Hold Me Now (Johnny Logan song)

"Hold Me Now" is a song composed and performed by Irish singer Johnny Logan. It became the winner of the 1987 Eurovision Song Contest. Logan had previously won with "What's Another Year?" in the 1980 Contest and would go on to write the winner of the 1992 Contest ("Why Me?" for Linda Martin for whom he had previously written "Terminal 3" at the 1984 Contest). The song is usually sung by Bohemians at home matches in Dalymount Park.

"Hold Me Now"
Single by Johnny Logan
from the album Hold Me Now
B-side"Living a Lie"
Released1987
GenrePop
Length3:00
LabelEpic
Songwriter(s)Johnny Logan
Producer(s)Bill Whelan
Johnny Logan singles chronology
"Sara Smile"
(1986)		 "Hold Me Now"
(1987)		 "I'm Not in Love"
(1987)
Eurovision Song Contest 1987 entry
Country
Artist(s)
Language
Composer(s)
Johnny Logan
Lyricist(s)
Johnny Logan
Conductor
Finals performance
Final result
1st
Final points
172
Entry chronology
◄ "You Can Count On Me" (1986)   
"Take Him Home" (1988) ►

Overview

The song was performed twentieth on the night, following Denmark's Anne-Cathrine Herdorf & Drengene with "En lille melodi" and preceding Yugoslavia's Novi Fosili with "Ja sam za ples". At the close of voting, it had received 172 points, placing 1st in a field of 22. After Logan had been proclaimed the winner with this song, he was overcome with emotion during the reprise and was unable to reach the high notes in this part of the song. As he had when he won in 1980 with "What's Another Year?", he shouted "I still love you, Ireland".

Lyrically, the song is a ballad sung from the point of view of a man whose love interest is leaving him for someone else ("from now on you'll be with someone else instead of me"). The singer pleads with his girlfriend to "touch, touch me the way you used to do" in order to leave him with good memories of their relationship, even as they "fill this memory/for the last time".
The chorus then tells the girl "don't say a word", as they prepare to part. Despite the sad nature of the parting, the singer says that "I will know/though we're apart/we'll always be together", which implies some sort of optimism on his part. The music (also composed by Logan) is that of a typical Eurovision power ballad, with the final chorus being introduced by a chorus of backing singers (Joan Lea, Karen Black and Alain Pentony) before they are joined by Logan's voice again.

The song was succeeded as winner in 1988 by Celine Dion representing Switzerland with "Ne partez pas sans moi". It was succeeded as Irish representative at the 1988 contest by Jump The Gun with "Take Him Home". "Hold Me Now" is regarded by many fans as one of the high points of Contest history, recently being voted the third-best song in Eurovision history (behind "Waterloo" and "Nel blu dipinto di blu").

Covers

The song has been covered by several performers, including a reggae version by Tanya Stephens. It has also been updated by Belgian rapper Kaye Styles as "Don't Cry". This cover also features Logan performing the chorus of the song at a slightly faster tempo than the traditional version. The late Macedonian superstar Toše Proeski covered this song during his concerts.[1]

McDonald's Advertising

The song was also used in an Irish advertising campaign launched by McDonald's toward the end of 2007. These ads feature Logan bursting into the room with a McDonald's bag in an effort to cheer a series of teens in humorous predicaments. Logan interrupts his singing to pose the question "Twisty Fries?" (among other products offered by McDonald's).

2001 version
"Hold Me Now 2001"
Single by Johnny Logan
from the album Reach for Me
B-side"Hold Me Now 2001 (Instrumental)"
Released2001
Recorded2001
GenrePop
Length3:35
LabelEpic
Songwriter(s)Johnny Logan
Johnny Logan singles chronology
"Music"
(2000)		 "Hold Me Now 2001"
(2001)		 "No One Makes Love Like You"
(2001)

In 2001, Logan released the Reach for Me with the first two tracks being revamped versions of his Eurovision winning songs which are titled in the album as "What's Another Year 2001" and "Hold Me Now 2001" in a revamped up-beat version. "Hold Me Now" from the album had a limited chart success in Denmark where it made it to #9 in the Hitlisten chart. It also made it to #54 in Swedish Sverigetopplistan Singles Chart.

Tracklist

  1. "Hold Me Now 2001" (Radio Edit) (3:33)
  2. "Hold Me Now 2001" (Instrumental) (3:33)

2010 version

A decade later, Johnny Logan recorded yet a new version of both winning songs now titled "What's Another Year 2010" and "Hold Me Now 2010" in his studio album Nature of Love without releasing either as a single.

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Belgium (BEA)[22] Gold 100,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. Eurocovers. "Jamaica, can I have your votes please? pt. 2". Retrieved 2007-04-13.
  2. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 180. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  3. "Austriancharts.at – Johnny Logan – Hold Me Now" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  4. "Ultratop.be – Johnny Logan – Hold Me Now" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  5. Danish Singles Chart 19 June 1987
  6. Irish charts - search Johnny Logan Archived 2009-06-02 at the Wayback Machine
  7. https://www.ukmix.org/showthread.php?45645-Israel-Singles-Charts-1987-1995/page2
  8. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 24, 1987" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40
  9. "Dutchcharts.nl – Johnny Logan – Hold Me Now" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  10. "Norwegiancharts.com – Johnny Logan – Hold Me Now". VG-lista.
  11. "Swedishcharts.com – Johnny Logan – Hold Me Now". Singles Top 100.
  12. "Swisscharts.com – Johnny Logan – Hold Me Now". Swiss Singles Chart.
  13. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  14. "Offiziellecharts.de – Johnny Logan – Hold Me Now". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  15. "Danishcharts.com – Johnny Logan – Hold Me Now 2001". Tracklisten.
  16. "Swedishcharts.com – Johnny Logan – Hold Me Now 2001". Singles Top 100.
  17. "Jahreshitparade Singles 1987". austriancharts.at. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  18. "Jaaroverzichten 1987". Ultratop. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  19. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1987". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  20. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1987". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  21. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  22. https://www.americanradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/80s/1987/M&M-1987-07-18.pdf
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