Netherlands in the Eurovision Song Contest 1973

Eurovision Song Contest 1973
Country	Netherlands
National selection
Selection process	Nationaal Songfestival 1973
Selection date(s)	28 February 1973
Selected entrant	Ben Cramer
Selected song	"De oude muzikant"
Finals performance
Final result	14th, 69 points

The Netherlands was represented by Ben Cramer, with the song '"De oude muzikant", at the 1973 Eurovision Song Contest, which took place on 7 April in Luxembourg City. Cramer was selected internally by broadcaster NOS to be the Dutch representative and the song was chosen at the national final on 28 February.

The Netherlands was considered one of the most contemporary-minded countries when it came to choosing Eurovision entries, so the choice in 1973 of a stylistically and lyrically very old-fashioned song, which would not have sounded out of place in a 1950s contest, was widely regarded as rather strange.

Final

The national final was held at the Theater Carré in Amsterdam, hosted by Viola van Emmenes and Simon van Collem. Four songs were performed and voting was by eleven regional juries with 10 points each to divide between the songs. "De oude muzikant" emerged the clear winner.^[1]

28 February 1973

Draw	Song	Points	Place
1	"Kom met me mee"	15	3
2	"Melodie"	14	4
3	"Kom Sylvia dans met mij"	19	2
4	"De oude muzikant"	62	1

At Eurovision

On the night of the final Cramer performed 13th in the running order, following Sweden and preceding Ireland. At the close of voting "De oude muzikant" had received 69 points, placing the Netherlands 14th of the 17 entries.^[2]

"De oude muzikant" has a poor reputation among Eurovision fans and an open poll rated it one of the ten worst songs of the 1970s.

See also

• Netherlands in the Eurovision Song Contest
• Eurovision Song Contest 1973

External links

Dutch Preselection 1973
"The Worst Songs?" @nul-points.net

References

1. ^ ESC National Finals database 1972
2. ^ ESC History - Netherlands 1973