Eurocovers

Not many suprises there, even the most avid Eurovision dodger will know the songs.

Most entries tackled by the Brødrene were international hits, and there are eight winners present. Maybe Non So Che Darei is the odd one out that even some Eurovision fans may have forgotten about.

Full tracklist:
1 - Fly on the Wings of Love (New Version) - Denmark 2000
2 - Congratulations - UK 1968, Cliff Richard
3 - Waterloo - Sweden 1974, Abba
4 - Ein Bisschen Frieden - Germany 1982, Nicole
5 - Främling - Sweden 1983, Carola
6 - Save All Your Kisses for Me - U.K. 1976, Brotherhood Of Man
7 - Halleluja - Israel 1979, Milk & Honey
8 - Non So Che Darei - Italy 1980, Alan Sorrenti
9 - Bang-A-Boomerang - Swedish national final 1975
10 - Volare - Italy 1958, Domenico Modugno
11 - La Det Swinge - Norway 1985, Bobbysocks!
12 - Love Shine A Light - U.K. 1997, Katrina & The Waves
13 - Rock'n'Roll Kids - Ireland 1994, Paul Harrinton & Charlie McGettigan

Please read the updated tracklist and more info at this new Eurocovers post.

Labels: Broderne Olsen, Olsen Brothers

Labels: La la la, Nutimaborn, Nútímabörn

Another sad goodbye in Eurovisionland. Teddy Scholten, winner of the 1959 Eurovision Song Contest died last week at the age of 83.
She was one of the popular stars of 50's and 60's Dutch radio and television entertainment. In the 70's and 80's she worked for the Red Cross.

Even though she was a frequent face & voice in Dutch entertainment, Teddy Scholten wasn't a top 40 singer, and people remember 'n Beetje, the 1959 winning Eurovision song best.
The reception Teddy Scholten received when she arrived back home was unprecedented with 100's of people at Schiphol Airport with banners and flowers and set the tone for heroes' arrivals in years to come.

'n Beetje (A little bit), written by Dick Schallies and Willy van Hemert, was the 2nd victory for the Netherlands at only the 4th Eurovision (how times have changed). It was a #4 hit on the (then monthly) Dutch charts (4 months on chart).
Teddy Scholten recorded two Dutch versions of the song and also versions in German (Sei ehrlich), French (Un p'tit peu) and Italian (Un poco).
The Italian version was a top 20 chart hit in Italy.
Teddy Scholten sang a Swedish version Om Varen on Swedish radio (1959, details wanted) but it was never recorded by Teddy. An English version, The Moment, was also written but never recorded.
In the preselection (Nationaal Song Festival) 'n Beetje was also sung by John de Mol (sr.) (released on 7" Telefunken UH 9323A). His version was a #3 hit (3 months on chart)

Eurocovers
The only Eurocovers recorded by Teddy Scholten are from 1959, her own Eurovision year.
For the Post Eurovision releases of 'n Beetje she recorded the French entry Oui Oui Oui Oui and the British entry Sing Little Birdie (with husband Henk Scholten).
Sing Little Birdie, the #2 at the contest, originally recorded by Pearl Carr & Teddy Johnson, was recorded as the b-side to the 'international' versions.

Teddy Scholten Eurocovers
Oui Oui Oui Oui (in dutch)
- on EP 'n Beetje (Philips 422366 PE)
Sing Little Birdie - Teddy & Henk Scholten
- Zing Kleine Vogel (in Dutch) on EP 'n Beetje
- (Philips 422366 PE) & 7" (Philips 318 227 PF)
- La Chanson De La Grive (French) on 7" (Philips B318254)
- Canta Uccelino (Italian)  on 7" (Philips 318 255)
The German Sei Ehrlich single has an instrumental version of Sing Little Birdie on the b-side by Orchestra Jack Bulterman.


En Smule
I have over 40 coverversions listed of 'n Beetje, most Dutch, many instrumental and a handful of other languages.
Remarkable is the popularity of the song with Danish recording artists from the era.
There are at least seven full Danish versions of the song, all titled En Smule, and there are a few medleys and instrumentals also recorded in Denmark.

En Smule - Danish versions of n'Beetje
Birgit Falk on 7" single (Heliodor HE 45 0800).
- This one is recorded with the original orchestra backing of Teddy Scholtens own pre-Eurovision version. (Orch. Jan Corduwener)
Raquel Rastenni - on 7"* (HMV 45-X 8391)
- Raquel Rastenni is the Danish Eurovision singer for 1958Birgit Bruel - on EP* 4 Grand Prix Melodier (VA) (427 933 PE Philips DK)
- Birgit Bruel went on to sing for Denmark in 1965
Lisbeth Frandsen - on 7" * (Triola TD 45-35)Rose Lundstrøm - on EP* 4 Grand Prix Sucess'Er (RCA DEP 107)
Rita Storm - on 7" * (Polyphon XM 61912)Inge Strauss - on 7" * (Sonet T 8023)Lone Helmer - on EP* Grand prix cocktail 1959 (Tono ST 41080)
Two medleys with 3 songs each, five Eurovision songs.
* All releases marked * also feature Danish Eurocovers of Sing Little Birdie.

Special thanks to Mikael.

'n Beetje - Document.
I have uploaded a list with all details on Teddy Scholtens 'n Beetje releases and 47 coverversions of the song. It's a word document.
In the Eurocovers 2007 Finweeks a Finnish version was / is featured. A Swedish version can be found in the Marie Dieke Eurocovers post from November 2006. For an Italian version by Carla Boni, check this Eurocovers post.

Labels: 'n beetje, Birgit Falk, Raquel Rastenni, Rita Storm, Rose Lundstrom, Teddy Scholten

Scottish singer Kenneth McKellar has left us this week. The singer of the 1966 U.K. Eurovision entry A Man Without Love died after a short illness.

The 1966 British Eurovision entry was chosen in a national final where Kenneth McKellar sang all the songs, 5 in total. All songs were released on the EP Songs For Europe, pictured above. The EP spent 9 weeks on the EP charts.
McKellar performed at the Luxembourg Eurovision in full Scottish regalia, kilt and all, and ended 9th.

His most acclaimed works are the early sixties albums The Songs Of Robert Burns and Songs Of The Hebrides which have been re-issued on CD in 2004.

A lesser known collection of songs come from his two South African releases. The EP In die skadu van Ou Tafelberg (Decca 1966) and the LP Kuier By Ons (Decca 1970) contain songs sung in Afrikaans, mostly Afrikaans evergreens.
As with many releases from South Africa, these records now are impossible to find. (anyone?)
Find tracklists and more about these at Vetseun. (scroll a bit for English text).

A Man Without Love
A Man Without Love, written by Peter Callander and Cyrel Ornadel, scored a #30 hit in the U.K. charts and was only covered a few times.
The song should not be confused with the song of the same titled made famous by Engelbert Humperdinck, which is a coverversion of Quando M'innamoro (SanRemo 1968).

Coverversions of A Man Without Love
1. Dale Adams (with Chris Allen and his Orchestra)
- on VA EP (Populaire Platen Kring HPK 757)
2. Harry Secombe
- on CD Abide with me & The Very Best Of
3. Kai Hagen - Ein Mann der nicht liebt ist ein halber Mann
- in German, on 7" (Vogue DV 14504)
4. Ronnie Tober (NL 1969 singer) - Een hart is geen hart
- in Dutch on 7" also including Austria 66 (Philips JF 333 511)
- check out this post at the wonderful Merci Cherie for this record.
5. The Film Festival Orchestra (instrumental)
- On CD Love & Romance (Galaxy records 1999)
I'm sure there could be more, if you know any, please let me know.


2010 The Oslo Eurocovers
Here's some 2010 Eurocovers news.
Swedish dansband Scotts (I don't think they are Scottish though) have recorded a coverversion of the Danish 2010 entry In A Moment Like This to be included on their forthcoming album Vi Gör Det Igen (out April 21, Mariann records). The female vocalist on the track is Erika Sjöström (from dansband Drifters).
Scotts have previously recorded coverversions of Sweden 1968 and U.K. 1981.
Denmark 2010 at The Oslo Collection - Scotts website
You can already have a listen at Mariann records Youtube channel.
Thanks to Marcin for the tip!

Lena Meyer-Landruts German entry Satellite was, as you will probably already know, performed twice at the National final. The runner-up singer Jennifer Braun has released her slower version of the song on a cdsingle. Germany 2010 at the Oslo Collection has more info and release details on both versions.

The Dutch entry by Sieneke has sparked some controversy but also spawned many coverversions. Now there's interest from Austria and Sweden to record the song, so Pierre Kartner can be happy, Sha La Lie.
(Netherlands 2010 at The Oslo Collection.)
Other 2010 news: Sweden: Anna Bergendahl Signing Tour *** Belarus: 3+2 Website launched *** Switzerland: CDsingle out now *** Malta: Maltese version of My Dream *** Serbia: Spanish version.
All the latest release news on the 2010 contest can be read at The Oslo Collection Blog. Please tell your friends.

Labels: Kenneth MacKellar, Kenneth McKellar

Happy 60th Birthday Agnetha! Seen here in a field* of her own on her 1969 LP Som Jag Är. The LP includes Sov Gott Min Lilla Vän, a coverversion of Un Jour, Un Enfant by Frida Boccara, one of the 4 winners of Eurovision 1969.
* I know, the field looks a bit autumny

Labels: Ann Morre, poupee de cire poupee de son