Gwendolyne

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This article is about the song. For the name, see Gwendolyn. For the singer, see Gwendolyn (singer).
"Gwendolyne"
Julio Iglesias - Gwendolyne.jpg
Single by Julio Iglesias
from the album Gwendolyne
Released1970
GenreBallad
Length2:39
LabelColumbia Records
Songwriter(s)Julio Iglesias, Leo Johns
Julio Iglesias singles chronology
"Chiquilla"
(1970) 		"Gwendolyne"
(1970) 		"Un uomo solo"
(1970)
Eurovision Song Contest 1970 entry
Country
Artist(s)
Language
Spanish
Composer(s)
Julio Iglesias, Leo Johns
Lyricist(s)
Julio Iglesias, Leo Johns
Conductor
Finals performance
Final result
4th
Final points
8
Entry chronology
◄ "Vivo cantando" (1969)   
"En un mundo nuevo" (1971) ►

"Gwendolyne" (Spanish pronunciation: [ɡwendoˈlin], sometimes spelt "Gwendoline") is a song composed and recorded by Spanish singer Julio Iglesias. The song was co-written by Leo Johns. It is best known as the Spanish entry at the Eurovision Song Contest 1970, held in Amsterdam.[1]

The single was also one of the final records to be issued in the by then obsolete 78 RPM format, only being released in that format in Columbia.

Background[]

The song is a ballad, with both music and lyrics co-written by Iglesias himself, written about his first girlfriend, the titular Gwendolyne, a French girl whom he met at the age of 20 while still a law student and a goalkeeper for Spanish football team Real Madrid Castilla. In 1963, Iglesias was involved in a near-fatal car accident, which ended his football career, left him in rehabilitation for considerable time and indirectly led him to start learning the guitar, as a means of physical therapy.[2]

Iglesias began composing his own music; in 1968 he entered and won the Benidorm International Song Festival with the song "La vida sigue igual" ("Life goes on the same way") and shortly thereafter he signed with the Spanish branch of Columbia Records. His participation in the Eurovision Song Contest in March 1970, held in Amsterdam, was his first major international TV appearance. "Gwendolyne" went on to become his first number 1 single in Spain and was also a modest commercial success in a few other countries in Europe and South America. His international breakthrough single "Un canto a Galicia" followed in 1972.[3]

Iglesias recorded "Gwendolyne" in five languages: Spanish, English, French, German and Italian.[4] The song was also the title track to , released in 1970, and subsequently also included on his eponymous international debut album in 1972. The song reached number one in Spain.[5]

Eurovision[]

The song was performed ninth on the night, following Luxembourg's David Alexandre Winter with "Je suis tombé du ciel" and preceding Monaco's Dominique Dussault with "Marlène". At the close of voting, it had received 8 points, placing 4th in a field of 12.[6]

It was succeeded as Spanish entry at the 1971 Contest by Karina with "En un mundo nuevo".[7]

References[]

  1. ^ ""Gwendolyne" at the official Eurovision Song Contest site". eurovision.tv. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
  2. ^ "Julio Iglesias official chronology". julioiglesias.com. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
  3. ^ "Julio Iglesias discography". rateyourmusic.com. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
  4. ^ ""Gwendolyne" lyrics and detailed info". The Diggiloo Thrush. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
  5. ^ "Hits of the World". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 82 (23): 80. 1970-06-06. Retrieved 2011-10-13.
  6. ^ "Official Eurovision Song Contest 1970 scoreboard". eurovision.tv. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
  7. ^ ""En un mundo nuevo" at the official Eurovision Song Contest site". eurovision.tv. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
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