The Netherlands was represented by duo Sandra and Andres, with the song "Als het om de liefde gaat", at the 1972 Eurovision Song Contest, which took place on 25 March in Edinburgh. Sandra and Andres, an established act with five previous top 10 hits to their name, were internally selected by broadcaster NOS to be the Dutch representatives and the song was chosen at the national final on 22 February. Sandra (full name Sandra Reemer would appear twice more at Eurovision in 1976 and 1979).
The final was held on 22 February 1972 at the Theater Carré in Amsterdam, hosted by Willy Dobbe. Only three songs were performed and voting was by eleven regional juries with 10 points each to divide between the songs. "Als het om de liefde gaat" emerged the clear winner.[1]
On the night of the final Sandra and Andres performed last in the running order, following eventual contest winners Luxembourg. The pair, both dressed in outfits in vivid shades of green, gave a confident and engaging performance of the night's most bouncy, uptempo song and at the close of voting "Als het om de liefde gaat" had received 106 points, placing the Netherlands 4th of the 18 entries.[2][3]
"Als het om de liefde gaat" reached number 3 on the Dutch Singles chart and was also released in English, French and German versions.[4]
Each country nominated two jury members, one below the age of 25 and the other above, who voted for their respective country by giving between one and five points to each song, except that representing their own country. All jury members were colocated in the Grand Hall of Edinburgh Castle.[5] The Dutch jury members were Jennifer Baljet and Hendrik Cornelis Wagter.[6]
^Roxburgh, Gordon (2014). Songs for Europe: The United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest. Volume Two: The 1970s. Prestatyn, United Kingdom: Telos Publishing. pp. 60, 89. ISBN978-1-84583-093-9.
Netherlands
