How a British rejected song became a hit

It was 1980. The United Kingdom had a national selection for Eurovision with no less than 12 songs. It was a close call: in the end, there was a tie between two songs, only a revote could bring a decision.
But in this field of participants there was also a lady with the name of Sonja Jones. She sang the Tony Colton/Jean Roussell song “Here we’ll stay”. She ended up quite anonymous at the 11th place.

The song would have been long forgotten. However, things went different. Abba’s Frida released a solo album, “Something goin’ on”, produced by Phil Collins. And of course it was inevitable: a duet between the two stars. And guess what! They chose the flopped Eurosong “Here we’ll stay”!

However, Collins wasn’t credited on the song. So when Frida’s record company decided to release “Here we’ll stay” as the next single, he didn’t want to be associated with it at all. A solo version of “Here we’ll stay”, by Frida only, was made for the occasion.

The success of the song was not as big as the first singles from the album, “I know there’s something goin’ on” and “To turn the stone”. It reached the charts in The Netherlands and Belgium. Okay, and in the United Kingdom: 1 week, on the number 100 spot.

But many people know the song, either from the album or from the single version. And who could have said thát when Frida had never added it to her album……

Martijn

See all contributions

Related news

Eurovision 2026

🇫🇷 artist: Monroe will represent France with “Regarde!”

Monroe will represent France at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026. France Télévisions announced on Friday 6 March that the 17-year-old singer has been selected for Vienna with the song Regarde !. The title translates as “Look!” and is presented as a song with a universal message about love. According to the official announcement, France wants to highlight the richness of its musical culture through this entry, combining elements of opera, musicals and contemporary pop. Regarde ! was composed by Fred Savio, Fredie Marche and Violin Phonix. Eurovision’s official website describes Violin Phonix as the most popular French violin duo of their generation. The song was written as a heartfelt plea and a hymn to love, built on the idea that love remains a shared language despite differences and struggles. That message appears to be central to the French concept for Vienna. Monroe may be only 17, but she already has a solid musical background. She came to wider public attention in 2025 when she won Prodiges. That is the flagship talent show of France Télévisions. Her victory there brought her national recognition and confirmed her status as one of the country’s emerging young performers. Monroe grew up between France and the United States in a family where music played an important role. She started with singing and piano at an early age. Monroe further developed her skills through choir work, musicals and classical training. Her influences range from Cecilia Bartoli to Céline Dion, showing a broad musical taste. After a debut album that was praised for its elegance and musical richness, Monroe now takes the next step in her career. With Regarde !, France has chosen a young artist with a clear artistic identity and an entry meant to underline both emotion and diversity on the Eurovision stage in Vienna this May.

March 6, 2026 No Comments

Eurovision 2026

🇫🇷 artist: Monroe will represent France with “Regarde!”

Monroe will represent France at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026. France Télévisions announced on Friday 6 March that the 17-year-old singer has been selected for Vienna with the song Regarde !. The title translates as “Look!” and is presented as a song with a universal message about love. According to the official announcement, France wants to highlight the richness of its musical culture through this entry, combining elements of opera, musicals and contemporary pop. Regarde ! was composed by Fred Savio, Fredie Marche and Violin Phonix. Eurovision’s official website describes Violin Phonix as the most popular French violin duo of their generation. The song was written as a heartfelt plea and a hymn to love, built on the idea that love remains a shared language despite differences and struggles. That message appears to be central to the French concept for Vienna. Monroe may be only 17, but she already has a solid musical background. She came to wider public attention in 2025 when she won Prodiges. That is the flagship talent show of France Télévisions. Her victory there brought her national recognition and confirmed her status as one of the country’s emerging young performers. Monroe grew up between France and the United States in a family where music played an important role. She started with singing and piano at an early age. Monroe further developed her skills through choir work, musicals and classical training. Her influences range from Cecilia Bartoli to Céline Dion, showing a broad musical taste. After a debut album that was praised for its elegance and musical richness, Monroe now takes the next step in her career. With Regarde !, France has chosen a young artist with a clear artistic identity and an entry meant to underline both emotion and diversity on the Eurovision stage in Vienna this May.

March 6, 2026 No Comments