitment was so great that the telephone lines and a telephone exchange in Oslo broke down. The program everyone loves to hate Illustration: Halvor Mjaugedal MGP has always been “the program everyone loves to hate, but hates to love”. in the 1960s and 70s, it was especially the music industry and Kultur-Noreg that opposed the MGP. An example is the year 1975, when parts of cultural life, including Lillebjørn Nilsen, took action against Norwegian participation in the international final. They demanded that news withdraw from the competition because they believed that the “Grand Prix” music had developed into “a genre of its own in music and lyrics that has no natural place in Norwegian musical life”. Jahn Teigen’s dominance Jahn Teigen sings “Mil etter mil” in 1978. The song came last in the international final with 0 points. A number of artists have participated several times, but the record is held by Jahn Teigen! He has participated in 14 Norwegian finals. The first time was in 1974 and the last time in 2005. In 1976 he sang three songs, and with that has a record of 17 entries in Melodi Grand Prix. Together with Kirsti Sparboe, he shares the record for the person who has won the most times, with four victories each. The first to wear a costume Jahn Teigen and Inger Lise Rypdal sang “Voodoo” in the Norwegian final of Melodi Grand Prix 1976. The song was written by Terje Rypdal, and came second in the final. Jahn Teigen was also the first to wear a costume in Melodi Grand Prix. It was with the iconic skeleton suit he wore when he performed the song “Voodoo” together with Inger Lise Rypdal in Melodi Grand Prix in 1976. What many people don’t know is that the skeleton suit is denim trousers and a denim jacket painted on. Circus, Olympics and variety show Melodi Grand Prix Circus, variety show and Olympics “Change is fun”, thought news at the start of the 1990s. Because between 1992–1994, news turned MGP into theme parties. One year it was a circus. The second year it was a variety show and the third year it was an Olympic party. At the variety party, news encouraged the audience to dress up in hats and old costumes. Not everyone took up the challenge… Famous artists you didn’t know were with A little video carousel with Bjørn Eidsvåg, Kari Bremnes, Øystein Sunde, Åge Aleksandersen and Radka Toneff. Melodi Grand Prix has been the starting point for many musicians. Most people are familiar with the fact that Inger Lise Rypdal, Hanne Krogh, Jahn Teigen and Anita Skorgan have been involved. But did you know that guitar mate Øystein Sunde, trønder rock legend Åge Aleksandersen, Halvdan Sivertsen, Bjørn Eidsvåg, Kari Bremnes and Jørn Hoel have also participated? It is perhaps less well known that the assistant artist Alf Prøysen, the shoe player Rolv Wesenlund, the singer Jan Eggum and the self-styled Kaptein Sabeltann have been songwriters. Crushing winner Alexander Rybak won the Norwegian MGP final in 2009 with “Fairytale”. Who also won the international final in the same year. The most superior winner ever is Alexander Rybaks’ “Fairytale” in 2009. “Fairytale” crushed the other songs, and set a new score record in the Norwegian final. The song received 747,888 votes, more than six times as many votes as Tone Damli, who came second. See more MGP moments not everyone wants to talk about in “Skeletene i skapet” on news TV. Get to know inappropriate lyrics, bizarre performances and horrible blunders.
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This is what you didn’t know about Melodi Grand Prix – news Culture and entertainment
