1957 - Germany
Performed by: Margot Hielscher
Music by: Friedrich Meyer
Lyrics by: Ralph Maria Siegel
Conductor: Willy Berking
Language: German
Placing: 4th (8 points)
"Telefon, Telefon" was the German entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1957, performed in German by Margot Hielscher. The song was performed seventh on the night (following the Netherlands' Corry Brokken with "Net als toen" and preceding France's Paule Desjardins with "La belle amour"). At the close of voting, it had received 8 points, placing 4th in a field of 10.
The song is a ballad, with Hielscher singing to a telephone and telling it that she enjoys receiving news (from the lyrics, it is implied that this is news from a lover) via that medium. In the course of the song, she answers the telephone and responds in English, French, Italian and Spanish. This section of the lyrics gave rise to what is generally considered the first "gimmick performance" in Contest history, with Hielscher in fact picking up a real telephone receiver during her performance. At the end of the song, she picks up the telephone again and explains (on the telephone) that she can't talk anymore because her song (which was actually this song) is ending.
It was succeeded as German representative at the 1958 Contest by Hielscher again, this time with "Für zwei Groschen Musik".
Margot Hielscher starred in over fifty films between and 1939 and 1994. In 1989, she starred in the TV series Rivalen der Rennbahn. She died 2017 in Munich, aged 97.
Lyrics:
Telefon, Telefon
Hallo - how do you do?
Hallo - merci beaucoup
So klingt's aus allen Ländern an mein Ohr
Hallo - grazie, sì, sì
Hallo - nada por mí
Mein Herz ist schon vergeben, no señor
Telefon, Telefon, wenn dein Ruf erklingt
Frag ich mich beim ersten Ton, was er Neues bringt
Telefon, Telefon, still vergeht die Zeit
Lange, lange wart ich schon, gestern so wie heut
Du kennst meine grosse Sehnsucht
Nach dem Schönsten dieser Welt
Das mein Herz und meine Seele
Tag und Nacht in Atem hält
Telefon, Telefon, lang war ich allein
Sag, wann werde ich zum Lohn endlich glücklich sein?
Hallo - endlich, Chéri
Hallo - was, morgen früh?
Sag, warum kommst du nicht mehr heute nacht?
Hallo - häng noch nicht ein
Hallo - ich bin allein
Und hab den ganzen Tag an dich gedacht
Telefon, Telefon, wenn dein Ruf erklingt
Frag ich mich beim ersten Ton, was er Neues bringt
Telefon, Telefon, still vergeht die Zeit
Lange, lange wart ich schon, gestern so wie heut
Du kennst meine grosse Sehnsucht
Nach dem Schönsten dieser Welt
Das mein Herz und meine Seele
Tag und Nacht in Atem hält
Telefon, Telefon, lang war ich allein
Sag, wann werde ich zum Lohn endlich glücklich sein?
Hallo? Oh, jetzt kann ich nicht mehr sprechen
Mein Lied ist aus - au revoir, bonsoir
ENGLISH:
Telephone, telephone
Hello - how do you do?
Hello - thank you very much
That's what I hear from every country
Hello - thanks, yes, yes
Hello - nothing for me
My heart is already taken, no sir
Telephone, telephone, whenever your call is heard
At the very first ring I ask myself, what news you'll bring
Telephone, telephone, time goes by silently
I've been waiting a long long time, yesterday and also today
You know my great desire
For the most beautiful thing in the world
Which keeps my heart and my soul
Breathing, day and night
Telephone, telephone, for a long time I've been alone
Tell me, when will I be rewarded with happiness at last?
Hello - at last, darling
Hello - what, tomorrow morning?
Tell me, why don't you come tonight?
Hello - don't hang up yet
Hello - I'm alone
And I've been thinking about you the whole day
Telephone, telephone, whenever your call is heard
At the very first ring I ask myself, what news you'll bring
Telephone, telephone, time goes by silently
I've been waiting a long long time, yesterday and also today
You know my great desire
For the most beautiful thing in the world
Which keeps my heart and my soul
Breathing, day and night
Telephone, telephone, for a long time I've been alone
Tell me, when will I be rewarded with happiness at last?
Hello? Oh, I can't talk anymore
My song is ending - goodbye, good night