Blast from the Past: Portugal, 1998
Portugal has always been the bridesmaid, never the bride. Despite entering some pretty good songs over the years, they’ve never won. But they keep coming back for more and for that alone, you have to admire them. Unlike certain countries (ahem, Italy) who stormed off when they failed to win, never to return, Portugal has been a fixture of the contest for decades now.
Here’s a nice little song from from the ’98 contest, which was held in Birmingham. It’s Alma Lusa, singing “Se Eu Te Pudesse Abracar”. Despite the splendid array of interesting instruments (most of which I’ve never seen in a performance since) this failed to win. Portugal came twelfth out of twenty-five songs that year, which was disappointing. But you have to remember, they were up against the irrepressible Dana International, who won for Israel. How could this song beat a transsexual wearing feathers, singing about being a diva?
