Papa Pingouin

Infobox ESC entry
song = flagicon|Luxembourg Papa Pingouin


caption =
year = 1980
country = Luxembourg
artist = Sophie Gilles, Magaly Gilles
as = Sophie & Magaly
with =
language = French
languages =
composer = Ralph Siegel, Bernd Meinunger
lyricist = Pierre Delanoë, Jean-Paul Cara
conductor = Norbert Daum
place = 9th
points = 56
lyrics = [http://www.diggiloo.net/?1980lu from Diggiloo Thrush]
clip =
prev = J'Ai Déjà Vu Ça Dans Tes Yeux
prev_link = J'Ai Déjà Vu Ça Dans Tes Yeux
next = C'Est Peut-Être Pas L'Amérique
next_link = C'Est Peut-Être Pas L'Amérique

Papa Pingouin (English translation: "Papa Penguin") was the Luxembourgish entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1980, performed in French by Sophie & Magaly.

First version

With music by prolific duo Ralph Siegel and Bernd Meinunger, who are normally associated with Germany as a composer-lyricist combination, the song is about the fantasy life of the title character - a bored penguin. The singers describe his desire to fly like a seagull and travel around the world, listing various places he visits in his imagination.

The song ends with the penguin's realisation that life "on the ice floe" is not as bad as he had thought, so he "burns his suitcase" to signify that his desire to travel is over.

The song was performed fourth on the night (following Greece's Anna Vissi And The Epikouri with Autostop and preceding Morocco's Samira with Bitaqat Khub). At the close of voting, it had received 56 points, placing 9th in a field of 19.

It was succeeded as Luxembourgish representative at the 1981 Contest by Jean-Claude Pascal with C'Est Peut-Être Pas L'Amérique.

The "Ralph Siegel" scandal

When original singers Sophie & Magaly signed with Ralph Siegel, they were still minors and their parents were not aware of some "practices" in the show-business world. A contract was signed between Ralph Siegel and the parents, that gave only a few very small percentage of the sales to the sisters.

In 1981, the two sisters reported publicly that they got only 5000 euros each, when more than one million singles were sold. They also indicated that Ralph Siegel decided not to work anymore with the two girls, and did not want to give more money. He alleged that the contract was valid, and nothing could be done against him.

In 2003, one of the author (Jean-Paul Cara) confirmed that the german producer never had the idea to make Sophie & Magaly a successful group. They just needed twin singers for this song.

Magaly died in 1996 of HIV. Sophie suffers from high depressive syndrom and now lives in South of France.

Pigloo version

infobox Single|
Name = Papa Pingouin


Artist = Pigloo
from Album = Le Banquise
Released = 2006
Format = Cd single
Digital download
Recorded =
Genre = Pop
Length = 3:09
Label = Sony BMG Music
Writer =
Producer = Christophe Berthier
Philippe Kassenbeck
Certification = Platinium SNEP, 2006
Last single =
This single = "Papa Pingouin"
(1986)
Next single = "Le Ragga des pingouins"
(1987)

A remake of this song, performed by Pigloo, became a huge hit in France in 2006, reaching number 1 of the charts for three weeks. The single debuted straight at number 3 and remained on the chart for 27 weeks from March 4 to September 2, 2006, becoming the 5th best selling single in France that year. The song was also charted on Swiss Singles Chart, where it peaked at #24 and stayed 15 weeks.

A German version entered the local charts in February 2007.

Formats and track listings

; CD single
# "Le Papa pingouin" — 3:09
# "Les Manchots et les Pingouins" (instrumental) — 3:12

; Digital download
# "Le Papa pingouin" — 3:09

Certifications and sales

References