Country Switzerland Language French Lyricist(s) Émile Gardaz | Artist(s) Lys Assia Composer(s) Géo Voumard Conductor Fernando Paggi | |
"Refrain" was the winning song of the Eurovision Song Contest 1956, co-written by Émile Gardaz and Géo Voumard, performed by Lys Assia representing Switzerland. It was the first-ever winner of the Contest, but not the first-ever performance by Switzerland. This apparent anomaly is due to the rules of the 1956 Contest allowing (for the only time to date) each competing country to be represented by two songs. Assia represented Switzerland singing both songs (one of only two performers to do this), and had previously performed "Das alte Karussell" in German ("Refrain" was sung in French).
The song is in the classic chanson mode and laments the lost loves of the singer's "adolescence" (the French original reads "vingt ans", which can also be rendered "twenties" in English).
The song was performed 9th on the night of the contest, following the Netherlands' Corry Brokken with "Voorgoed voorbij" and preceding Belgium's Mony Marc "Le plus beau jour de ma vie". It was the winner of the contest, however the number of points given to it was never revealed.
The song was succeeded as Contest winner in 1957 by Corry Brokken representing the Netherlands singing "Net als toen".
The song was accompanied at the 1956 contest by Assia with "Das alte Karussell" and was succeeded as Swiss representative at the 1957 contest by Assia with "L'enfant que j'étais".