Jack in the Box was the United Kingdom entry at the Eurovision Song Contest 1971 in Dublin performed by Clodagh Rodgers.
The singer expresses her strong feelings of love to a man who treats her like a toy, thus providing the "jack in the box" simile, as she feels that in exchange of his love, she would gladly "bounce on a spring" like the aforementioned toy (but isn't so thrilled to do it without reciprocation). At the end of the song, however, she lets this man know that one day she will be fed up enough to leave, so she hopes he will tell her he loves her, as she will do anything (within a reasonable time frame) to hear those words.
In the final, it was performed ninth following Luxembourg and preceding Belgium. At the close of voting, it finished in fourth place with 98 points.
Lyrics[]
Stop – don’t say you’ll put me down
Love – don’t go away
Drop my feet back on the ground
Open your arms, let me stay
Hold me like you know you should
Don’t leave me on the shelf
Like a doll you throw away
So sad and lonely all by myself
I’m just your Jack-in-the-Box
You know whenever love knocks
I’m gonna bounce up and down on my spring
A toy used up when it stops
I’m just your Jack-in-the-Box
Because for your love I’d do anything
Who just keeps my heart around?
Loves to pull the strings?
You – and when it’s upside down
Look at the way that it swings
I can’t help the way I feel
It’s you and no one else
Comes the tune, but all too soon
I’m just a doll put back on the shelf
I’m just your Jack-in-the-Box
You know whenever love knocks
I’m gonna bounce up and down on my spring
A toy used up when it stops
I’m just your Jack-in-the-Box
Because for your love I’d do anything
Lalalala lalala… lalalala lalala…
Lalala lalalala lalala…
Lalalala lalala… lalalala lalala…
Lalala lalalala lalala…
Hey, hear what I say
You’ll find someday that I walked away from you
So say I’ve got to stay
And from today it’s love that’s gonna break through
I’m just your Jack-in-the-Box
You know whenever love knocks
I’m gonna bounce up and down on my spring
A toy used up when it stops
I’m just your Jack-in-the-Box
Because for your love I’d do anything
Hey hey
| Eurovision Song Contest 1971 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Participants | |||
 Marianne Mendt •  Joe Grech •  Séverine •  Peter, Sue & Marc •  Katja Ebstein •  Karina •  Serge Lama •  Monique Melsen •  Clodagh Rodgers •  Lily & Jacques •  Massimo Ranieri •  Family Four •  Angela Farrell •  Saskia & Serge •  Tonicha •  Krunoslav Slabinac •  Markku Aro & Koivistolaiset •  Hanne Krogh
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| Songs | |||
| Musik • Marija l-Maltija • Un banc, un arbre, une rue • Les illusions de nos vingt ans • Diese Welt • En un mundo nuevo • Un jardin sur la terre • Pomme, pomme, pomme • Jack in the Box • Goeiemorgen, morgen • L'amore è un attimo • Vita vidder • One Day Love • Tijd • Menina do alto da serra • Tvoj dječak je tužan • Tie uuteen päivään • Lykken er
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Videos[]
ESC 1971 09 - United Kingdom - Clodagh Rodgers - Jack In The Box
Jack In the Box - Clodagh Rogers