In 1964 , Cogoi was chosen as the Belgian representative to perform his self-penned song " Près de ma rivière " ( " Close by My River " ) in the ninth Eurovision Song Contest , which took place on 21 March in Copenhagen . For the first time since the inaugural contest in 1956 , the Belgian entry was chosen by internal selection on the part of TV channel RTBF rather than by a public or jury vote . " Près de ma rivière " received only two votes ( from Monaco and Portugal ) , which was enough for a joint tenth-place finish of 16 entries , as four other songs received no votes at all
Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest 1964
Robert Cogoi