Portugal No Coração: Dias Do Vinil

Portugal. the country, won Eurovision in 2017, you all know that and it goes to show that perseverance pays off. It took them over 50 years and almost as many entries to finally get the trophy.

Portugal's Eurovision history is a rich one. Some of the country's greatest singers have entered the contest, some entries are associated with political history and some have been total duds.
It didn't seem like Portugal was on a course to glory in recent years. Only four songs reached the final since 2004 and the last time they ended in the top 10 was in 1996.
And then came Salvador Sobral and the rest is history.

To celebrate the contest being held in Lisbon five classic entries are re-released on glorious vinyl on April 21. The re-issues are a part of the Dias Do Vinil (Days of vinyl), a yearly celebration of the black gold organized by FNAC.
Update: Three of the five re-issues have already been sold out in the online store, but copies are still available at the Fnac stores, so if you're heading to Lisbon....

The re-issued entries are
1974 E Depois Do Adeus - Paulo De Carvalho
1976 Uma Flor De Verde Pinho - Carlos Do Carmo
- His LP Uma Canção Para A Europa (with all preselection songs) also gets a vinyl re-issue.

1978 Dai Li Dou - Gemini
- Their 1977 LP Pensando Em Ti also gets a vinyl make-over. This includes their version of the 1977 entry Portugal No Coração. 
1982 Bem Bom - Doce
1985 Penso Em Ti, Eu Sei - Adelaide

All five have their original b-sides, so no other language versions on the b-sides. Bem Bom has the first version with drum intro, not the later recording that appeared on the other European releases.

Paulo's Duetos
E Depois Do Adeus was re-recorded in 2017 for Paulo De Carvalho's CD Duetos. The album features classic Paulo tracks re-recorded with a range of Portuguese singers including Eurovision singers Rita Guerra, José Cid, Carlos Do Carmo,
Paulo performs E Depois... with Marisa Liz.
The CD and 2LP were released in May 2017, a 2CD re-issue from November also includes a duet with Dulce Pontes.

Links and sources:
Paulo De Carvalho: Facebook
Adelaide Ferreira: Facebook
Carlos Do Carmo: Facebook
Related Eurocovers post:
E Depois Do Adeus - José Calvario (2009)

The Lisbon Collection

Our 2018 website, The Lisbon Collection,  has everything you need to know on the releases, versions and other trivia of this years Eurovision Song Contest.

Here are a few of the just updated pages
Belarus - Еўрабачанне-2018, Alekseev wins, new version out now, The Forever EP, remix
United Kingdom - Eurovision you decide, songs out! SuRie Storms to Lisbon. New version released, 7th Heaven remixes out now! calm after the Storm: Acoustic version out now
Let's Get Physical - Quick list of physical releases, Portuguese book and more stuff
Lithuania - Ieva Zasimauskaitė wins Eurovizijos Atranka, English and Lithuanian versions released, Jovani remix out now
Hungary - A Dal 2CD out now, Let's get loud with AWS, Listen to the English version
Finland - Finland sends Monsters. Again! WWW album info, Remixes out now
Albania - The first song for Lisbon, new Eurovision version remains in Albanian, promo info update
Spain - Operación Triunfo revived, Alfred & Amaia to Eurovision, Eurovision Gala CD on February 23. New version of the Cancion and even more OT CDs, cdsingle(s) out now, updates

Portugal No Coração: Namorados Da Cidade

Digital Release Image

It's the Portugal No Coração weeks at Eurocovers. With the impending Lisbon contest we'll take a look at some Portuguese classics, coverversions and all that. Browsing through my lists, records (and cassette tapes!) I'm sure there's enough to fill some Eurocovers pages, Portugal took their time....
Here's one that is as fresh as it can get though, it was released last February.

Namorados Da Cidade are a Lisbon rock band forged in 2015. I guess they named themselves after a well known Carlos Do Carmo song which translates as 'Boyfriends of the city' and is a lovesong to Lisbon life. (but I could be wrong of course).

The band have some tunes of their own but also play coverversions including some from your beloved Eurovision Song Contest (or rather the Festival da Canção).
If you check out their youtube you'll see live performances of songs like  Um grande Grande Amor (José Cid 1980), O Vento Mudou (Eduardo Nascimento 1967) and A Festa Da Vida (Carlos Mendes 1972).

But now the band have released their first album Namorados Da Cidade and three Eurocovers made it to the tracklist.
Silencio A Tanta Gente is the 1984 entry by Maria Guinot (11th place). It gets a gentle rock makeover and is actually quite fantastic.
There's also A Festa Da Vida but the main attraction is Desfolhada Portuguesa, the 1969 entry by Simone De Oliveira which ended at an inexcusable 15th place. Bad bad juries.
The legendary singer herself joins the band for this great version of her signature song which of course is a treat for Eurovision fans.
You can find the NdC album at your digital stores and streamers, a CD version is available in the Portuguese shops. I've seen it online at FNAC.
They have been touring the FNAC shops and you can still catch them there on March 30 (In Albufeira and Faro, check their facebook, links below)

The Namorados look like this: Picture taken from Namorados Facebook

Links and sources:
Namorados Da Cidade: Website, Facebook, Youtube channel
Other Portugal No Coração posts:
Dias Do Vinil - Some vinyl re-issues of Portuguese Eurovision classics.
Simone De Oliveira, Rainha do festivais has Simone's Eurovision/Eurocovers discography.

In the comments of the Dias Do Vinil post ERK gave us a link to a great list of coverversions of Portuguese entries he created at Discogs. Find it here. Thanks ERK!

An then there's this:

The Portuguese 2018 entry

The Lisbon Collection keeps track of the releases, versions and whathaveyou's of the 2018 contest, check it out.
These are a few of the latest updated pages:
Germany - Michael Schulte's Lied Für Lissabon. Dreamer album info
France - Destination Eurovision for Madame Monsieur, Mercy already a top 10 hit. Vu D'Ici album info
Estonia - Eurolaul goes Classic: La Forza to Lisbon, Remixes out now!
Israel - Netta Barzilai wins HaKokhav HaBa and comes a'cluckin'.  single version, remixes released.
Let's Get Physical - Quick list of physical releases
Portugal the country - Cláudia Pascoal wins Festival da Canção. FdC CD out now
Spain - Operación Triunfo revived, Alfred & Amaia to Eurovision, Eurovision Gala CD on February 23. New version of the Cancion and even more OT CDs, cdsingle on March 23
Poland - Gromee and Lukas win Krajowych Eliminacji Eurowizji 2018, CD Chapter One on March 16. promo info

Summertime Bits and pieces part 2.

The Divine Comedy
British band The Divine Comedy released their 10th album Bang Goes The Knighthood two months ago. It's worth checking out the limited edition of the album which includes an extra disc (if you can still find it).
The bonus cd Live at Cité de la Musique, Paris, features nine mostly French tracks.
Next to classics like Brels Amsterdam and Vanessa Paradis' Joe Le Taxi there are two Eurocovers: L'Amour Est Bleu and Poupée De Cire, Poupée De Son, both songs need no further explanation methinks.
(Divine Comedy Records DCRL101DCD)

Kirkorov
Russian Eurovision singer and multi Eurocoverer Philippe Kirkorov (Фили́пп Кирко́ров) has recorded a version of the Swedish 2009 entry La Voix (Malena Ernman) He teams up with soprano Anna Netrebko (Анна Нетребко) for the quasi classical pop ditty and if you visit his website the song starts playing.
More Kirkorov Eurocovers in this post.
The russian version is titled Голос, but an English version is also recorded

Portugal Discographies

An highly recommended website for Portugal Eurovision history fans can be found at this Portuguese music history site.
The pages Os Reis Do Vinyl feature several interesting pages.
There are some very extended discographies with delicious picture sleeves including Eurovision legends Madalena Iglesias, António Calvario and Simone De Oliveira.
You will find their Eurovision sleeves and many of their Eurocovers.
You can also read about the Festival Da Canção Portuguesa before the country made its debut at Eurovision in 1964.
Lots of info new to me, there was already talk of a Eurovision appearance since 1961 (They finally made their debut in 1964). Really wonderful browsing.

I used google translate to navigate the site in English, but you'll get some funny translations. Antonio Calvario translates as Butch Moore, Madalena Iglesians becomes Dickie Rock and Maria Marize becomes Queen Mary. But it helps anyway.

Esta Balada Que Te Dou
To stick to the subject of Portugal, here is a great coverversion of the 1983 entry Esta Balada Que Te Dou (Armando Gama) .
This version by Os Pontos Negros was recorded last year for a Radio station and appeared on a compilation issued by Radio Antena 3: 3 pisata vol. 2.
I don't think it was released on a Pontos Negros record. Their 3rd CD Pequeno-Almoço Continental is out on Universal since last April

Esta Balada is a bit alternative (The Pontos are cited to be inspired by The White Stripes) and it's certainly a long way away from the sugar coated original, but it keeps the melancholy madrugada-feeling perfectly in tact.

If you want to hear a version of Esta Balada Que Te Dou a bit closer to Armando Gama's version there's a new recording by Marcelo Costa. His CD Marcelo Costa is out on Sony since april. It's available through most digital outlets. You can listen to Marcelo's Balada at his MySpace playlist.

And here's a bit of interesting trivia for the die hards. Esta Balada Que Te Dou broke the Eurovision rules back in 1983. Armando Gama had already released a version of the song on his 1982 LP Quase Tudo (RT records RT 10021). At the time the rules about songs being previously released were even stricter than today, but it seems nobody noticed and Gama got away with it. Esta Balada was the 5th Portuguese entry to end 13th at the contest.

More Portuguese Eurovision entries are covered on an eponymous album by Sons Do Tejo (Espacial records). The album includes Menina Do Alto da Serra (1970 originally by Tonicha) and Desfolhada Portuguesa (1969 by Simone de Oliveira).
You can listen to Menina at their MySpace along with some other tracks from the CD.
The album is available at most digital outlets. The CD is at CD.GO.



Jørgen Ingmann and poets

Mikael sent me this bit of info on an unusual version of Dansevise, the first Danish Eurovision winner.
The CD Jørgen Ingmann Og Digterne is a collection of tracks by Ingmann on guitar accompanied by poets who recite the lyrics of the songs.
Dansevise is recited by Marianne Gerner over what is probably a 1976 instrumental recording of the song by Ingmann.
The CD comes with a book and is available in the Danish bookshops (Forlaget Vandkunsten ISBN 9788776951092, 2009). Read more (in Danish) at Forlaget Vandkunsten.

Ingmann is of course an acclaimed guitarist with several worldwide solo hits in the 60's (He scored a US #1 with the Shadows Apache). He was joined by his wife Grethe (1939 - 1990) for many singles including their Eurovision win in 1963.
And you can still check out the duo's sensational Winners and Losers coverversions LP feature in the second Eurocovers post ever.

Made In China
A 2009 CD by The Fake Orchestra - Made In China, is actually not fake, and not made in China, but the orchestra is from Slovenia. The jazz album features one Eurocover: Ne Prizigaj Luci V Temi which is a Slovenian version of Ne Pali Svjetla U Sumrak, the Yugoslavian entry from 1962, originally performed by Lola Novaković. The fakers have a MySpace, but sadly it doesn't feature the Eurocover. Excerpts are at Sternsmusic.

Elda Viler
Some more anoraky bits here: Yugoslavia's first two entries (including Ne Pali Svjetla U Sumrak) were actually submitted to the Yugoslavian selection by TV Ljubljana (Slovenian TV), but they had to be performed in Serbo-Croat in the selection and subsequently at Eurovision. The first time an entry sung in Slovenian entered Eurovision was in 1966 (Brez Besed by Berta Ambrož). Of the first ten Yugoslavian entries five were submitted by TV Ljubljana. Of the 17 entries that followed only one came from Slovenia.

Slovenian jazz legend Elda Viler popularized Ne Prizigaj Luci V Temi (in Slovenian) in the 70's. The clip below is a live recording from 2009 with the Goriski Pihalni Orkester (loving the outfits guys).

E Depois Do Adeus - José Calvário (1951 - 2009)

This week Portugal and the Eurovision nation have to say a sad adeus to José Calvário.
The Portuguese composer and orchestra leader died at the age of 58.

Calvário and his Orchestra worked with many popular Portuguese artists and he produced several hitsongs and albums. He also composed and recorded scores for Portuguese cinema.
I won't be trying to present a full life story on José Calvário here, I don't know enough for that. It's just a small tribute to a milestone in Portuguese music and an opportunity to get re-acquainted with E Depois Do Adeus.

In Eurovision world he is most known as the composer of the portuguese entries of 1972, 1974 and 1988. He also conducted the orchestra for the Portuguese Eurovision entries in 1974, 1977, 1985 and 1988 and recorded and produced the entries records on several occasions.

The 1972 entry A Festa Da Vida is a well known song, the 1988 composition Voltarei came into trouble for sounding a bit too much like Save Your Kisses For Me, but the most famous of Calvário's Eurovision compositions is E Depois Do Adeus (After the goodbye).

The Revolution
E Depois Do Adeus, (lyrics José Niza) performed by Paulo De Carvalho in Eurovision gained legendary status by the role it played in the Carnation Revolution in april 1974 in Portugal.
However the role of E Depois is somewhat overplayed or at least misinterpreted at some sources. It did not start the revolution, and certainly not on Eurovision night and the song has no revolutionary lyrics, but an airing of E Depois on radio on April 24 was a starting signal for revolutionary activities.
Needless to say, E Depois Do Adeus gained immortal status in Portuguese music and has been covered by several artists, many in recent years. You'll find a few below.

José Calvário Eurocovers
As an orchestra leader Calvário recorded two albums of interest to Eurocovers fans. Especially interesting is the 1973 LP Eurovisão - 10 Canções which features 10 orchestral covers (with some chorus) of 10 songs from the 1973 contest (Orfeu STAT 015)*
Another album is recorded by Calvário with the London Philharmonic in 1993: Saudades vol. III. This includes 7 Portuguese entries from 1965 to 1982, some in medleys, others in full.
The album is currently available at CD-Go
A vocal version of E Depois Do Adeus was recorded by Calvário and his orchestra (vocals but no lyrics) but I have no release details on that.

UPDATE: The Orchestral version with chorus vocals can be found on the Mozambique EP of the original entry by Paolo. This EP (Orfeu KSAT 507, pictured left) has the Portuguese, English and said Orchestral version. (Thanks Rick!!!)

* I don´t have the LP or know the exact tracklist, but it includes the 1973 entries of entries of Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, Spain, Sweden, and UK (♫ below)

The version by Sebastião Manuel (from Brasil) from the VA LP O Meu Rico Portugues, the recording is from 1975 and was used in a Brasilian TV series in the 70's. The track by Paula Oliveira & Bernardo Moreira is from 2005 album Lisboa Que Adormece and the Radio Clube Nora version is from 2006 (quite great album Ver Sons)

E Depois Do Adeus was also covered by vocal groups Divinus, Grupo Verde Vinho & Vozes Da Radio, by a trio of Eurovision collegues Carlos Mendes, Fernando Tordo with original singer Paulo De Carvalho and by David Ripado of Operacão Triunfo.
I'm still looking for the version by Ester De Abreu (1977 LP Amar Amar).
Of A Festa Da Vida (1972) I only know of an instrumental by Shegundo Galarza.
Of 1988's Voltarei I don't have any cover info.

80's Eurocovers - A Wave Of Portuguese New Wave.

Don't You Want Me or Love Will Tear Us Apart, that was the choice you had to make in The 80's, remember them? Dead Cool or Cool Dead.
Big Floppy Hair, Outrageous Blousons, Electronic Dans Music, Neue Deutsche Welle and more floppy hair.

Here are two Portuguese new wave tracks that are gloriously 80's. But in fact they're covers of 60's Portuguese Eurovision songs.

Mler Ife Dada were a extravagant band from Cascais, Portugal, heart of Portuguese new wave. They enjoyed their 15 minutes of 80's fame especially after the charismatic Anabela Duarte joined the band. Mler Ifa Dada made two, now of course very important, albums and a few singles.
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For the b-side of their first single with Anabela Duarte, L'amour Va Bien, Merci (Ama Romanta records AMRO002, 1986) they recorded a version of Ele E Ela, Portugals 1966 entry by Madalena Iglésias. They re-titled it Ele E Ela….E Eu (Him and her… and me). It's a perfect European new wave gem clocking in under 1:50.
Mler Ife Dada recorded two albums which both have been re-issued on CD and there's also a compilation from 2003 but none of these releases has Ele E Ela….E Eu.

- Coisas Que Fascinam (LP, Polygram, 1987)
- Espírito Invisível (LP, Polygram, 1989)
- Pequena Fábula (Compilation Universal, 2003)
Anabela Duarte still tours and released a CD Machine Lyrique in 2006. Duartes 1987 solo LP Lisbunah, on which she re-invents Fado for a new generation, is another recommended album.

The second new wave cover is by Os Delfins, also from Cascais. Their version of the 1967 song O Vento Mudou (Portuguese entry by Angolan born Eduardo Nascimento) is what a Eurovision entry by Joy Division could have sounded like, ok....., let's say early Simple Minds.
Os Delfins, like th' Minds, soon abandoned new wave for rock-pop, but this early single remains a Portuguese new wave landmark. They're still recording and released the CD Delfins earlier this year. You can check them out at their MySpace.
-Os Delfins´version of O Vento Mudou was released as a 7" single and 12" inch maxi in 1984 on the Fundação Atlântica label (FA 2002697/6), which was regarded as the Portuguese equivalent of Factory Records.





Carlos Paião Cover Play BackPortuguese outfit My Tie have recorded a new version (in 2004) of the Portuguese 1981 entry Play Back by Carlos Paião. The coverversion is in English and was only released as a bonus track on promo cdsingle The Entrance. But it can also be heard at My Tie´s MySpace. And there´s some more good stuff too.
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1966 - Ele E Ela (He and she or Him and her)
Original singer Madalena Iglesias came 13th in the contest in 1966 and recorded the song in Portuguese and Spanish (EP pictured above).
Madalena Iglesias recorded many Eurocovers herself. One EP Eurovisão 1965 (Alvorada AEP 6030, tracks wanted!!) features coverversions in Portuguese of the 1965 entries of Austria, France, U.K. and Luxembourg. She also recorded the 1966 winner Merci Cherie (in Spanish), Italian evergreen Romantica (1960) and Simone de Oliveira´s Portuguese entries of 1965 and 1969.
1967 - O Vento Mudou (The wind changed)
Original singer Eduardo Nascimento came 12th in the contest of 1967 and recorded the song in Portuguese and English.
1981 - Play Back
Original singer Carlos Paião (1957 - 1988) ended 18th in the contest and recorded the song in Portugese and English. (Eurovision Collectors Guide)

More Portuguese Versions In Other Eurocovers Posts:
Leny Eversong (Brasil), Florbela Quieros (Portugal), Puppet On A String , coverversions from Brasil, Jose Cid (Portugal), Portugal preselections artists Duo Ouro Negro (Singing in Italian)

VII: Year Of The Puppet - Florbela Queiros - Boneca Articulada

Florbela Queiros is a Portuguese actress who starred in several movies of the Nouvelle Vague variety. Now you can say a lot about Puppet On A String, but not that it's Nouvelle Vague, so I don't think the song is from any of her movies.

This song is from an EP titled Folclore Americano (Tecla TE 1013)

UPDATED with picture sleeve and release details 01-07-07

VII: Portugal - José Cid

I have some fond memories of José Cid and his frantic piano number he did in the 1980 songcontest.
Um grande, grande amor finished 7th which was Portugals best result to that date.

This year he's back in the Portuguese selection as a songwriter and producer for Zé P. (song: A ilha).


Back in 1998 he wrote the entry for Alma Lusa, Se eu te pudesse abraçar, which ended up 13th.
José Cids own version of that song can be found on the 1998 CD Terra Mãe (Temas originais da telenovela). A various artists cd with songs from the RTP1 soap Terra mãe.

Here's a nude picture of José Cid for your entertainment which of course I can't publish on a decent blog like this.



Se eu te pudesse abraçar - José Cid

José Cid homepage