4 x 50: Eurovision 1969 Madrid

Today it's 50 years ago that the 1969 Eurovision Song Contest happened in Madrid, Spain. There were four winners and other sources of total mayhem (like Franco).
There's a lot of talking but the show starts at approx 16 minutes.
(TVE's archive may not be available in all territories.
You can watch the original show here at TVE's archives. It's in black and white, as broadcasted in Spain back then.
Other countries saw it in colour. The colour version is here at TVE


10 years ago Eurocovers did quite a few bits about that, so why not check the old posts out. (Warning, may contain expired links)

4x40: Introduction

4x40: De Troubadour - Lenny Kuhr

4x40: Vivo Cantando - Salomé

4x40: Un Jour Un Enfant - Frida Boccara

4x40: Boom Bang A Bang - Lulu

4x40: The Losers

MySpace, Lenny Kuhr and more

MySpace YourSpace OuttaSpace
MySpace is brilliant. Sometimes a bit slow maybe, but brilliant.
I already mentioned a load of Volare covers featured on MySpace. But there's more, so I'll check out the ones I find of interest by the great known and even greater unknown on a probably not so regular basis and share some of my my findings here at Eurocovers.

The handsome fellow on the right is Aaron Caruso.
On his MySpace he sings some Italian classics in various styles, but the relaxed laid back style on Dio Come Ti Amo (Italy 1966 Domenico Modugno) fits him like his pants do.
The song can also be found on his 2003 debut CD Passione. I really love the flugelhorn in the intro too.

You can find out more about Aaron at his own website and buy his music (digital and cds) at CDBaby
Another sweet one that caught my ear is by Trio Los Hispanicos. (link restored 2011) Their MySpace features a coverversion of the Italian 1971 entry l'Amore È Un Attimo by Massimo Ranieri. It's in Spanish, titled Perdon Cariño Mio (track 4) and it only had 12 plays (most by me)!, can you believe that?
Trio Hispanicos are from Alamo, Texas and their Eurocover is a perfect melancholic Tex Mex ballad. Go check 'em out.
40 years De Troubadour tribute site.
Your Eurocovers celebrated the four 1969 winners in the 4 x 40 - Madrid 1969 series but now a new website has been launched with all you need to know (and more) about the Dutch co-winner De Troubadour.

It's created by the Official Lenny Kuhr fansite and they have done a marvellous job.
The work of love features many insights on Lenny Kuhr's adventures, the history of the song, discography, coverversions (yep) and many great pictures.

I love the Curiosa / Curiosities page with pictures from ads, postcards and even Lenny Kuhr cigar bands. And also the page about De Generaal / The General, the Lenny Kuhr tribute to Legendary Football Coach Rinus Michels is great.
And there's more, but you better check it out for yourselves.

The site is in Dutch, but with the Google Translator it works reasonably well in English and other languages.
Lenny Kuhr - De Troubadour tribute site (new link) and on this YouTube channel there are many Lenny Kuhr clips and performances.


Eurovision 2009 - The Moscow Collection
The Latest News At The Moscow Collection Blog:
Sweden: Melodifestivalen Charts, history and some other trivia
Netherlands: Website launched, listen to the new version, new cds.
France - Patricia Kaas - Kabaret CD info, tour info, new version
Georgia: Disco Inferno: EBU Rejects song, Georgia Out?.
Belgium: Copycat is here! Elvis fans not happy.
Ukraine: Svetlana Loboda to Moscow, Official Video
Romania: Elena Gheorghe Website launches
Cyprus - Radio version of Firefly available
Serbia, Slovakia, Russia, Estonia decided
Albania: Carry Me In Your Dreams

David Hartsema 1925 - 2009

A sad goodbye in the Netherlands. Eurocovers celebrated 40 years of De Troubadour just a few weeks ago with the 4 X 40 post about the 1969 Eurovision winner.
And now I read the news at Songfestivalweblog that the lyricist who wrote the De Troubadour with Lenny Kuhr, David Hartsema died last Saturday.

Hartsema wrote over 900 songs and poems in Dutch, Groningan, Frysian, English and French. He wrote most lyrics for Lenny Kuhr debut LP and he was an avid supporter of the Groningan language. He worked many years with Liane Abeln, who is one of the most prolific singers in the Groningan language. He also was a painter and a woodsculptor.
David Hartsema was 84

(sources Songfestivalweblog, RTV noord, Streektaalmuziek all in Dutch)

Below there's a new live version of De Troubadour I found on Youtube. It's Lenny Kuhr with Ralph Rousseau and Frans de Berg from their new theatre show Troubadours Van Alle Tijden (Troubadours of all times)

4 X 40 - Madrid 1969 - De Troubadour

The first of the four winners of the 1969 Madrid contest in 4 X 40 is the Dutch entry De Troubadour by Lenny Kuhr. The Dutch had a good track record back then and Lenny Kuhr was the third Eurovision winner for the Netherlands in 14 years.
Lenny Kuhr wrote De Troubadour with David Hartsema and only just won the Dutch national selection one point ahead of Conny Vinks De Toeteraar.
The song is a simple but effective folktale about a traveling singer from the olden days. He sings, touches peoples hearts, rich or poor, dies in the end but won't be forgotten.
Lenny Kuhr recorded De Troubadour in Dutch, French, German, English, Spanish and Italian as it was properly done in those days. She also recorded several new versions and the song has always been a vital part of her live repertoire.
You can find a new live version on her 2007 anniversary CD 40 Jaar Verliefd.

El Trovador
In Spanish it became El Trovador and that version was recorded by Sabrina (Spanish 60's singer), Luis Alberto Del Parana Y Los Paraguayos from Paraguay, Los Alegres (a Dutch/Latin party combo) and one of Chile's greatest, Gloria Simonetti.

Gloria Simonetti
Gloria Simonetti is a popular singer from Chile. In her 40 year career she released 15 albums and scored hits with Lo Que Pasa Contigo, Hijos, La Violeta Y La Parra, Gracias A La Vida and Ojalá. She participated in festivals in Chile, Puerto Rico, Spain and Bulgaria.
Her first festival appearance was at the Viña del Mar International Song Festival in 1968. She went on to win that festival a year later with Mira Mira and for the 2009 edition next februari she will be one of the judges. She celebrated her 40 year career with a national tour.


Gloria's Eurocovers
Gloria Simonetti recorded two of the 1969 winners on her 1970 LP Gloria (RCA). El Trovador and Un Dia, Un Niño (France's entry, more in part 3) and later she recorded a coverversion of the 1988 Italian entry Vivo by Luca Barbarossa titled Viva. A song that no one else covered as far as I know. (CD Dedicado)
On her live album 25 años de Gloria Simonetti there is a medley including Dio Come Ti Amo and Al Di Lá (Italy 1966 & 1961).

More Troubadours / Help!
Other versions of De Troubadour have been recorded in Finland Portugal, France and (recently discovered) in Estonia.
And then there may be one someone out there might help me with. Someone I know that knows someone etcetera claims that De Troubadour was also recorded in Polish and even was popular on radio. But of course I don't know who the singer is. So if anyone has any idea about a Polish 60's or 70's coverversion of De Troubadour, please let me know

Click to enlarge

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Lenny Kuhr homepage (In Dutch)
Gloria Simonetti page and Fanpage (In Spanish)


De Troubadour Youtube

4x40: Introduction

4x40: De Troubadour - Lenny Kuhr

4x40: Vivo Cantando - Salomé

4x40: Un Jour Un Enfant - Frida Boccara

4x40: Boom Bang A Bang - Lulu

4x40: The Losers