Country Iceland As Paul Oscar Lyricist(s) Páll Óskar Hjálmtýsson | Artist(s) Páll Óskar Hjálmtýsson Language Icelandic | |
Composer(s) Páll Óskar Hjálmtýsson,
Trausti Haraldsson | ||
"Minn hinsti dans" (English translation: "My Final Dance") was the Icelandic entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1997, performed in Icelandic by Paul Oscar, a former drag queen (although the song was performed by Paul merely wearing some eyeliner) who raised many eyebrows in Iceland with his artistic creations before. The song is sung from the perspective of a man who has lived a hedonistic life - "Crystal champagne, pearls, porcelain/Diamonds for dinner, love for dessert" - and who appears to be either giving this lifestyle up or preparing to die (the lyrics are unclear on this point). He sings, however, that "I never regret a thing, never regret". The performance involved both Paul and his female dancers performing kinky gestures and adopting sexually suggestive poses.
The song was performed twenty-fifth on the night (following the United Kingdom's Katrina and the Waves with Love Shine a Light). At the close of voting, it had received 18 points, placing 20th in a field of 25.
With the rapid expansion of the Contest, the decision was taken to restrict entry to the 1998 Contest to those countries achieving the best average score over the previous five years, a group which did not include Iceland. As Iceland broadcast that Contest, they were permitted to return in the following year along with the other "passive participants". Thus, the song was succeeded as Icelandic representative at the 1999 Contest by Selma with "All Out Of Luck".
A brief excerpt from the performance was shown as part of a montage at the Congratulations special, provoking a positive reaction from the audience.
The French version of the song ("Mon Ultime Danse") was released in 2002 in the exclusive album Rendez-vous.