2008: Anno Domenico - Jane Morgan

Selecting coverversions for Anno Domenico, the Volare year, isn't an easy task. Hearing the same song over and over again should come with a health warning. There's some hundreds lined up for re-listening and then I always like to find out some more about the artist and before I know it another few hours of my life have been whiled away on the world wide web trying to read languages I don't speak and decypher scripts I can't read . But I often end up concluding that most of the great and interesting Volares are made in America. Crooners, Moviestars and Blonde Bombshells with gorgeous picture sleeves do it for me all the time and so here's another one from that category.
And it's by an American singer who has some more Eurocovers to her name, so that's a bonus for all to be enjoyed.

Jane Morgan
Jane Morgan is an American singer born in 1924 whose first big hit was Fascination in 1957. The song, originally a French toujour-vert from 1932, featured in the Billy Wilder movie Love In The Afternoon (with Audrey Hepburn, Gary Cooper, Maurice Chevalier) and became a top 10 hit for Jane Morgan in the U.S.. The follow up hit The Day The Rains Came (Gilbert Becauds Le Jour Où La Pluie Viendra) ended just outside the top 20 in the States but was a #1 hit in the U.K.
Her fondness for reworking French classics is no surprise as her career started out in France where she toured and worked for four years prior to her American breakthrough.

The 1958 LP The Day The Rains Came (KAPP records KL - 1105) includes Jane Morgans version of Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare). A adequate version laced with sugary violins, sung in Italian and English.

The 2nd Eurocover Jane Morgan recorded was an English version of Romantica, the Italian entry from 1960 (6th place, originally by Renato Rascel). A much better effort than Volare with a wonderful orchestral arrangement. She even took the song to the UK charts (39/5) (UK single: London HLR 9120). It has also appeared on various Jane Morgan LP's.



Udo Jürgens' Walk Away (Warum Nur Warum, Austria 1964, 6th) (Extensively featured in this Eurocovers post) was the third Euro-classic on Morgans repertoire. The song was released on her 1969 LP Traces Of Love (RCA 4171).

But it's a less known song which is my top favourite from the Jane Morgan Eurocovers collection.


My Poor Heart Feels Like Breaking
The opening line of the debut entry for Ireland in 1965, Walking The Streets In The Rain by Butch Moore (what's in a name). It describes the sentiment of the indeed heartbreaking tale about rain and tears and streets very well. The Streets became a blueprint for many Irish entries to follow and it's one of the saddest songs in anyones Eurovision collection.
The song ended 6th in Eurovision and was an Irish #1 for the original singer, but it has only been covered a few times.
Jane Morgans version with the appropriate rain-droppy violin intro was released in 1965 on the EP Maybe (Epic 9008, Portuguese edition pictured above) and on her LP Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye (Epic LN 24247). In the UK it was a b-side to the Maybe single (Columbia).

There have been several compilation CDs with Jane Morgans hits, but I haven't found a CD with any of the Eurovision covers.

Source: An extensive Jane Morgan biography is here at E-notes.



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 highlights half a century of remarkable coverversions of the Italian evergreen. Other American Volares already featured are by Doo-wop stars The Platters, gay basher Anita Bryant, James Dean love interest Pier Angeli, Box Tops hero Alex Chilton, Disco Crooner Al Martino, soul singer Jesse Belvin and from last year Jazz Legend Ella Fitzgerald.
And with this search link you'll get all the Volare posts.

Blog Tip: Merci Cherie - Mrs Caroline Robinson

So Oranje won't see Austria. I know Guus Hiddink is on a crash course to world domination but I had hoped he was saving it for South Africa's world cup in 2010. But he just had to destroy the Dutch team, brutally chopped off the hand that fed him etcetera. Anyway, good luck to the sweet boys of Russia, hope you'll win the whole blody thing now.

Blog Tip - Merci Cherie
Euro2008 co-host Austria opted out of Eurovision for 2008, but 30 years ago they had Mrs. Caroline Robinson by Springtime. A Eurovision entry so corny you'd almost think it was British. So now go to the Merci Cherie blog where a great Italian coverversion of the song is featured. It's by Corrado (who he?) and it's in this Merci Cherie Post.


Some More News Bits

Patricia Lewis, Queen of South African Eurovision premiered some songs of her forthcoming CD in a live show. The songs included Hero (Sweden 2008), Empty Room (Swedens # 2 in the national selection of 2008) both in English. But the prize song has to be Ek Sal Altyd Vir Jou Lewe, which is an Afrikaans version of Live Forever, Magnificent Magnus Carlssons 2007 Swedish preselection song that didn't make it to Eurovision but was one of the biggest Melodifestivalen hits of the year.
Special thanks to Roy, More Patricia Lewis in this Eurocovers post.

For Real, the cool ska punk Eurovision entry by Athena (for Turkey, 4th in 2004) has received the dubious honour of being covered by Jochem van Gelder, Dutch kiddy TV host. His version is called Kamelentrein (Camel train). As kids are considered stupid but rich by the music industry it's lame and nothing is left of the greatness of the original.

You can see the Video at Jochem's website. The original is at this YouTube.

I got the news from: http://songfestival.web-log.nl

Rendez-Vous in Belgium
Belgium's premier alternative radio station Studio Brussel (StuBru) celebrates their 25th anniversary with a coverversions CD. The best and others from Belgiums alternative music scene each cover a song for each year that StuBru has been on air. The Album is titled Rendez-Vous, which is the song by Pas De Deux that almost divided Belgium after is was chosen as the Eurovision entry for München (1983). The new wave band presented a minimal song with just one line of silly lyrics and an even more silly dance routine and the country was in a state of shock.

The song is still one of the best Belgium ever sent (IMHO) and you can see the original Youtube here, booing included.

The StuBru CD features the Eurovision classic in a new version by the equally great Vive La Fête. Full tracklist of the StuBru CD is here.
(sources: http://www.eurosong.be/, VRT StuBru)

Totally Off-Topic Blog Tips
I'm having great fun with a Czech coverversion of The Best Disco In Town (Ritchie Family hit from the late 70's) Žiješ v éře diskoték by Bezinky & Pražské smyčce. It's featured at the one and only Funky Czech-In.
And Global Vintage has two coverversions of Venus, the Shocking blue hit. One's in Turkish and the other one is in Greek. The latter is by Pascalis & the Olympians of Mathema Solfege fame.
(see this Eurocovers post for more about Mathema Solfege by Pascalis and his mates)

2008: Anno Domenico - Volare meets The Beautiful Game (2)

With the Euro 2008 well underway, (we're talking football here, or soccer if you must) here's a second bunch of coverversions of Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare), revamped to celebrate Football.
Germany's second game is tonight against Croatia, so here's a few football adaptations of Volare from a German perspective.

Finale (Ooh Ooh) by Buffalo Ball is a version of Volare from 2004. Zum siegen geboren (born to win) they brawl, but the Mannschaft had to leave the Portugal 2004 European Cup games after the first round. The song features a lot of football audience and TV style comments. Greece won the tournament and repeated that feat in Eurovision 2005.
In 2006 the World Cup was in Germany and another Volare was made, also titled Finale. DJ Schnippes surely listened to the Gipsy Kings for his version,. A new version is made and it's currently in the German top 100. Germany made it to the semi final in 2006, losing to eventual (now crushed) winners Italy.




In this post there's some Oranje Volares

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 highlights half a century of remarkable coverversions of the Italian evergreen. With this search link you'll get all the Volare posts.

2008: Anno Domenico - Volare meets The Beautiful Game (1)

After Eurovision there's another event that enjoys some popularity in the European communities this year, the European Cup Football, Euro 2008. Similarities enough: It attracts colourful fans waving flags and what have you, there's joke entries, Diva's and Drama Queens and whole hordes of people migrate across Europe to catch their favorites in action.
There's some leg action, opening ceremonies and people drink a lot. It has all the ingredients of Eurovision except maybe neighbourly voting.
Tonight it's Oranje against the Azzurri in the Group of Death (a bit like Belgrades second semi final this year) and here's a little tribute to Dutch Football squads from the past. Oh, and it's Volare, Song #1 if it comes to Football related coverversions.

1990 Oranje Sjampagne
------ Duo de PelikaanDutch comedy version for the World Cup in Italy when the Dutch were kicked out in the second round by Germany.
1998 Oranje Oh Oh Oh
---- - Danny Lukassen
This was for the World Cup in France where the Dutch made it to the semi finals, but got out-penaltied by Brasil after a 1 all draw. In the match for third place Holland lost to Croatia.



More Volare meets The Beautiful Game coming soon

Eurovision 2008 - Saturday Final Dinner Suggestion

Eurovision 2008: Belgrade Weeks: Ljubim Te Pesmama

Ljubim Te Pesmama (I love you in my songs) by Belgrade born Extra Nena was the last Eurovision entry for Yugoslavia.
But when the song was selected in the national final Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Hercegovina and Macedonia* had already declared independence. So the national final was organized by Serbian TV only, even though some Bosnian artists and songwriters participated. (see the first Belgrade weeks post for some more info).
Ljubim Te Pesmama starts as a melancholy ballad but bursts into full blown Balkan Schlager in the refrain. Extra Nena recorded it in Serbian, English, French and Italian. The song finished 14th in the competition in Malmö, 1992.
http://www.extra-nena.com/
* later officially known as Former Yugoslavian Republic Of Macedonia, I know….



Two artists covered Yugoslavia's swan song. (as far as I know)
A Finnish version Miksi Luokesi Jäänyt En was recorded by Paula Koivuniemi who released the song on a single (Fazer Finnlevy 100302) and on the LP/CD Rakkaudella Sinun (Fazer finnlevy 200311/312, 1992)

Earlier Paula Koivuniemi recorded Switzerlands 1980 entry Cinema in Finnish as Sunnuntainäytös (for a 1980 LP Eurovisio Special 80)

http://www.paulakoivuniemi.fi/

Eurovision star Siw Malmkvist recorded Ljubim Te Pesmama in German and in Swedish.
The German version Ein Hauch Von Florenz can be found as an extra track on cdsingle Geh Nicht In Den Rosengarten and on CD Musik Ist Wie Ein Freund. The title track of the album is a German version of the Croatian 1995 entry Nostalgija. (by Magazine & Lidija). (Both cdsingle and album on the Funny Artists label, 1999)
Swedish version Ge Mej En Doft Ifrån Rom was released on a very rare cdsingle by Siwan & Sivan (Siw Malmkvist & Siv Wennerberg) issued on the Debit & Kredit label (DK-001). This cds also includes a cover of Nostalgija (as: Musik Är Ingenting För Dej, in Swedish)
Siw Malmkvist represented Sweden in 1960 with Alla Andra Får Varann (10th place) and Germany in 1969 with Primaballerina (9th). You can read more about Siw Malmkvist and her Eurocovers in the Year Of The Puppet Post Siw Malmkvists Sprattelgummas



ANNO DOMENICO meets BELGRADE WEEKS
I've been trying to locate a Serbian version of Volare to tie in with the Domenico Modugno year, but I haven't found any sung in Serbian which is actually by an artist from Serbia. But here's an interesting one in Italian. Multi instrumentalist Slađan Jovanović recorded a mellow bossa-version of the song as a bonus track for his album Ginko.
And you can listen to / download all tracks from the album at his website at http://sladjan.net/. Volare is track 14.

Eurovision 2008: Belgrade Weeks - Đorđe Marjanović

Đorđe Marjanović is a Serbian pop singer, who was and is one of the most popular singers in Yugoslavia. Đorđe was also very popular in the USSR where he released many of his songs (On Melodia of course).
Big hits were Zvižduk U Osam, Romana and , Devojko Mala.
He recorded many international hits in Serbian ranging from Italian classics like Quando Quando Quando, Roberta and Lazarella, Rock'n'roll hits like Speedy Gonzales, Hello Josephine and If I Had A Hammer to to pop hits like Bang Bang, Sympathy and Emma (the Hot Chocolate song).
In 2004 he said goodbye to the stage with a farewell concert in Belgrado in the Sava Centar, now home to the Eurovision 2008 press center.

I know of two Eurocovers Đorđe Marjanović recorded in Serbian, both are Italian entries from the early 60's.
1962 - Adio, adio - Addio Addio by Claudio Villa (written by Domenico Modugno) - on EP Igrajmo Twist (= let's twist again) (RTB PGP EP50103)
1963 - Jedan za sve - Uno Per Tutte by Renato Rascel - original release details wanted
Both songs can also be found on a 3CD K'o nekad, collecting Đorđe Marjanović's work including many coverversions of international hits.



In the 60's Đorđe Marjanović participated in the Yugoslavian National Finals with at least 5 songs, representing TV Beograd (Serbian TV) except.
His best result was a 3rd place in 1968 so he never made it to the Eurovision stage.
Đorđe Marjanović National selection songs:1961 - Reč Il' Dve
1965 - Stari Kraj
1965 - Proletni Vetre
1966 - Najlepši Dan
1968 - Ne Verujem Ti Više
(Beograd is Belgrade, Serbia)

http://www.djordjemarjanovic.com/ is a good website about the singer. It's in Serbian but still worthwhile even if you don't read the lingo. Great pictures and some nice audio's.

Eurovision 2008: Belgrade weeks - Senka and Bisera Veletanlić

In the weeks leading up to the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest in Belgrade, Serbia Eurocovers digs deep to find some related Eurovision coverversions.
I must confess it's not easy to find many Eurocovers linking to Serbia. The Serbian entries from Yugoslavia have hardly been covered and my collection has many gaps (see below).
But here's a sweet one from the 70's. The song Mi Znamo Sve is by sisters Senka & Bisera Veletanlić and it's a coverversion of the Netherlands 1972 entry by Sandra & Andres: Als Het Om De Liefde Gaat (When it concerns love). The chirpy nanana song was a popular hit back then and was covered in at least 10 languages.
Mi Znamo Sve was released on the b-side of the Senka Veletanlić single Tražiš Oproštaj. (Jugoton SY 22066)


Bisera Veletanlić appears on the single Dan Ljubavi, which is a coverversion of Yugoslavia's 1975 entry Dan Ljubezni, originally by Pepel In Kri (Ashes and Blood on their English releases). That entry is of Slovenian origin and is sung in Slovenian, but a Serbian version was recorded by Bisera Veletanlić, Nada Knežević, Beti Đorđević and other singers. (RTB S 52 659).





WANTED
There's probably a lot more Serbian coverversions than I know about, but here are a few I'd really like to hear. If anyone can help Eurocovers with any of these songs or other surprises I'd be ever so happy.

Tom Tom by Daliborka Stojšic. It's a version of the 1973 Finnish entry which was released on a b-side of a single (Jugoton SY-22536). Daliborka was Miss Yugoslavia 1968 and reached the semi final of Miss Universe that year (pictured left).

Mirjana Beširević - Jos Sam Mlada, a cover of the Italian 1964 winner Non Ho l'eta (Gigliola Cinquetti) released on single (RTB EP 50181).

Filip Zmaher - Moja Generacija - This is one of the very few covers of the Serbian Yugoslavia entries I know of. It was only released on a cassette (MC) dedicated to original composer of the song; Kornelije Kovac. The MC is titled Kompozicije Kornelija Kovaca iz TV "Zvucna Viljuska".

Yep, Eurobandið time again, This Is My Life, album out now!!

Eurocovers favorite Eurobandið* have released their debut album and it's a real treat for Eurocovers fans. The Second Best Band In The World (after BWO of course) release their CD This Is My Life with 11 tracks including the Eurovision 2008 entry with the same title.

The album also has a remix of the Icelandic contender, some great Eurocovers and other songs of interest.

Don't leave without me now = Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi, Celine Dion's winner from 1988 (for Switzerland).
A ba ni bi - Israels 1978 winner.
Hold me Now - Johnny Logan's second victory for Ireland in 1987
By Your Side = the english version of Regína Ósks Þér við hlið, preselection song from 2006
Fire = Eldur, Fridrik Omárs solo pre-song from 2007
Thinking of you = Fridriks solo song from 2006 Það Sem Verður
Við sigrum að ári! - Making your mind up, Tha' Fizz's winner (U.K. 1981).
In My Dreams is the most interesting cover of all . The Norwegian rockers' Glam hit (9th in the 2005 contest) now is a smoochy love ballad.

Unfortunately, the Icelandic version of This Is My Life is not on the tracklist. So no perfect 10 then.

Excerpts and full tracklist of the album here at Tónlist. And you haven't seen the official video yet, there's a YouTube here, and it's fab.

Eurobandið featured in this and this and this and this Eurocovers post (a lot I know, maybe they'll send some competition giveaway CDs by now), for some sounds go to their MySpace.
* I keep calling them Eurobandið, Euroband sounds so tacky.

2008: Anno Domenico - The Platters

I noticed that the Platters entered the U.K. album top 10 this week with a Best Of compilation. And as I had prepared a bit on their Volare anyway, what better time to post it than now.
I don't know what triggered this new interest in the U.S. vocal group, but it's remarkable for a group that was founded 55 years ago that people still go to the shop and buy their records.
Their most known hits Only You, The Great Pretender, My Prayer and Smoke Gets In Your Eyes were all recorded in the 50's but their version of Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare) is recorded in 1964. It was released in Januari 1965 on the LP The 10th Anniversary Album.

The Platters had numerous line up changes and by 1964 they had run out of hits. The 10th Anniversary Album didn't change their fortune.

Volare doesn't feature all members from the early golden era; Buck Ram, female singer Zola Taylor and lead singer Tony Williams had left by then and each formed their own Platters.
Later even more ex-members toured with groups under the Platters banner
It was the Buck Ram Platters with a new line up that had a short run of hits with their 1966 & 1967 revival.

The line-up on Volare and The 10th Anniversary Album includes Sonny Turner, David Lynch, Paul Robi, Herb Reed and Barbara Randolph. Herb Reed, the only original member still tours as Herb Reed and the Platters. Herb Reed is the only member who features on all official Platters recordings. The LP includes The Great Pretender and covers of hits like Love Me Tender, Don't Be Cruel, Rock Around The Clock and Song From Moulin Rouge.
The Platters' Volare is a light cha cha exercise with a little parlando intro treasure.

The new compilation The Very Best of Platters is out on Universal Music TV (UMTV 7944) in the U.K. and features 20 tracks. Other albums have been released in the past with the same title.

Sources: A lot more on Platters line ups, Platters groups and discography is at the Platters Info Site or check out the Herb Reed & The Platters homepage.



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 highlights half a century of remarkable coverversions of the Italian evergreen. Other American Volares already featured are by gay basher Anita Bryant, James Dean love interest Pier Angeli, Box Tops hero Alex Chilton, Disco Crooner Al Martino, soul singer Jesse Belvin and from last year Jazz Legend Ella Fitzgerald.
And with this search link you'll get all the Volare posts.