the runner-up, were performed by Corry Brokken in a field of eight entries interpreted by four singers, conducted by the Netherlands' Metropole Orchestra manager Dolf van der Linden. "Net als toen" received 40 percent of the total postcard-votes sent by the Dutch public, gaining 6,927 postcards out of overall 17,433 and a margin of more than 2,000 above the runner-up. At the annual Eurovision Song Contest, the song was performed sixth in a field of ten countries and lasted for 4:32 minutes, interpreted by Brokken and featuring the concertmaster of the Dutch Metropole Orchestra, violinist Sem Nijveen to both accompany the singing and play the instrument solo, under the conducting of Van der Linden. It received a total of 31 points, surpassing third out of possible 90 and almost doubling the amount of 17 given to second-placed France, via a voting system in which each country distributed ten jurors' points. With each juror choosing one song from the other nine countries to be awarded with one point, France and the other eight entries didn't manage to get a score from several countries. "Net als toen" was the only song picking up points from every country, gaining several high sets of points, most notably 7 out of 10 from Switzerland as the first to vote, and kept leading the scoreboard after every voting-round. The entry was succeeded as Dutch representative at the 1958 contest with "Heel de wereld", also sung by Brokken who this time tied for the lowest score; the only Eurovision winning performer to come last at another edition. It was succeeded as a Eurovision winner by "Dors, mon amour", sung by André Claveau representing . In 1959 the Netherlands had already won Eurovision again, and the song's title "Net als toen", is used as a word play in a title of a Dutch newspaper article, announcing: "Again the grand price for the Netherlands, "just like then"". Reception Prior to the contest, Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf commented that "there is optimism in regards to the verdict of the international juries" at Eurovision, and that betting odds make the song look promising to gain a top-five position. On the other hand, Dutch newspaper Algemeen Handelsblad opined that the song is disappointing and will stand "no chance" at the international field, as well as criticising procedures of the country's national selection, adding that a song on an international level for the