“Rock Bottom” was definitely not plumbing the depths on our list: It’s number 63 on the Eurovision Top 100 countdown.
Britain’s entry from 1977 was not the only song from that contest on here. The winning song, “L’Oiseau et l’Enfant,” has already been featured. Nevertheless, we had the United Kingdom a bit higher than victorious France. There was a lot to like about both.
The United Kingdom was coming off of their third Eurovision win in 1976, hosting the contest in London. Thanks to Lynsey de Paul and Mike Moran, they almost won again. Unfortunately for them, through the 2024 and 2025 contests, Britain has never won in consecutive years.
Vital Information: “Rock Bottom”
| Song | Rock Bottom |
| Performed By | Lynsey de Paul & Mike Moran |
| Written By | Lynsey de Paul & Mike Moran |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Year | 1977 |
| Language(s) Performed In | English |
| How It Fared | 2nd Place (121 Points) |
| Was It Fair? | We had it first, but can’t argue it wasn’t |
What I Liked
This song was unlike any other Eurovision entry to this point, and we intend that as a compliment. These two produced a fun song about being at, well, rock bottom in life, but coming back from it. There was an old-school sound and style that they managed to make sound very new (for the time).
Moran and de Paul sold this with the newspaper prop at the very beginning of the number, and further nailed it down with their on-point costumes. Even the conductor did his job with a cane while wearing a bowler hat. They paid attention to the details.
Also, in the “Playing with Fire” article from number 69, we talked about how Udo Jürgens made the piano at Eurovision a thing and Romania built on it in 2010, but de Paul and Moran had two pianos.
Other Facts
- Lynsey de Paul was, at the time of her passing in 2014, a well-known figure in British music and a celebrity. De Paul was know in Britain prior to Eurovision in 1977, but for Moran, this performance was his big break.
- This was the fourth time in the 1970s that the UK finished second at the contest. They had won the prior year with “Save Your Kisses for Me.”
- The United Kingdom performed ninth in the grand final, at the half-way mark.
Rub It Out and Start It Again with “Rock Bottom”
Get your minds out of the gutter and watch the YouTube video from 1977.
