FINWEEKS: From Hellas to Hellsinki: Hard Rock Hallelujah!

With this years Eurovision stars arriving in the Finnish city of Helsinki it's time to take a look at some coverversions of the song that finally brought the victory to Finland after 40 attempts.
Mighty Monsters Lordi's Hard Rock Hallelujah may have changed the face of Eurovision, or not, it's only one year ago, but it seems Eurovision 2007 sees more music styles than ever competing for the cup, or at least a place in the final.
It's clear you don't need a typical Eurovision song to enter, or even to win, so several countries are riding the 'New Eurovision Wave' (a.k.a. NEW). Some examples: Andorra sends a few Blink/Sum punky brats. Hungary throws in a Janis style blues belter, Germany rolls out the Big Band and Bulgaria goes all Ethnic on Acid. and there's Scooch.

So it's fitting that Hard Rock Hallelujah has been covered in a variety of music styles from cha cha cha and mediteranean club to some smurfsounds and a Nerd-testosterone filled male choir version.

The first version that popped up just days after Lordi's triumph was an unforgettable TV performance by the Tehnikaülikooli Akadeemiline Meeskoor, a male choir from the Tallin Technical University (Estonia). It wasn't released on CD but is worth checking out on YouTube. (update: The choir released the track as an extra track on cdsingle Kolm Piiska, see comments)

Gorgeous Maarja (Maarja-Liis Ilus) performed a soft ballad version of HRH in the National Estonian final proving again that she is the most lovetastic Estonian singer in the world. (also on Youtube)

And then there's a few versions from Finland. The Ratzz are an animated band of rats who turned it into Hard Ratzz Hallelujah, sung in Finnish. (CD Hard Ratzz Hallelujah 2006 Bonnier music) - The Ratzz Myspace

That other Finnish vermin, Pikku Orava The Cellphone Chipmunk will release a full version of HRH on its forthcoming album Mei Siedie (Out in Germany 25-05 on EMI). For Germany Pikku Orava also sports the title 'Das Heavy Metal Eichhörnchen' (The Heavy Metal Squirrel)
Jope Ronuansu is a Finnish comedian and his version is probably funny. I didn't find any info on a CD release.

A club CD in Italy features a dance version of the song. Some illustrous types called Frodo United totally screwed up the metal classic and made it, well…, listen for yourselves. (CD Sexy hitmix 2006 summer edizione (VA))

The best and seriousest version of Hard Rock Hallelujah is by Nat Newborn and Big Time, a big band with a groovy cha cha version. Remember Mike Flowers Pops?

You can hear the song at the Nat Newborn site. It's out on his Finnish top 10 album 'On the rocks' which also includes a version of Sata Salamaa, the Finnish entry of 1987. The album is available at CD-ON.

More Finland related covers to follow in the coming weeks.

Related Eurocovers Posts:
Pikku Orava's version of Dschinghis Khan
Puppet On A String in Finnish