Eurovision 1977 - Israel

Ilanit performing "Ahava Hi Shir Lishnayim" ("Love Is a Song for Two"), the Israeli entry at the 1977 Eurovision Song Contest.

After representing her country for its debut entry in 1973 (which got a richly deserved 4th place), Ilanit, Israel's hottest star in the 70s, returned to the contest with another small gem, a marvellous ballad of true quality which she performs absolutely flawlessly. Unfortunately, the juries weren't so kind with her this time, and Israel just missed out a place in that year's top-10, finishing in 11th place (maybe those creepy-looking backing vocalists had sth to do with this! :-P).

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Eurovision
• Song
• Contest
• ESC
• 1977
• israel
• ilanit
• ahava
• hi
• shir
• lishnayim
• hebrew
• אהבה
• היא
• שיר
• לשנ
• אילנית
• london
• uk

[roybarechli]

VIVA ISRAELE!!!!

[klarinetta]

Best entry that year and one of Israel's best entry.

[Escul1960]

This is a great song and a great memory from when the Eurovision was a song contest and not a freak show.....

[jnus2]

אילנית מדהימה אני חייב להגיד! גם יפה, וגם שרה מרגש ומקצועי

אם לא היו אנטישמים, היום היינו אימפרית אירוויזיון עם איזה 10 זכיות!

[junisalnassrib]

After Harel Skaat in 2010 it is the best Israeli entry of ESC!

[Tenortalker]

A beautiful song and a fabulous singer Ilanit! The backing singers are very good, just need more coaching in the Hebrew . In those days everything was put together at the the last minute and flying backing singers in from Israel might have been considered too expensive i suppose.

[ijm123]

@namrur2

The backing singers were BBC singers so did not know any Hebrew at all. They were given the lyrics to learn earlier in the day so it's no surprise they weren't perfect.

Having said that it is still my absolute favourite of 1977 (which is a very strong year) and also my favourite Israeli entry. Wonderful!!!

[namrur2]

@PatRicklover66

02:18 shows clearlly that backgrouand singers doesn't know Hebrew. I can;t explain that! To Hebrew speakers, you can hear a hard foreign accent, like Douch or something simillar. The right woman even sings "Ahava (love) he shir LIPNAYI"!!! instead of LISHNAYIM.

They just don't know Hebrew, beleave me. They even doesn't have an Israeli look!

Some Israeli can explain? Maybe the original Israeli background singers were sick and they took a local singers?!

[pini1221]

כוס אמא של הגויים האלו הכול שם חרטה אנטישמים מסריחים....

שיר כל כך יפה לא זכה סתם זבלים 

[mogly62]

this voice remember me Dalidà.....and the hair look, Barbra Streisand (version 1975)

[SRJ1DK]

LOL what's so creepy about those backing singers? Not too many close-ups. Is it the aunts of Dana International?

[SRJ1DK]

such a wonderful song - indeed one of the best of 1977. Evergreen qualities unlike many others