1961 UK: The Allisons - Are You Sure? (Place 2 at Eurovision Song Contest in Cannes/France)

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ESC 1961 - United Kingdom
Performed by: The Allisons
Music by: John Allison, Bob Allison
Lyrics by: John Allison, Bob Allison
Conductor: Harry Robinson
Language: English

Placing: 2nd (24 points)

The Allisons were marketed as being brothers, using the surname of Allison. They represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 1961 with the song "Are You Sure?". They came second with 24 points. The song was released as a single on the Fontana label, and climbed to number 1 on the UK NME pop chart, while in the chart compiled by the Official Charts Company the song spent six weeks at number 2 and a further three weeks in the top 4. "Are You Sure" sold over one million records, earning a gold disc. In Germany the single reached number 11. Despite a couple of minor follow-up hits, the duo disbanded in 1963.

Alford initially tried songwriting, but he and Day teamed up for short tours to keep the 'Allisons' name alive. Additionally, in the 1970s and 1980s Alford was joined by other "brothers" — Mike "Allison" and Tony "Allison". By the 1990s, Day and Alford regularly reunited to perform on the oldies circuit.

The Allisons' final public performance was at the "Tales from the Woods" British R'n'Roll Heritage Show #8 at The Borderline Club in London, 2012. A clip from that show can be found on the 'Tales From The Woods' YouTube channel

Bob Day died on 25 November 2013, aged 72, after a long illness.

"Are You Sure?" was performed 15th on the night of the contest, held on 18 March 1961, following Luxembourg's Jean-Claude Pascal with "Nous les amoureux", and preceding Italy's Betty Curtis with "Al di là". The song received 24 points, placing 2nd in a field of 16, the third consecutive second place Eurovision finish for the UK for whom two subsequent Eurovision entrants would also be second-place finishers before "Puppet on a String" by Sandie Shaw would give the UK its first Eurovision victory at Eurovision 1967. "Are You Sure?" was also the first UK Eurovision entrant to become a Top Ten hit reaching #2 UK, the best chart showing for a UK Eurovision entrant until "Puppet on a String" by Sandie Shaw reached #1 in 1967.

The song was succeeded as the UK representative at the 1962 Contest by Ronnie Carroll with "Ring-A-Ding Girl".

The lyrics are memorable for a possibly unique example of the bizarre grammatical error "Comes tomorrow, you won't want me".

Lyrics:

Are you sure?
Goodbye (goodbye)
Farewell (farewell)
I'm not sure what to do
So long (so long)
Au revoir (au revoir)
It's hard, but I'll pull through

Are you sure you won't be sorry?
Comes tomorrow, you won't want me
Back again to hold you tightly?

Now are you sure
It's not your foolish heart?
That you won't grieve
If we're to be apart?

You will see, as time goes by
We'll grow lonely - you and I
Dreaming of each other and we'll cry

Goodbye (goodbye)
Farewell (farewell)
I'm not sure what to do
So long (so long)
Au revoir (au revoir)
It's hard, but I'll pull through

Are you sure you won't be sorry?
Comes tomorrow, you won't want me
Back again to hold you tightly?

Just stop and think
It's your decision now
For you're the one
Who went and broke the vow

You'll be sorry, wait and see
Spend your life in misery
Wishing that you had returned to me

Goodbye (goodbye)
Farewell (farewell)
What is there to live for?
Before you go
Just think now, are you sure?

Are you sure you won't be sorry?
Comes tomorrow, you won't want me
Back again to hold you tightly in my arms?