Country Finland Language Finnish Lyricist(s) Veikko 'Vexi' Salmi | Artist(s) Katri Helena Composer(s) Matti Kalevi Siitonen Conductor Ossi Runne | |
"Katson sineen taivaan" (English translation: "I'm Looking at the Blue Sky") was the Finnish entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1979, performed in Finnish by Katri Helena. The song was composed by Matti Siitonen, better known under his stage name Fredi, who previously had taken part in the Contest in 1967 and 1976 as a singer, with the songs "Varjoon - suojaan" and "Pump-Pump" which finished 12th and 11th respectively.
The song was performed fifth on the night (following Ireland's Cathal Dunne with "Happy Man" and preceding Monaco's Laurent Vaguener with "Notre vie c'est la musique"). At the close of voting, it had received 38 points, placing 14th in a field of 19. Despite its moderate success in the Contest, the song is well remembered in Finland and counts as one of Katri Helena's signature tunes. The song has also been covered in the 2000s by other popular Finnish artists like rock band Jean S. and trance/dance act Transamerica feat. Katasha.
The song is an up-tempo track sung from the perspective of a woman singing to "the brightest star", and asking it to lead her; "The child of the earth is looking for something - will she ever settle down?/Even a migrating bird finds a nesting tree instinctively./But the child of the earth keeps looking for something, sadness in her mind./I don't have any wings, but I must keep moving on./Will I ever find peace...? / I'm looking at the Blue Sky/the brightest star/ I ask you again/to lead me home." The English-language version of the song is titled "I Will Follow Starlight".
It was succeeded as Finnish representative at the 1980 Contest by Vesa-Matti Loiri with "Huilumies". Katri Helena returned to the Contest in 1993 with "Tule luo".