1993 Austria: Tony Wegas - Maria Magdalena (14th place @ ESC in Millstreet/Ireland)

1993 - Austria
Performed by: Tony Wegas
Music by: Christian Kolonovits, Johann Bertl
Lyrics by: Thomas Spitzer
Conductor: Christian Kolonovits
Language: German
Placing: 14th (32 points)
Other versions: English, Spanish

Wegas was born in Unterschützen in Burgenland into a "typical Roma family", as he himself says. Motivated by his father, who was a musician himself, he learned to play the guitar, piano, drums, bass and pan flute. Wegas had musical success at an early age when he toured Europe with various show bands.

He became well known through his two participations in the Eurovision Song Contest for Austria. At the 1992 Eurovision Song Contest in Sweden he came 10th with the song Zusammen geh'n, composed by Dieter Bohlen, and at the 1993 Eurovision Song Contest in Ireland he came 14th with Maria Magdalena (background vocals by Gary Lux). He was not always happy with the image of a pop singer that was attached to him; his musical roots lie more in Latino music. The singer was also seen on the Austrian show Tohuwabohu.

Wegas participated in "Ein Lied für Rom", the Austrian heat of the Eurovision Song Contest in 1991 with the song "Wunder dieser Welt". The song was placed second but Wegas was invited to represent Austria in 1992. He performed "Zusammen geh'n" in Malmö and despite being one of the favourites to win, he finished in tenth place. Austrian television decided to give him another chance in 1993 and he performed all of the songs in the national selection contest, "Veni Vidi Wegas". The winning song, "Maria Magdalena" came fourteenth in Millstreet.

In 1993 he appeared in the Austrian set comedy series "Hochwürden erbt das Paradies".

In the following years Tony had major problems with alcohol and other drugs. In 2000 he wrote a book about his addiction.

The English version of the song is here:

   • 1993 Tony Wegas - Maria Magdalena (En...  

And the Spanish version is here:

   • 1993 Tony Wegas - Maria Magdalena (Sp...  


LYRICS:

Maria Magdalena

Maria Magdalena – gib mir deine Macht
Für immer und nicht nur für eine Nacht

Wie ein Donner ohne Warnung, wie der jüngste Tag
Wie die Sintflut, mehr als ich ertrag
Bist du über mich gekommen, hast mich überfahr'n
Hast mein Herz im Sturm genommen, wie ein Orkan

Himmel oder Hölle
Wo du herkommst ist mir gleich
Beides in dir, Gut und Böse
Macht mich arm und reich

Maria Magdalena – du bist Glück und Leid
Maria Magdalena – schenk' mir die Ewigkeit
Maria Magdalena – gib mir deine Macht
Für immer und nicht nur für eine Nacht

Deine Augen schrei'n nach Liebe
Sehnsucht heißt dein Blick
Immer weiter, niemals mehr zurück
Du bist eine der Sirenen, die Odysseus sah
Ich bind' mich los und stell' mich der Gefahr

Nur wer leidet ist am Leben
Wer nichts fühlt ist tot
Schmerzen nehmen, Liebe geben
Das ist mein Gebot

Maria Magdalena – du bist Glück und Leid
Maria Magdalena – schenk' mir die Ewigkeit
Maria Magdalena – gib mir deine Macht
Für immer und nicht nur für eine Nacht

Maria Magdalena – du bist Glück und Leid
Maria Magdalena – schenk' mir die Ewigkeit
Maria Magdalena – gib mir deine Macht
Für immer und nicht nur für eine Nacht




TRANSLATION:

Mary Magdalene

Mary Magdalene – give me your power
Forever and not just for one night

Like thunder without any warning, like the first day
Like the Flood, more than I can suffer
You were coming over me, you ran over me
You conquered my heart in a storm, like a hurricane

Heaven or hell
Where you come from is all the same to me
Both inside of you, good and evil
It makes me poor and rich

Mary Magdalene – you are happiness and sorrow
Mary Magdalene – give me eternity
Mary Magdalene – give me your might
Forever and not just for one night

Your eyes crying for love
Yearning is the name for your look
Going onwards, never again backwards
You are one of the sirens, seen by Odysseus
I untie myself and place myself in danger

Only those who suffer are alive
Who feels nothing are dead
To take pain, to give love
That's my command

Mary Magdalene – you are happiness and sorrow
Mary Magdalene – give me eternity
Mary Magdalene – give me your might
Forever and not just for one night

Maria Magdalena – you are happiness and sorrow
Maria Magdalena – give me eternity
Maria Magdalena – give me your might
Forever and not just for one night