Merci, Chérie was the Austrian entry at the Eurovision Song Contest 1966 in Luxembourg composed and performed by Udo Jürgens. It was his third consecutive attempt to represent his country. Despite the French title, the song was sung entirely in German.
It was performed 9th on the night following Portugal and preceding Sweden. At the close of voting, it was declared the winner with 31 points, giving Austria its first victory.
To this day, it remains only one of two winning songs to be sung entirely in the German language, the other being Ein bißchen Frieden, which won for Germany in 1982.
Lyrics[]
Merci, merci, merci
Für die Stunden, Chérie, Chérie, Chérie
Unsre Liebe war schön, so schön, merci, Chérie
Sei nicht traurig, muss ich auch von dir geh’n
Adieu, adieu, adieu
Deine Tränen tun weh, so weh, so weh
Unser Traum fliegt dahin, dahin, merci, Chérie
Weine nicht, auch das hat so seinen Sinn
Schau nach vorn, nicht zurück
Zwingen kann man kein Glück
Denn kein Meer ist so wild wie die Liebe
Die Liebe allein, nur die kann so sein
So sein, so sein
Merci, merci, merci
Für die Stunden, Chérie, Chérie, Chérie
Unsre Liebe war schön, so schön, merci, Chérie
So schön, so schön, merci, Chérie
So schön, so schön, merci, Chérie
Merci
Thank you, thank you, thank you
For the hours darling, darling, darling
Our love was beautiful, so beautiful, thank you, darling
Don’t be sad, as I have to leave you
Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye
Your tears are painful, so painful, so painful
Our dream flies away, away, thank you, darling
Don’t cry, also that serves a useful purpose
Look ahead, not back
You can’t force luck
Because no sea is as wild as love
Only love can be like that
Be like that, be like that
Thank you, thank you, thank you
For the hours, darling, darling, darling
Our love was beautiful, so beautiful, thank you, darling
So beautiful, so beautiful, thank you, darling
So beautiful, so beautiful, thank you, darling
Thank you
| Eurovision Song Contest 1966 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Participants | |||
 Margot Eskens •  Ulla Pia •  Tonia •  Michèle Torr •  Berta Ambrož •  Åse Kleveland •  Ann Christine •  Madalena Iglésias •  Udo Jürgens •  Lill Lindfors & Svante Thuresson •  Raphael •  Madeleine Pascal •  Téréza Kesovija •  Domenico Modugno •  Dominique Walter •  Milly Scott •  Dickie Rock •  Kenneth McKellar
| |||
| Songs | |||
| Die Zeiger der Uhr • Stop - mens legen er go' • Un peu de poivre, un peu de sel • Ce soir je t'attendais • Brez besed • Intet er nytt under solen • Playboy • Ele e ela • Merci, Chérie • Nygammal vals • Yo soy aquél • Ne vois-tu pas? • Bien plus fort • Dio, come ti amo • Chez nous • Fernando en Filippo • Come Back to Stay • A Man Without Love
| |||
