Jamaica, Can I have your votes please? pt. 1: Mighty Sparrow 1934-2026

Legendary Trinidadian Calypso singer the Mighty Sparrow has passed away. R.I.P..

Here's an old post, slightly updated, about his work with Byron Lee including their Eurovision covers.

Original post

Not very likely that Jamaica, home of Reggae music, will ever participate in our beloved contest anytime soon, but then, no one imagined Jamaica at the Winter Olympics either. (UPDATE Or Canada in Eurovision....)
In the 60's and early seventies some of the great Eurovision hits found their way to the Caribbean island so famous for its music and were covered by local singers from the 60's to (almost) present day.
Don't expect Bob Marley style militant Jah praising revolutionary stuff though, it's often more smmoth reggae of the Lovers Rock variety.
'Puppet on a string' must have been a popular tune in Jamaica as at least 15 artists from Jamaica have covered the song. (see below)

Byron Lee (1935-2008) was the most active of them all, having 5 coverversions to his name.
Although very popular at home, his only worldwide claim to fame is 'Only a fool' with the  Mighty Sparrow from Trinidad, a 1969 recording that became a big hit in the Netherlands and Belgium in 1977/1978. It was the #2 selling single of 1978 in the Netherlands.
Byron Lee has released many cds featuring reggae, soca and soft pop.

The Mighty Sparrow has released over 50 albums.

Byron Lee's & the Mighty Sparrow's Eurovision songs:
Volare - the Mighty Sparrow

- on CD Soca Jam Back #2 (BLS records, 1999)

Walk away (Warum nur warum) - Byron Lee with the Mighty Sparrow
- on LP Sparrow meets the dragon from 1969 , also includes 'Only a fool'
Al di la - Byron Lee with the Dragonaires
- on LP The sounds of Jamaica (Towers Hall productions)
Love is blue - Byron Lee with the Dragonaires
- on a 7" single (on his own Dynamic label) - b side to Elisabeth Serenade
Eres tu - Byron Lee with the Dragoniares
- Mellow version with only the chorus sung (in English) on CD Soft Lee 4.
Puppet on a string * - Byron Lee with the Dragonaires
- The most covered Eurovision song in Jamaica, from the CD 'No woman no cry'.

* Puppet on a string versions will be featured frequently in this blog in 2007 to celebrate Sandie Shaws birthday and the 40th anniversary of her Eurovision victory. Year Of The Puppet.
Check out Jamaican versions by Ken Boothe, Tyrone Taylor, Enos McCloud and Paul Sinclair.

Or just use the Jamaica label search.

Goodbye Dolly.

Something slightly different because the shock of Dolly Parton's goodbye is still on my mind.

She was always there and we thought she'd always be.

Here's a Spotty list I started some years ago with coverversions of Dolly Parton's Jolene all by your favourite Eurovision stars.

Any additions?

I'm looking for a digital versions of Anita Skorgan's Marie (Jolene in Swedish), Jeg går (Norwegian) and Jolene (English). 

Kirsti Sparboe 1946-2026

I've always had a soft spot for Kirsti Sparboe and all her songs so I was sad to hear she has passed away at the age of 79.

Here's a 2010 Eurocovers post highlighting her Eurovision songs and coverversions.

Hvil i fred Kirsti!

2010 The Oslo Weeks part 2: Kirsti Sparboe

Modern times, who needs them. If you want you can watch all kinds of rehearsal clips and other Oslo goings on at tha Tube and all the hard working Eurovision blogs, but Eurocovers is having none of that. (i.e. I'm not in Oslo me)

Personally I like a little surprise on the night itself, so it's time to pull out some more of the old phonographs from the vaults and continue with the Oslo Weeks extravaganza to kill the time until the first semi.

Oj Oj Oj
Kirsti Sparboe is another Norwegian Eurovision Legend who deserves to have her own postal stamp.
She entered the contest three times for Norway (Norway easily is the country with the most repeat-euro-offenders).

The first time with Karusell which ended 13nd in 1965, two years later with the sublime Dukkemann which did even worse (14th). 3rd time lucky no way, the totally brilliant Oj Oj Oj Så Glad Jeg Skal Bli is as good as Boom Bang A Bang, but only finished 16th. Boooo.

Karusell was only recorded in Norwegeian but Dukkemann also got a Swedish makeover. She took it a little further with Oj Oj Oj which Kirst recorded in Norwegian, Swedish, German and French. (See below).

Kirsti was a popular singer in Norway at the time scoring several top 10 hits. She participated in several (more) Norwegian Eurovision selections.

Next to recording in Norwegian and Swedish, Kirsti also went for a German career. And quite successfully; her Ein Student Aus Uppsala scoreda 14 week hit in the German charts. It also resulted in Kirsti's participation in the German National final with Pierre Der Clochard in 1970 (4th). After that she released more singles in Germany of which some were airplay hits. A number of songs was also released in the DDR.

Kirsti Sparboe
Eurovision and Eurocovers Discography

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1965 Norway - Karusell

Two versions were performed by Kirsti in the preselection. One with a small combo and one with an orchestra. Both versions were recorded in the studio, but only one was released on single. Wenche Myhre was originally chosen to sing the 2nd version of Karusell, but she found the song too silly or fell ill (you decide). Kirsti's Karusell was a #7/9 weeks hit.

- Karusell (norwegian) on 7" (Triola TN 401)

1967 Norway - Dukkemann

- Dukkemann (norwegian) on 7" (Triola TN 466)

- Sprattelman (swedish) b-side to 'Kär Pa Lek' (Sweden Sonet T-7690)

---The other version in the Norwegian NF was sung by Torill Ravnås.

1969 Norway - Oj Oj Oj Så Glad Jeg Skal Bli

- Oj Oj Oj Så Glad Jeg Skal Bli (norwegian) on 7" (Triola TN 540)

- O.J.Oj, Grand Prix Jubilee (norwegian) on 7" (Triola O.J. 1)

---A special lyrics version for the 75-year anniversary of the Oslo Journalistklubb.

- Oi Oi Oi (german) a.k.a. Eins, Zwei, Drei - as Kirsti,  on 7" (Germany Telefunken U 56062)

- Oj Oj Oj Så Glad Jag Skall Bli (swedish) on 7" (Sweden Sonet T 7759)

- Oy, Oy, Oy Je Ne Peux Pas Vivre (french) on 7" (France EMI 2c 006 10178)

Songs were performed only once in the NF of 1969.

Kirsti scored a # 1 hit in Norway, 11 weeks on chart.

You can find a Flemish cover version of Oj Oj Oj in this Eurocovers post.

1968 Norway - Stress (Odd Borre)

In the Norwegian NF songs were performed twice during most of the 60's and 70's. Kirst Sparboe performed the other version of Eurovision entry Stress and also of the winner, disqualified tune Jag Har Aldri Vært Så Glad I No'en Som Deg (sounded too much like Summer Holiday by the Cliffster). Neither songs were released by Kirsti.

1968 Spain - La La La (Massiel)

- La La La by Kirsti, Oddvar & Arne (norwegian)  on 7" (Triola TN 5010)

- La La La by Kirsti, Oddvar & Arne (swedish) on 7" (Sonet T 7730)

1968 United Kingdom - Congratulations (Cliff Richard)

- Vi Gratulerer by Kirsti, Oddvar & Arne (norwegian) on 7" (Triola TN 5010)

- Vi Gratulerar by Kirsti, Oddvar & Arne (swedish) on 7" (Sonet T7730)

---Both above are A & B side of the same singles with U.K. 1968 being the a-side.

1970 Ireland - All Kinds Of Everything (Dana)

- Det Jeg Ser Omkring (norwegian ) on 7" (Triola TN 573)

- Allting Och Ingenting (swedish)  on 7" (Sonet T 7815)

1971 Monaco - Un banc, Un Arbre, Une Rue (Severine)

- På En Gammel Benk (norwegian) on 7" (Triola TN 610)

1971 United Kingdom - Jack In The Box (Clodagh Rodgers)

- Sim-Sala-Bim (norwegian) on 7" (Triola TN 610)

---Kirsti, Oddvar and Arne are Kirsti Sparboe, Oddvar Sanne and Arne Bendiksen.

If you have any correction or additions to this list, please let me know.

For all the Eurovision 2010 release info, please check The Oslo Collection

Oslo Weeks part 1 - Nora Brockstedt