Humanahum
Encyclopedia
Humanahum was the French
entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1981
, performed in French
by the Tahiti
an singer Jean Gabilou
. Gabilou was the first singer from a French overseas territory to represent France at Eurovision. The song was written by Jean-Paul Cara and Joe Gracy, the team behind Marie Myriam
's winning entry "L'oiseau et l'enfant
" in the 1977 Contest
.
"Humanahum" was performed ninth on the night (following Finland
's Riki Sorsa
with "Reggae OK
" and preceding Spain
's Bacchelli
with "Y sólo tú
"). At the close of voting, it had received 125 points, placing 3rd in a field of 20.
The song was the first in the history of the contest to open with a church organ, reminiscent of "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" by Iron Butterfly
. The lyrics of the song - part of a Contest tradition of songs with nonsensical titles and choruses - place the setting in "in a galaxy
in the year three thousand", where an old man teaches a group of children about life on Earth. Gabilou sings that because humanity "invented the war", the Earth eventually could not support life. The song, therefore, is a plea for global peace and the seemingly nonsensical title is in this case instead a reference to the human race
, as in the Latin
phrase 'Errare humanum est'; 'to err is human'. Gabilou also recorded an English language
version of the song under the same title, "Humanahum".
France famously opted out of the 1982 Contest
, with the national broadcaster TF1
calling Eurovision "a monument to inanity [sometimes translated as "drivel"]." Due to public pressure, the country re-entered the Contest the next year with a new broadcaster, Antenne 2. Thus, the song was succeeded as French representative
at the 1983 Contest
by Guy Bonnet
with Vivre.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1981
Eurovision Song Contest 1981
The Eurovision Song Contest 1981 was the 26th Eurovision Song Contest and was held on 4 April 1981 at the Simmonscourt Pavilion of the Royal Dublin Society in Dublin. The presenter was Doireann Ní Bhriain...
, performed in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
by the Tahiti
Tahiti
Tahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of the Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is the economic, cultural and political centre of French Polynesia. The island was formed from volcanic activity and is high and mountainous...
an singer Jean Gabilou
Jean Gabilou
Jean Gabilou is a Tahitian singer. He also represented France in the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest.-Early life:...
. Gabilou was the first singer from a French overseas territory to represent France at Eurovision. The song was written by Jean-Paul Cara and Joe Gracy, the team behind Marie Myriam
Marie Myriam
Marie Myriam is a French singer of Portuguese origins...
's winning entry "L'oiseau et l'enfant
L'Oiseau Et L'Enfant
"L'oiseau et l'enfant" was the winning song in the Eurovision Song Contest 1977 performed in French by the Portuguese singer Marie Myriam, who represented France...
" in the 1977 Contest
Eurovision Song Contest 1977
The Eurovision Song Contest 1977 was the 22nd edition series, and was held on 7 May 1977 in London. With Angela Rippon as the presenter, the contest was won by Marie Myriam who represented France, with her song "L'oiseau et l'enfant" . This was France's fifth victory, a record, which was equalled...
.
"Humanahum" was performed ninth on the night (following Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
's Riki Sorsa
Riki Sorsa
Esko Richard "Riki" Sorsa is a popular pop Finnish singer. He has started his career in 1975 in the band ZOO. In Eurovision Song Contest 1981 has represented his country with the entry Reggae OK, a typical rock song in Finnish which has ended in 16th...
with "Reggae OK
Reggae OK
"Reggae OK" was the Finnish entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1981, performed in Finnish by Riki Sorsa.The song was performed eighth on the night...
" and preceding Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
's Bacchelli
Bacchelli
Bacchelli is a Spanish singer who had a brief career in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and is best known for his participation in the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest....
with "Y sólo tú
Y sólo tú
"Y sólo tu" was the Spanish entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1981, performed in Spanish by Bacchelli....
"). At the close of voting, it had received 125 points, placing 3rd in a field of 20.
The song was the first in the history of the contest to open with a church organ, reminiscent of "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" by Iron Butterfly
Iron Butterfly
Iron Butterfly is a US psychedelic rock band best known for the 1968 hit "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida".Their heyday was the late 1960s, but the band has been reincarnated with various members. In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida is the 31st best-selling album in the world, selling more than 25 million copies.-History:The...
. The lyrics of the song - part of a Contest tradition of songs with nonsensical titles and choruses - place the setting in "in a galaxy
Galaxy
A galaxy is a massive, gravitationally bound system that consists of stars and stellar remnants, an interstellar medium of gas and dust, and an important but poorly understood component tentatively dubbed dark matter. The word galaxy is derived from the Greek galaxias , literally "milky", a...
in the year three thousand", where an old man teaches a group of children about life on Earth. Gabilou sings that because humanity "invented the war", the Earth eventually could not support life. The song, therefore, is a plea for global peace and the seemingly nonsensical title is in this case instead a reference to the human race
Human Race
Human Race refers to the Human species.Human race may also refer to:*The Human Race, 79th episode of YuYu Hakusho* Human Race Theatre Company of Dayton Ohio* Human Race Machine, a computer graphics device...
, as in the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
phrase 'Errare humanum est'; 'to err is human'. Gabilou also recorded an English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
version of the song under the same title, "Humanahum".
France famously opted out of the 1982 Contest
Eurovision Song Contest 1982
The Eurovision Song Contest 1982 was the 27th Eurovision Song Contest and was held on 24 April 1982 in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, United Kingdom. The presenter was Jan Leeming. The opening of the contest showed a map of Europe, with the translation "Where is Harrogate?" popping up on-screen from...
, with the national broadcaster TF1
TF1
TF1 is a national French TV channel, controlled by TF1 Group, whose major share-holder is Bouygues. TF1's average market share of 24% makes it the most popular domestic network...
calling Eurovision "a monument to inanity [sometimes translated as "drivel"]." Due to public pressure, the country re-entered the Contest the next year with a new broadcaster, Antenne 2. Thus, the song was succeeded as French representative
France in the Eurovision Song Contest
France is one of the most successful countries in the Eurovision Song Contest and has entered the competition fifty-four times since their debut at the very first contest in 1956. France is one of only seven countries to be present at the very first contest, and has only been absent from two...
at the 1983 Contest
Eurovision Song Contest 1983
The Eurovision Song Contest 1983, the 28th in the series, was held in Munich, then West Germany, on 23 April 1983. The presenter was Marlene Charell. Corinne Hermes was the winner of this Eurovision with the song, "Si la vie est cadeau". This was Luxembourg's fifth victory in the contest which...
by Guy Bonnet
Guy Bonnet
Guy Bonnet is an author, composer, and singer, born in Avignon, France in 1945. He wrote the lyrics and composed the music for the French entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1968 . In 1970 he participated in the Eurovision song contest for France with "Marie-Blanche" coming 4th out of twelve...
with Vivre.