Autostop (Anna Vissi and the Epikouri song)
"Autostop" (Greek: Ωτοστόπ; "Hitch-Hiking") was the Greek entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1980, performed in Greek by Anna Vissi and the Epikouri.
 "Autostop" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Eurovision Song Contest 1980 entry | |
| Country | |
| Artist(s) | |
| With | The Epikouri |
| Language | |
| Composer(s) | Jick Nacassian |
| Lyricist(s) | Rony Sofu |
| Finals performance | |
| Final result | 13th |
| Final points | 30 |
| Entry chronology | |
| ◄ "Sokrati" (1979) | |
| "Feggari Kalokerino" (1981) ► | |
With music by Jick Nacassian and lyrics by Rony Sofu, "Autostop" was Greece's sixth entry in the contest. It is an up-tempo number about the tradition of hitch-hiking throughout Europe. Vissi suggests that it is the best way of seeing the world and sings that one can even go as far as China. The song is also memorable for the frequent repetition of the title, with the word being sung 37 times.[1] Also of note is the fact that Lia Vissi, Vissi's older sister, made an appearance as one of the backing singers, having done the same one year before. Both sisters would go on (at the 1982 contest in Anna's case and the 1985 contest in Lia's) to represent their country of birth, Cyprus.
The Eurovision Song Contest 1980 took place in The Hague, Netherlands on April 19, 1980. "Autostop" was performed third out of the nineteen entries of the night and followed Turkey's Ajda Pekkan with "Pet'r Oil" while preceding Luxembourg's Sophie & Magaly with "Papa Pingouin". At the close of voting, the performance had received 30 points, placing 13th in a field of 19.[2]
It was succeeded as Greek representative at the 1981 contest by Yiannis Dimitras with "Feggari Kalokerino". Vissi returned to the contest in 1982, then representing her native Cyprus with "Mono I Agapi", and a third time in 2006 with "Everything", again singing for Greece.
References
- Calder, Simon (26 December 2020). "Hitchhiking Can Set You Free, Even In a Pandemic". The Independent. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
- Staff. "Eurovision Song Contest 1980". European Broadcasting Union. Retrieved 13 September 2009.
