Richard De Bois (1949 - 2008) - Ik Hou Van Jou

Another sad passing. Richard de Bois died two weeks ago in LA, where he lived since the early 90's.

Richard de Bois is most known for founding Dutch girl band The Dolly Dots who enjoyed huge succes in the late 70's and early 80's, and who can still pack a large arena for their reunion concerts today.
De Bois worked with Maggie MacNeal, Willeke Alberti, Lemming and girl trio Centerfold. He also produced several albums of the cast of the U.S. Soap series The Bold And The Beautiful including solo work by John McCook.
He had been fighting with cancer for over eight years.

Ik Hou Van Jou
The name Richard De Bois may not instantly ring a bell for non Dutch Eurocovers readers, but he is one of the writers of Ik Hou Van Jou, the Dutch Eurovision song from 1984 he wrote together with Peter van Asten.
The big orchestral ballad by Maribelle only ended 13th in the contest but received a standing ovation from the orchestra. Maribelle recorded the song in Dutch, English, French and German.

After 1975 winner Ding A Dong, Ik Hou Van Jou (I love you) is the most covered dutch Eurovision entry. Even though none rivals the monumental original (see this YouTube for a national final performance) it's a fair tribute to this now classic Dutch evergreen.

Ek Hou Van Jou
The youngest version recorded is by South African singer André Smit, who just released his version (in Afrikaans) on his new CD André Smit. Ik Hou Van Jou is the song with the most versions recorded in Afrikaans (as Ek Hou Van Jou) . Ik know of nine versions: they are by Toni Andrea, Karin Cox & Janine Stein, boyband Eden, Endia, Danie Jansen, Johnny & Vivian, Gé Korsten, Jannie Moolman (with Gé Korsten) and now André Smit.

The song is also the only Eurovision song I know that is covered in Papiamento, the language of the Netherlands Antilles. This version Bo Ta Mi Amor by Dhaddy Brokke and Tony Sherman was already featured in this Eurocovers post. (and it's still there). A version by child singer Demis is featured in the post The Kids Are Alright part 2.

Cilla and Engelbert

And then there's some well known singers who recorded the song. Engelbert Humperdinck released it on his CD A Little In Love (as In Love With You). Cilla Black recorded it as A Dream Come True on her CD Through The Years (1993) and earlier mentioned soap actor John McCook released In Love With You on his CD Bold And Beautiful Lovesongs.


Update 2012: Engelbert is going to Eurovision. Here's a new post with all his Eurovison connections.
Or check out Engelberts Baku Collection post for all about his entry Love Will Set You Free

Monna Bell (1938 - 2008)

Chilean singer Monna Bell has died last week at the age of 70.
Monna Bell rose to international fame with the song Un Telegrama, the song that won the 1959 Benidorm International Song Festival which was her first hit in Europe and Latin America.

After she left the Hispavox label in the late 60's she signed with Musart and later Orfeon for which she mostly recorded coverversions of international standards. Even though it initially brought her some success she wasn't very happy and retired from the music business in 1980. A 1977 disco version Un Telegramma didn't make her happy and flopped miserably.

It was Mexican singer Juan Gabriel who revived Monna Bell's career by inviting her along on his live tours. It didn't bring back the success of the olden days and the album Monna Bell Ahora received mixed reviews, even though vocally it's among Monna Bell's best work ever.

I know of two Eurocovers by Monna Bell in Spanish and they're both here. The first one is a song you may have heard of before.
Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare) - Domenico Modugno's evergreen
- En El Azul Del Cielo - on EP (Hispavox HH-17-89)
Un Premier Amour - France 1962 winner by Isabelle Aubret
- Un Primer Amor - on EP (Hispavox HH17-203)

Un Primer Amor can also be found on a great Eurocovers compilation that was released in 2006 Los Exitos De Eurovision, Cantados en Español (Rama Lama music RM 53592) which includes 27 Spanish coverversion of Eurovision hits.
The same record company Rama Lama Music also released two Monna Bell CDs with her Hispavox recordings from 1959 to 1965. En El Azul Del Cielo is on Vol 1. (1959-1961), Un Primer Amor is on Vol 2. (1961 - 1965)

Eva Kostolanyiová - Keď si sám

Slovak singer Eva Kostolányiová (1942 - 1975) covers Luxembourgs 1972 winner Après Toi (Vicky Leandros). (Audio and slidehow only)

Hana Zagorová - Telegram

More 70's fashion: Czech singer Hana Zagorová performs the 1977 German entry Telegram. Originally by the Silver Convention.

Jadranka Stojakovic - Ja vidim sjaj...

Bosnian Singer with a cover version of I See A Star (Netherlands 1974). 70's fashion goes never out of fashion.

Anno Domenico in Russia - Who is it? and some more bits and pieces

Here's a Russian version of Volare I have no clue about.

The song is probably titled Letayu (Летаю) and it sounds like an old recording, really old.
The second part of the song is Casetta in Canada, a 1957 San Remo song.But it doesn't really sound like a medley, so I'd like to find out if there's a full version of Volare and who actually sings this song.


If you know, please leave a comment or send a message.-------♫ Летаю / Летаю


2008 Release News: Jennifer Zamudio
An interesting coverversion will be released at the end of this month. It's the Norwegian entry of this year Hold On Be Strong, originally by Maria Haukaas Storeng (Youtube here). This very early coverversion is by Jennifer Zamudio from South Africa. The song is titled Ek Wag Op Jou (I wait for you) and can be found on Jennifers new CD Hier's My Hart. Find out more at Jennifers thuisblad (in Afrikaans).
On her previous CD Hoor Hoor she covered the Eurovision entries of Romania & Lithuania 2005 plus the Spanish 1991 ballad Bailar Pegados.

Jacques Aylestock
Oh, well, let's do another song then. Here's a charming unusual version of the French 1960 winner Tom Pillibi (Jacqueline Boyer). This sweet version is by Jacques Aylestock and what I know is that he was a 10 year old multi octave child prodigy soprano singer from Quebec who was launched as the next big thing in 1963. He eventually released two albums simply titled Jacques Aylestock Vol. 1 & Vol. 2. Tom Pillibi is on the first one (Select 298.066). Whatever happened to Jacques?


The Belgrade Collection
If you're interested in finding out about the cdsingles, versions and promo's of the 2008 contest you can get the Belgrade Collection File, a word doc. with all the info you need. (updated 2009)
If you haven't got a clue, Eurovision 2008, a three-nighter for the first time, is on May 20, 22 and 24 in Belgrade, Serbia. More about that later in the Serbweeks*

* Last year we had the Finweeks and I know Serbweeks doesn't sound as catchy, I tried Belgraweeks but that's too Belgium. Any suggestion for a good title?
The Helsinki File word doc., with all the details on last years Eurovision releases is still here.

Anno Domenico: Volare International - Denmark

Here's a Danish version of Volare by The Defenders. The song Vi Har Det Åh, Åh was recorded in 1967 and released on single (Sonet T 8271).

The song features in the movie Jeg Er Sgu Min Egen, a musical comedy about a young girl (played by Daimi) who is torn between a prissy life with her devout christian foster parents or a life with boys and music. The Defenders play themselves.

Special Thanks to Mikael.



There's a bit about The Defenders in Danish here.

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. Other Scandinavian Volares featured at Eurocovers (so far) are from Norway and can be found in this post. And with this search link you'll get all the Volare posts.

Caracola Cover by Jette Ziegler

Another Quicky. Here's a coverversion of the 1964 entry from Spain.
Caracola by Nelly Tim & Tony (a.k.a. Los TNT) was covered by Jette Ziegler in Danish, English and German.
Here are the English and Danish versions, I'm still looking for the German one (or any details on it).
Jette Ziegler - Vi to (Danish) - on 7" (Triola TD 230)
Jette Ziegler - I need you my love - on 7" (Triola TD 234)

1972 - Lola Novaković - Posle Tebe (Après Toi)

Here's one I had lying about. Yugoslavia's second Eurovision singer Lola Novaković (4th in 1962 with Ne Pali Svetla U Sumrak (Don't turn the lights on in the twilight)) covers Vicky Leandros' 1972 Eurovision winner Après Toi in Serbo-Croat as Posle Tebe on this sweet EP (RTB EPF 52 003) --- 

Crash Course In Eurovision: Don't Forget To Mention Norway

I'm very pleased to say that Eurocovers attracts visitors from all over the globe and understandably not every unsuspecting passer-by instantly gets what the fuss is all about. You may know the familiar songs, or even some of the artists, but what in Agnetha's name are these euro people on?
How ludricous is the idea to send songs to a competition? Why do some countries send the same song every year? Can three minutes really last that long? Why do the gays always get the most beautiful women?, Why does Ireland send a turkey?.
Well for those confused and all others, here's a crash course to Eurovision in three songs.

1. What are the rules
It's Only A Wind Up by Brown Ale is a coverversion of the winning song from 1981, Making Your Mind Up by Bucks Fizz. Tha Fizz enjoyed their bit of fame with some great hits like Land Of Make Believe, Piece Of The Action and the truly brilliant My Camera Never Lies.
Over the years the band has changed members more often than the average Eurovision act changes clothes but in Eurovision terms Bucks Fizz are a successtory of the quite successful category.

Brown Ale explain the rules of Eurovision in 2.36 minutes. How to write the song, how to form a group and how to not 'let the other artists take you from behind'.
Brown Ale was a project of Stephanie De Sykes, writer of arguably two of the worst UK entries of the last century Bad Old Days (Coco 1978) and Love Enough For Two (Primadonna 1980)
The Brown Ale single was withdrawn from the shops. (Radioactive RAD502)


2. What to do to get points
Marty Feldman (1934 - 1982) is a British comedian who probably needs no other introduction than his face. His Eurovision Song cunningly explains in one and a half minute how to suck up to the other countries and collect as many Douze Poings as possible*. Although had he lived and recorded an up to date version he would have needed more time with 43 countries and all that.

Like with Brown Ale, if you want to make a Eurovision spoof, you must mention Norway.

Eurovision Song is from his LP I Feel A Song Going Off (1969 Decca LP LK/SKL 4983) later re-issued as The Crazy World of Marty Feldman.
Special Thanks to Jim for this one!
(Sorry no Youtube link anymore)

3. What if you're pissed off with the results.
Taxi - EBU
There's only one winner (except in 1969, bless those days) and if you're hitch hiking home facing an angry mob with only trois poing to show for all the taxpayers money you spent, you have to take action.
You can blame the Diaspora, sue the camera people for not zooming in on your essentials, or accuse the winner of having raided your dressing room. Or you can write a song about it.
Romania sent a serious rock group to the 2000 Stockholm contest. The guys were called Taxi and their Song The Moon (Luna in it's Romanian version) bombed and reached 17th place. Every one is to blame except the Taxi drivers themselves and they vent their frustration at the E.B.U. (European Broadcasting Union, The Big Giant Head of Eurovision) in their song smartly titled E.B.U.. They threaten to send Dracula! but gracefully bleeped the F-word. You may need to listen a few times to understand the lyrics, but they are in English.


Links updated 2016
- Formerly of Bucks Fizz Website  -Taxi home page
- Stephanie De Sykes Wiki - Marty Feldman Wiki
And in this Eurocovers post you can see the Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre's take on Eurovision from a tartan perspective.

Other recommended study material: (all youtubes)
Gimme Gimme Gimme - Party with Bucks Fizz
My Lovely Horse - from the Father Ted series
Papa Bendi - Steve Coogan

* Yes I know, The Douze Poing system wasn't introduced at the time of this recording.