"Merci, Chérie" (French pronunciation:[mɛʁsiʃeʁi]; "Thank you, darling") was the winning song in the
Eurovision Song Contest 1966, performed for
Austria by
Udo Jürgens with lyrics in German and partially in French. It is an earnest
ballad in which the singer, as he leaves her, thanks his lover for good times and positive memories.
Jürgens was the last solo male pianist to win the contest until
Duncan Laurence won in
2019 with "
Arcade".
Udo has recorded the song also in French, Japanese (メルシー・シェリー "Merushī sherī"), English, Italian (adapted by
Vito Pallavicini) and Spanish (adapted by Arturo Kaps-Schönfeld).
The song was covered by English singer
Vince Hill. Baker Cavendish wrote the English lyrics, with musical arrangement by Johnny Arthey. Released on
EMI Columbia, Hill reached number 36 on the
UK Singles Chart with it in June 1966.[5]
English singer
Matt Monro (who had competed against Jürgens in the 1964 Eurovision Song Contest and who had a major hit with the English version of "
Warum nur, warum?") included his recording of the English version on his 1966 album This Is the Life, releasing the track as a single that failed to chart.
Gunnar Wiklund with Nisse Hansén's orchestra recorded it for the Swedish market in 1966. Al Sundström wrote the Swedish lyrics but kept the French title. The song was released on the
EPSjunger Eurovisionsschlager 1966 on
His Master's Voice.
In 1967,
Bent Fabric released an instrumental version of the song on his album Operation Lovebirds.
In 2007, American pop star
Belinda Carlisle recorded a French version of the song and included it on her album of standards,
Voila.