Achill ambassador faces karate kid in finale
Older readers will remember Europe's famous lyrics above, and if not they'll certainly remember Europe's dodgy hairdos.
Tonight it's a final countdown of a different sort, and the prize is Europe - the privilege of representing Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest.
After months of singing, vote gathering, makeovers and changing hairdos, Waterford's Chris Doran and Achill Island's James Kilbane will face off for the final time, watched by 600,000 viewers tonight.
The final of You're a Star, which goes out on RTÉ 1 at 9.25pm, will see either Doran, the karate instructor or Kilbane, the part-time teacher and heritage studies graduate, go on to represent Ireland in Turkey.
"I think it'll be very tight," said James Kilbane, who admits that at 32, he is the "oldest candidate ever" to reach the You're a Star final. "Every week I'm being tipped to go but I've been working hard on my performances, making sure I get it right on the night. It'll be very interesting to see what happens."
He credits his wife Christine and his two children with giving him the courage to enter the competition.
"My family were always behind me, telling me: 'You need to try it, these opportunities don't come around again.' And I'm going to give the performance of my life for the final," he said.
He has received the official endorsement of Achill Tourism who see him as a useful ambassador for the island and his soccer playing cousin, Kevin.
The Republic of Ireland midfielder posed with him for "Kilbane United" pictures before the recent friendly with Brazil.
The You're a Star shows have attracted average audiences of 600,000 people since January, despite a remarkable lack of controversy.
The guest judge, RTÉ presenter Ryan Tubridy, made headlines with his strong criticism of some contestants but that has been it, bar the destruction of a contestant's guitar by judge Phil Coulter and some hand-wringing over the departure of popular contestants.
RTÉ said the viewership figures showed the series had retained the popularity of its predecessor. It is so far refusing to reveal the numbers of people who voted.
The show's popularity with young teenage girls is reflected in the choice of final contestants like last year, they are both male. James will perform the song, Losing You, which was written by former Eurovision winner Charlie McGettigan.
His rival, Chris, 23, from Waterford, will be singing a song by Westlife's Brian McFadden: If The World Stops Turning.
The two contestants travelled on a You're a Star bus last week to Achill Island, the home of James and to Waterford City, where Chris grew up on Hennessy's Road.
Both contestants said they get on well together and are not interested in negative campaigning.
Chris is relishing the chance to perform in the final tonight in Dublin City University's Helix theatre and goes in as the clear favourite, having topped the poll in last week's show. But his newfound celebrity has brought its own problems.
Tabloid newspapers are running lurid, but true, accounts of his battle with cancer. He overcame it at the age of 13 after several months of chemotherapy.
He had to change his mobile phone number after receiving calls and text messages from strangers at 5am. "It was like the Ebola virus - the number spread out all over the country," said Chris.
However, the worst experience has been the spreading of false rumours about him and his family. He has had to deny reports that he is a settled Traveller.
"I don't know where people get it from. If I was Irish, I'd wish a fellow well and that would be it," he said.
Like James, he hopes to use the You're a Star series as a springboard to a bigger music career having already released one album, For You.
The final of You're a Star will be broadcast on RTÉ 1 at 9.25pm tonight and phone and text votes will be taken from then until 12.30am. The result will be announced at 8pm tomorrow.
