Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts

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.  

Monday, December 04, 2006

Eurovision Covers For Christmas

To get into the December spirit here's two Eurovision songs reworked with Christmas lyrics.

A Snowy Jingly bellsy Christmas version of 'Gente di mare' by Tozzi and Raf is as unlikely as Ms. Claus serving Reindeercarpaccio.

So a Christmas interpretation of the Italian song can only come from Iceland, where the sun won't be seen until late in the next Eurovision season, but the people are real 'Gente di mare'.
'Komdu um Jólin' by Gunnar Olason (Olafsson) is on VA Christmas CD Jólastemming and other compilations.


'Stad I Ljus', by Chess player Tommy Körberg is a different case. The monumental hymn lends itself perfectly for the Season to be jolly and depressed at the same time.
Sofia Källgren, MF star, turns the song into 'Spread your light' which has appeared on several Christmas compilations in Sweden (100% Jul 2 (1996)and Svenska Julklassiker (2002)).
More about Sofia at http://www.sofiakallgren.com/

'Stad I Ljus' has been recorded by several gospel and religious singers over the years, most notably Christian Rivel and Michael Järlestrand, who recorded both Swedish and English versions. (files wanted)

The youngest version of 'Stad I Ljus' was recorded by the ever lovely Fame Academy student, Emil Sigfridsson, MF star, on his latest CD 'Äntligen'. The CD also includes his 2004 MF song 'Innan mörkret faller' as a bonus track.
Find out more about Emil at http://www.emilsigfridsson.se/
On his 2003 CD Emil already covered another Tommy classic 'Anthem' (from Chess).

P.S. Another Icelandic Christmas reworking is 'Stjarnar mín' by 'Íslensku Divurnar'. Thanks for the tip Stelios.
This version of Swedens Se på mig (Jan Johansen, 1995) was released on 2002 Christmas album 'Fróstrosir'(2002) and is now re-issued on a compilation 'Fróstrosir - Bestu lögin'. (sorry, don't have the song).