Melodifestivalen 2008 - Carola Not So Invincible?

I missed yesterday's Melodifestivalen heat to wake up with the shocking news that three time Eurovision entrant Carola didn't make it to the final straight away. Well, tough luck, she, with her singing partner Andreas 'Glorious' Johnson, will get another chance to sing their One Love in the Second Chance round.

Carola's Eurovision history is one of success and glamour. Her first appearance at a national final in 1983 resulted in a maximum vote from all 11 regions' judges, something that hadn't happened before.
The song, Främling (Stranger) went on to Eurovision in Münich and ended third.
Carola recorded the song in Swedish, English, German and even in Dutch. The latter, Je Ogen Hebben Geen Geheimen (Your eyes have no secrets) scored a top 10 hit in the Dutch charts. Främling was only a # 5 hit in the Swedish charts but has become a classic over the years and is the third most covered Swedish Eurovision entry behind winners Waterloo (1974) and Diggi Loo Diggi Ley (1984).

In 1990 Carola tried again and ended 2nd in Melodifestivalen with Mitt I Ett Äventyr. Great pop song and another # 5 hit in the Swedish charts. The winner Som En Vind by reli band Edin Ådahl bombed at Eurovision (16th) and in the charts (only a 15/2 hit)

Carola's revenge came in 1991 when she won Melodifestivalen and the Rome Eurovision with Fångad Av En Stormwind (Caught by a storm) an energetic power pop schlager stunner for which Carola introduced the windmachine to the Eurovision stage.
Runner up with the equal amount of points was Amina's Le Dernier Qui A Parlé for France, but Carola was declared the winner on a high point count.
The song charted in Sweden (3/6) but failed to impress the international record buyers.

Via an almost return in 2003 with När Löven Faller (which she withdrew from the competition) 2006 saw Carola singing Invincible (Evighet at the MF) at the Athens Eurovision Song Contest. Melodifestivalen was a piece of cake, but in the international final she 'only' ended fifth (a result many other countries would start a war for).

Carola is a superstar in Sweden. She had her ups and downs, scandals and celebrations. A tabloid career ranging from religious fundamentalism and anti gay remarks to liberation trough divorce and really really loving her stylists and hairdresser. All s#@t came her way but somehow most Swedes forgave her, bought her Christmasalbums by the truckload and voted Carola as most popular Swede after the royals.
Is Carola not making it straight to the final a sign of a love that's beginning to crack or do we just blame Andreas Johnson?

I made a Carola Document (updated version september 2011) for your entertainment and information. You can find details and some picture sleeves on all Carola's versions and releases as taken from the Eurovision Collectors Guide.
You'll also find lists of coverversions from the 10.000 coverversions project. If you have any addition or correction, please let me know.
It's a Word Document and you can download it here.

Carola's page at BeaRecords offers various releases of her entries including vintage vinyl, cdsingles and several CDalbums.

http://www.carolainternational.com/ is a great site about Carola with biography, discography, news and lots more.

Here's a few coverversions of Carola's three Eurovision songs.
First up there's Främling by Marjana Derzaj, a recording in Slovenian (Tujci) from the CD Za vse poletne noci! (2001, RTVS ZKP DD 0173). The Stormwind is covered by Dutch kids project Ministars as Een Nijlpaard In De Achtbaan which translates as A Hippo In A Rollercoaster. Last is Evighet by South African boyband Hi-5. Their Afrikaans version 'N Ewigheid is from their CD Versoeking (Select musiek) which includes 6 Eurocovers in Afrikaans.


You can find another version of Främling in the last years Eurocovers post about Døsty Cåwshit. You can find a Chinese version of Le Dernier Qui A Parlé, the song that Carola beat in 1991, in this post.

Anno Domenico: Volare Around The World

Volare has been covered in many languages and the version featured today is an quirky version in Japanese mixed with some Italian namedropping.

It's by Bar/ Blues/ Rock'n'roll band Brave Combo from Texas together with Japanese Ondo (& Pop) star Kawachiya Kikusuimaru. (河内家 菊水丸).
Ondo is an 800 year old Japanese folk music genre.

The track first appeared on the 1993 Brave Combo & Kikusuimaru CD Ondo Saves The World (Tele Disc TLCD-93001, released in Japan) and later in 1996 it was reissued on the Brave Combo CD Mood Swing Music (Rounder CD 11574, USA)

Check out http://www.brave.com/ for all about the Grammy winning Brave Combo! Their albums and other goods are available at their Webstore
Their youngest CD is Polka's Revenge (Dentone records, 2007).

2008: Anno Domenico is a tribute to Domenico Modugno's Eurovision classic Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare) which conquered the world 50 years ago. Eurocovers will feature half a century of remarkable coverversions of the Italian evergreen.

With this link you'll get all the Eurocovers posts that have featured (or mentioned) the song so far.

CD news: Festivalfavoriter - Internationella Hits På Svenska

It's Melodifestivalen* season and next week sees the release of a highly anticipated CD in Sweden Festivalfavoriter - Internationella hits på svenska (EMI) . It's a CD with 26 Swedish Eurocovers with songs from 1957 to 1977. Well known songs are there (Volare, Piove, Dansevise, Poupée de cire, Congratulations) but also some almost forgotten gems like L'amour s 'en va (Originally by Francoise Hardy), Finnish favorite Tipi Tii and Dutch Classic De Mallemolen. All covered in Swedish.
Artists like Gitte, Gunnar Wiklund, Alice Babs and Eurocovers favorite Marie Dieke all feature on this great collection.

Big kudo's go to Leif Thorsson, who used all his charm and pressure to make this CD release possible. Leif Thorsson is the author of the ultimate Eurovision / Melodifestivalen book Melodifestivalen Genom Tiderna**.

I'm also extra pleased with the inclusion of Doris' (Svenssons) version of Boom Bang A Bang.
Doris Svenssons' cult LP Did You Give The World Some Love Today Baby (in English), is a must hear and was reissued on CD with a load of bonus tracks, but not Boom Bang A Bang.

The Favoriter CD is out 11-02 and available soon at BeaRecords and other sources. At a snip! (6,50 at BeaRecords). See the full tracklist below.
* Melodifestivalen is the mammoth Swedish preselection for Eurovision. regarded as one of the best national finals and with all shows (6) in the top 10 most viewed TV shows of the year in Sweden.

Tonight is the first round for 2008, read more at the SVT Melodifestivalen site (In Swedish & English)

**Melodifestivalen Genom Tiderna (2006 edition Premium Publishing ISBN 91-89136-29-2) has been issued in 1999 with an updated version issued in 2006. The book is in Swedish but still extremely enjoyable if you don't read the language. Many unique photo's, picture sleeves and all results tables you need about more than 50 years Eurovision ánd the Swedish preselections. All in a large glamourous hardcover volume. I'd almost say Melodifestivalen Genom Tiderna is the only book you need, but I'd be selling myself short: of course a serious collector also needs the Eurovision Collectors Guide.

Tracklist Festivalfavoriter - Internationella Hits På Svenska
01 Doris - Boom Bang-A-Bang
02 Lars Lönndahl - I Det Blå (Volare)(Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu)
03 Carl-Erik Thörn - Säg Små Vackra Ord Till Mig (Say Wonderful Things To Me)
04 Marie Dieke - Om Våren ('N Beetje)
05 Alice Babs - Sov Min Älskling (Dors, Mon Amour)
06 Bertil Englund - Ring -A-Ding (Ring -A-Ding Girl)
07 Gunnar Thim - Säg Att Jag Drömt (Net Als Toen)
08 Gerd Persson & Tosse Bark - Sjung Lilla Fågel (Sing Little Birdie)
09 Carli Tornehave - Piove (Ciao Ciao Bambina)
10 Lars Lönndahl - Tina Och Marina (Zwei Kleine Italiener)
11 Marie Dieke - Åh, Ifall Jag Vore Du Ändå (Uh, Jeg Ville Önske Jeg Var Dig)
12 Gerd Persson - Tom Pillibi
13 Carli Tornehave - Angelique
14 Kicki Oscarsson - Vi Möts Och Vi Skiljs (L'Amour S'en Va)
15 Bertil Englund - Tipi-Tii
16 Gitte Henning - Det Kan Väl Inte Jag Rå För (Poupée De Cire, Poupée De Son)
17 Carl-Erik Thörn - Du Är Som Skapad För Mig (Uno Per Tutte)
18 Anne Lie Rydé & Sös Fenger - Drömdans/Dansevise
19 Gunnar Wiklund - Mercie Cherie
20 Gitte Henning - La La La (Lyckolåten)
21 Marianne Kocks - Simsalabim (Jack In The Box)
22 Pastallerna - Ler, Ber Och Bönar (Beg Steal Or Borrow)
23 Rasmus - En Bit Av Mig Själv (Tu Te Reconnaitras)
24 Emigranterna - Tom Tom Tom
25 Gitte Henning - Vi Gratulerar (Congratulations)
26 Small Town Singers - Äntligen Har Jag Kommit Hem (De Mallemolen)

Benny Neyman - 1951 - 2008

Dutch singer Benny Neyman died today.
Listen to Marinella, a beautiful Dutch version of I Giorni Di Arcobaleno (Nicola Di Bari), the Italian Eurovision entry of 1972.
The song was released on the LP/CD Samen Zijn We Rijk (CNR 100,039 1978) and it was released as a b-side to 7"inch Onze Straat (CNR 141.547, 1979).

http://www.bennyneyman.nl/

Svanhildur Jakobsdottir & Nútímabörn

Been doing some browsing and I came across a comprehensive Icelandic record label discography page at Wiki. SG Hljómplötur.
Some great picture sleeves (I borrowed these from there) to be seen and there's some very interesting Eurocovers to be found in Iceland still.

The singer Svanhildur (Jakobsdóttir) recorded (at least) 4 Eurovision covers in the early 70s.
Next to her Eurocovers her other claim to Eurovision fame is that Svanhildur was the spokesperson who announced the Icelandic votes in 1997. And she's Anna Mjoll's mum (see comments)

Svanhildur LP Ég kann mér ekki læti (SG Hjlómplötur SG 050) features:
- Ekkert Svar (Apres toi, Luxembourg 1972)
- Betlað rænt og ruplað (Beg, steal or borrow, U.K. 1972)

And a 7"inch single by Svanhildur from 1971: (SG - hljómplötur SG 559) (top picture)
- Ég skal bíða þín (Un banc , un arbre, une rue, Monaco 1971)
- Þú ert minn súkkulaði-ís (Jack in the box, U.K. 1971)

Another one I found is by a ultra cool looking band called Nútímabörn LP Nútímabörn (SG - hljómplötur SG 023)
- La La La (Spain 1968)

Any help would of course be massively appreciated!!

Anno Domenico: 50 years ago today - Johnny Dorelli

Today it's 50 years ago that the final of the Italian SanRemo contest took place. The 3 day contest started on januari 30 and the final 10 songs competed on februari 1.
We all know the song that won, but in the olden San Remo days (1957 - 1967 + 1969) all songs were performed by two different artists, and the contest was won by both.

Modugno vs. Dorelli
Only one of them went on to Eurovision and the choice for the composer of the song is logical. So we all know Domenico Modugno, but the other winner Johnny Dorelli missed the train to world wide fame. It makes it even sadder that in 1959 the same thing happened with Piove (Ciao Ciao Bambina). Modugno went to Eurovision and had the hit, Dorelli missed out.
Dorelli's version of Volare ended up at 26 in the end of year charts in Italy in 1958. Modugno's version was only #2, behind Paul Anka's Diana.
--------------------------------------------------(pic: Domenico Modugno, Nilla Pizzi & Johnny Dorelli)
Johnny Dorelli scored his first success in 1956, Calypso Melody and he also recorded international hits like Julia (a #1 in Italy), My Funny Valentine, Love In Portofino and Speedy Gonzales.

His 1967 Sar Remo entry L'immensità was another hit record (# 2 in Italy) but Dorelli's success shifted to TV shows and later to acting in Italian films.


Swinging
Dorelli recently released two jazz CDs Swinging (2005) and Swinging Parte Secunda (2007) featuring new versions of jazz standards including remakes of L'Immensita, Love In Portofino, My Funny Valentine etc. Both CDs on the Carosello label are available from most webshops.

Johnny Dorelli Eurocovers Discography (additions welcome)
Italy 1958 - Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)
- 7" & EP (CGD E 6041)
Italy 1959 - Piove (Ciao Ciao bambina)
- EP (CGD HG 7707)
Italy 1960 - Romantica (Renato Rascel at Eurovision)
- details wanted


2008: Anno Domenico will feature 50 years of coverversions of Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare).With this link you'll get all the Eurocovers posts that have featured (or mentioned) the song so far.

Another Blog TipA-Ma-Zing is the only word I could find for the LP featured at You Hear It, It's Unpleasant.
The LP by US quartet The Scotch Foursome includes Volare but also a host of other sleaze-cheese you will love. The post about the Foursome is here. You can listen to Volare with the player or d/l the full album and hear Ralph, Joe, Tony & Jim slaughter classics like My Girl, Light My Fire and I Wish You Love.

Vivo cantando - Carnaval is coming!

With Carnaval coming to the lowlands this weekend it's time to share this gem. Way back in the 70's someone thought it a good idea to humpa-up the Spanish Eurovision entry of 1969 Vivo Cantando, originally by Salomé. The song was one of 4 winners that year, the only year in Eurovision history that saw multiple winners. Ja Ja Daar Gaan We translates roughly as Yeah, Yeah, here we go.

Ad Nijkamp was one of Father Abraham's Good Sons (Goede zonen) The Father Abraham we all know and love from the Smurf Song. De Goede Zonen were his band in the early 70's and together they scored many hits and Carnaval schlagers in the Netherlands. Later Ad Nijkamp became Father Abrahams manager.

This coverversion has an added melody in the song, which was used in several other coverversions of Vivo Cantando, but hasn't been sung by the original performer. For example the version by Birthe Kjaer and the German one by Edina Pop (Marika Késmárky) you can find in this Eurocovers post (Zwischen Wolga und Don). A drag version of the song titled Wintersport can be found in the Eurocovers post Free at last, Costume Drama at Eurocovers.

The pictures are the front and back of the record sleeve. ----- 

Anno Domenico: Pleased To Meet Alex Chilton

The first time I ever heard of Alex Chilton was in a song by The Replacements. On their LP Pleased To Meet Me from 1987 (still a favorite LP of mine) there's a song bearing Chilton's name.

I remember buying that LP initially because I thought the graphics were so cool.
So then I discovered that Alex Chilton is a cult figure who was in the Box Tops at 16 (remember The Letter ?) and Big Star.

In the same year, 1987, Alex Chilton released his acclaimed solo LP High Priest for which he recorded Volare in his inimitable ironic vocal style.



Read more about Alex Chilton, Big Star and the Box Tops at Answers.com
If you haven't done so yet, you should really watch The Letter by the Box Tops in this Youtube video and see the magic of Alex Chilton.
The CD version of the Replacements LP Pleased To Meet Me is available at most internet stores and a recommended 80's fun power pop punk rock album. (Although it really should be listened to (loud!) on vinyl, some LPs are just better that way).
The Replacements' Alex Chilton video (youtube) is here

2008: Anno Domenico will feature 50 years of coverversions of Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare).With this link you'll get all the Eurocovers Posts that have featured the song so far.

BLOG TIP: Nora Brockstedt at Global Vintage
A whole week of Nora Brockstedt goodies at the 'new' blog Global Vintage. Nora Brockstedt is the singer of the first two Eurovision entries for Norway: Voi Voi from 1960 and Sommer I Palma from 1961.
She celebrated her 85th birthday last week and Global Vintage is the place to party!

Nora Brockstedt also recorded Volare as I Dine Blå Øynes Blå in Norwegian (record details wanted) and as I Det Blå in Swedish.
Nora Brockstedt Eurocovers Discography (any additions welcome!!)
UPDATED - Thanks Erik for the additions & correction!

Denmark 1957 - Skibet Skal Sejle I Natt (Birthe Wilke & Gustav Winckler)
- Skibet skal seile I natt (Norwegian) - details wanted
- Skeppet skall segla i natt (Swedish) on 7" (Cupol CS 4521) & EP Höst i en park i Paris (Cupol SEP 105)
France 1958 - Dors Mon Amour (André Claveau)
- Sov I min favn (Norwegian) on 7" (details wanted) & CD Tango For To, 50 Innspillinger Fra 50 År.
- Sov, min älskling (Swedish) on EP (Cupol CEP 193) also includes I Det Blå.
Italy 1958 - Volare (Domenico Modugno)
- I dine blå øynes blå (Norwegian) - release details wanted
- I det blå (Swedish) on EP (Cupol CEP 193)
Sweden 1959 - Augustin (Brita Borg)
- Augustin (Norwegian) - details wanted, a 5/7 hit in Norway
- Augustin (Swedish) on EP (Cupol CEP 214)
Norway 1963 - Solhverv (Anita Thallaug at Eurovision) This song was performed twice in the Norwegian National selection, once by Jan Høiland and once by Nora Brockstedt. A different singer sang it at Eurovision and Jan Høiland is the only one to release the song.

2008 - Anno Domenico: Shake Your Booty To Volare

Volare, basically has had three lives. Three times in the past 50 years the song was covered very successfully and confused a new generation into thinking it was the original. And still.., Volare? isn't that that the Gipsy Kings song?
The Gipsy Kings version from 1989 is the third time Volare was a worldwide success spawning many soundalikes and of course the first life was in the late 50's and early 60's.

Al Martino
The second time Volare became an (almost*) worldwide hit was in 1975 when Al Martino swept the charts with his polished disco version that was appropriate both in the disco as well as on your aunts 25th wedding anniversary hoedown.
A lite mix of the popular Philadelphia sound (Three degrees, Lou Rawls, MFSB etcetera) with the crooning qualities of an established 50's / 60's star was just bound to work.

Al Martino's version was the start of an avalanche of disco versions which popped up until the 70s were over. Every party band played the new version and it gave Modugno's its second life.
Even orchestra's that had recorded the song the first time around rode along on the Al Martino wave (George Jouvin, Caravelli).

Al Martino was born in Philadelphia 80 years ago. His breakthrough hit was Here In My Heart in 1952. And the story goes that he recorded the song because Mario Lanza, who it was planned for, was too busy. It was a U.S. & U.K. # 1. In fact it was the first #1 hit in the U.K.'s recorded chart history: 9 wks #1 in the NME top 12.
Many hits followed: Take My Heart, Now, Wanted were his biggest hits in the 50's, when he was more popular in the U.K.. The 60's were the US decade with hits like I Love You Because and I Love You More And More Everyday. 14 years after Here In My Heart he recorded Spanish Eyes, another global hit (in 1966, 1970 and 1973).
Volare, recorded in 1975, *failed to chart in the U.K. but was a huge smash in Europe, including a #24 in Italy and a #2 in Belgium.

Read more about Al Martino at his homepage. Or check the usual sources for his compilation cds. (Or just pick up some of his old vinyls at the record fair, you won't regret it)
Al Martino also recorded Love Is Blue, The other Eurovision winner that lost (or loser that won). It was a single and a minor hit in 1968.

Here's a long version of Martino's Volare from a 1976 12"inch (EMI). The L.P.O (Larry Page Orchestra) version is from 1974 and is one of the first disco efforts the and Bebu Silvetti (1978) track is one of many disco versions that were released in the second half of the 70s. Corny, but you'll love it.



2008: Anno Domenico will feature 50 years of coverversions of Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare).
With this link you'll get all the Eurocovers Posts that have featured the song so far.

BLOG TIPS:Loronix, recommended blog for Music From Brasil, features various LPs with Modugno Eurocovers, all with wonderful picture sleeves:
Volare: Guimaraes e seu Conjunto
Piove (Ciao Ciao Bambina, Modugno's 1959 entry) by Zé Maria , and more LP's with Piove by Simonetti & Orchestra RGE and Orchestra Pan American
Dio Come Ti Amo by Lyrio Panicali .
Blow Up Doll featured Françoise Hardy (Eurovision 1963, Monaco) last week in Françoise Hardy Week. This week they feature Jane Birkin in Jane Birkin week. Check out or miss out!
Update: and now it's France Gall week, can it get any better?

Eurovision 2008 - Eurocovers from Icelands preselection stars

Iceland are still at it. After 12 weeks of pre- pre- semi semi's there's 12 songs left which will compete in a new series of heats to create a final final. You can hear all songs still in the competition at the RÚV website.

Last year there were some interesting Eurocovers by the Icelandic hopefuls (see this Eurocovers post), this year only two of the artists have recorded Eurovision songs.

This Saturday (19-1) is the first round and the third song, Lullaby To Peace, is performed by Ína Valgerður Pétursdóttir, Seth Sharp og Berglind Ósk Guðgeirsdóttir. Ína Valgerður who has recorded a Eurovision winner. It's Non Ho L'Eta, originally by Gigliola Cinquetti.
Valgerður's version however is a straightforward coverversion of the coverversion by Elly Vilhjálms, Heyr Mína Bæn, who recorded the Icelandic version in 1964. You can find Elly Vilhjálms' version in the Eurocovers post 10.000 coverversions: Non Ho L'Eta. (updated with gorgeous picture sleeve!)

Valgerður's version is from Icelandic Idols but her solo album hasn't substantiated yet. More details here.

The second Eurocovering Icelandic singers are Eurobandið (Friðrik Ómar and Regína Ósk). They have been featured recently at Eurocovers (here). Their song Fullkomið líf is in the third semi heat (02-02).
Their Myspace features a live Eurovision medley and they have recorded an Icelandic version of 1981 winner Making Your Mind Up (Bucks Fizz) titled Við Sigrum Að Ári. (also available for dowload at their MySpace)
-
No CD is released yet, but I'm hoping this year will the Eurobandið year! (starting with a few new promo pics??)

And Eurocovers readers may have noticed my personal campaign to promote Dr. Gunni. Well, it worked, and he has one song in the third round. Hvar ertu nú? by Dr. Spock. It won the wildcard round and it's loud!


UPDATE 19-1: - Lullaby To Peace by Ína Valgerður Pétursdóttir, Seth Sharp and Berglind Ósk Guðgeirsdóttir is eliminated.