Die Autobahn To Düsseldorf: Milana Misic

Eurovision 2011. Pre-selections are in full swing (well, almost) and it’s time to check out if the zillions of national hopefuls are Eurocovers worthy.

First up is Eurocovers repeat offender Milana Misic from Finland.
Milana Misic will be in the Finnish preselection with Sydämeni Kaksi Maata (listen to the song here at YLE). It’s bit of an odd mix of a song. It starts as a sort of gipsy tango, then segues into heavy oriental mode to be followed by a bit of loveboat style tv glam disco.

You’ll probably already know that Milana Misic is the daughter of Finnish Eurovision legend Laila Kinnunen and Kroatian musician Milan Mišić so below is just a discography to freshen up. And some links.

Update: Hurray! Milana Misic has qualified for the Finnish final.
She has also recorded an English version of Sydämeni Kaksi Maata titled The Two Lands Of My Heart.
Finnish and English are available through various download shops like Meteli, Playcom and Music Me. (English version available from januari 24 on Columbia)



Albums 
Milana Misic has released six albums since 1991 and the last three include some Eurocovers of interest.

Laulumme (2008)
This includes 14 coverversions of songs made popular by Laila Kinnunen.
- Kaikkialla (Al di la, Italy 1961 - Betty Curtis)
- Tanssilaulu (Dansevise, Denmark 1963 - Grethe and Jørgen Ingmann)

Valoa Ikkunassa (2009)
This includes 12 coverversions of Laila Kinnunen songs including her own entry Valoa Ikkunassa.
- Valoa Ikkunassa (Finland 1961)

Jos Itken, Jos Nauran (2010)
- Jos Itken, Jos Nauran (Se Piangi, Se Ridi, Italy 1965 - Bobby Solo)
- I don’t think this was ever released on record by Mama Laila, but there’s a lovely clip to be found on Youtube. (thanks Juha)
- Muistojeni Laulu (Finland 1963 - Laila Halme)

There's also a compilation album Käy Tanssimaan (2010) with 17 songs including Valoa Ikkunassa and Kaikkialla.

Milana Misic Homepage
Milana Misic at Eurocovers (here and here)
Laila Kinnunen Eurocovers discography and songs
Laila Kinnunen Boxset info.
Milana's cds are available at shops like CDON or digitally at Playcom and other sources.

Eurovision 2011
The Düsseldorf Collection blog with all info on 2011 Eurovision releases is already slowly materialising here. Bookmark now.

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New Release: All That Dutch Jazz

Jazz. Many Eurovision songs have been given the jazz treatment over the decades and this week a new CD has been released with two Eurovision songs in a jazz makeover.

Jan Menu and Jasper Soffers have collected ten more or less classic Dutch songs on their Dutch Songboog (Dig Diz Music).
There's the first Dutch winner Net Als Toen (Corry Brokken 1957) but a more remarkable choice is Wat Een Dag from 1961.
Original singer Greetje Kauffeld, a commended jazz singer herself, didn't release the song back in 1961 and the only coverversions I know are at least 40 years old.
Wat Een Dag was written by Dick Schallies with original lyrics by Pieter Goemans.

So well done gentlemen, for digging this little gem up.

I haven't heard a note of any of the songs yet, but you can find more info and a tracklist at the links below.
http://www.janmenu.com/ also in English
http://www.digdizmusic.com/

The 'Dutch Songbook' quartet are
Jan Menu (Baritone sax)
Jasper Soffers (Piano)
Clemens van der Feen (Bass)
Hans van Oosterhout (Drums)

Wat Een Dag known coverversions:
Eddy Doorenbos
- on 7" (Delta DS 1001, 1961)
Letty De Jong
- on LP 14 Jaar Songfestival (Various artists, Philips 1970)
Peter Kreuder (Piano instrumental)
- on LP Piano Parade (Concert Hall SVS 2575, 1961)

Jay en Lianie - In A Moment Like This

A coververversion of the 2010 Danish entry In A Moment Like This is recorded by Jay with Lianie May (South Africa).
It's on Jay's new solo album (He is a member of boyband Eden) and the track is getting a lot of airplay in South African radio. The album titled Solo is in the South African shops now.

The duet can also be found on the hits compilation 2CD Sokkie Is Groot.
Solo at the Kalahari shop.

Blog tips: More A Ba Ni Bi's from Thailand

I was just blogging around a bit and found two great blogs each featuring an amazing Thai version of A Ba Ni Bi, The Israeli Eurovision winner of 1978. I nicked the pics, but you'll just have to pay the blogs a visit yourself. And have a great browse while you're there.

New blog StereoMono features this great album by Hongtong Daoudon (หงษ์ทอง ดาวอุดร). Title track ฮ่วย อะบานิบี (Huai Abanibi) is the Eurocover.

The other blog tip is Monrakplengthai. This one has been going since 2008 and has loads of great Thai treats and guarantees some nice browsing hours. The A Ba Ni Bi Cover อรอุมา อะบานิบี is by Onuma Singsiri (อรอุมา สิงห์ศิริ).

Both coverversions appear to be from the late 70's / early 80's. Eurocovers already featured an Abanibrilliant Thai version of the song from 2006 (or 2549) in the Eurocovers post OST The Possible.

update Please see comments for yet another A Ba Ni Bi from Thailand, thanks Peter!.

ANOTHER COMPLETELY OFF TOPIC RECOMMENDATION FROM EUROCOVERS.

Here’s a completely off-topic CD tip for you.

A few weeks ago I bought the CD Another City, Another Plan by Riviera F..

And the brilliant electropop album hasn’t been off my speakers ever since. And since they're not #1 in the world yet I decided spend a bit of Eurocovers space on this fantastic band.
The London based Riviera F. duo are Russian born singer Alexa Marlen and Dutch guitarist Kairo. A quotation from their bio explains it all: "Talking Heads vs. Modern Talking, Kraftwerk vs. Abba, High Heels vs. Highlights, Euro Boys vs. West-End Girls, Blue Veins vs. White Skin".

Another City, Another Plan is electro at its best, not too polished, sometimes noisy (they even have some guitars) but also Pop with a big P.

Being electronically inclined, it is of course gloriously 80’s and the album has one coverversion of a favorite classic of the decade : Echo Beach by Martha and the Muffins.

Euro / Melodifestifans, it’s a bit like the mighty PayTV, but without the attitude.

If you’re not Euro / MF inclined, think Miss Kittin’s Batbox.

The album is out on their own Germ Free label; listen to some tracks at the Riviera F. Website where you can also order the CD at a snip. (or digital of course).

Highly Recommended.

It's 林育群's Time Now

Taiwanese singer Lin Yu Chun, (林育羣) participant of the One Million Stars talent show recorded It's My Time for his debut album also titled It's My Time. (Sony Taiwan 7685927)

There are two editions of the album, one entirely in English and another one with 8 tracks in Mandarin. It's My Time is in English on both albums though. 

It's My Time is the U.K. entry for the 2009 contest, written by Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber and Diane Warren. The song was performed by Jade and finished 5th in Moscow.

Lin Yu Chun website has audio excerpts of his album.

More about Jade's It's My Time releases, covers and charts here at the Moscow Collection.

Special thanks to Joris for posting.

Release news: Simple Little Songs by Anne Herdorf

In May Eurocovers reported about Wings Of Eurovision, the album with Eurovision tunes by the 2000 winner the Olsen Brothers. (This post). The album did fairly well in several charts so Eurocovers is happy to report about another Danish Eurocovers project that has just been released.

Anne Herdorf - Lad Det Swinge

Anne (Cathrine) Herdorf, 1987 Eurovision star, has released her collection of Eurovision favorites and a handful of National Final treasures on the album Lad Det Swinge. There's some interesting guests helping along, and for the completists, there's also a new recording of her Eurovision entry En Lille Melodi (see below).

With a few exceptions Anne Herdorf didn't go for a collection of big hits, but the album includes some lesser known songs. Unge Dag is a great choice and it's also nice to hear the Tommy Seebach tunes in a new setting.

Tracklist
1. En Lille Melodi (Denmark 1987)
- Anne Herdorfs own Eurovision entry in a new version
2. Sikken Dejlig Dame (Danish NF 1981)
- 3rd place in the National Final. Originally by Anniqa. The song is about Mae West.
3. Hva' Du Ude På (Danish NF 1987)
- Originally by Birthe Kjær, who would represent Denmark one year later.
4. Under Stjernerne På Himlen (Denmark 1993)
- One of Tommy Seebachs Eurovision songs, Lyrics by Keld Heick
5. Ud I Det Blå (Danish NF 1979)
- #3 in the National final, originally by Kim Larsen.
6. Det' Lige Det (Denmark 1984)
- The first of three Kirsten and Søren (Hot Eyes) Eurovision entries.
7. Kloden Drejer (Denmark 1983)
- Originally by Gry Johansen.
8. To Lys På Et Bord - with Tommy Kenter (Danish NF 1960)
- Otto Brandenburg only took it to 4th place, but the song remains one of the best known songs from the early years of Danish Melodi Grand Prix'. Tommy Kenter is a Danish actor, who's Eurovision claim to fame is a last place in the 1985 Danish Melodi Grand Prix.
9. Dansevise - with Jørgen de Mylius (Denmark 1963)
- The 1963 winner by Grethe and Jørgen Ingmann. Jørgen de Mylius is the godfather of modern Danish Eurovision, writer an TV personality.
10. Skibet Skal Sejle I Nat - with Dario Campeotto
- Skibet, the song with thát kiss (see this Eurocovers post) is performed here with Dario Campeotto, the Danish 1961 entrant (read more about his song Angelique here at Eurocovers)
11. Disco Tango - with Keld Heick (Denmark 1979)
- Another Tommy Seebach classic. Keld Heick is one of Denmarks most prolific songwriters whose credits include 9 Eurovision entries and innumerable National Final songs. With his wife Hilda and his band Donkeys he also recorded countless Eurocovers.
12. Unge Dag - with Hilda Heick (Germany 1973)
- Junger Tag, the German 1973 entry by Gitte Hænning. Danish born Gitte recorded the song in several languages including Danish, and this is a coverversion of that one.
13. Lad Det Swinge - with Birthe Kjær (Norway 1986)
- The first Norwegian winner by Bobbysocks!. Here Anne duets with Birthe Kjær, the 1988 Danish entrant, multi NF singer who also has over two dozens of Eurocovers to her name.

Lad Det Swinge is out on My Way Music (M 20206-2)

A Simple Little Song
En Lille Melodi (A little melody/song) by Anne Cathrine Herdorf and her chums Drengene (a.k.a. Bandjo) was the Danish Eurovision entry in 1987. It ended fifth in an era the Danish schlager tunes did quite well at Eurovision.
In good tradition the song was recorded in a few exotic languages like English (A Simple Little Song), German (Eine Kleine Melodie) and Dutch (Je Leven Lang Verliefd).
The song was also re-recorded by Fenders, who were more or less Bandjo, band of the composer Helge Engelbrecht. The original Danish lyrics were written by Jacob Jonia.

At the Danish Melodi Grand Prix show of 2002 Anne Herdorf performed a medley of Danish Eurovision entries with Gry Meilstrup and Anders Frandsen. This medley also ended up on the 2002 DMGP CD (Universal)

Special Thanks to Rick and Heine.

Sha La Lie - Another CD tip.

While we're in the Schlager realm, here's another release that may be interesting to the avid Eurocovers adept.
You know all about Sha La Lie, the chirpy but ill fated Father Abraham penned Dutch 2010 entry and all its incarnations. (If not check it out here).
Spoofs, Street Organs and regional versions galore, but not all have had an official release.
The Drents studio version by Janneke De Roo is out now officially.
Her new CD Onvergetelijk (unforgettable) features highlights from her five year solo* career. The album also includes some new tracks and one of them is Sha La Lie sung in the Drents regional language. (Wiki).

The CD is available through the Janneke De Roo website or digitally from Zazell and other sources.
Janneke De Roo also recorded a coverversion of the 1972 Eurovision winner Après Toi on her 2007 CD Gewoon JR (Just JR). That one's in Dutch (as Toen Kwam Jij) and does not feature on the new collection.

* Janneke de Roo was in the popular sister trio Zusjes De Roo who scored a big hit in the Dutch charts with Blauwe Korenbloemen (Blue Cornflower, Centaurea cyanus) in 1971.

Catch Inculto in London (Oct 31)

Lithuanian Youth Association in the UK (JKLJS) & Culture Jam presents: “Eastern European Funk” pre-launch of new ska/funk INCULTO album “Closer Than You Think” & Halloween party 31 October 2010 8pm The Queen of Hoxton London, 1 Curtain Road, EC2A 3JX


“Eastern European Funk" is a ska-styled song performed by InCulto which represented Lithuania at the Eurovision Song Contest 2010. The meaning of the song is basically compressed in these two sentences: "Yes Sir we are legal we are, though we are not as legal as you/No Sir we're not equal no, though we are both from the EU". The ska rhythm hides a protest at the Western World for forgetting Eastern Europe, Lithuania included.

If you are Eastern European or know someone who is join us at the Halloween party and pre-launch of the new INCULTO album “Closer Than You Think” at The Queen of Hoxton, 1 Curtain Road, EC2A 3JX on 31st October 2010. The Queen of Hoxton is legendary bar, club and art collective in the heart of the East End. It is the house of “Washroom Galleries” that showcase some of the best up-and-coming artists from the East End, keeping you entertained while you sit. Each cubicle has been lovingly decorated along different themes.

Tickets
Inculto website
Inculto at the Oslo Collection

Japan Jamaica Popp! (and a bit of Ronan Keating)

Here’s a fab Japanese cover of André Popp’s classic Eurovision songs L’Amour Est Bleu (Love is blue).

Japanese reggae dubsters Little Tempo mix with Yoko Fujita (藤田陽子) and Ao Inoue (of Dry & Heavy, another Japanese reggae outfit).

It’s from some undergroundish dub remix compilation I didn’t find many details on, but it’s just plain great.

Koi Ha Mizuiro  (恋は水色)

L’Amour Est Bleu was 4th in the 1967 contest representing Luxembourg. The original French lyrics were written by Pierre Cour.

The song was featured many times at Eurocovers. Here's the song as the 2nd most covered Eurovision song and here's another Love Is Blue Special.
Here's some from India and one from China, one by Ann Margret and a groovy Bagpipe version by Rufus Harley. The first ever Eurocovers post features Paul Mauriats 12"inch disco version.

And a bit of Ronan Keating news.
Ronan Keating will release Believe Again as his next single in Australia and New Zealand. Believe Again is the Keating co-penned* 2009 Eurovision entry for Denmark.
Original singer Brinck finished 13th with the song at the Moscow contest, but the song proved to be a popular tune and was covered several times (See below)

Believe Again will be a duet with an as yet unrevealed artist (My bet is on Orianthi, but Olivia would be great). It will be included on the album Duet, especially created for the Australian/New Zealand market.
update: The singer is Paulini Curuenavuli. (website)
You can listen to the song at Soundfiend.

The album will include some previously recorded duets (Lulu, Elton, Cat) alongside new songs with antipodean artists.
The single will be out on November 12. Both album and single will be released exclusively in Australia and New Zealand, so rekindle your contacts with those long lost pen pals. (Or wait for the'Bay).
Keatings most recent album is Winter Songs from 2009, a christmassy album which is also almost appropriate again.

Source: Ronan Keating website
Believe Again at The Moscow Collection has all the details on the coverversions. Or check this Eurocovers post.
See an Afrikaans version by Heinz Winckler here at Eurocovers.

* Keating wrote Believe Again with Lars Halvor Jensen and Martin Møller Larsson. In 2010 the trio wrote All About A Girl for Joakim Tranberg for the Danish selection.

Lena Zavaroni - What's Another Year

Here's Lena Zavaroni performing What's Another Year (The Irish 1980 winner), which I think is rather lovely.
Read more about this Lena at http://www.lena-zavaroni.co.uk/

Thin Slices Of Siw Malmkvist (Not Gunther von Hagen related)

It’s been a bit quiet at Eurocovers lately. Too much work, recession depression, some PC problems and all kinds of personal excuses, you know the tune.

But I received a bit of release news from Erik of Sweden I didn’t want to keep from you as it includes the magic words ‘Previously Unreleased’ and ‘Italian Version’.

Siw Malmkvist, Eurovision singer, Swedish National Final repeat offender and beloved Eurocovers artist has given her memoires to the world in a Swedish book called Tunna Skivor Av Mig.
It was written with Carl Magnus Palm who is most known as the best ABBA historicus. (His fantastic ABBA - The Complete Recording Sessions (1994) is unrivalled).

Tunna Skivor Av Mig (Thin slices of me) is a take on her 1960 single Tunna Skivor which is a coverversion of Connie Francis’ Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool. Skivor is also Swedish for records.

Siw Malmkvist entered Eurovision in 1960 with Alla Andra Får Varann (for Sweden) and in 1969 with Primaballerina (for Germany) and she recorded coverversions of several Eurovision songs (see * below). This new release adds two more to the list.

Augustin, April April
Siw Malmkvist also entered (and won) the Swedish national selection several times and two of those appearances are linked to the Eurocovers on the Tunna Skivor bonus CD.

In 1959 Siw Malmkvist sang Augustin in the Swedish selection even though it was already known that Brita Borg would represent Sweden at Eurovision.
Siw recorded Augustin in Swedish, German, Danish, Norwegian and Italian and it’s the Italian version that is released here for the first time.

In 1961 Siw won the Swedish selection with April April, but Swedish TV decided that Lill Babs would go to Eurovision because Siws performance wasn’t quite satisfactory. **
April April features on the CD in a previously unreleased Danish version.

The CD included with a limited number of the book includes 17 tracks of which only the last one was previously released. One track is a new recording; Du bist der Anfang und das Ziel, recorded with her son Henrik. The other 15 tracks are mostly different language recordings of well known Siw songs.

Less great news is that the CD is only available with the first 1000 copies of the book, which is of course not a very fan-friendly marketing strategy.
The Tunna Skivor Av Mig edition with the CD is only available at Bokus, who dont ship to everywhere, but to most European countries and some beyond. (Best inquire first to get the right edition)

Tunna Skivor tracklist:
1 Ten Thousand Miles - 1965
2 Am Platz von Tegelbacken - 1964
3 Amore Scusami (German) - 1964
4 Augustin (Italian) - 1959
5 Bring Back My Love - 1965
6 Du spricht immer von Paris - 1959
7 Du är bäst - 1964
8 Frosty der Schneemann - 1964
9 Goodbye Charlie - 1965
10 Hej Mr Banjo - 1955
11 Lejonburen - 1964
12 Någon gång någonstans - 1964
13 Rosorna i Portugal - 1959
14 April april (Danish) - 1961
15 Du bist der Anfang und das Ziel - with Henrik Ohlsson - 2010
16 Introduction recorded in the studio for Vackraste paret i världen
17 Vackraste paret i världen - Duett med Svante Thuresson - 1968

Special thanks to Erik for the news and the pic below.
Other sources: Bokus bookstore and Carl Magnus Palm Website

* Sprattelgumma, Puppet On A String at Eurocovers has a discography of Siws Eurocovers
** I haven’t read the book yet, so I don’t know if there’s anything about this historic Swedish Eurovision debacle in it.