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What's Another Year was the Irish entry at the Eurovision Song Contest 1980 written by Shay Healy and performed by Johnny Logan. The ballad told the story of a man who has been waiting for the girl of his dreams to fall in love with him, in real life Shay wrote it as he watched his father come to terms with the death of his wife.

It was performed 17th on the night following France and preceding Spain. At the close of voting, it was declared the winner with 143 points, giving Ireland its second Eurovision win.

The song was a huge hit across the continent, and was named one of the 14 greatest Eurovision songs of all time at the Congratulations gala in 2005. A re-recorded sampling of the chorus can be heard on Belgian rapper Kaye Styles' 2006 summer hit "I Like To Party".

In 2020, it was performed during the Europe Shine a Light special following the cancellation of the 2020 contest. Johnny sang the song live from a studio in Dublin, backed by the special's presenters from their studio in Hilversum and a chorus of Eurovision fans from around the world. During the instrumental bridge prior to the final chorus, a video montage of Logan's Eurovision victories was shown.

Lyrics[]

I've been waiting such a long time
Looking out for you, but you're not here
What's another year?
 
I've been waking such a long time
Reaching out for you, but you aren't near
What's another year?
 
What's another year
For someone who's lost everything that he owns?
What's another year
For someone who's getting used to being alone?
 
I've been praying such a long time
It's the only way to hide the fear
What's another year?
 
What's another year
For someone who's lost everything that he owns?
What's another year
For someone who's getting used to being alone?
 
I've been crying such a long time
With such a lot of pain in every tear
What's another year
(For someone who is getting used to being alone?)
What's another year
(For someone who is getting used to being alone?)
What's another year
(For someone who is getting used to being alone?)

Eurovision Song Contest 1980
Participants
Flag of AustriaBlue DanubeFlag of TurkeyAdja PekkanFlag of GreeceAnna Vissi & The EpikouriFlag of LuxembourgSophie & MagalyFlag of MoroccoSamira BensaïdFlag of ItalyAlan SorrentiFlag of DenmarkBamses VennerFlag of SwedenTomas LedinFlag of SwitzerlandPaola del MedicoFlag of FinlandVesa-Matti LoiriFlag of NorwaySverre & MattisFlag of GermanyKatja EbsteinFlag of United KingdomPrima DonnaFlag of PortugalJosé CidFlag of The NetherlandsMaggie MacNealFlag of FranceProfilFlag of IrelandJohnny LoganFlag of SpainTrigo LimpioFlag of BelgiumTélex
Songs
Flag of AustriaDu bist MusikFlag of TurkeyPetr'OilFlag of GreeceAutostopFlag of LuxembourgPapa PingouinFlag of MoroccoBitaqat HobFlag of ItalyNon so che dareiFlag of DenmarkTænker altid på digFlag of SwedenJust nu!Flag of SwitzerlandCinémaFlag of FinlandHuilumiesFlag of NorwaySámiid ÆdnanFlag of GermanyTheaterFlag of United KingdomLove Enough For TwoFlag of PortugalUm grande, grande amorFlag of The NetherlandsAmsterdamFlag of FranceHé, hé M'sieurs, damesFlag of IrelandWhat's Another YearFlag of SpainQuédate esta nocheFlag of BelgiumEurovision
Eurovision Song Contest
Editions
195619571958195919601961196219631964196519661967196819691970197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
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 buoniStefaniaTattoo
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[]

  • The studio version was produced by Bill Whelan, who would later go on to compose the music for the 1994 interval act Riverdance.

Videos[]

Johnny_Logan_-_What's_Another_Year_(including_choir_of_Eurovision_fans)_-_Europe_Shine_A_Light

Johnny Logan - What's Another Year (including choir of Eurovision fans) - Europe Shine A Light

Eurovision_1980_Johnny_Logan_What's_another_year

Eurovision 1980 Johnny Logan What's another year

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