Si la vie est cadeau

"Si la vie est cadeau"
Single by Corinne Hermès
B-side	"Pour un jour de toi"
Released	2 May 1983
Recorded	1983
Genre	Chanson
Length	3:05
Label	Polydor Records PolyGram Music Saban Records
Songwriter(s)	Jean-Pierre Millers Alain Garcia
Producer(s)	Jean-Pierre Millers
Corinne Hermès singles chronology
"Le Blouson gris" (1979) "Si la vie est cadeau" (1983) "Vivre à deux" (1983)
Eurovision Song Contest 1983 entry
Country	Luxembourg
Artist(s)	Corinne Hermès
Language	French
Composer(s)	Jean-Pierre Millers
Lyricist(s)	Alain Garcia
Conductor	Michel Bernholc
Finals performance
Final result	1st
Final points	142
Entry chronology
◄ "Cours après le temps" (1982)
"100% d'amour" (1984) ►

"Si la vie est cadeau" (French pronunciation: [si la vi ɛ kado]; "If Life Is a Gift") by Jean-Pierre Millers (music) and Alain Garcia (lyrics) was the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 1983, performed in French by French singer Corinne Hermès for Luxembourg.

The song is a dramatic ballad dealing with the wonder of life, likening it to a gift. The lyrics tell of the singer's suffering in love with a man "who promised [her] the whole world" and did not follow through: "what about the child I wanted to give to you in the spring?". She then sings that any kind of gift is welcome, whether it be given, stolen or returned, and warns that the good times are too short, implying that the listener should savor them for all they are worth. Hermès also recorded the song in English and German, as "Words of Love" and "Liebe gibt und nimmt" ("Love gives and takes") respectively.

The song was performed 20th (last) on the night, following Belgium's Pas de Deux with "Rendez-vous". At the close of voting, it had received 142 points, placing 1st in a field of 20. The win brought Luxembourg equal with France on five contest wins each, however both countries would later be eclipsed by Ireland and Sweden, which would win seven times each.

Compared to the previous years' Eurovision winners, "Si la vie est cadeau" proved to be only a moderate commercial success, peaking at #2 in France; #3 in Belgium; #12 in Ireland; #13 in Sweden; #14 in Switzerland; #19 in the Netherlands, and failing to chart in most other European countries.^[1]

The song was succeeded in 1984 as winner of the contest by Herreys representing Sweden with "Diggi-Loo Diggi-Ley". It was succeeded as Luxembourgish representative at the 1984 contest by Sophie Carle with "100% d'amour".

The Finnish rendering "Lahjan sain" was recorded by Lea Laven being the title cut of her 1983 album release.

External links

• Official Eurovision Song Contest site, history by year, 1983
• Detailed info & lyrics, The Diggiloo Thrush, "Si la vie est cadeau"

References

This page was last edited on 20 October 2023, at 11:44