HistoryData
culture1976

Eurovision Song Contest 1976 — 21st edition of the Eurovision Song Contest

January 1, 1976

Brotherhood of Man's 'Save Your Kisses for Me' became the biggest-selling winning single in Eurovision history at the 1976 contest.

Quick Facts

Year
1976
Category
culture

Key Facts

Edition
21st Eurovision Song Contest
Winning song
Save Your Kisses for Me – Brotherhood of Man
Winning score
80.39% of possible maximum
Average score
9.65 out of 12 (record)
Participating countries
18
UK Eurovision victories
3rd win (after 1967 and 1969)

By the Numbers

21
Edition
80.39
Winning score
9.65
Average score
18
Participating countries

Location

Map of The Hague, NetherlandsMap of The Hague, NetherlandsThe Hague, Netherlands

Cause → Event → Consequence

Cause

The Netherlands earned the right to host the 1976 contest after Teach-In won the 1975 Eurovision Song Contest with 'Ding-a-dong', obligating the Dutch broadcaster NOS to organize the following year's event.

Event

On 3 April 1976, eighteen countries competed at the Nederlands Congresgebouw in The Hague, hosted by Corry Brokken. The United Kingdom's Brotherhood of Man performed 'Save Your Kisses for Me', written by Tony Hiller, Lee Sheriden, and Martin Lee, winning with a record 80.39% of the maximum possible score.

Consequence

Brotherhood of Man's victory produced the biggest-selling winning single in Eurovision history. The result marked the United Kingdom's third contest win and set a scoring record under the voting system introduced in 1975, with no equivalent margin achieved under that format before.

Work

Save Your Kisses for Me

by Brotherhood of Man (written by Tony Hiller, Lee Sheriden, Martin Lee)music
The song became the best-selling Eurovision winning single ever and secured the UK's third contest victory, setting a points record under the 1975 voting system.

Timeline Context

Timeline around 19761976197319741975197719781979Handball at the 1976 Summer Olympics — overview of handball practiced at the 1976 Olympic Summer GamesAthletics at the 1976 Summer Olympics — sports event in the Olympics1976 AFC Asian Cup — football tournament1976–77 UEFA Cup — 6th season of Europe's secondary club football tournament organised by UEFABasketball at the 1976 Summer Olympics — international basketball tournament1976 Formula One season — sports season1976 Summer Olympics — Games of the XXI Olympiad, in Montréal, Canada1976 Summer Olympics medal tableeurovision-song-contest-1976-21st-edition-of-the-eurovisio-1976