Eurovision 2011. Pre-selections are in full swing (well, almost) and it’s time to check out if the zillions of national hopefuls are Eurocovers worthy.
First up is Eurocovers repeat offender Milana Misic from Finland.
Milana Misic will be in the Finnish preselection with Sydämeni Kaksi Maata (listen to the song here at YLE). It’s bit of an odd mix of a song. It starts as a sort of gipsy tango, then segues into heavy oriental mode to be followed by a bit of loveboat style tv glam disco.
You’ll probably already know that Milana Misic is the daughter of Finnish Eurovision legend Laila Kinnunen and Kroatian musician Milan Mišić so below is just a discography to freshen up. And some links.
Update: Hurray! Milana Misic has qualified for the Finnish final.
She has also recorded an English version of Sydämeni Kaksi Maata titled The Two Lands Of My Heart.
Finnish and English are available through various download shops like Meteli, Playcom and Music Me. (English version available from januari 24 on Columbia)
Albums
Milana Misic has released six albums since 1991 and the last three include some Eurocovers of interest.
Laulumme (2008)
This includes 14 coverversions of songs made popular by Laila Kinnunen.
- Kaikkialla (Al di la, Italy 1961 - Betty Curtis)
- Tanssilaulu (Dansevise, Denmark 1963 - Grethe and Jørgen Ingmann)
Valoa Ikkunassa (2009)
This includes 12 coverversions of Laila Kinnunen songs including her own entry Valoa Ikkunassa.
- Valoa Ikkunassa (Finland 1961)
Jos Itken, Jos Nauran (2010)
- Jos Itken, Jos Nauran (Se Piangi, Se Ridi, Italy 1965 - Bobby Solo) - I don’t think this was ever released on record by Mama Laila, but there’s a lovely clip to be found on Youtube. (thanks Juha)
- Muistojeni Laulu (Finland 1963 - Laila Halme)
There's also a compilation album Käy Tanssimaan (2010) with 17 songs including Valoa Ikkunassa and Kaikkialla.
Milana Misic Homepage
Milana Misic at Eurocovers (here and here)
Laila Kinnunen Eurocovers discography and songs
Laila Kinnunen Boxset info.
Milana's cds are available at shops like CDON or digitally at Playcom and other sources.
Eurovision 2011
The Düsseldorf Collection blog with all info on 2011 Eurovision releases is already slowly materialising here. Bookmark now.
Jazz. Many Eurovision songs have been given the jazz treatment over the decades and this week a new CD has been released with two Eurovision songs in a jazz makeover.
Jan Menu and Jasper Soffers have collected ten more or less classic Dutch songs on their Dutch Songboog (Dig Diz Music).
There's the first Dutch winner Net Als Toen (Corry Brokken 1957) but a more remarkable choice is Wat Een Dag from 1961.
Original singer Greetje Kauffeld, a commended jazz singer herself, didn't release the song back in 1961 and the only coverversions I know are at least 40 years old. Wat Een Dag was written by Dick Schallies with original lyrics by Pieter Goemans.
So well done gentlemen, for digging this little gem up.
The 'Dutch Songbook' quartet are
Jan Menu (Baritone sax)
Jasper Soffers (Piano)
Clemens van der Feen (Bass)
Hans van Oosterhout (Drums)
Wat Een Dag known coverversions:
Eddy Doorenbos
- on 7" (Delta DS 1001, 1961)
Letty De Jong
- on LP 14 Jaar Songfestival (Various artists, Philips 1970)
Peter Kreuder (Piano instrumental)
- on LP Piano Parade (Concert Hall SVS 2575, 1961)
A coververversion of the 2010 Danish entry In A Moment Like This is recorded by Jay with Lianie May (South Africa).
It's on Jay's new solo album (He is a member of boyband Eden) and the track is getting a lot of airplay in South African radio. The album titled Solo is in the South African shops now.
I was just blogging around a bit and found two great blogs each featuring an amazing Thai version of A Ba Ni Bi, The Israeli Eurovision winner of 1978. I nicked the pics, but you'll just have to pay the blogs a visit yourself. And have a great browse while you're there.
New blog StereoMono features this great album by Hongtong Daoudon (หงษ์ทอง ดาวอุดร). Title track ฮ่วย อะบานิบี (Huai Abanibi) is the Eurocover.
The other blog tip is Monrakplengthai. This one has been going since 2008 and has loads of great Thai treats and guarantees some nice browsing hours. The A Ba Ni Bi Cover อรอุมา อะบานิบี is by Onuma Singsiri (อรอุมา สิงห์ศิริ).
Both coverversions appear to be from the late 70's / early 80's. Eurocovers already featured an Abanibrilliant Thai version of the song from 2006 (or 2549) in the Eurocovers post OST The Possible.
update Please see comments for yet another A Ba Ni Bi from Thailand, thanks Peter!.
ANOTHER COMPLETELY OFF TOPIC RECOMMENDATION FROM EUROCOVERS.
Here’s a completely off-topic CD tip for you.
A few weeks ago I bought the CD Another City, Another Plan by Riviera F..
And the brilliant electropop album hasn’t been off my speakers ever since. And since they're not #1 in the world yet I decided spend a bit of Eurocovers space on this fantastic band.
The London based Riviera F. duo are Russian born singer Alexa Marlen and Dutch guitarist Kairo. A quotation from their bio explains it all: "Talking Heads vs. Modern Talking, Kraftwerk vs. Abba, High Heels vs. Highlights, Euro Boys vs. West-End Girls, Blue Veins vs. White Skin".
Another City, Another Plan is electro at its best, not too polished, sometimes noisy (they even have some guitars) but also Pop with a big P.
Being electronically inclined, it is of course gloriously 80’s and the album has one coverversion of a favorite classic of the decade : Echo Beach by Martha and the Muffins.
Euro / Melodifestifans, it’s a bit like the mighty PayTV, but without the attitude.
If you’re not Euro / MF inclined, think Miss Kittin’s Batbox.
The album is out on their own Germ Free label; listen to some tracks at the Riviera F. Website where you can also order the CD at a snip. (or digital of course).
Taiwanese singer Lin Yu Chun, (林育羣) participant of the One Million Stars talent show recorded It's My Time for his debut album also titled It's My Time. (Sony Taiwan 7685927)
There are two editions of the album, one entirely in English and another one with 8 tracks in Mandarin. It's My Time is in English on both albums though.
It's My Time is the U.K. entry for the 2009 contest, written by Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber and Diane Warren. The song was performed by Jade and finished 5th in Moscow.
In May Eurocovers reported about Wings Of Eurovision, the album with Eurovision tunes by the 2000 winner the Olsen Brothers. (This post). The album did fairly well in several charts so Eurocovers is happy to report about another Danish Eurocovers project that has just been released.
Anne Herdorf - Lad Det Swinge
Anne (Cathrine) Herdorf, 1987 Eurovision star, has released her collection of Eurovision favorites and a handful of National Final treasures on the album Lad Det Swinge. There's some interesting guests helping along, and for the completists, there's also a new recording of her Eurovision entry En Lille Melodi (see below).
With a few exceptions Anne Herdorf didn't go for a collection of big hits, but the album includes some lesser known songs. Unge Dag is a great choice and it's also nice to hear the Tommy Seebach tunes in a new setting.
Tracklist
1. En Lille Melodi (Denmark 1987)
- Anne Herdorfs own Eurovision entry in a new version
2. Sikken Dejlig Dame (Danish NF 1981)
- 3rd place in the National Final. Originally by Anniqa. The song is about Mae West.
3. Hva' Du Ude På (Danish NF 1987)
- Originally by Birthe Kjær, who would represent Denmark one year later.
4. Under Stjernerne På Himlen (Denmark 1993)
- One of Tommy Seebachs Eurovision songs, Lyrics by Keld Heick
5. Ud I Det Blå (Danish NF 1979)
- #3 in the National final, originally by Kim Larsen.
6. Det' Lige Det (Denmark 1984)
- The first of three Kirsten and Søren (Hot Eyes) Eurovision entries.
7. Kloden Drejer (Denmark 1983)
- Originally by Gry Johansen.
8. To Lys På Et Bord - with Tommy Kenter (Danish NF 1960)
- Otto Brandenburg only took it to 4th place, but the song remains one of the best known songs from the early years of Danish Melodi Grand Prix'. Tommy Kenter is a Danish actor, who's Eurovision claim to fame is a last place in the 1985 Danish Melodi Grand Prix.
9. Dansevise - with Jørgen de Mylius (Denmark 1963)
- The 1963 winner by Grethe and Jørgen Ingmann. Jørgen de Mylius is the godfather of modern Danish Eurovision, writer an TV personality.
10. Skibet Skal Sejle I Nat - with Dario Campeotto
- Skibet, the song with thát kiss (see this Eurocovers post) is performed here with Dario Campeotto, the Danish 1961 entrant (read more about his song Angeliquehere at Eurocovers)
11. Disco Tango - with Keld Heick (Denmark 1979)
- Another Tommy Seebach classic. Keld Heick is one of Denmarks most prolific songwriters whose credits include 9 Eurovision entries and innumerable National Final songs. With his wife Hilda and his band Donkeys he also recorded countless Eurocovers.
12. Unge Dag - with Hilda Heick (Germany 1973)
- Junger Tag, the German 1973 entry by Gitte Hænning. Danish born Gitte recorded the song in several languages including Danish, and this is a coverversion of that one.
13. Lad Det Swinge - with Birthe Kjær (Norway 1986)
- The first Norwegian winner by Bobbysocks!. Here Anne duets with Birthe Kjær, the 1988 Danish entrant, multi NF singer who also has over two dozens of Eurocovers to her name.
Lad Det Swinge is out on My Way Music (M 20206-2)
A Simple Little Song En Lille Melodi (A little melody/song) by Anne Cathrine Herdorf and her chums Drengene (a.k.a. Bandjo) was the Danish Eurovision entry in 1987. It ended fifth in an era the Danish schlager tunes did quite well at Eurovision.
In good tradition the song was recorded in a few exotic languages like English (A Simple Little Song), German (Eine Kleine Melodie) and Dutch (Je Leven Lang Verliefd).
The song was also re-recorded by Fenders, who were more or less Bandjo, band of the composer Helge Engelbrecht. The original Danish lyrics were written by Jacob Jonia.
At the Danish Melodi Grand Prix show of 2002 Anne Herdorf performed a medley of Danish Eurovision entries with Gry Meilstrup and Anders Frandsen. This medley also ended up on the 2002 DMGP CD (Universal)
Special Thanks to Rick and Heine.
Sha La Lie - Another CD tip.
While we're in the Schlager realm, here's another release that may be interesting to the avid Eurocovers adept.
You know all about Sha La Lie, the chirpy but ill fated Father Abraham penned Dutch 2010 entry and all its incarnations. (If not check it out here).
Spoofs, Street Organs and regional versions galore, but not all have had an official release.
The Drents studio version by Janneke De Roo is out now officially.
Her new CD Onvergetelijk (unforgettable) features highlights from her five year solo* career. The album also includes some new tracks and one of them is Sha La Lie sung in the Drents regional language. (Wiki).
The CD is available through the Janneke De Roo website or digitally from Zazell and other sources.
Janneke De Roo also recorded a coverversion of the 1972 Eurovision winner Après Toi on her 2007 CD Gewoon JR (Just JR). That one's in Dutch (as Toen Kwam Jij) and does not feature on the new collection.
* Janneke de Roo was in the popular sister trio Zusjes De Roo who scored a big hit in the Dutch charts with Blauwe Korenbloemen (Blue Cornflower, Centaurea cyanus) in 1971.
Lithuanian Youth Association in the UK (JKLJS) & Culture Jam presents: “Eastern European Funk” pre-launch of new ska/funk INCULTO album “Closer Than You Think” & Halloween party 31 October 2010 8pm The Queen of Hoxton London, 1 Curtain Road, EC2A 3JX
“Eastern European Funk" is a ska-styled song performed by InCulto which represented Lithuania at the Eurovision Song Contest 2010. The meaning of the song is basically compressed in these two sentences: "Yes Sir we are legal we are, though we are not as legal as you/No Sir we're not equal no, though we are both from the EU". The ska rhythm hides a protest at the Western World for forgetting Eastern Europe, Lithuania included.
If you are Eastern European or know someone who is join us at the Halloween party and pre-launch of the new INCULTO album “Closer Than You Think” at The Queen of Hoxton, 1 Curtain Road, EC2A 3JX on 31st October 2010. The Queen of Hoxton is legendary bar, club and art collective in the heart of the East End. It is the house of “Washroom Galleries” that showcase some of the best up-and-coming artists from the East End, keeping you entertained while you sit. Each cubicle has been lovingly decorated along different themes.
Here’s a fab Japanese cover of André Popp’s classic Eurovision songs L’Amour Est Bleu (Love is blue).
Japanese reggae dubsters Little Tempo mix with Yoko Fujita (藤田陽子) and Ao Inoue (of Dry & Heavy, another Japanese reggae outfit).
It’s from some undergroundish dub remix compilation I didn’t find many details on, but it’s just plain great.
Koi Ha Mizuiro (恋は水色)
L’Amour Est Bleu was 4th in the 1967 contest representing Luxembourg. The original French lyrics were written by Pierre Cour.
The songwas featured many times at Eurocovers. Here's the song as the 2nd most covered Eurovision song and here's another Love Is Blue Special. Here's some from India and one from China, one by Ann Margret and a groovy Bagpipe version by Rufus Harley. The first ever Eurocovers post features Paul Mauriats 12"inch disco version.
And a bit of Ronan Keating news.
Ronan Keating will release Believe Again as his next single in Australia and New Zealand. Believe Again is the Keating co-penned* 2009 Eurovision entry for Denmark.
Original singer Brinck finished 13th with the song at the Moscow contest, but the song proved to be a popular tune and was covered several times (See below)
Believe Again will be a duet with an as yet unrevealed artist (My bet is on Orianthi, but Olivia would be great). It will be included on the album Duet, especially created for the Australian/New Zealand market. update: The singer is Paulini Curuenavuli. (website)
You can listen to the song at Soundfiend.
The album will include some previously recorded duets (Lulu, Elton, Cat) alongside new songs with antipodean artists.
The single will be out on November 12. Both album and single will be released exclusively in Australia and New Zealand, so rekindle your contacts with those long lost pen pals. (Or wait for the'Bay).
Keatings most recent album is Winter Songs from 2009, a christmassy album which is also almost appropriate again.
* Keating wrote Believe Again with Lars Halvor Jensen and Martin Møller Larsson. In 2010 the trio wrote All About A Girl for Joakim Tranberg for the Danish selection.
Here's Lena Zavaroni performing What's Another Year (The Irish 1980 winner), which I think is rather lovely.
Read more about this Lena at http://www.lena-zavaroni.co.uk/
It’s been a bit quiet at Eurocovers lately. Too much work, recession depression, some PC problems and all kinds of personal excuses, you know the tune.
But I received a bit of release news from Erik of Sweden I didn’t want to keep from you as it includes the magic words ‘Previously Unreleased’ and ‘Italian Version’.
Siw Malmkvist, Eurovision singer, Swedish National Final repeat offender and beloved Eurocovers artist has given her memoires to the world in a Swedish book called Tunna Skivor Av Mig.
It was written with Carl Magnus Palm who is most known as the best ABBA historicus. (His fantastic ABBA - The Complete Recording Sessions (1994) is unrivalled).
Tunna Skivor Av Mig (Thin slices of me) is a take on her 1960 single Tunna Skivor which is a coverversion of Connie Francis’ Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool. Skivor is also Swedish for records.
Siw Malmkvist entered Eurovision in 1960 with Alla Andra Får Varann (for Sweden) and in 1969 with Primaballerina (for Germany) and she recorded coverversions of several Eurovision songs (see * below). This new release adds two more to the list.
Augustin, April April
Siw Malmkvist also entered (and won) the Swedish national selection several times and two of those appearances are linked to the Eurocovers on the Tunna Skivor bonus CD.
In 1959 Siw Malmkvist sang Augustin in the Swedish selection even though it was already known that Brita Borg would represent Sweden at Eurovision.
Siw recorded Augustin in Swedish, German, Danish, Norwegian and Italian and it’s the Italian version that is released here for the first time.
In 1961 Siw won the Swedish selection with April April, but Swedish TV decided that Lill Babs would go to Eurovision because Siws performance wasn’t quite satisfactory. ** April April features on the CD in a previously unreleased Danish version.
The CD included with a limited number of the book includes 17 tracks of which only the last one was previously released. One track is a new recording; Du bist der Anfang und das Ziel, recorded with her son Henrik. The other 15 tracks are mostly different language recordings of well known Siw songs.
Less great news is that the CD is only available with the first 1000 copies of the book, which is of course not a very fan-friendly marketing strategy.
The Tunna Skivor Av Mig edition with the CD is only available at Bokus, who dont ship to everywhere, but to most European countries and some beyond. (Best inquire first to get the right edition)
Tunna Skivor tracklist:
1 Ten Thousand Miles - 1965
2 Am Platz von Tegelbacken - 1964
3 Amore Scusami (German) - 1964
4 Augustin (Italian) - 1959
5 Bring Back My Love - 1965
6 Du spricht immer von Paris - 1959
7 Du är bäst - 1964
8 Frosty der Schneemann - 1964
9 Goodbye Charlie - 1965
10 Hej Mr Banjo - 1955
11 Lejonburen - 1964
12 Någon gång någonstans - 1964
13 Rosorna i Portugal - 1959
14 April april (Danish) - 1961
15 Du bist der Anfang und das Ziel - with Henrik Ohlsson - 2010
16 Introduction recorded in the studio for Vackraste paret i världen
17 Vackraste paret i världen - Duett med Svante Thuresson - 1968
* Sprattelgumma, Puppet On A String at Eurocovers has a discography of Siws Eurocovers
** I haven’t read the book yet, so I don’t know if there’s anything about this historic Swedish Eurovision debacle in it.
Being the offspring of a celebrated superstar must be a daunting job. On the one hand people are interested in you because of your famous parent, on the other hand the press will scrutinize every move you make and compare it to your mom or dad. (and hope you fail...)
Either if you want to go your own way, or follow in the footsteps of your ancestor, you can never really do it the right way (well, except Enrique maybe). There's always the accusations of capitalizing on the success of the ones that came before you.
Sunette Bridges is no exception. In the past she has been given a hard time in the South African tabloid press, who measured out every move she made, good or bad.
Sunette Bridges has to fill the shoes of her father Bles Bridges (1947-2000), who is one of the great legends in Afrikaans schlager / pop music history.
After an absence of almost six years Sunette is back with a vengeance.
She released her 6th album Let The Music Play and the album was well received by the critics of Afrikaans music.
It's a wonderful collection of songs; coverversions and a few self penned ones, that reflect a coming to terms, a coming of age even, for the South African singer.
Here are the tracks on Let The Music Play. 1. Girl Without Love
The album opens with a version of A Man Without Love. Not the U.K. 1966 Eurovision song, but a cover of the San Remo song Quando m'innamoro from 1968. But most people know it as the Engelbert Humperdinck's world hit. 2. I've Never Been To Me
Remember Charlene? Her original is one of the most unlikely Motown hits ever. It's raunchy and at the same time almost religious and one of the timeless pop classics. Sunette's version is an uptempo affair without losing the essence of the original song. 3. You Are
A duet with Xavier 4. Solitaire 5. Story Of A Life 6. Shallow
Shirley Clamp's Min Kärlek (from Melodifestivalen 2004) in an English version with lyrics written by Sunette herself. 7. Il Mondo
Another Italian classic, performed in Italain by Sunette 8. If I Give My Heart To You
A Petra Frey (Eurovision 1994) Song
You can watch this one at YouTube. With bits from her Let The Music Play Theatre tour. 9. Andante, Andante
Frida sang it on Abba's Super Trouper LP, a timeless song from Abba's 'lighter' collection. 10. Wanted
The Dooley's! remember them,? Wanted was a 1978 hit, #1 in Japan even. Sunette does a delightful pop version and for me one of the top tracks of the album. 11. L'amour Ca Fait Chanter La Vie
The only real Eurocover on this album is the #2 from 1978, Jean Vallée's song is the the typical 70's ballad only to be found at Eurovision. Sunette recorded it in French. 12. You Don't Bring Me Flowers
The Barbra Streisand & Neil Diamond classic in an uptempo version. 13. A Mi Manera
Sinatra's My Way in Spanish and English 14. Mano
One of the hits by Maywood, the Dutch duo who failed to re-ignite their career with a miscalculated Eurovision appearance 10 years after Mano was a hit. Outside the Netherlands Maywood enjoyed some success in Spain, Germany and South Africa and just about every non-anglo country in the music world.. 15. Broken Heart
Thomas G:Son written preselection song from Finland song Who Cares About A Broken Heart originally by Johanna. 16. Get The Party Started
At first I though it silly to end an album with a track about getting started, (The 1 Non Blonde Linda Perry penned Pink hit) but I was wrong. After getting all this out in the world, it's the dawning of a new era for Sunette.
Sunette Bridges album discography: Vrou Alleen (2001)
- This includes the duet with her Father Bles Bridges Glo In Die Lewe, a coverversion of the 1972 Eurovision winner Après Toi. The original Afrikaans version was recorded by Bles Bridges in 1997. Dit Is My Lewe (Vat Musiek 2001)
- Featuring Siek En Sat, a coverversion of Javiera's Varje Timma Var Minut, a hit from the 2000 Swedish national final. (Melodifestivalen) Opskop Treffers En Ander (EMI 2003) Kan Jy dans (EMI Capitol 2003) Sprokie (Hartman 2004) Let The Music Play (Markon 2009)
Sunette Bridges has also been working on Afrikaans versions of the Maltese and Albanian 2005 Eurovision entries, but they remain unreleased.
In 2007 Sunette issued the book Gister, Vandag en Môre (Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow) in which she recounts her life story .
How is it to be raised in the a family with a famous father, how she made her choices in life, both bad and good, and how she dealt with the media attention, wanted and unwanted.
The book is in Afrikaans and is still available at graffitibooks.co.za.
Let The Music Play is available at Kalahari who sell internationally.
Here's a sweet 'n' lovely version of Sandie Shaw's Puppet On A String. I bought this curiosity via the bay on a whim because it had some strange appeal with hardly anything being known about it.
In my imagination it could have been an undiscovered recording of a mega famous superstar, but I'm not recognizing any pre-fame voice here. Elaine Baker, who is she? The name is common enough to hit 25.000 at google, and that didn't lead to anything conclusive. There's an opera singer, an actress or radio DJ with the same name here and there, who knows....
The single has no recordcompany label on it. All the label reads is monaural (= mono), the artists name, the composers and some numbers.
So dating the record is up to us. It must be later than 1967, the original puppet year, as the other track My Love, My Love's The Same has a distinctive early disco feel about it. 1972?
The version of Puppet On A String is a bit of an odd blend of romantic Jamaican rhythms and horns with the singer taking a few detours in the original melody and lyrics. Puppet could easily be one of the many versions recorded in Jamaica, but the other track is so un-Jamaican that it makes it a bit doubtful.
Another fact that could point to Jamaica is the misspelling of songwriter Coulter as Coulteer. That occurs on a few other Jamaican coverversions.
The fact that there's no record label is also a point towards Jamaica.
I discarded the possibilty of the record being a cheap pop-tops style copy as the other song is composed by the singer herself and Puppet is far from a plain copy.
A romantic idea that appeals to me is that Elaine Baker just wanted to make a record, spent a few pennies / cents on it and 23 copies were pressed for friends and family. Elvis did it, so why can't Elaine?
All in all, I know nothing, which is great really. So, Elaine Baker, wherever you are, if you read this, just drop us a comment. (anyone else that knows something more is very welcome too)
Puppet On A String was already featured a zillion times at Eurocovers in 2007. If you use this link you get the posts which feature versions from all over the world.
The Divine Comedy
British band The Divine Comedy released their 10th album Bang Goes The Knighthood two months ago. It's worth checking out the limited edition of the album which includes an extra disc (if you can still find it).
The bonus cd Live at Cité de la Musique, Paris, features nine mostly French tracks.
Next to classics like Brels Amsterdam and Vanessa Paradis' Joe Le Taxi there are two Eurocovers: L'Amour Est Bleu and Poupée De Cire, Poupée De Son, both songs need no further explanation methinks.
(Divine Comedy Records DCRL101DCD)
Kirkorov
Russian Eurovision singer and multi Eurocoverer Philippe Kirkorov (Фили́пп Кирко́ров) has recorded a version of the Swedish 2009 entry La Voix (Malena Ernman) He teams up with soprano Anna Netrebko (Анна Нетребко) for the quasi classical pop ditty and if you visit his website the song starts playing.
More Kirkorov Eurocovers in this post.
The russian version is titled Голос, but an English version is also recorded
Portugal Discographies
An highly recommended website for Portugal Eurovision history fans can be found at this Portuguese music history site.
The pages Os Reis Do Vinyl feature several interesting pages.
There are some very extended discographies with delicious picture sleeves including Eurovision legends Madalena Iglesias, António Calvario and Simone De Oliveira.
You will find their Eurovision sleeves and many of their Eurocovers.
You can also read about the Festival Da Canção Portuguesa before the country made its debut at Eurovision in 1964.
Lots of info new to me, there was already talk of a Eurovision appearance since 1961 (They finally made their debut in 1964). Really wonderful browsing.
I used google translate to navigate the site in English, but you'll get some funny translations. Antonio Calvario translates as Butch Moore, Madalena Iglesians becomes Dickie Rock and Maria Marize becomes Queen Mary. But it helps anyway.
Esta Balada Que Te Dou
To stick to the subject of Portugal, here is a great coverversion of the 1983 entry Esta Balada Que Te Dou (Armando Gama) .
This version by Os Pontos Negros was recorded last year for a Radio station and appeared on a compilation issued by Radio Antena 3: 3 pisata vol. 2.
I don't think it was released on a Pontos Negros record. Their 3rd CD Pequeno-Almoço Continental is out on Universal since last April
Esta Balada is a bit alternative (The Pontos are cited to be inspired by The White Stripes) and it's certainly a long way away from the sugar coated original, but it keeps the melancholy madrugada-feeling perfectly in tact.
If you want to hear a version of Esta Balada Que Te Dou a bit closer to Armando Gama's version there's a new recording by Marcelo Costa. His CD Marcelo Costa is out on Sony since april. It's available through most digital outlets. You can listen to Marcelo's Balada at his MySpace playlist.
And here's a bit of interesting trivia for the die hards. Esta Balada Que Te Dou broke the Eurovision rules back in 1983. Armando Gama had already released a version of the song on his 1982 LP Quase Tudo (RT records RT 10021). At the time the rules about songs being previously released were even stricter than today, but it seems nobody noticed and Gama got away with it. Esta Balada was the 5th Portuguese entry to end 13th at the contest.
More Portuguese Eurovision entries are covered on an eponymous album by Sons Do Tejo (Espacial records). The album includes Menina Do Alto da Serra (1970 originally by Tonicha) and Desfolhada Portuguesa (1969 by Simone de Oliveira).
You can listen to Menina at their MySpace along with some other tracks from the CD.
The album is available at most digital outlets. The CD is at CD.GO.
Jørgen Ingmann and poets
Mikael sent me this bit of info on an unusual version of Dansevise, the first Danish Eurovision winner.
The CD Jørgen Ingmann Og Digterne is a collection of tracks by Ingmann on guitar accompanied by poets who recite the lyrics of the songs. Dansevise is recited by Marianne Gerner over what is probably a 1976 instrumental recording of the song by Ingmann.
The CD comes with a book and is available in the Danish bookshops (Forlaget Vandkunsten ISBN 9788776951092, 2009). Read more (in Danish) at Forlaget Vandkunsten.
Ingmann is of course an acclaimed guitarist with several worldwide solo hits in the 60's (He scored a US #1 with the Shadows Apache). He was joined by his wife Grethe (1939 - 1990) for many singles including their Eurovision win in 1963.
And you can still check out the duo's sensational Winners and Losers coverversions LP feature in the second Eurocovers post ever.
Made In China
A 2009 CD by The Fake Orchestra - Made In China, is actually not fake, and not made in China, but the orchestra is from Slovenia. The jazz album features one Eurocover: Ne Prizigaj Luci V Temi which is a Slovenian version of Ne Pali Svjetla U Sumrak, the Yugoslavian entry from 1962, originally performed by Lola Novaković. The fakers have a MySpace, but sadly it doesn't feature the Eurocover. Excerpts are at Sternsmusic.
Elda Viler
Some more anoraky bits here: Yugoslavia's first two entries (including Ne Pali Svjetla U Sumrak) were actually submitted to the Yugoslavian selection by TV Ljubljana (Slovenian TV), but they had to be performed in Serbo-Croat in the selection and subsequently at Eurovision. The first time an entry sung in Slovenian entered Eurovision was in 1966 (Brez Besed by Berta Ambrož). Of the first ten Yugoslavian entries five were submitted by TV Ljubljana. Of the 17 entries that followed only one came from Slovenia.
Slovenian jazz legend Elda Viler popularized Ne Prizigaj Luci V Temi (in Slovenian) in the 70's. The clip below is a live recording from 2009 with the Goriski Pihalni Orkester (loving the outfits guys).
Here's Julio Iglesias 1970 Eurovision entry Gwendolyne in two versions. First is a sensational version by Spanish Flamenco Legend Lola Flores (also see video below). She recorded the song in 1970 but I only know of a Various artists MC release Exitos Modernos En Flamenco. I don't know if it was released on LP or single.see comments
The second version is by Rosario Flores who is the daughter of Lola and Antonio Gonzalez Flores. She recorded Gwendolyne for the soundtrack of Spanish TV series Cuéntame Cómo Pasó (11th season, 2009).
Below is a fab clip of mama Lola doing Gwendolyne with papa Antonio on guitar.
Here's another cover from South Africa. MoniQue and Snotkop (yep, Snothead) cover the Finnish 2009 entry Lose Control (Waldo's People) as Ek Val Vir Jou (I fall for you) in Afrikaans. You can find the track on MoniQue's album with the same title. The album also includes an English version of the song.
The CD is out now on Select music and is available at Kalahari. It's also digitally available at Rhythm Music Store and some international digital stores.
Eurocovers has not fully collapsed yet under the heat, but lazyness prevents indepth analysis of the high standards you are used to from yours truly. I didn't even tie in with the footie and the vuvuzela madness, for which you probably are thankful
But here's some found food and bits and pieces people have been sending.
Perla
Remember Perla? In this Eurocovers post (UPDATED in 2021) you can read all about the beautiful Brasilian pop singer and her covers of your favorite Eurovision songs. There was one version missing which now can be found in this YouTube. It's the Spanish language version of Mia Martini's 1977 entry Libera.
It's one of 90 Perla songs you can listen to on the Perla Radio Youtube channel. Thank you Perla Radio!
Leon Calvert
Easy listening blog Detour features an LP Captivation by Noel Trevlac including an instrumental version of Puppet On A String. Not only is this a must hear track because it is exceptionally good, it's also interesting because Mr. Trevlac is actually Leon Calvert, acclaimed British jazz trumpeteer who probably didn't want to have his name attached to some cheap covers LP. But the quality of the arrangement and the trumpetering betrays him. Thank You Detour Blog!
South Africa
Music news from South Africa is a bit slow at the moment. Several Eurocovers are on the brink of release (or not, as postponing is the word of the day). You can find one little teaser for a forthcoming release at the Jasmyn website.
You can hear a part of Iemand Soos Jy, a coverversion of the ill fated Barbara Dex song that ended last in 1993. Jasmyn will also have two other Eurocovers on her album, but there's not much info on her website yet.
Another anticipated but overdue album is Die Enigste Manier (The only way) by Lee Scott (of Hi-5). It includes Wonderland, an Afrikaans version of Fairytale, last years winner and Wens Ek Kon (2009 runner up Is It True? from Iceland). You can listen to excerpts from the album tracks including the Eurocovers at the Lee Scott website. update: There's also a cover of Chiara's Malta 2009 song titled Vandag. Moniqe Foxx tackles the forgotten Malta entry Believe 'n' Peace by Times 3 (1999) as Ek Glo for her new album.(very short clip at the Moniqe Foxx website). The album will also include a version of Secret Combination (Greece 2008). The album will be out on Markon records. Lea Le Roux covers the luscious Andorran 2009 entry La Teva Decisio (Susanna Georgi) as Ek Es Gereed on her album due in november. (small clip at Rea Le Roux website).
A lot of small excerpts which are of course useless to the Eurovers fan, so I'm pleased to end this shortlist of Afrikaans covers with two full versions:
It's Henk Grimsell with his interpretation of Soraya's La Noche Es Para Mi (Spain 2009). The song is titled Vanaand Is Net Vir My from his new album Dis Tyd (Southern Buzz records). And the girls love him!
South African Bachelor Of The Year Stefan Ludik also has an album out. Burn This Town is out on CD in South Africa and also digitally available at Play.com, We7 and MusicMe. It has one Eurocover, Lose Control, last years clubby Finnish entry by Waldo's People. It's in English and a bit louder than the original.
At MusicMe you can listen to the full tracks of the album.
Totally Off Topic Extra Bit Of Afrikaans Info Cooler As Ekke by Jack Sparow is heading for a massive hit in the Netherlands. It's a soft hippy hoppy track of which I don't understand a word (maybe just as well) but it can be considered quite cool in a Borat kind of way. It's the first Afrikaans language hit in the Netherlands since Thembi took a medley of discofied Afrikaans folksongs to the top 10 in 1976. (Take Me Back To The Old Transvaal)
2010 coverversions
Currently at #4 in the German charts is Schland O Schland by Uwu Lena. The football hymne to the tune of Lena's 2010 Eurovision winner Satellite was released on cdsingle after some initial hesitation. The number 4 is a lucky number for the Germans. #1 next week?. (update: erm, no , #5)
There's also a Finnish version of Satellite, it's called Kiertokuu by Charlotte Kero.
Read more about all the Satellite Eurocovers at Lena's page at the Oslo Collection. More news on the Keistad Street Organ CD (with a cover of the Dutch entry) can be found at the Oslo Collection Sieneke page.
More Mostly Off Topic Great News Samantha 'Touch Me' Fox and Sabrina 'Boys Boys Boys' Salerno have teamed up for an ace coverversion of Blondie's Call Me(Youtube). Welcome back girls, the world just wasn't the same without you.
The cdsingle is only released in Italy so far, but the digital release is widely available. I bought my cdsingle at favorite shop Juno, who also stock a picture disc 12" inch.
Sam Fox's old band Sox once tried to go to Eurovision with Go For The Heart, but they ended 4th and Love City Groove went on to the contest somewhere in Ireland.
O Vento Mudou - UHF
After all that schlager and pop it's time for a bit of Rawk. Portuguese rockers UHF have recorded the Portuguese 1967 entry O Vento Mudou (Eduardo Nascimento) for their new album. And it's great!
You can listen to the song at the UHF MySpace . Thanks Ed!
Perdon Cariño Mio
Two versions of the Italian 1971 entry L'Amore è Un Attimo can be found at the website of Pino Lucciano. One in Spanish (Perdon...) and one in Italian. Eurocovers loves that song, so that's why it's here. There's also a version of Volare if you scroll down a bit on the site.
Another Tex Mex version of the song by Los Reyes Del Camino can be found in this Eurocovers post from 2007.
The new single by Dutch singer Silvia Swart, Laat Me Leven (Let me live) is a coverversion of the Spanish Eurovision entry Dime (By Beth who ended 8th in 2003). http://www.silviaswart.nl/
The cdsingle is now available at BeaRecords. It has the Dutch version plus the karaoke.
Tonight is the night, the final of the 55th Eurovision Song Contest in Oslo. Some of Eurocovers favorites made it, but of course many were slaughtered. Why Finland didn't make it is beyond me and pet favorites like Inculto from Lithuania and sweet Sieneke will be sorely missed. Some that made it are completely useless, others are great, but you can decide that for yourself.
I have to get cooking in a moment, you gotta eat at the yearly Eurovision dinner party, but I'll leave you with just another handful Norwegian artifacts in the last instalment of The Oslo Weeks.
For the latest release news on the CDs of this years entries please visit The Oslo Collection. Who has a proper cdsingle out (not the U.K., that's for sure) and which 17-copies-promo-only-cdr will be the unobtainable holy grail this year?.
Read about the recordings in all kind of languages and remixes by the great local djs. You can also find the latest information on chart movement from all your favorite 2010 songs.
Norwegian Eurocovers, you gotta love 'em, here's a few more:
1975 U.K. - Let Me Be The One (The Shadows)
- La Det Vaere Mig by Staccato
1976 U.K. - Save Your Kisses For Me (Brotherhood Of Man)
- Du Får Det Beste By the Bendik Singers on 7"(Triola TN 701)
1977 Switzerland - Swiss Lady (Pepe Lienhard Band)
- By The Four Jets on LP Four Jets' Langspillplate (Arctic ARC 8616). The Four Jets were a Norwegian band who recorded many coverversions of popular hits from 1963 to 1989. Several guest singers appeared on their records. The recorded this Swiss Lady but also Bad Old Days (U.K. 1978), Boom Boom (Denmark 1978), Making Your Mind Up (U.K. 1981), Dag Efter Dag (Sweden 1983), Det Lige Det (Denmark 1984), Sku Du Spørg Fra No'n (Denmark 1985) and Für Alle (Germany 1985)
1979 Israel - Hallelujah (Milk and Honey)
- by Lilian (Askeland) & Big hand
1982 Germany - Ein Bisschen Frieden (Nicole)
- Litt Mere Frihet by Jenny Jenssen
1993 France - Mama Corsica (Patrick Fiori)
- Mama Korsika by Nattsvermerne
Just one day until the first semifinal of the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest.
If you are one of the unlucky Eurocovers readers without any TV channel broadcasting the contest onto your couch, no problem. It's quite easy to catch the broadcasts this year. Just go to the Streaming TV page of the official Eurovision site. There you will be able to catch all three evenings of Eurovision extravaganza. Needs an octoshape install, but that doesn't hurt.
In the meantime here's just a few of the golden oldies recorded in Norwegian over the years. Some by Norways greatest stars and others by the lost and forgotten. And there's some links to Norwegian treasures featured previously at Eurocovers.
1958 Italy - Volare (Domenico Modugno)
Already featured in 2008: Anno Domenico, Norwegian versions of the Italian Classic by Nora Brockstedt and by Inger Jacobsen with the Monn Keys (Original post)
1959 Netherlands - 'n Beetje (Teddy Scholten)
- Det Kommer En Sommer - The Monn-Keys - 7" (Triola TN 165) & EP
The Monn Keys were a Norwegian vocal outfit founded by Egil Monn Iversen and Sølvi Wang. In fact it was some kind of supergroup with different well known Norwegian vocalists joining the group off and on. (including Eurovision singers Inger Jacobsen, Nora Brocktedt and Arne Bendiksen).
Their recording career started way before Eurovision was invented but they picked up on a few of your favorite Eurovision tunes, dressed them up in Norwegian sweaters and even scored a few hits with them. The Monn Keys lasted from 1948 to 1964. They toured Scandinavia, most of western Europe and also America.
The b-side to the Det Kommer… single is Syng Lille Sangfugl, a cover the the U.K. entry Sing Little Birdie. (Still looking for that one though)
source: More about the Monn Keys (in Norwegian) at Balade.no where I also nicked this picture sleeve.
1960 France - Tom Pillibi (Jacqueline Boyer)
- by the Monn Keys with Sølvi Wang - on 7" (Triola TN 202)
1962 Germany - Zwei Kleine Italiener (Conny Froboess)
- Anita Thallaug - Tina Og Marina - on 7"(NorDisk NOR 67)
Anita Thallaugs place in Eurovision history was earned in 1963. In Eurovision she performed Solhverv (Solstice) which became Norways first nil-pointer. Thallaug was appointed to go to Eurovision even though two other artists had performed the song in the national final (Jan Høiland & Nora Brockstedt). Anita Thallaug never released the song. Zwei Kleine Italiener, probably the biggest hit from the 1962 contest, was already widely covered in this Eurocovers post.
1962 Finland - Tipi Tii (Marion Rung)
- by Jan Høiland, release details wanted
1966 Yugoslavia - Brez Besed (Berta Ambroz)
- Uten Ord - Karin Winje on 7" (Triola TN 487)
1967 U.K. - Puppet On A String (Sandie Shaw)
- Sprellemann - Benthe Aaseth .
Already featured in The Year Of The Puppet post Sprellemann
1967 Luxembourg - L'Amour Est Bleu (Vicky)
- Blå, Blå, Min Kjærlighed - Åse Kleveland - on 7" (Polydor NH 66 814)
1969 U.K. Boom Bang A Bang (Lulu)
- Anne Mette in this post.
1973 Spain - Eres Tu (Mocedades)
Inger Lise (Rypdal) - I Mitt Liv on 7" (Talent TS 009). See comments
