"Skibet skal sejle i nat" was the debut entry for Denmark at the Eurovision Song Contest 1957 in Frankfurt performed by Birthe Wilke and Gustav Winckler.
The song is a ballad duet, with the lyrics suggesting that one of them takes a sea voyage and the one leaving states his feelings for the girl he's singing to.
The song was performed 9th following France and preceding Switzerland. At the close of voting, it finished in 3rd place with 10 points.
Lyrics[]
Farvel da, min tøs, og hold dig nu kvik
Jeg tilstår, mit hjerte gi’r li’som et stik
Imens jeg kysser dig nu jeg elsker dig, du
Men skibet skal sejle i nat
Men skibet skal sejle i nat
Vi mødtes i sjov, vi sværmede lidt
Men det, der var letsind, blev alvor med ét
Og du blev alting for mig, mu er der kun dig
Men skibet skal sejle i nat
Ja, skibet skal sejle i nat
Vi lægger en plan, vi drømmer en drøm
Vi kæmper os fremad trods modvind og strøm
Mod det vi ønsker så hedt så ser vi med ét
At skibet skal sejle i nat
Ja, skibet skal sejle i nat
Aften i nymånens tegn, to står i mørket på kaj’n
Pige og mand, én fra sø – én fra land
Alting er sagt, nu står de der kun
I tavshed, til sidst siger hun:
Farvel da, min ven, pas godt på dig selv
Jeg syn’s, du har været så fin og reel
Og jeg vil være dig tro, mit liv blev os to
Men skibet skal sejle i nat
Men skibet skal sejle i nat
Endskønt jeg er din, med sjæl og med krop
Og nu kan jeg larme og sætte mig op
Mod det, jeg ved, der skal ske, og græde og be’
For skibet skal sejle i nat
Ja, skibet skal sejle i nat
På én gang går verden i stå
Man hører signalklokken slå
Ens håb ligger knust, hvert eneste et
Vi menn’sker bestemmer så lidt
Den lykke, vi tror er fast og solid
Den er kun på landlov på ubestemt tid
For alt, vi ejer, skal bort, vi tror, det er vort
Men skibet skal sejle i nat
Ja, skibet skal sejle i nat
Goodbye then, my lass, stay well
I confess, my heart gives kind of a twinge
While I’m kissing you now I love you
But the ship is leaving tonight
But the ship is leaving tonight
We met in fun, we courted a little
But what was carelessness, suddenly became serious
And you became everything to me, now there’s only you
But the ship is leaving tonight
Yes, the ship is leaving tonight
We’re making a plan, we’re dreaming a dream
We’re fighting forward, despite head wind and current
Towards what we want so badly then suddenly we see
That the ship is leaving tonight
Yes, the ship is leaving tonight
Evening in the sign of the new moon, two standing in the dark on the quay
Girl and man, one from the sea, one from land
Everything is said, now they’re just standing there
In silence, finally she says:
Goodbye then, my friend, take care of yourself
I think, you’ve been so nice and fair
And I’ll be faithful to you, my life became the two of us
But the ship is leaving tonight
But the ship is leaving tonight
Although I’m yours, with mind and body
And now I can make a fuss and resist
Against what I know will happen and cry and beg
For the ship is leaving tonight
Yes, the ship is leaving tonight
Suddenly the world stops
You hear the signal bell sounding
Your hopes lie broken, every single one
We humans mean so little
The happiness, we think is firm and solid
It’s only on an indefinite shore leave
For everything, we own, must go, we think, it is ours
But the ship is leaving tonight
Yes, the ship is leaving tonight
| Eurovision Song Contest 1957 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Participants | |||
 Bobbejaan Schoepen •  Danièle Dupré •  Patricia Bredin •  Nunzio Gallo •  Bob Martin •  Corry Brokken •  Margot Hielscher •  Paule Desjardins •  Birthe Wilke & Gustav Winckler •  Lys Assia
| |||
| Songs | |||
| Straatdeuntje • Amours mortes (tant de peine) • All • Corde della mia chitarra • Wohin, kleines Pony? • Net als toen • Telefon, Telefon • La belle amour • Skibet skal sejle i nat • L'enfant que j'étais
| |||
Trivia[]
- This performance had the first (and longest!) on-stage kiss between Wilke and Winckler. The jury was furious at this, but the pair achieved third place, anyway.