United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 1990

Eurovision Song Contest 1990
Country	United Kingdom
National selection
Selection process	A Song For Europe
Selection date(s)	30 March 1990
Selected entrant	Emma
Selected song	"Give a Little Love Back to the World"
Selected songwriter(s)	Paul Curtis;
Finals performance
Final result	6th, 87 points
United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest

The United Kingdom was represented by Emma in the Eurovision Song Contest 1990 with the song "Give a Little Love Back to the World".

Before Eurovision

A Song For Europe

The eight songs in contention to represent the UK were presented during Terry Wogan's Wogan chat show on BBC1. Two songs were presented during each of four broadcasts between 21 and 28 March. The songs were also featured in various programmes on BBC Radio 2.

A separate results show was broadcast on BBC1 the same evening. BBC Radio 2 simulcast the final and also broadcast the results show, both with commentary by Ken Bruce.

Final

The 1990 edition of A Song for Europe was held in Television Centre, London on 30 March in Studio 1. The BBC Concert Orchestra under the direction of Alyn Ainsworth as conductor accompanied all the songs, but despite performing live, the orchestra were off-screen, behind the set. Terry Wogan presided over the eight finalists and a panel of 'experts' was assembled to comment on each of the entries. The panel was composed of Gloria Hunniford, Tim Rice, Cathy McGowan and Carl Davis.

Opening the contest was Kelly with a power ballad called "Better Be Good to Me". At the time, Kelly Wilde was an established act on the gay circuit. The second entry was a big show ballad, "That Old Feeling Again" performed by Stephen Lee Garden and composed by former UK entrant Mike Moran. Thom Hardwell was the singer and composer of the uptempo "Never Give Up", a song which received unfavourable comments from panelist Cathy McGowan. Composer Paul Curtis, a familiar contest figure between 1975 and 1986, returned to the national final with "Give a Little Love Back to the World". The performer of this anthemic number was 15-year-old Emma from Bridgend. Perhaps the best-known competitor in 1990 was former Bay City Rollers frontman Les McKeown. His entry was a standard middle-of-the-road rock ballad called "Ball and Chain". Jewish cantor Simon Spiro sang the ballad "Face in the Crowd". Kim Goody was a familiar face on children's television in the seventies and eighties. In the national final she sang the nostalgic ballad "Sentimental Again". Finally, another name from the 1970s, John Miles. He performed another anthemic effort, "Where I Belong", accompanying himself at the piano.

As in the last two years, a national telephone vote decided the outcome of the contest. Emma won with a runaway phone poll of 97,625 calls over John Miles, who polled 38,966.


Final – 30 March 1990
Draw	Artist	Song	Composer(s)	Televote	Place
1	Kelly	"Better Be Good To Me"	John Springate	13,179	6
2	Stephen Lee Garden	"That Old Feeling Again"	Mike Moran	14,447	5
3	Thom Hardwell	"Never Give Up"	Thom Hardwell	3,540	8
4	Emma	"Give a Little Love Back to the World"	Paul Curtis	97,625	1
5	Les McKeown	"Ball And Chain"	Johnny Griggs, Danny McIntosh	15,171	4
6	Simon Spiro	"Face In The Crowd"	David Reilly	5,551	7
7	Kim Goody	"Sentimental Again"	Mo Foster, Kim Goody	17,996	3
8	John Miles	"Where I Belong"	John Miles, Michael Scanlon-Pratt	38,966	2

At Eurovision

The final was held in Zagreb, Yugoslavia on 5 May. Emma was supported by several backing singers including Miriam Stockley (later a backing vocalist for Katrina and the Waves in 1997) and Sam Blue (who competed against Katrina and the Waves in the 1997 national final). Despite being one of the favourites to win, "Give a Little Love Back to the World" had to settle for sixth place with 87 points.

Points awarded by the United Kingdom

12 points	Iceland
10 points	Ireland
8 points	Austria
7 points	Germany
6 points	Sweden
5 points	Yugoslavia
4 points	Netherlands
3 points	Luxembourg
2 points	Portugal
1 point	Spain

Points awarded to the United Kingdom
12 points	10 points	8 points	7 points	6 points
Belgium	France Israel Switzerland Yugoslavia		Spain	Ireland Italy
5 points	4 points	3 points	2 points	1 point
Greece		Cyprus Denmark Luxembourg		Austria Germany