Country Norway Language Norwegian Lyricist(s) Torhild Nigar | Artist(s) Elisabeth Andreassen Composer(s) Torhild Nigar Conductor Frode Thingnæs | |
"I evighet" (For eternity) was the Norwegian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1996, performed in Norwegian by Elisabeth Andreassen.
The song is a ballad, with Andreassen singing about the eternal nature of love. She sings that this is a constant in the world, even outlasting the days and years which move forwards.
The song was performed twelfth on the night, following Estonia's Maarja-Liis Ilus and Ivo Linna with "Kaelakee hääl" and preceding France's Dan Ar Braz & L'Héritage des Celtes with "Diwanit Bugale". At the close of voting, it had received 114 points, placing 2nd in a field of 23.
"I Evighet" was translated into Swedish, with the lyrics being co-written by Thorhild Nigar, Elisabeth Andreassen and Åsa Jinder and the title remaining the same. An English-language release (titled "Eternity") was also made.
In 1998, the song was re-written in German as "Wir sind dabei", as part of the hundredth anniversary celebrations for the German sporting federation. The re-titled "Wir sind dabei" was adopted as the official song of this celebration, held in Munich, with Andreassen performing it frequently and in a number of different language versions. This version is unique among the translations as it focuses on the positive aspects of sport, rather than the original theme of the eternity of love.
It was succeeded as Norwegian representative at the 1997 contest by Tor Endresen with "San Francisco".