REFRAIN – LYS ASSIA | Switzerland 🇨🇭 | Eurovision Song Contest 1956 [HD Remaster]

Lys Assia represents Switzerland at the very first Eurovision Song Contest in 1956 with “Refrain”, a tender chanson that made history by winning the inaugural competition. Her elegant performance helped shape the identity of the contest and marked the beginning of what would become a decades-long European tradition.

📍 Date: 24 May 1956
📍 Venue: Teatro Kursaal, Lugano, Switzerland
🎶 Song: Refrain
🎤 Artist: Lys Assia
✍️ Composer: Géo Voumard
✍️ Lyricist: Émile Gardaz
🎼 Conductor: Fernando Paggi
🏆 Result: 1st Place – Winner (points not publicly disclosed)

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🎵 Lyrics – Refrain by Lys Assia (Switzerland, 1956)

Refrain, couleur du ciel, parfum de mes vingt ans
Jardin plein de soleil où je courais enfant
Partout je t'ai cherché, mon amoureux lointain
Guettant par les sentiers où tu prenais ma main

Les jours s'en sont allés et nous avons grandi
L'amour nous a blessés, le temps nous a guéris
Mais seule et sans printemps
Je cours en vain les bois, les champs
Dis, souviens-toi nos amours d'autrefois?

Les années passent à tire-d'aile
Et sur les toits de mon ennui coule la pluie
Où sont parties les caravelles, volant mon cœur
Portant mes rêves vers ton oubli?
J'aurais voulu que tu reviennes comme jadis
Porter des fleurs à ma persienne
Et ta jeunesse en mon logis

Refrain, couleur de pluie, regret de mes vingt ans
Chagrin, mélancolie de n'être plus enfant
Mais seule et loin de toi, par les chemins où tu n'es pas
Je vais, pleurant mes amours de vingt ans

[SergeESC]

Gorgeous, sometimes I just wish eurovision would go back to this again - just for a sec

[jhonRiot]

Vedere mio nonno ( corista a sinistra) così giovane e felice a distanza di 80 anni e un emozione che non so descrivere a parole ❤️

[greenforest]

i miss the old eurovision so much i wish it came back

[liamholton]

I’m sure she was looking down proud of Nemo winning the contest. Having ESC back in Lugano, where it all began, in 2025 would be the perfect tribute to the queen of Eurovision ❤️

[Texaslawhorn]

Beautiful song. Lovely first ever winner of the contest. I wish Lys could be there in Switzerland next year. RIP ❤

[IvanDalry]

nostalgia ! first time I see it live on youtube the full song awesome !

[SimCapital]

She is the first Eurovision Winner of all the time

[patriciakrahenbuhl]

c'est DOUX et gentil comme style

[Eurovision-OLD]

I'm sure I took this from someone else. But since my original channel was totally wiped away, I can't even look up who it was from. I think it was 'Wieke something'. So, thank you, whoever you are!

[cypriotmappers]

I never new that she messed up in the beginning lol😂

[treverthetree]

Do we have any idea where this was found? A newsreel, just lying around by itself? I'm really interested haha.

[GalaxyNokiaGames]

Switzerland wins again after a whooping 38 years thanks to Nemo!

[williamliao]

WHY WAS THE BOY THERE? WHAT WAS HE DOING?

[bakusniper]

I wonder if these boy and girl with flowers at the backstage are still alive and how they remember this contest. They must be between 78-82 yers old now.