 "Neka mi ne svane" | |
|---|---|
) | |
| Eurovision Song Contest 1998 entry | |
| Country | |
| Artist(s) | Danijela |
| Language | |
| Composer(s) | Petar Grašo, Stjepan Kalogjera, Remi Kazinotti |
| Lyricist(s) | Petar Grašo, Stjepan Kalogjera, Remi Kazinotti |
| Conductor | Stipica Kalogjera |
| Finals performance | |
| Final result | 5th |
| Final points | 131 |
| Entry chronology | |
| ◄ "Probudi me" (1997) | |
| "Marija Magdalena" (1999) ► | |
"Neka mi ne svane" ("May the dawn never come") was the Croatian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1998,[1] performed in Croatian[2] by Danijela.
The song was performed first on the night, preceding Greece's Thalassa with "Mia Krifi Evesthisia". At the close of voting, it had received 131 points, placing 5th in a field of 25.
The song is a dramatic ballad, often described as the archetypal "Balkan Ballad" by fans, with Danijela wishing that she will "cease to exist" rather than live another day without her lover. The song begins quietly, with only Danijela's voice heard, but swells to a climax with backing vocals and light instrumentation. Memorable in her performance is when Danijela removes the black cape she wears to reveal the white evening dress beneath it and the audience starts to applause.
It is generally regarded as one of the stronger entries from the successor states of Yugoslavia.
It was succeeded as Croatian representative at the 1999 Contest by Doris with "Marija Magdalena". As with many Croatian Eurovision entries, an English version was also recorded, entitled "Despair". An instrumental version with a piano replacing the vocals also exists.
In a May 2018 poll by Eurofest Hrvatska, the Croatian Eurovision Song Contest fan group, "Neka mi ne svane" was voted the best among 23 Croatian ESC entries to date.[3]
References
- ^ "Neka Mi Ne Svane". Moopy Eurovision forum. Retrieved 2009-04-23.
- ^ "Neka mi ne svane". Diggiloo Thrush. Retrieved 2008-04-22.
- ^ "Fanovi Eurosonga odabrali koja je bila najbolja hrvatska pjesma na tom natjecanju. Slažete li se s izborom?". Novi list (in Croatian). 3 May 2018. Retrieved 6 March 2019.