Building bridges 2023 with Donato Plögert

Germany 12 points is something we don't hear that often. So Eurovision fan Donato Plögert wrote a song about it. Please, Vote For Me (Even if I'm from Germany) is out now through all your favourite digitessen.

I moved up the 2019 Donato Plögert post about his Eurocovers album (see below video). 

Here's the Eurovers post about Donato Plögert's Eurovision covers album.

Originally posted on 11-11-2019

A Song can be a bridge, Eurovision fans know that. Die-hard Eurocovers fans also know Donato Plögert, the German singer, actor, entertainer, multi-talent whose German language versions of Eurovision Cult classics have earned him a loyal following among fans.

Now the hardest working man in German theater has released a digital album with all of his Eurovision coverversions to date and a few we haven't heard before.

From the first ones from his 1996 album Eins Blieb Ungesagt up to his version of the first Portuguese winner Amar Pelos Dois titled Mein Herz Schlägt Für Zwei. This man loves Eurovision.

That last one may have been a winner, but Donato Plögerts selections are mostly lesser known fan favorites including some that didn’t do too well at Eurovision (Willeke says hi).

To be fair,  there is quite a bit of Drama and some are an acquired taste. The album can certainly not be accused of relying on the easy boom bang-a-bangy Eurovision classics. It's great these songs get a second chance in life. 

2003 cdsingle Verliebt wie noch nie

The album is titled Ein Lied Kann Eine Brücke Sein (Vom Grand Prix De La Chanson Zum Song Contest) and is out now through digital sources.

It includes 19 Eurovision songs, five Preselection songs and a bonus track.

This is a digital album, but many songs have appeared on some of his 15+ albums and over 20 singles. Below is the tracklist with  some details on Plögerts first CD releases so if you really don’t like digital music you can try to hunt these down.

But for the rest of us, have a listen at your streamers of buy the songs from your favorite digitessen.

Here are the tracks and some info.

01. Wunder gibt es immer wieder - Germany 1970 (Katja Ebstein)

02. Kleines Kind - Malta 1992 (Little child - Mary Spiteri)
03. Zeit im Traum - Iceland 1987 (Haegt og hljott - Halla Margret)

--- From Plögert’s first CD Eins Blieb Ungesagt (1996, Red Clouds 2501)
04. Rhapsodie - Italy 1992 (Rapsodia - Mia Martini)

--- From 1997 CD Wenn Ich Nur Wüsste
05. Versuch's mal mit mir - Denmark 2005 (Talking to you - Jacob Sveistrup)

--- From a cdsingle from 2006 (Donato Plögert Musik ‎DPM 003)
06. Im Lauf der Zeit - France 2002 (Il faut du temps - Sandrine François)

--- From a 2003 cdsingle also including track 24 below (QED QSV 296)
07. Ich liebe dich - Germany (Preselection 1975, Katja Ebstein)
08. Wo ist das Licht? - The Netherlands 1994 (Waar is de zon - Willeke Alberti)

--- From the CD Sowas Vergisst Man Nicht! (1999, Pool Berlin 65253)

09. Was wird aus mir? - Slovenia 1995 (Prisluhni mi - Darja Svajger)

--- From his first CD Eins Blieb Ungesagt (1996, Red Clouds 2501) also including the Italian version (track 22 below).
10. Frauen regier'n die Welt - Germany 2007 (Roger Cicero)
11. Als ob du bei mir bist - Netherlands (Preselection 1998, Alsof je bij me bent - Nurlaila)
12. Liebe, sie bleibt - Sweden 1998 (Kärleken är - Jill Johnson)

--- From digital single Liebe lässt sich nie verbieten (2016)
13. Ein Lied kann eine Brücke sein - Germany 1975 (Joy Fleming)
14. Ewiges Licht - (Preselection 1996, Eternal love - Alfred Rapa)

--- From Plögerts first CD Eins Blieb Ungesagt (1996, Red Clouds 2501)
15. Mein Herz liebt für zwei - Portugal 2017 (Amar pelos dois - Salvador Sobral)

--- from the CD Banane (2017)
16. Und wenn der Tag beginnt - Spain 1989 (Nacida para amar - Nina)

--- from the CD Sowass Vergisst Man Nicht! (1999, Pool Berlin 65253)

17. Verliebt wie noch nie - Norway 2003 (I’m not afraid to move on - Jostein Hasselgård)

--- Two versions of this song can be found on a cdsingle from 2003 (QED QSV 326)
18. Ich bin Mensch wie du - Cyprus 1994 (Ime anthropos ki egos - Evridiki)

--- from the 2000 cdsingle Die Frau In Ihm (Town DTM 01485)
19. Im Wartesaal zum großen Glück - Germany 1956 (Walter Andreas Schwarz)

--- from the CD Sowass Vergisst Man Nicht! (1999, Pool Berlin 65253)

20. Und das nennst du leben - Malta (Preselection 1999, The right time - Lawrence Gray)

--- From the album Ich Bin Geboren Um Zu Leben, 2015, digital)
21. Zwei kleine Italiener - Germany 1962 (Conny Froboess)
22. Sempre cosi - Slovenia 1995 - Italian Version

--- From his first CD Eins Blieb Ungesagt (1996, Red Clouds 2501)
23. Mich jibt's nur in Berlin - Italy 1991 (Comme e’ddoce’o mare - Peppino di Capri)

--- CD Mittenmang (Berlin für Anfänger und Unersättliche) (2004, Rampenlicht 220026)

24. Fuego de amor - Malta (Preselection 1996, Eternal love - Alfred Rapa, Spanish)

25. Sing ein Lied (für Europa)! - Bonustrack

The Liverpool Collection 2023

Links and sources

Thanks to Frank! Thanks to Rick!

Amar PelosDois Eurocovers

Donato Plögert website, discography/shop, Facebook

The 10.000 coverversions project

Portugal No Coração: Amar Pelos Dois

Eurovision is alive and well and living in Lisbon, no news there. It was Salvador Sobral who brought the victory to the country with his lovesong Amar Pelos Dois.

It may not have been a worldwide super hit but it’s a winner Eurovision can be proud of.

Of course we were all delighted with the success of Loreen’s Euphoria like it was our own song taking over the world, but I guess that was a fluke. Eurovision and world domination don't really match.

Spotify, who decide what's in the charts, can not be arsed to put any Eurovision tunes in their industry sponsored playlists and radios only play them for a week but Eurovision delivers us some pretty awesome and original music. 

There seems to be no place for it anywhere else but we have learned to live with that, even like it that way and I wouldn’t change a thing.

And note to Salvador: for every Amar Pelos Dois or 1944 there’s a Dai Li Dou or Shady Lady. We love them all!

Back to Amar Pelos Dois

Salvador Sobral and his sister Louisa have inspired several artists to record their versions of the song and we’ll take a look at a few of them here. Relevant links are in the list at the end of this post.

First up there’s Alfred García’s version from Operacion Triunfo. Heartthrob Alfred performed his version of Amar Pelos Dois in the 4^th Gala of this years OT extravaganza series.

More about Alfred and Operacion Triunfo releases here at the Lisbon Collection.

Another Eurovision 2018 hopeful, Ari Olafsson from Iceland performed APD even dragging up as Salvador, but that wasn’t released as a single or anything. (but you can still watch the videoclip).

I quite like the versions that were made for the Ballroom dance album Oversway. Amar Pelos Dois is a lovely floaty slow waltz.

Anarita sings on two versions, one in Portuguese and one in English  titled Both Of Us.

The same arrangements (at a lower pitch) were also used by the two versions released by BrunoM.

Banana Pealos Dois

Berliner Donato Plögert is no stranger to the occasional Eurovision cover. In his 20+ year career he has recorded many Eurovision tunes in German including Rapsodia (Italy 1992), Waar Is De Zon (Netherlands 1994) and Talking To You (Denmark 2005). I really should do a Eurocovers special about him some day….

Anyway, he recorded Amar Pelos Dois in German for his new album Banane (also on CD) as Mein Herz Liebt Für Zwei.

A Swedish version För Oss Båda was recorded by Svenska Lyxorkestern. 

Several other artists have recorded APD and since it’s not too difficult anymore to release a digital single, they all did just that. Below is a list of all the covers I know of that have been officially released. There’s probably more and I’m sure you’ll let me know.  

A List: Amar Pelos Dois.

Alfred García (half of the Spanish duo for 2018)

- on CD Operación Triunfo: Alfred García: Sus Canciones, live video)
Anarita (Both Portugese and English)

- digital singles, video’s at R&B Universal, from the album Oversway
BrunoM (Both Portugese and English)

- digital singles, video’s at R&B Universal
Svenska Lyxorkestern - För Oss Båda (Swedish)

-  digital single, video, Swedish lyrics by Anders Forsslund
Donato Plögert - Mein Herz liebt für Zwei (German)

- CD Banane, available through Donato’s shop

And then some...

Marina Damer (digital single, video)

Elaine Brackin (digital single, video)
Sam Darris (digital single, video)
Gerson Galvan (digital single. video)
Spell Choir (acapella, digital single, video)
Mercuzio Pianist (Piano instrumental, digital single)
Leon Noel (Piano instrumental, digital single)
David Matevosyan (Violin instrumental, digital single)



The latest updates at the Lisbon Collection:

Like every year we’ll be bringing you all the release info on entries of this years Eurovision stars.

You'll find all official releases (physical and digital), promo info (as much as possible) and the odd coverversion, chart position and important trivia.
Always more to come, the latest updated pages are at the top of this links list.

Israel - Netta Barzilai wins HaKokhav HaBa and comes a'cluckin'.  single version, remixes released. Winner Eurovision 2018.

Cyprus - Eleni Foureira is on Fire!, Fuego revealed, Spanish version out now. 2nd place in Final.
Austria - Cesar Sampson to Lisbon, listen to Nobody But You, updates, 3rd Place and winner of the Jury Final.
Germany - Michael Schulte's Lied Für Lissabon. Dreamer album info, cdsingle on May 4.
Lithuania - Ieva Zasimauskaitė wins Eurovizijos Atranka, English and Lithuanian versions released, Jovani remixes out now
Slovenia - Lea Sirk wins EMA 2018, Thanks, No! Yes! Final! Great! Music Please!
Macedonia - Eye Cue Lost and found and Lost again, but a new remix is out now, without the reggae bits!
Moldova - O melodie pentru Europa won by DoReDos, New version, Russian version. More remixes out now