Merci, Chérie


"Merci, Chérie" was the winning song in the Eurovision Song Contest 1966. Performed for Austria by Udo Jürgens with lyrics in German and partially in French. It is an earnest ballad in which the singer, as he leaves her, thanks his lover for good times and positive memories.
The song was performed ninth on the night, following Portugal's Madalena Iglésias with "Ele e ela" and preceding Sweden's Lill Lindfors and Svante Thuresson with "Nygammal vals". The final points tally for "Mercie, Chérie" was 31, securing it first place at the head of an 18-entry field.
The song was succeeded as contest winner in 1967 by Sandie Shaw singing "Puppet on a String" for the United Kingdom, and as Austrian entry in that year by "Warum es hunderttausend Sterne gibt", performed by Peter Horten.
This was also the only time that Austria would win the Eurovision Song Contest until 2014 when Conchita Wurst won with the song "Rise Like a Phoenix".
Jürgens was the last solo male pianist to win the contest until Duncan Laurence won in 2019 with "Arcade"

Chart performance

Cover versions