Iemand als jij



"Iemand als jij" ("Someone like you") was the Belgian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1993, performed in Dutch by Barbara Dex.

The song is a straightforward love ballad, with Barbara singing that she has never loved anyone like this before. Dex recorded her entry in four languages; Dutch, French (as "Je n'ai jamais aimé quelqu'un comme toi"), English ("Somebody Like You") and German ("So lieb wie dich").

The song was performed seventh on the night, following Greece's Keti Garbi with "Ellada, Hora Tou Fotos" and preceding Malta's William Mangion with "This Time". At the close of voting, it had received 3 points, placing 25th (last) in a field of 25.

Due to the expanding Contest, those of the 1993 entrants who had received the least points were not permitted to enter the 1994 Contest - with Belgium suffering this fate. The 1994 edition was consequently the first Eurovision Song Contest in which Belgium did not participate since its inception - in 1956. These "passive" countries (who broadcast the Contest in 1994 but did not enter) were, however, entitled to return the following year. Hence, "Iemand als jij" was succeeded as Belgian representative at the 1995 contest by Frédéric Etherlinck singing "La voix est libre".

Sources and external links

 * Official Eurovision Song Contest site, history by year, 1993.
 * Detailed info and lyrics, The Diggiloo Thrush, "Iemand als jij".