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De troubadour was the Dutch entry at the Eurovision Song Contest 1969 in Madrid performed by Lenny Kuhr.

In a ballad inspired both musically and lyrically by folk-song traditions, Kuhr sings about a troubadour of the Middle Ages, describing the impact the music has on her audiences. Kuhr also recorded the song in English (as "The troubadour"), French ("Le troubadour"), German ("Der troubadour"), Italian ("Un canta storie") and Spanish ("El trovador").

The song was performed eighth on the night following the United Kingdom and preceding Sweden. At the close of voting, it was declared one of the 4 joint winners (along with host Spain, France and the United Kingdom) with 18 points. The country thus achieved the rare feat of going from (equal) last to (equal) first in the space of one year.

Lyrics[]

Hij zat zo boordevol muziek
Hij zong voor groot en klein publiek
Hij maakte blij melancholiek
De troubadour

Voor ridders in de Hoge Zaal
Zong hij in stoere, sterke taal
Een lang en bloederig verhaal
De troubadour

Maar ook het werkvolk uit de schuur
Hoorde zijn lied vol avontuur
Hoorde bij 't nacht'lijk keukenvuur
De troubadour, de troubadour

En in de herberg van de stad
Zong hij een drinklied op het nat
Voor wie nog staan kon en wie zat
De troubadour, de troubadour

La lalala lala lajlala lajlala...
La lala lajlala la...
La lalala lala lajlala lajlala...
La lala lajlala la...

Hij zong in kloosters stil zijn lied
Van een mirakel dat geschiedt
Ook als geen mens het wonder ziet
De troubadour

Van vrouwen in fluweel of grijs
Zong hij de harten van de wijs
Zijn liefdeslied ging mee op reis
De troubadour

Hij zong voor boeren op het land
Een kerelslied van eigen hand
Hij was van elke rang en stand
De troubadour, de troubadour

Zo zong hij heel zijn leven lang
Zijn eigen lied, zijn eigen zang
Toch gaat de dood gewoon zijn gang
De troubadour, de troubadour

Toen werd het stil, het lied was uit
Enkel wat modder tot besluit
Maar wie getroost werd door zijn lied
Vergeet hem niet

Want hij zat zo boordevol muziek
Hij zong voor groot en klein publiek
Hij maakte blij melancholiek
De troubadour

Oh oh... la lalala lala lajlala lajlala...
La lala lajlala la...
La lalala lala lajlala lajlala...
La lala lajlala la...

Oh... ala lalala lala lajlala lajlala...
La lala lajlala la...
Ala lalala lala lajlala lajlala...
La lala lajlala la...
Ala ho ho ho...

He was bursting with music
He sang for large and small public
He changed happiness to melancholy
The troubadour

For knights in the Knight's Hall
He sang in tough, strong language
A long and bloody story
The troubadour

But also the workmen in the barn
Heard his song full of adventure
Heard nearby the nightly kitchenfire
The troubadour, the troubadour

And in the inn of the city
He sang a drinking song on the dampness
For those who could still stand and those who sat
The troubadour, the troubadour

He silently sung his song in monasteries
About a miracle that occurs
Even if nobody sees the wonder
The troubadour

Women dressed in velvet or grey
Whose hearts he sang into confusion
His love song was brought along on trips
The troubadour

He sang for farmers on the land
A fellow song he wrote himself
He was from all walks of life
The troubadour, the troubadour

Like this he sang his whole lifelong
His own song, his own singing
But still death just goes its way
The troubadour, the troubadour

Then it went quiet, the song was ended
Only some mud in conclusion
But those who were comforted by his song
Don't forget him

Because he was bursting with music
He sang for large and small public
He changed happiness to melancholy
The troubadour

Eurovision Song Contest 1969
Participants
Flag of YugoslaviaIvan & 4MFlag of LuxembourgRomualdFlag of SpainSaloméFlag of MonacoJean JacquesFlag of IrelandMuriel DayFlag of ItalyIva ZanicchiFlag of United KingdomLuluFlag of The NetherlandsLenny KuhrFlag of SwedenTommy KörbergFlag of BelgiumLouis NeefsFlag of SwitzerlandPaola del MedicoFlag of NorwayKirsti SparboeFlag of GermanySiw MalmkvistFlag of FranceFrida BoccaraFlag of PortugalSimone de OliveiraFlag of FinlandJarkko & Laura
Songs
Flag of YugoslaviaPozdrav svijetuFlag of LuxembourgCatherineFlag of SpainVivo cantandoFlag of MonacoMaman, MamanFlag of IrelandThe Wages of LoveFlag of ItalyDue grosse lacrime biancheFlag of United KingdomBoom Bang-a-BangFlag of The NetherlandsDe troubadourFlag of SwedenJudy, min vänFlag of BelgiumJennifer JenningsFlag of SwitzerlandBonjour, BonjourFlag of NorwayOj, oj, oj, så glad jeg skal bliFlag of GermanyPrimaballerinaFlag of FranceUn jour, un enfantFlag of PortugalDesfolhada portuguesaFlag of FinlandKuin silloin ennen
Eurovision Song Contest
Editions
1956195719581959196019611962196319641965196619671968196919701971197219731974197519761977197819791980198119821983198419851986198719881989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Countries
AlbaniaAndorraArmeniaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBelarusBelgiumBosnia and HerzegovinaBulgariaCroatiaCyprusCzechiaDenmarkEstoniaFinlandFranceGeorgiaGermanyGreeceHungaryIcelandIrelandIsraelItalyLatviaLithuaniaLuxembourgMaltaMoldovaMonacoMontenegroMoroccoThe NetherlandsNorth MacedoniaNorwayPolandPortugalRomaniaRussiaSan MarinoSerbiaSerbia and MontenegroSlovakiaSloveniaSpainSwedenSwitzerlandTurkeyUnited KingdomUkraineYugoslavia
Winning Songs
RefrainNet Als ToenDors, mon amourEen beetjeTom PillibiNous les amoureuxUn premier amourDanseviseNon ho l'etàPoupée de Cire, Poupée de SonMerci, ChériePuppet on a StringLa, La, LaBoom Bang-a-BangVivo CantandoUn jour, un enfantDe TroubadourAll Kinds of EverythingUn banc, un arbre, une rueAprès ToiTu Te ReconnaîtrasWaterlooDing-a-DongSave Your Kisses For MeL'Oiseau et l'enfantA-Ba-Ni-BiHallelujahWhat's Another YearMaking Your Mind UpEin bißchen FriedenSi la vie est cadeauDiggiloo DiggileyLa Det SwingeJ'aime La VieHold Me NowNe Partez Pas Sans MoiRock MeInsieme: 1992Fångad av en stormvindWhy Me?In Your EyesRock 'n' Roll KidsNocturneThe VoiceLove Shine a LightDivaTake Me To Your HeavenFly on the Wings of LoveEverybodyI WannaEveryway That I CanWild DancesMy Number OneHard Rock HallelujahMolitvaBelieveFairytaleSatelliteRunning ScaredEuphoriaOnly TeardropsRise Like a PhoenixHeroes1944Amar pelos doisToyArcadeZitti e buoniStefaniaTattooThe Code
Specials
Congratulations: 50 Years of the Eurovision Song ContestEurovision's Greatest HitsEurope Shine a Light
Aspects of Eurovision
CommentatorEuroClubEurovision VillageExecutive SupervisorFlag ParadeGrand PrixGreen RoomHead of DelegationInterval ActNational FinalNational JuryOfficial RulesOpening CeremonyPre-PartiesPre-Song PostcardsReference GroupRest of the World VoteRunning Order DrawSemi-FinalsScoreboardSpokespersonTelevotingVoting Systems
Miscellaneous
Big FiveCurse of 43Curse of Number TwoCurse of GreenDouze Points!ESCRadio AwardsESC Top 250Eurovision AgainEurovision National BroadcastersEurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire SagaFounding SevenLGBT visibilityLynda WoodruffMarcel Bezençon AwardsNul PointsOGAERecordsStand-insThe Reorder BoardTie SituationTop Scoring SongsVoting DiasporaWinner's CurseWithdrawn SongsYou're a Vision Award

Trivia[]

  • With the victory, Lenny became the first female to write a winning Eurovision song, as well as the first female winner to accompany herself onstage with an instrument.
  • This marks the 200th song performed in the contest.
  • If the 1969 contest was decided by the countback rule (used from 1989 to 2002), then De Troubadour would win outright as the French jury gave them 6 votes.

Video[]

Lenny_Kuhr_-_De_Troubadour_(ESC_1969_-_kleur)

Lenny Kuhr - De Troubadour (ESC 1969 - kleur)

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