If I Could Choose was the Irish entry at the Eurovision Song Contest 1967 in Vienna performed by Sean Dunphy.
The song is a ballad, in which Dunphy tells his lover how special she is to him. He explains that, while he currently lives in County Clare, he would willingly live in a desert if it meant that he could live with her. He also sets up other scenarios, including choosing to walk "the longest road" with her and talk with her on "the longest day", asking "What would I lose if I could choose?".
The musical arrangement of this song was by Pat King.
It was performed last following Italy. At the close of voting, it finished in 2nd place with 22 points.
It reached number 2 on the Irish Charts, kept off the top spot by "Puppet on a String", by Sandie Shaw, who won the Contest that year.
Lyrics[]
They envy me, my hills of Clare
The white gulls calling in the soft sea air
So much to lose
And yet I'd leave the hills of Clare
And live in a desert if I had you there
What would I lose if I could choose?
If I could choose a place to walk with you
I'd choose the longest road
And it would lead us to a house that no one knew
Bellows by the fire, and the turf smoke rising higher
Than the lark that wings and always sings of you
If I could choose a time to talk with you
I'd choose the longest day
And over all the hills of Clare, I'd shout the news
I would tell them how a day could last forever
And I'd never leave your side if I could choose
If I could choose a time to talk with you
I'd choose the longest day
And over all the hills of Clare, I'd shout the news
I would tell them how a day could last forever
And I'd never leave your side if I could choose
Trivia[]
- Clare - county in Ireland; contains The Burren, a unique karst landscape area of limestone hills and fields, and is considered to be the centre of traditional Irish music.
| Eurovision Song Contest 1967 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Participants | |||
 Thérèse Steinmetz •  Vicky Leandros •  Peter Horton •  Noëlle Cordier •  Eduardo Nascimento •  Géraldine Gaulier •  Östen Warnerbring •  Fredi •  Inge Brück •  Louis Neefs •  Sandie Shaw •  Raphael •  Kirsti Sparboe •  Minouche Barelli •  Lado Leskovar •  Claudio Villa •  Sean Dunphy
| |||
| Songs | |||
| Ring-dinge-ding • L'amour est bleu • Warum es hunderttausend Sterne gibt • Il doit faire beau là-bas • O vento mudou • Quel cœur vas-tu briser? • Som en dröm • Varjoon - suojaan • Anouschka • Ik heb zorgen • Puppet on a String • Hablemos del amor • Dukkemann • Boum Badaboum • Vse rože sveta • Non andare più lontano • If I Could Choose
| |||
