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Puppet on a String (Sandie Shaw song)

"Puppet on a String" is a song recorded by British singer Sandie Shaw, written by Bill Martin and Phil Coulter. It represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 1967, held in Vienna, winning the contest, becoming the first of the United Kingdom's five Eurovision wins.[4][5]

"Puppet on a String"
side-A label; solid centre variant
One of solid centre variants of the UK single
Single by Sandie Shaw
from the album Puppet on a String
B-side"Tell the Boys"
Released7 March 1967
Recorded1967
GenreEuropop[1]
Length2:21
LabelPye[2]
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Ken Woodman[3]
Sandie Shaw singles chronology
"I Don't Need Anything"
(1967) 		"Puppet on a String"
(1967) 		"Tonight in Tokyo"
(1967)
Eurovision Song Contest 1967 entry
Country
Artist(s)
Language
English
Composer(s)
Lyricist(s)
  • Bill Martin
  • Phil Coulter
Conductor
Finals performance
Final result
1st
Final points
47
Entry chronology
◄ "A Man Without Love" (1966)
"Congratulations" (1968) ►

As her thirteenth UK single release, "Puppet on a String" became a UK Singles Chart number one hit on 27 April 1967, staying at the top for a total of three weeks.[6] In the United States, a 1967 version by Al Hirt went to number 18 on the Adult Contemporary chart and No. 129 on the Billboard Hot 100.[7]

Background

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Conception

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"Puppet on a String" was written by Bill Martin and Phil Coulter,[3] and recorded by Sandie Shaw.

Selection

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The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) internally selected Shaw as their representative for the 12th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. She had never been taken with the idea of taking part in the contest but her discoverer, Adam Faith, had talked her into it, saying it would keep her manager Eve Taylor happy. Taylor wanted to give Shaw a more cabaret appeal and felt that this was the right move – and also felt that it would get Shaw back in the public's good books as she had recently been involved in a divorce scandal.[8]

Shaw performed the song as one of five prospective numbers for the contest on The Rolf Harris Show. Of the five songs, "Puppet on a String" was Shaw's least favourite. In her own words, "I hated it from the very first 'oompah' to the final 'bang' on the big bass drum. I was instinctively repelled by its sexist drivel and cuckoo-clock tune".[9] On 25 February 1967, Shaw performed the five songs on A Song for Europe 1967, the national final organized by the BBC to select the song she would perform in the contest. The winner was chosen by postcard voting and on 4 March the BBC announced that "Puppet on a String" had won the competition becoming the British entry for Eurovision.[10]

Shaw also recorded "Puppet on a String" in French –as "Un tout petit pantin"–, Italian –"La danza delle note"–, Spanish –"Marionetas en la cuerda"–, and German –"Wiedehopf im Mai"–.[11]

Eurovision

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On 8 April 1967, the Eurovision Song Contest was held at the Großer Festsaal der Wiener Hofburg in Vienna hosted by Österreichischer Rundfunk (ORF), and broadcast live throughout the continent. Shaw performed "Puppet on a String" eleventh on the night, following Belgium's "Ik heb zorgen" by Louis Neefs and preceding Spain's "Hablemos del amor" by Raphael. Kenny Woodman conducted the live orchestra in the performance of the British entry.[12]

At the close of voting, the song had received 47 points, placing it first in a field of sixteen, and winning the contest[13]

Aftermath

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As a result of it winning the Eurovision Song Contest, "Puppet on a String" became Shaw's third number one hit in the UK –a record for a woman at the time– and was a big worldwide smash. Globally, the single achieved sales in excess of four million, making it the biggest-selling winning Eurovision track to date.[14] Some estimates suggest this makes the track the biggest selling single by a British female artist of all time.[15]

Shaw performed her song in the Eurovision twenty-fifth anniversary show Songs of Europe held on 22 August 1981 in Mysen.[16]

Chart history

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Weekly charts

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Chart (1967)[5] Peak
position
Argentina (ACPVP)[17] 1
Australia (Go-Set National Top 40)[18] 2
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[19] 1
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[20] 1
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[21] 1
Canada (Canadian Singles Chart) 13
Denmark (Danish Singles Chart)[22] 2
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[23] 5
France (Institut français d'opinion publique)[24] 2
Ireland (IRMA)[25] 1
Italy (Musica e dischi)[26] 8
Malaysia (Radio Malaysia)[27] 2
Netherlands (Veronica Top 40)[25] 1
Netherlands (Mega Top 30)[28] 1
New Zealand (PPNZ)[29] 2
Norway (VG-lista)[30] 1
Singapore (Radio Singapore)[27] 3
South Africa (Entertainment Monitoring Africa)[31] 3
Spain (Cadena SER)[32] 1
Sweden (Kvällstoppen)[33] 1
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[27] 1
UK Singles (OCC)[3] 1
Venezuela[34] 6
West Germany (Schallplatte)[35] 1

Sales

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Region Copies
Belgium 45,000[36]
Germany 750,000[37]
Worldwide 4,000,000[38]

Legacy

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Cover versions

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The song was covered in over 200 versions in over 30 languages.[39][better source needed]

Covers include:

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The song was featured in The 1975 Bulgarian Cartoon Buffo-Synchronists by Proiko Proikov and the soundtrack of the 2021 film Last Night in Soho.[64] In July 2024, the song was sampled by English singer Jade, for her debut single titled "Angel of My Dreams".[65]

References

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  1. ^ Stanley, Bob (13 September 2013). "See That Girl: Abba". Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop. Faber & Faber. p. 386. ISBN 978-0-571-28198-5.
  2. ^ "Sandie Shaw". 45-rpm.org.uk. 26 February 1947. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
  3. ^ a b c Rice, Jo (1982). The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits (1st ed.). Enfield, Middlesex: Guinness Superlatives Ltd. p. 109. ISBN 0-85112-250-7.
  4. ^ "Eurovision 1967: United Kingdom Sandie Shaw - Puppet on a string". Eurovision-contest.com. 21 May 2006. Archived from the original on 6 March 2012. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
  5. ^ a b Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 495. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  6. ^ "Puppet on a String full official chart history". Theofficialcharts.com. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
  7. ^ "Puppet on a String (song by Al Hirt) • Music VF, US & UK hits charts". Musicvf.com. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
  8. ^ "Sandie Shaw's Love scandal that almost cost Britain its first Eurovision victory". 25 December 2010. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
  9. ^ Shaw, Sandie: The World at my Feet. HarperCollins Publishers Ltd; 1991. ISBN 978-0002159210
  10. ^ "UK National Final 1967". natfinals.50webs.com.
  11. ^ "Sandie Shaw, official site, discography". Sandieshaw.com. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
  12. ^ "Eurovision Song Contest 1967". Eurovision Song Contest. 8 April 1967. ORF / EBU.
  13. ^ "Official Eurovision Song Contest 1967 scoreboard". Eurovision Song Contest.
  14. ^ O'Connor, John Kennedy. The Eurovision Song Contest: The Official Celebration. Carlton Books Ltd, 2015. ISBN 978-1780976389
  15. ^ Kelly, Mike. Wot Pop: 50 Years of Hits 1952-2002 - A-Z of Hitmakers Plus the UK's Top 5000 Singles. Southgate Publishers, 30 September 2002. ISBN 978-1857411409
  16. ^ "Songs of Europe". Eurovision Song Contest. 22 August 1981. NRK / EBU.
  17. ^ "Billboard Magazine, August 1967". Billboard. 12 August 1967.
  18. ^ Steffen Hung. "Chart Performance @". Australian-charts.com. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
  19. ^ "Sandie Shaw – Puppet on a String" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  20. ^ "Sandie Shaw – Puppet on a String" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  21. ^ "Sandie Shaw – Puppet on a String" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  22. ^ "Billboard Magazine, June 17, 1967". Billboard. 17 June 1967.
  23. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Sandie Shaw". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 232. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  24. ^ "Hits of the World". Billboard. 3 June 1967. p. 66. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  25. ^ a b "Billboard Magazine, May 27, 1967". Billboard. 27 May 1967.
  26. ^ "Hits of the World". Billboard. 17 June 1967. p. 49. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  27. ^ a b c "Billboard Magazine, July 1, 1967". Billboard. July 1967.
  28. ^ "Dutch Singles Top 100". Dutchcharts.com. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  29. ^ "Hits of the World". Billboard. 12 August 1967. p. 62. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  30. ^ "Sandie Shaw – Puppet on a String". VG-lista.
  31. ^ "Billboard Magazine, June 3 1967". Billboard. 24 June 1967.
  32. ^ "Billboard Magazine, July 15, 1967". Billboard. 15 July 1967.
  33. ^ Hallberg, Eric (1993). Kvällstoppen i P3. Kvällstoppen. ISBN 91-630-2140-4.
  34. ^ "Billboard Magazine, August 1967". Billboard. 12 August 1967.
  35. ^ "Billboard Magazine, June 1967". Billboard. 8 July 1967.
  36. ^ "Cash Box - Belgium" (PDF). Cash Box. 29 April 1967. p. 70. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  37. ^ "Cash Box - Germany" (PDF). Cash Box. 25 November 1967. p. 68. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  38. ^ "Pye Records" (PDF). Cash Box. 6 July 1968. p. 236. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  39. ^ a b c "Eurocovers: VII - The Year of the Puppet". Eurocovers.blogspot.com. 9 January 2007. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
  40. ^ "Violeta Rivas - Títere". YouTube. 7 November 2014. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  41. ^ "Irune & Andoni Argoitia - Txoriburuak Sokan". YouTube. 12 November 2016. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  42. ^ "Gloria Benavides - Las Marionetas en la Cuerda". YouTube. 20 July 2010. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  43. ^ "Yvonne Přenosilová - Louka". YouTube. 30 May 2020. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  44. ^ "Grethe Sønck - Lille Marionet". YouTube. 20 February 2017. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  45. ^ "Reggy van der Burgt - Speelbal in de Wind". YouTube. 5 October 2010. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  46. ^ "Anneke Grönloh - Speelbal in de Wind". YouTube. 6 September 2018. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  47. ^ "Heli Lääts - Hüpiknukk". YouTube. 12 July 2016. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  48. ^ "Maarja-Leena - Sätkynukke". YouTube. 7 April 2011. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  49. ^ "Zsuzsa Koncz - Paprikajancsi". YouTube. 12 July 2016. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  50. ^ "Helena Eyjólfsdóttir - Þú kyssir mig". YouTube. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  51. ^ "Violeta Riaubiškytė -Lélé". YouTube. 26 February 2016. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  52. ^ "Los Rocking Devils - Muñeco de Cuerda". YouTube. 3 February 2016. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  53. ^ "Bente Aaseth - Sprellemann". YouTube. 31 May 2017. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  54. ^ "Halina Kunicka - Marionetka". YouTube. 17 February 2020. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  55. ^ "Ed Carlos - Estou Feliz". YouTube. May 2016. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  56. ^ "Katia Cilene - Estou Feliz". YouTube. 3 June 2017. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  57. ^ "Discography of Emil Gorovets" (in Russian). Popsa.info. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
  58. ^ Janjatović, Petar (2007). EX YU ROCK enciklopedija 1960-2006. Belgrade: self-released. p. 203.
  59. ^ "Singles of Tatjana Hubinská". Tatianahubinska.estranky.cz. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
  60. ^ "Jana Procházková - Ako malý psík". YouTube. October 2010. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  61. ^ "Majda Sepe - Marioneta". YouTube. 18 March 2018. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  62. ^ "Gloria Lasso - Las Marionetas en la Cuerda". YouTube. 5 April 2023. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  63. ^ "Svensk mediedatabas". Retrieved 19 April 2011.
  64. ^ Sanchez, Gabrielle (21 October 2021). "Anya Taylor-Joy sings a chilling, downtempo cover of "Downtown" for Last Night In Soho soundtrack". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  65. ^ "Jade Thirlwall: Phil Coulter 'thrilled' by debut solo single sample". BBC News. 19 July 2024. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
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Preceded by Eurovision Song Contest winners
1967 		Succeeded by
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