Monday, December 21, 2020

Art for Christmas: Senhit's Amar Pelos Dois

The strangest Christmas I've ever experienced (I mean: No shopping!) needs its own soundtrack. Eurovision singer Senhit (2011, 2020 and 2021) has been giving us some amazing videos monthly covering Eurovision classics. 
The December instalment is this one, Amar Pelos Dois, the 2017 winner for Portugal by Salvador Sobral. Classical singer Jordi Galàn sings along too.


(spoilers) It doesn't get better than the moment Mary hands over the black Baby Jesus for adoption to a same sex couple in their tighty whities. Madonna would be proud (if it was still 1989).
I hope Senhit will release the covers as an album (A CD/DVD set would be nice), but for now they're only on Youtube.
Big Kudo's to the director Luca Tommassini, who surpassed himself again on this amazing video.

Here's the playlist with all the coverversions Senhit made in her #FreakyTripToRotterdam project.
Amar Pelos Dois, Rise Like A Phoenix, Congratulations, Ding A Dong, Everyway That I Can and Cheesecake.
And in May she did a heartwarming version of Insieme 1992 (Toto Cutugno's winner of 1990)

Her 2020 entry Freaky! is still available through all your favorite digital stores and on the Official 2020 CD
I really hope she get's a stunning song for the 2021 contest (and don't let Azerbaijan snap it up!).

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Senhit's 2011 page is here at the Düsseldorf Collection
Senhit's 2020 page is here at the Rotterdam Collection
The Rotterdam 2.1 Collection is expected in January

Wednesday, December 16, 2020

Af álfum - Frostrósir, Christmas is coming

Today I am in the mood for getting this post up to the top. (links may not all work)

Not a Eurocover and way early of course, but how many famous Icelandic Eurovision people do you recognise in this clip? (see below) What a wonderful christmas song. (and I don't do christmas songs very much thank you)
RÚV (Icelandic TV people) should consider sending this to Eurovision. I mean, it's wonderful, it's already finished, no hassle and costs of a multi-round preselection and even if some get the flu, there's enough singers here to do it. It would be the first Christmas song at Eurovision which would be in itself Eurovision History-Book-On-The-Shelf worthy. Consider it....

The Fróstrosir project celebrates 10 years of Christmas music this year.
Here's the Fróstrosir homepage where you can find out if you spotted all the stars. (under Flytjendur)

In the past Fróstrosir have Christmafied two Swedish Eurovision entries.
The 1996 entry Den Vilda (One More Time, 3rd place) became Dansaðu Vindur and was released on the CD Fróstrósir (2002) and compilation Fróstrósir - Best lögin' (2006).
1995's Se på mig (Jan Johansen, 3rd place) became Stjärnan Min and was released on the CD Heyr Himna Smiður (2008)
Update: Fróstrósir and Eurobandið singer Friðrik Ómar also gave a Swedish Eurovision track the Christmas Once Over: Tommy Körbergs majestic Stad I Ljus (Sweden 1988 by Tommy Körberg) became Vetrarnótt for the 2010 holiday season.
Another Update: Af Álfum, Vetrarnótt, Stjärnan Min and Dansaðu Vindur can all be found on the new album / 2CD Fróstrosir Fagna. (thanks Dominique!)

More Fróstrosir in this Eurocovers post.

Fróstrosir 2011 features the following Eurovisiony people:
Eiríkur Hauksson - Three time Eurovision star (1986 with trio Icy, 1991 with quartet Just4Fun for Norway and his own fantastic Valentine Lost in 2007.
Hera Björk - Je Ne Sais Quoi was her Eurovision eruption in 2010, and she also had the fabulous entry Someday ending 2nd in the Danish 2009 final. She also recorded an Icelandic coverversion of Christine Guldbrandsens Alvedansen (Norway 2006)
Friðrik Ómar - Member of Eurocovers fabulous favorites Eurobandið, well know for This Is My Life (2008) also had some great solo tunes in the Icelandic preselections (Það Sem Verður 2006 and Eldur 2007)
Regína Ósk - Member of Eurocovers favorites Eurobandið, also had a great solo tune in the Icelandic preselection (Þér Við Hlið in 2007)
Guðrún Árný - Pre-selection singer in 2003 with Með Þér.
Eivør Pállsottir - Faroese singer participated in the Icelandic selection with I Nótt in 2003. She's the main singer on Dansaðu Vindur.
Heiða Ólafs - In 2009 pre-selection with Dagur Nýr.
Matti Matt - My favorite Sjonni Boy. Coming Home 2011. In 2010 he had a solo song in the selection: Out Of Sight.
Stefán Hilmarsson - Two time Eurovision singer Stefan out of Beathoven (1988) and Stefan and Eyfi.
Also appeared as backing singer and musician on various Icelandic entries.
Ína Valgerður - Eurocovers star recorded the Italian 1964 winner Non Ho L'eta in Icelandic. Entered the Icelandic selection in 2008 with Lullaby To Peace.
Jógvan Hansen - Preselection 2010 (One More Day) and 2011 (Ég Lofa)
Ragnar Bjarnason - Legendary Icelandic singer, recorded Eurocovers of Volare and Non Ho L'eta(Italy's 1958 and 1964 entries)
Sissel Kyrkjebø - Internationally acclaimed classical singer from Norway, was in the 1986 contest interval performance.
Ragga Gröndal - Two times national semi finalist (2003 with Ferrari and 2008: Wake Me Up), member of the Fancy Toys and a bestselling singer in Iceland.
Guðrún Gunnars - Judge on the Paul Oscars Eurovision previewTV show Alla Leið
The other singers without any Eurovision relation that I know of are: Ágúst Ólafsson, Björg Þórhallsdóttir, Erna Hrönn, Garðar Thór Cortes, Gissur Páll, Guðrún Gunnars, Hulda Björk Garðarsdóttir, Jóhann Friðgeir, Kolbeinn Ketilsson, Margrét Eir, Óskar Pétursson, Vala Guðna and Védís Hervör. Producers / arrangers Karl Olgeir Olgeirsson and Árni Harðarson  also appear in the video.  

Sunday, December 13, 2020

What's Another Year: R.I.P. Charley Pride (1934-2020)

Only a week ago I watched a Country music documentary which included a story about the remarkable history of Charley Pride. It prompted me to dig up his wonderful version of What’s Another Year
And now I read that the man is not getting another year thanks to that damned you know what.
So sad and poignant. Have a listen below. 

Pride’s What’s Another Year was released on his 1991 CD Classics With Pride. (Not to be confused with the 1996 album with the same title).

Charley Pride recorded over 40 albums and scored over 70 hits in the US Country singles charts, of which 30 went to #1.
Find out more about Charley Pride's groundbreaking achievements at his website and facebook.
What’s Another Year is Johnny Logan's 1980 Eurovision winner for Ireland.