We have arrived at the top ten of the Eurovision Top 100 countdown, and at number 10, it’s Ireland’s 1987 winner, “Hold Me Now.”
This was a key moment in Eurovision history, as when Johnny Logan took the trophy in 1987, he became the contest’s first two-time winner. It was not until 2023 (“Tattoo”) that someone else would repeat the feat. One would hope that Eurovision’s first repeat winner would have a good song, and I am pleased to inform you that he did. In fact, it was one of the best ballad performances I have ever seen at the contest.
It would also be safe for you to assume from this point forward that every song on the list either won or should have.
Vital Information: “Hold Me Now”
| Song | Hold Me Now |
| Performed By | Johnny Logan |
| Written By | Séan Sherrard |
| Country | Ireland |
| Year | 1987 |
| Language(s) Performed In | English |
| How It Fared | Won (172 Points) |
| Was It Fair? | Yes, should have won by even more |
What I Liked
We are getting to the point where each song we evaluate individually is going to peak out in almost every category of scoring. It would not surprise you to learn that Johnny hit high scores in overall impression, engagement, vocals, and composition.
He sang with a lot of authority, which is unsurprising given that he was a well-established performer at this point. It’s not always the case that a performer’s second Eurovision song, if they get one, is better than their first. However, this one was. For lack of a better way to put it, this was just a really good and extremely well-done song.
Other Facts
- This was Ireland’s third win at Eurovision. At this point, Johnny accounted for a majority of them. He would become involved in a third win in 1992 when he was songwriter for Linda Martin’s “Why Me.”
- Ireland received points from all but two countries. A majority of them were 8, 10, or 12 points. Ireland also received eight douze points, more than anyone else in 1987.
- Johnny performed towards the end of the contest in 20th position, which was third from the end. He also performed third-to-last in 1980 when he won with “What’s Another Year.”
“Hold Me Now” and Then Watch the Video
Some of us are desperate for human affection. What we are not, however, desperate for is the YouTube video.
