Congratulations ( Cliff Richard song ) - wikipedia Congratulations ( Cliff Richard song ) This article is about the Cliff Richard song. For other songs with the same title, see Congratulations ( disambiguation ). `` Congratulations '' Single by Cliff Richard B - side `` High n Dry '' ( Cook - Greenaway ) Released March 1968 ( entered UK chart on 20 March ) Format 7 ``, 45rpm Recorded 3 February 1968, EMI Studios, London Genre Pop music, schlager Length 2 : 33 Label Columbia DB8376 Songwriter ( s ) Bill Martin, Phil Coulter Producer ( s ) Norrie Paramor Cliff Richard singles chronology `` All My Love ( Solo Tu ) '' ( 1967 ) `` Congratulations '' ( 1968 ) `` I 'll Love You Forever Today '' ( 1968 ) `` All My Love ( Solo Tu ) '' ( 1967 ) `` Congratulations '' ( 1968 ) `` I 'll Love You Forever Today '' ( 1968 ) `` Congratulations '' Eurovision Song Contest 1968 entry Country United Kingdom Artist ( s ) Cliff Richard Language English Composer ( s ) Bill Martin, Phil Coulter Lyricist ( s ) Bill Martin, Phil Coulter Conductor Norrie Paramor Finals performance Final result 2nd Final points 28 Appearance chronology ◄ `` Puppet on a String '' ( 1967 ) `` Boom Bang - a-Bang '' ( 1969 ) ► `` Congratulations '' is a song written by Bill Martin and Phil Coulter, as the UK entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1968 on 6 April with Cliff Richard performing. The song was arranged, conducted and produced by Norrie Paramor who was also musical director for the contest, which was held at London 's Royal Albert Hall. Phil Coulter originally wrote the song as `` I Think I Love You '', but was unsure of the lyrics and got together with Bill Martin ( the same team that wrote `` Puppet on a String '' ), who changed it to `` Congratulations ''. It was recorded with session musicians who included Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones. The song was immediately popular in the UK and became a number one single. On the day of the contest, it was the favourite to win, so much so that the British press were posing the question : `` What will come second to ' Congratulations ' ? '' During the voting, `` Congratulations '' was leading for much of the way until the penultimate vote when Germany gave Spain six points, putting them one point ahead of the United Kingdom. It finished second losing to Spain 's entry `` La, la, la '' by just one point. But `` Congratulations '' went on to become a far more successful song and a huge hit throughout Europe. In 2008, documentary film - maker Montse Fernandez Vila claimed that the loss was the result of rigging of the Spanish vote by state television on behalf of the Francoist State. However José María Íñigo, the person that made such claims in the documentary quickly said that his words were taken out of context and said that the channel that produced the documentary, laSexta, who was the promoter of the Spanish representative that year, Rodolfo Chikilicuatre, had manipulated his words to help promote their candidate. He said : `` if there had been such a manipulation, it would have been for a different artist who had been closer to the regime ''. In July 1968 the song was included on the six - track Columbia EP Congratulations : Cliff Sings 6 Songs For Europe. The song is still popular and was chosen to lead the show which celebrated 50 years of Eurovision and which was named after it : Congratulations : 50 Years of the Eurovision Song Contest. Also, Richard performed the song as part of the commemorations for the 50th anniversary of VE Day in 1995, despite its having been written long after World War II 's end. George Harrison 's song `` It 's Johnny 's Birthday '' from his 1970 album All Things Must Pass is based on this song. The writers Martin and Coulter filed a claim in December 1970, against Harrison, for royalties and subsequent pressings of the album credit their contribution. Contents 1 Chart performance 2 See also 3 References 4 External links Chart performance Chart ( 1968 ) Peak position Australia ( Kent Music Report ) Austria ( Ö3 Austria Top 40 ) Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Flanders ) Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Wallonia ) Denmark Finland ( IFPI Finland ) France 15 Germany ( Official German Charts ) Ireland ( IRMA ) Netherlands ( Single Top 100 ) New Zealand Norway ( VG - lista ) Spain ( Promusicae ) South Africa ( Springbok Radio / Radio Orion ) Switzerland ( Schweizer Hitparade ) UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) US Billboard Hot 100 99 See also Congratulations : 50 Years of the Eurovision Song Contest References ^ Jump up to : Rice, Jo ( 1982 ). The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits ( 1st ed. ). Enfield, Middlesex : Guinness Superlatives Ltd. p. 116. ISBN 0 - 85112 - 250 - 7. Jump up ^ www.andtheconductoris.eu. `` And the conductor is... '' Andtheconductoris.eu. Retrieved 28 February 2016. Jump up ^ Nul Points... ? !, BBC Television, 1992 Jump up ^ The Eurovision Song Contest - The Official History. O'Connor, John Kennedy. Carlton Books 2007 ISBN 978 - 1 - 84442 - 994 - 3 Jump up ^ Fiona Govan ( 5 May 2008 ). `` How Franco cheated Cliff out of Eurovision title ''. Daily Telegraph. Jump up ^ `` Massiel e Iñigo acusan a La Sexta de ' urdir todo para favorecer a Chikilicuatre ' ''. elmundo.es. Retrieved 6 April 2014. Jump up ^ `` Cliff Richard - Congratulations : Cliff Sings 6 Songs For Europe - Columbia - UK ''. 45cat. Retrieved 28 February 2016. Jump up ^ Joe ( 24 November 2015 ). `` It 's Johnny 's Birthday ''. The Beatles Bible. Jump up ^ Kent, David ( 2005 ). Australian Chart Book 1940 -- 1969. Turramurra, New South Wales : Australian Chart Book Pty. ISBN 0 - 646 - 44439 - 5. Jump up ^ `` Austriancharts.at -- Cliff Richard -- Congratulations '' ( in German ). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Jump up ^ `` Ultratop.be -- Cliff Richard -- Congratulations '' ( in Dutch ). Ultratop 50. Jump up ^ `` Ultratop.be -- Cliff Richard -- Congratulations '' ( in French ). Ultratop 50. Jump up ^ See the Top 20 / 30 tab : `` Denmark Singles Chart ( Top 20 / 30 ) -- Congratulations ''. danskehitlister.dk. Retrieved 2018 - 06 - 09. Jump up ^ Lassila, Juha ( 1990 ). Mitä Suomi soittaa ? : Hittilistat 1954 - 87 ( in Finnish ). Jyväskylän yliopisto. ISBN 95 - 168 - 0321 - 0. Jump up ^ `` Offiziellecharts.de -- Cliff Richard -- Congratulations ''. GfK Entertainment Charts. Jump up ^ `` Ireland singles charts ''. Irishcharts.ie. Retrieved 2018 - 03 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Dutchcharts.nl -- Cliff Richard -- Congratulations '' ( in Dutch ). Single Top 100. Jump up ^ `` Norwegiancharts.com -- Cliff Richard -- Congratulations ''. VG - lista. Jump up ^ Salaverri, Fernando ( September 1979 ). Sólo éxitos : Año a año, 1959 -- 2002. Spain : Fundación Autor - SGAE. ISBN 978 - 84 - 8048 - 639 - 2. Jump up ^ `` South Africa Charts 1965 - 1989 - Springbok Radio / Radio Orion ''. Retrieved 22 December 2016. Jump up ^ `` Swisscharts.com -- Cliff Richard -- Congratulations ''. Swiss Singles Chart. Jump up ^ `` Cliff Richard : Artist Chart History ''. Official Charts Company. Jump up ^ `` Cliff Richard Chart History ( Hot 100 ) ''. Billboard. External links Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Cliff Richard Albums ( UK ) 1950s : Cliff ( 1959, live ) Cliff Sings ( 1959 ) 1960s : Me and My Shadows ( 1960 ) 21 Today ( 1961 ) Listen to Cliff ! ( 1961 ) 32 Minutes and 17 Seconds ( 1962 ) The Young Ones ( 1962, soundtrack ) Summer Holiday ( 1963, soundtrack ) When in Spain ( 1963 ) Wonderful Life ( 1964, soundtrack ) Cliff Richard ( 1965 ) When in Rome ( 1965 ) Love is Forever ( 1965 ) Kinda Latin ( 1966 ) Finders Keepers ( 1966, soundtrack ) Two a Penny ( 1968, soundtrack ) 1970s : Tracks ' n Grooves ( 1970 ) Take Me High ( 1974, soundtrack ) I 'm Nearly Famous ( 1976 ) Every Face Tells a Story ( 1977 ) Small Corners ( 1978, gospel ) Green Light ( 1978 ) Thank You Very Much ( 1979, live ) Rock ' n ' Roll Juvenile ( 1979 ) 1980s : I 'm No Hero ( 1980 ) Wired for Sound ( 1981 ) Now You See Me, Now You Do n't ( 1982, gospel ) Dressed for the Occasion ( 1983, live ) Silver ( 1983 ) The Rock Connection ( 1984 ) Always Guaranteed ( 1987 ) Stronger ( 1989 ) 1990s : From a Distance : The Event ( 1990, live ) Together with Cliff Richard ( 1991 ) The Album ( 1993 ) Songs from Heathcliff ( 1995, stage show album ) Real as I Wanna Be ( 1998 ) 2000s : Wanted ( 2001 ) Cliff at Christmas ( 2003 ) Something 's Goin ' On ( 2004 ) Two 's Company The Duets ( 2006 ) Love... The Album ( 2007 ) Reunited -- Cliff Richard and The Shadows ( 2009 ) 2010s : Bold as Brass ( 2010 ) Soulicious ( 2011 ) The Fabulous Rock ' n ' Roll Songbook ( 2013 ) Just... Fabulous Rock ' n ' Roll ( 2016 ) EPs ( UK ) Serious Charge Compilations ( UK ) Cliff 's Hit Album ( 1963 ) 40 Golden Greats ( 1977 ) Love Songs ( 1981 ) Walking in the Light ( 1984, Gospel ) Private Collection : 1979 -- 1988 ( 1988 ) The Hit List ( 1994 ) At the Movies 1959 -- 1974 ( 1996 ) The Whole Story : His Greatest Hits ( 2000 ) The Platinum Collection ( 2005 ) And They Said It Would n't Last ( My 50 Years in Music ) ( 2008 ) The 50th Anniversary Album ( 2008 ) 75 at 75 ( 2015 ) Stronger Thru the Years ( 2017 ) Filmography Serious Charge ( 1959 ) Expresso Bongo ( 1959 ) The Young Ones ( Soundtrack album ) ( 1961 ) Summer Holiday ( Soundtrack album ) ( 1963 ) Wonderful Life ( Soundtrack album ) ( 1964 ) Finders Keepers ( 1966 ) Two a Penny ( 1967 ) Take Me High ( 1973 ) Related articles Discography Concert tours The Shadows Book : Cliff Richard Cliff Richard singles discography 1950s `` Move It '' ( 1958 ) `` High Class Baby '' ( 1958 ) `` Livin ' Lovin ' Doll '' ( 1959 ) `` Mean Streak '' ( 1959 ) `` Living Doll '' ( 1959 ) `` Travellin ' Light '' ( 1959 ) 1960s `` Please Do n't Tease '' ( 1960 ) `` I Love You '' ( 1960 ) `` A Girl Like You '' ( 1961 ) `` When the Girl in Your Arms... '' ( 1961 ) `` The Young Ones '' / `` We Say Yeah '' ( 1962 ) `` I 'm Lookin ' Out the Window '' / `` Do You Want to Dance ? '' ( 1962 ) `` It 'll Be Me '' ( 1962 ) `` The Next Time '' / `` Bachelor Boy '' ( 1962 ) `` Summer Holiday '' ( 1963 ) `` Lucky Lips '' ( 1963 ) `` It 's All in the Game '' ( 1963 ) `` I Only Have Eyes for You '' ( 1964 ) `` Constantly ( L'Edera ) '' ( 1964 ) `` The Twelfth of Never '' ( 1964 ) `` The Minute You 're Gone '' ( 1965 ) `` Blue Turns to Grey '' ( 1966 ) `` Visions '' ( 1966 ) `` The Day I Met Marie '' ( 1967 ) '' `` All My Love '' ( 1967 ) `` Congratulations '' ( 1968 ) `` Girl, You 'll Be a Woman Soon '' ( 1968 ) `` Marianne '' ( 1968 ) `` Early in the Morning '' ( 1969 ) 1970s `` Sunny Honey Girl '' ( 1971 ) `` Power to All Our Friends '' ( 1973 ) `` Honky Tonk Angel '' ( 1975 ) `` Miss You Nights '' ( 1976 ) `` Devil Woman '' ( 1976 ) `` Hey Mr. Dream Maker '' ( 1976 ) `` My Kinda Life '' ( 1977 ) `` When Two Worlds Drift Apart '' ( 1977 ) `` Green Light '' ( 1979 ) `` We Do n't Talk Anymore '' ( 1979 ) 1980s `` Carrie '' ( 1980 ) `` Dreamin ' '' ( 1980 ) `` Suddenly '' ( 1980 ) `` A Little in Love '' ( 1980 ) `` Wired for Sound '' ( 1981 ) `` Daddy 's Home '' ( live ) ( 1981 ) `` The Only Way Out '' ( 1982 ) `` True Love Ways '' ( live ) ( 1983 ) `` Baby You 're Dynamite '' / `` Ocean Deep '' ( 1984 ) `` Donna '' ( 1984 US ) `` Two to the Power of Love '' ( 1984 ) `` Living Doll '' ( 1986 ) `` All I Ask of You '' ( 1986 ) `` My Pretty One '' ( 1987 ) `` Some People '' ( 1987 ) `` Remember Me '' ( 1987 ) `` Two Hearts '' ( 1988 ) `` Mistletoe and Wine '' ( 1988 ) `` The Best of Me '' ( 1989 ) `` I Just Do n't Have the Heart '' ( 1989 ) `` Lean On You '' ( 1989 ) `` Whenever God Shines His Light '' ( 1989 ) 1990s `` Stronger Than That '' ( 1990 ) `` Silhouettes '' ( live ) ( 1990 ) `` From a Distance '' ( live ) ( 1990 ) `` Saviour 's Day '' ( 1990 ) `` Scarlet Ribbons '' ( 1991 ) `` We Should Be Together '' ( 1991 ) `` Peace in Our Time '' ( 1993 ) `` All I Have to Do Is Dream '' ( live ) / `` Miss You Nights '' ( 1994 ) `` Ca n't Keep this Feeling In '' ( 1998 ) `` The Millennium Prayer '' ( 1999 ) 2000s `` Somewhere Over the Rainbow '' / `` What a Wonderful World '' ( medley ) ( 2001 ) `` Yesterday Once More '' ( 2006 ) `` Move It '' ( 2006 ) `` When I Need You '' ( 2007 ) `` Mistletoe and Wine '' ( re-entry ) ( 2008 ) `` Thank You for a Lifetime '' ( 2008 ) `` Singing the Blues '' ( 2009 ) 2010s `` Rip It Up '' ( 2013 ) `` Since I Lost My Baby '' ( 2014 ) `` Roll Over Beethoven '' ( 2016 ) `` Blue Suede Shoes '' ( 2017 ) Book : Cliff Richard UK national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest Contestants Winners Patricia Bredin Pearl Carr & Teddy Johnson Bryan Johnson The Allisons Ronnie Carroll Matt Monro Kathy Kirby Kenneth KcKellar Sandie Shaw Cliff Richard Lulu Mary Hopkin Clodagh Rodgers The New Seekers Olivia Newton - John The Shadows Brotherhood of Man Lynsey de Paul & Mike Moran Co-Co Black Lace Prima Donna Bucks Fizz Bardo Sweet Dreams Belle and the Devotions Vikki Watson Ryder Rikki Scott Fitzgerald Live Report Emma Samantha Janus Michael Ball Sonia Frances Ruffelle Love City Groove Gina G Katrina and the Waves Imaani Precious Nicki French Lindsay Jessica Garlick Jemini James Fox Javine Hylton Daz Sampson Scooch Andy Abraham Jade Ewen Josh Dubovie Joe and Jake Lucie Jones SuRie Songs `` All '' `` Sing, Little Birdie '' `` Looking High, High, High '' `` Are You Sure ? '' `` Ring - a-Ding Girl '' `` Say Wonderful Things '' `` I Love the Little Things '' `` I Belong '' `` A Man Without Love '' `` Puppet on a String '' `` Congratulations `` Boom Bang - a-Bang '' `` Knock, Knock Who 's There ? '' `` Jack in the Box `` Beg, Steal or Borrow '' `` Power to All Our Friends '' `` Long Live Love `` Let Me Be the One '' `` Save Your Kisses for Me '' `` Rock Bottom '' `` The Bad Old Days '' `` Mary Ann '' `` Love Enough for Two '' `` Making Your Mind Up '' `` One Step Further '' `` I 'm Never Giving Up '' `` Love Games `` Love Is `` Runner in the Night '' `` Only the Light '' `` Go '' `` Why Do I Always Get it Wrong ? '' `` Give a Little Love Back to the World '' `` A Message to Your Heart '' `` One Step Out of Time '' `` Better the Devil You Know '' `` Lonely Symphony '' `` Love City Groove '' `` Ooh Aah... Just a Little Bit '' `` Love Shine a Light '' `` Where Are You ? '' `` Say It Again '' `` Do n't Play That Song Again '' `` No Dream Impossible '' `` Come Back '' `` Cry Baby '' `` Hold Onto Our Love '' `` Touch My Fire '' `` Teenage Life '' `` Flying the Flag ( For You ) '' `` Even If '' `` It 's My Time '' `` That Sounds Good to Me '' `` You 're Not Alone '' `` Never Give Up on You '' `` Storm '' United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest Eurovision Song Contest 1968 Countries Final ( by final results ) Spain ( winner ) United Kingdom France Ireland Sweden Germany Belgium Monaco Yugoslavia Italy Portugal Luxembourg Austria Switzerland Norway Netherlands Finland Artists Final ( by final results ) Massiel Cliff Richard Isabelle Aubret Pat McGeegan Claes - Göran Hederström Wencke Myhre Claude Lombard Line & Willy Dubrovački trubaduri Sergio Endrigo Carlos Mendes Chris Baldo & Sophie Garel Karel Gott Gianni Mascolo Odd Børre Ronnie Tober Kristina Hautala Songs Final ( by final results ) `` La, la, la '' `` Congratulations '' `` La source '' `` Chance of a Lifetime '' `` Det börjar verka kärlek, banne mej '' `` Ein Hoch der Liebe '' `` Quand tu reviendras '' `` À chacun sa chanson '' `` Jedan dan '' `` Marianne '' `` Verão '' `` Nous vivrons d'amour '' `` Tausend Fenster '' `` Guardando il sole '' `` Stress '' `` Morgen '' `` Kun kello käy '' Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Congratulations_(Cliff_Richard_song)&oldid=847127638 '' Categories : Cliff Richard songs Pinky and Perky songs Eurovision songs of 1968 Eurovision songs of the United Kingdom Congratulations Eurovision songs UK Singles Chart number - one singles Number - one singles in Norway Irish Singles Chart number - one singles 1968 singles Songs written by Bill Martin ( musician ) Songs written by Phil Coulter 1968 songs Schlager songs Columbia Graphophone Company singles Song recordings produced by Norrie Paramor Hidden categories : CS1 Finnish - language sources ( fi ) Use dmy dates from August 2012 Use British English from August 2012 Articles with hAudio microformats All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from April 2014 Articles with unsourced statements from December 2017 Singlechart usages for Austria Singlechart making named ref Singlechart usages for Flanders Singlechart usages for Wallonia Singlechart usages for Germany2 Singlechart usages for Dutch100 Singlechart usages for Norway Singlechart usages for Switzerland Singlechart usages for UKsinglesbyname Singlechart usages for Billboardhot100 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Español Français Magyar Norsk Norsk nynorsk Português Suomi Svenska Türkçe Edit links This page was last edited on 23 June 2018, at 04 : 05 ( UTC ). 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Question: where did cliff richard come in the eurovision
Answer: second