# Portugal in the Eurovision Song Contest 1979

Portugal was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 1979 with the song "Sobe, sobe, balão sobe", written by Carlos Nóbrega e Sousa, and performed by Manuela Bravo. The Portuguese participating broadcaster, Radiotelevisão Portuguesa (RTP), selected its entry at the Festival RTP da Canção 1979.

## Before Eurovision
### Festival RTP da Canção 1979

Radiotelevisão Portuguesa (RTP) held the Festival RTP da Canção 1979 at the Cinema Monumental in Lisbon, hosted by José Fialho Gouveia and Manuela Moura Guedes. The musical director was Thilo Krasmann.
Three semi-finals held on 3, 10, and 17 February narrowed the final selection from 27 eligible songs to nine; the top three winners in each of the three heats were chosen by a jury composed of 5 elements, each of them would have to score each song from 1 to 5 points depending on their analysis of each of the themes in the competition. The regional juries came back, with twenty-two regional juries throughout Portugal, the Azores and the Madeira Islands picking the winner. Each district could vote for each song from zero to 10 points.
The final was held on 23 February, and the winning entry was "Sobe, sobe, balão sobe", written by Carlos Nóbrega e Sousa [pt] and performed by Manuela Bravo.
Semi-final 1 – 3 February 1979 :
| Draw | Artist | Song | Conductor | Votes | Place |
| 1 | Samuel | "Recados da ilha" | Pedro Osório | 17 | 4 |
| 2 | Edmundo Falé | "País das maravilhas" | Shegundo Galarza | 10 | 8 |
| 3 | Paula Abril | "Bergantim" | Jorge Machado | 4 | 9 |
| 4 | Samuel | "O fogo desta idade" | Pedro Osório | 14 | 5 |
| 5 | Gonzaga Coutinho | "Tema para um homem só" | Thilo Krasmann | 19 | 2 |
| 6 | Carlos Alberto Moniz & Maria do Amparo | "A outra banda" | Pedro Osório | 11 | 7 |
| 7 | SARL | "Uma canção comercial" | Pedro Osório | 20 | 1 |
| 8 | Carlos Alberto Vidal | "Olha como é linda a manhã" | Mike Sergeant | 13 | 6 |
| 9 | Concha | "Qualquer dia, quem diria" | Javier Iturralda | 19 | 2 |
Semi-final 2 – 10 February 1979 :
| Draw | Artist | Song | Conductor | Votes | Place |
| 1 | Luís Arriaga | "A tua imagem" | Pedro Osório | 12 | 7 |
| 2 | Isabel Soares | "Cantiga de amor" | Luís Duarte | 10 | 8 |
| 3 | Gabriela Schaaf | "Eu só quero" | Jorge Machado | 20 | 2 |
| 4 | Jorge Coutinho | "Bom dia quotidiano" | Eduardo Paes Mamede | 8 | 9 |
| 5 | João Henrique | "Para te ver passar" | Shegundo Galarza | 14 | 5 |
| 6 | Tozé Brito | "Novo canto português" | Mike Sergeant | 19 | 3 |
| 7 | Alexandra | "Zé brasileiro, português de Braga" | Fernando Correia Martins | 18 | 4 |
| 8 | Teresa Silva Carvalho | "Cantemos até ser dia" | Pedro Osório | 21 | 1 |
| 9 | Valério Silva | "Canção do realejo" | Fernando Correia Martins | 14 | 5 |
Semi-final 3 – 17 February 1979 :
| Draw | Artist | Song | Conductor | Votes | Place |
| 1 | Carlos Alberto Moniz & Maria do Amparo | "Camponês dos campos de água" | Pedro Osório | 15 | 4 |
| 2 | Edmundo Falé | "Canções em flor" | Shegundo Galarza | 11 | 8 |
| 3 | Florência | "O comboio do tua" | Shegundo Galarza | 18 | 1 |
| 4 | Grupo Gente | "Quatro letras" | José Calvário | 13 | 6 |
| 5 | Teresa Silva Carvalho | "Maria, Maria" | Pedro Osório | 13 | 6 |
| 6 | Cândida Branca Flor | "A nossa história de amor" | Mike Sergeant | 11 | 9 |
| 7 | Manuel José Soares | "Quando chego a casa" | Luís Duarte | 16 | 3 |
| 8 | Cocktail | "Amanhã virás" | Mike Sergeant | 14 | 5 |
| 9 | Manuela Bravo | "Sobe, sobe, balão sobe" | Fernando Correia Martins | 17 | 2 |
Final – 23 February 1979 :
| Draw | Artist | Song | Conductor | Votes | Place |
| 1 | Gonzaga Coutinho | "Tema para um homem só" | Thilo Krasmann | 102 | 5 |
| 2 | SARL | "Uma canção comercial" | Pedro Osório | 123 | 3 |
| 3 | Concha | "Qualquer dia, quem diria" | Javier Iturralda | 78 | 6 |
| 4 | Gabriela Schaaf | "Eu só quero" | Jorge Machado | 132 | 2 |
| 5 | Tozé Brito | "Novo canto português" | Mike Sergeant | 110 | 4 |
| 6 | Teresa Silva Carvalho | "Cantemos até ser dia" | Pedro Osório | 52 | 9 |
| 7 | Florência | "O comboio do tua" | Shegundo Galarza | 63 | 8 |
| 8 | Manuel José Soares | "Quando chego a casa" | Luís Duarte | 76 | 7 |
| 9 | Manuela Bravo | "Sobe, sobe, balão sobe" | Fernando Correia Martins | 149 | 1 |

## At Eurovision

Manuela Bravo was the first performer on the night of the contest, preceding Italy. At the close of the voting the song had received 64 points, placing 9th in a field of 19 competing countries. It was the highest ranking Portugal had received since 1972.