1963: Julie London and her Wonderful Things

(Updates to this Eurocovers page were made in May 2021)

Singer and actress Julie London (Julie Peck) was probably known for her beauty more than for her music and wasn't too shy to show that on her lovely LP sleeves. But several of her albums are as pleasing on the ear as they are on the eye. Her debut LP from 1955 Julie Is Her Name (Liberty) is a must have LP for anyone who loves music. Her soft and gentle voice blends so beautiful with the minimal smooth guitars of Barney Kessel* and Ray Leatherwood on bass.

The LP features the first released version of the classic Cry Me A River. It is one of my all time favorite LP's.

Now to Eurovision: In 1963 the U.K. entry Say Wonderful Things by Ronnie Carroll ended 4th in the contest in London. 

It was even a U.S. hit, reaching 91 with four weeks on the Billboard Hot 100. 

Patti Page took the song a little bit higher, her version was a #81 hit.

Julie London recorded Say Wonderful Things in the same year for the LP The Wonderful World of Julie London, which was critisized for being too 'Easy listening'. So, maybe not her finest moment but it gave us a Eurocover by a legendary superstar who represented all that was gorgeous at the turn of the 50's.

There's a CD re-issue with another LP (The Good Life) available at Amazon and other (web)shops, but if you want any Julie London record in your collection you should try and find some of the original (or even re-issue) LP's with the glorious picture sleeves in the only format that does them justice: 12' inch.

Say Wonderful Things can also be found on EMI Presents The Magic of Julie London (Compilation CD 1995, later re-issued as Cry Me A River) 

 
Julie London died in 2000 at the age of 75.

You can find a nice bio and discography with many pictures here at this recommended tribute site.

There's also a Facebook page dedicated to Julie London

* - The Poll Winners with guitarist Barney Kessel recorded a coverversion from another US Eurovision favorite: Volare (Nel blu dipinto di blu) is on their 1958 LP The Poll Winners Ride Again (Contemporary Records)

(Updates to this Eurocovers page have been made in May 2021)

Eurovision fans take notice: Julie London is the original inventor of the wrap me up in drapes act made famous in the contest by Sertab, André, Sakis and Sarbel almost 50 years later.

VII: The Year Of The Puppet - More from Jamaica

I haven't forgotten it's still The Year Of The Puppet at Eurocovers, so here's a quicky.
In the Eurocovers post on Ken Boothe you can read more about reggae versions of Sandie Shaw's Eurovision winner made in Jamaica, with a list and versions by Boothe.

Here's a few of the lesser known coverversions of Puppet On A String from the 70's.

Tyrone Taylor
- on 7"inch (Micron MIC 2407, 1975)
Paul Sinclair- on 7"inch - b-side to Flabba Holt's I'm not a king (On Top records, 1975)
Enos McCloud a.k.a McLeod or McLoud
- on LP By the look in your eyes (Stewmac SB 003, probably 1979)

More Eurovision reggae in: Jamaica, can I have your votes please? part 1 / part 2

My e-bay stuff (ends today!)

- More Puppet On A String / Year Of The Puppet

Serbia: Pekinška Patka & Dragan Stojnić

After the Eurovision victory for Serbia it's time to do something Serbian. My collection and knowledge of coverversions made in (old) Yugoslavia are mostly limited to the usual big winners getting a local makeover.
But of all coverversions sung in Serbian (or Serbo-Croat) there's one song that stands out:
Bila je tako lijepa. It is Elle etait si jolie, the French 1963 entry by Alain Barrière and the song that has been recorded several times in Serbia (and Yugoslavia).
The first one to immortalise the song for Yugoslavia was Dragan Stojnić who released the song in 1965 on an EP.
In the early 80's the song gained 'new evergreen' status when it was recorded by Pekinška Patka. They morphed the sugarsweet chanson into a raging punk rock riot which inspired every other Yugoslavian punk/rock band to put the song on their playlists.
Pekinška Patka are still regarded as legendary and even though they didn't invent Serbian punk, they were the masters of the genre.
http://www.popboks.com/ writes: "Even with only three published singles and two albums, Pekinska patka ("Beijing Duck") still is one of the crucial parts of Yugoslavian (Serbian) punk heritage, the leaders of the so-called New Wave of the 80’s, and the first punk band in the Balkans. They have been remembered to this day by their incisive and melodic punk rock sound. With their performances just two years after the punk revolution in Great Britain, they shocked the Yugoslavian public, caused infuriated reactions and were worshiped among a whole generation of Yugoslavian youth. The band may not exist anymore, but the rebellious sound of Pekinska patka still echoes today".

Their version was released on a 7" and LP Plitka Poezija (Jugoton, 1980)
Bila je…. can also be found on the cult LP Bloodstains across Yugoslavia a compilation LP from a series of Punk LP's that featured Bloodstains from all over the world)

Dragan Stojnić - Bila je tako lijepa
- (EP: RTB 50289, 1965)
Pekinška Patka - Bila je tako lijepa
- (7"Jugoton SY 23756, 1981)

Dragan Stojnić's version can be found on the CD Bila je tako lijepa which is available from yu4you, they also stock the CD Pekinška Patka collecting most recordings by the band.
You can read more about Pekinška Patka at a MySpace dedicated to them.
Other versions of the song were recorded by Sove (Rap), Mirzino Jato, Bojan Kodrić, Stevan Zarić, Zeljko Samardzić, Hladno Pivo (Croatian) and more?...


You can find Yugoslavian 60's girl pop band Sanjalice in this Eurocovers post.

Really Famous People Doing Volare (1) - Ella Fitzgerald

A new occasional series for Eurocovers. Artists that need no introduction having their way with the Classic of all Classics still heard in pizzeria's and concert halls around the world, Dominico Modugno's Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu, also known as Volare, the 1958 San Remo Winner, Eurovision loser and the best selling, most covered, only grammy winning Eurovision song ever.
If there's any 'Volare' aficionado's out there (I know there are) I'd like to get in contact, exchange information, compare lists, write a book...


Ella Fitzgerald's Volare can be found on EP Volare (Verve) and also on LP 1964 Hello Dolly.

The LP Hello Dolly was re-issued on CD in 2005 and is avalable from your local shop and the usual Amazons and CD-ONs.

Recommended: The Ella Fitzgerald Homepage




Other Eurocovers posts featuring Nel blu dipinto di blu (Volare):
G4 and Pavarotti - Juliette Gréco - Mino (Lithuania)

Another Eurocovers album: Star Sisters from Estonia

Another album stuffed with Eurovision coverversions was just released in Estonia.
The album is titled Star Sisters and features Meribel Müürsepp (pictured below) , Elina Toompuu, Ketlin Hoel and Elina Eilonen.
Müürsepp's own national final song Mr. Right (2006) opens the album in its previously unreleased Estonian version and then nine Eurovision covers follow.
Three of them are versions of Estonian entries that have so far only been recorded in English, but now got the Estonian makeover. The other six tracks are some of the Eurovision greats like France Gall's Gainsbourg classic Poupee de cire, poupee de son, Teach In's Ding A Dong and ABBA's Waterloo. All tracks are sung in Estonian.
Tracklist Star Sisters CD:
1. Mr.Right - Meribel Müürsepp (Estonian version of 2006 Preselection song)
2. Tähevalguse tee - Elina Toompuu (Runaway - Sahlene - Estonia 2002)
3. Et oleks rahu - Meribel Müürsepp (Ein bisschen Frieden - Nicole - Germany 1982)
4. Diggi-Loo Diggy-Ley - Ketlin Hoel (Herreys - Sweden 1984)
5. Säde mu silmis - Elina Toompuu (Once in a lifetime - Ines - Estonia 2000)
6. Õnnesoovid - Meribel Müürsepp (Congratulations - Cliff Richard - UK 1968)
7. Mu päiksepoolne aken - Elina Toompuu (Through my window - Sandra Oxenryd - Estonia 2006)
8. Vahanukk - Meribel Müürsepp (Poupee de cire… - France gall - Luxembourg 1965)
9. Ding a dong - Elina Eilonen (Teach In - Netherlands 1975)
10. Waterloo - Meribel Müürsepp (Abba - Sweden 1974)

The album is available at a snip at CDMarket, a shop from Estonia I personally have good experiences with.
They also stock the must have CD Unustamatu Eurovision, a compilation of Eurovision covers recorded in the 60's and 70's in Estonia. (The CD was released in 2002).

P.S.: Blog TipThe El Rincón Del 45 (The 45's corner) blog features a Miguel Ramos EP with Eurocovers from 1968 and a Vladimir Zaroff single from 1969.

Life goes on, some updates and blog tips... (UPDATED again)

Serbia won the 2007 Eurovision song contest. Congratulations to Marija Šerifović and her girls!
You can download all versions of the 2007 winning song on the official Serbian Eurovision site. It features the song Molitva in Serbian, English, Russian and Finnish plus a host of remixes.

While Serbia is celebrating the victory it's time for Eurocovers to get back to all year round business as usual: Coverversions of Eurovision songs from 1956 to 2007.
First there some updates on previous posts sent to me by e-mail or added in the comments. Thanks to all for your contributions.


CHINESE VERSIONSI have updated the Chinese versions document with some more information and have re-uploaded it here. (word.doc, updated januari 2009)

A great addition is a lovely Chinese version of Johnny Blue, the 1981 entry from Germany originally by Lena Valaitis. (Thanks to Anonymous, not the Andorran band)
雷安娜 - 別了憂鬱
Annabelle Lui -
Bie liao you yu Johnny Blue
on LP 舊夢不需記 (No Need To Remember Old Dreams) 1981 & best of CD 真經典 Zhen Jin Dian.



UPDATE: The CD re-issue of the 1981 Annabelle Lui LP can be ordered at YesAsia.com (Global) - -
PUPPETS ON A STRINGIn the comments on the Tatjana Hubinská article with the Slovak version of Puppet On A String, Lou Kash from Funky Czech-In posted a nice biography of the singer which I have added to the article. (Thanks Lou!)

The Year Of The Puppet, featuring coverversions of Sandie Shaws 1967 Eurovision winner isn't over yet. I will be featuring more versions all through 2007.
Meanwhile you can hear an exotic version of the song at the I'm Learning To Share blog.
It's by the Old Oak Casablanca Steel Orchestra from Trinidad and you can find backgrounds and songs of one of Trinidad's longest running steel bands in this article.

Check out this blog for some amazing 78's, advertisments and loads of interesting odds and ends. The Gerty Molzen post is a must see/hear! (Thanks Jim!)

The Year Of The Puppet celebrates the 40 year anniversary of Sandie Shaw's Eurovision victory with Puppet On A String. Introduction to the series in this Eurocovers post.
Other versions of Puppet On A String already featured are from France, Singapore (Mandarin-Chinese), Jamaica. Yugoslavia, Estonia, U.K. (Comedy), Iceland, Lithuania, USA (Musical), Spain, Brasil, UK punk, Norway (gloom) Norway, Turkey, Portugal, Basque country Organland, Tirol, Denmark, CzechoSlovakia (Czech), Hungary, Russia, Yugoslavia (Slovenia), Chile/Argentina/Mexico, Sweden, Netherlands, Hong Kong, Finland, Scotland, Poland, Czechoslowakia (Slovak)

Another blog tip:I found an interesting LP featured at 7 Black Notes, a blog about the Strange Side Of Movie Music.
In the december article Smile On Your Brother a soundtrack LP of the movie Come Together from 1971 is featured. The Eurovision connection here is that the LP features no less than 4 versions of the 1967 Eurovision song Love Is Blue (Originally L'amour est bleu by Vicky).
quote: "with enough versions of "Love Is Blue" (both instrumental and vocal) to put you off that tune for life". Check it out and click the pic for the LP.
Paul Mauriats disco version of Love Is Blue was featured in the very first Eurocovers Post ever.

RePlay Euroviisut 2007 CD

Bonnier/Amigo Music Finland have released a compilation CD with Eurovision covers in a trance/dance style including a coverversion of Hanna Pakarinens 'Leave Me Alone' (Finland 2007) and last years winner Hard Rock Hallelujah. I've seen the album at CD-ON.
UPDATE Re:play Euroviisut is now also available at BeaRecords.

The album is titled Re:Play Euroviisut and is out now.
(Not to be confused with a 2005 CD with the same name)


Tracks:
01. Hold Me Now (Lowland & Drome)
02. Katson sineen taivaan (Transamerica feat. Katasha)
03. A-ba Ni-bi (Vovecto + T.K.)
04. Hard Rock Hallelujah (Gothrance feat. Liia + Saga & Street) ♫
05. Poupeé De Cire, Poupeé De Son (Françoise Framboise feat. Margaretha)
06. Leave Me Alone (Android Army feat. Linah)
07. Diggiloo Diggiley (Jennie)
08. Diva (Maryan)
09. Ding - A - Dong (Volvecto + Liia)
10. Eläköön elämä (Stomper & Maryan)
11. Pump Pump (Pikku-Freddie)
12. Fantasiaa (radical Rat Race feat. Pirita & Tara)
13. A Little Piece (Mädchen Roshill)

FINWEEKS: Finnish songs that crossed the borders

Most coverversions of Finnish Eurovision entries are in Finnish, but a few travelled across Europe and got a makeover in another language. Here's a few of them.

1962 - Tipi Tii - original by Marion Rung
- Tipi tii has been covered in all Scandinavian languages, several by Eurovision (pre) singers like Katy Bødtger (Danish) and Jan Hølland (Norwegian). Finnish 1966 Eurovision singer Ann Christine recorded a German version.
1965 - Aurinko läskee länteen - original by Viktor Klimenko
- This was covered by Kalmer Tennosaar from Estonia as Päike loojub läänes. Tennosaar also covered the 1969 entry Kuin silloin ennen (Just nii kui enne) and the UK entry of 1964 I love the little things (Kõik on kui laul). All can be found on the on the compilation CD Laulus Sulle..
1966 - Playboy - Ann Christine
The Dorthe Kollo material is removed
1967 - Varjoon Suojaan - Fredi
- A Spanish version was recorded by Adriangela as the b-side of another Spanish cover, that of the French 1967 entry.
(7" Tan Lejos / Para Que - Zafiro 00X 882). Both songs can also be found on the CD Adriangela!! (HAMM 0442)
1976 - Pump Pump - Fredi & Friends
- Another song that got a handful of makeovers in Scandinavia. Plus one in Greece, by Robert, Bessy, Takis & Rena.
They were members of the Robert Williams group who covered many Eurovision songs in Greek in the 70's.
Robert & Bessy entered the Eurovision stage themselves in 1977 when Greece entered with Mathema solfege.
2002 - Addicted to you - Laura Voutilainen
- Originally in English at the contest, Valeriya covered the fans favorite in Russian for her CD Nezhnost moya (2006) as Polyot.
- Валерия - Полёт - CD Нежность моя





Other FINWEEKS posts:
Hard Rock Hallelujah in a variety of styles
The Ancient Winners covered in Finnish
Laila Kinnunen, Finnish legend covers Eurovision

-
LOOKING FOR / HELP WANTED
There are a few versions I'm looking for especially.
1973 - Tom Tom Tom - original by Marion Rung
A Serbian version of Tom Tom Tom (Finland 1973) that was recorded in Yugoslavia by Daliborka Stojšic (7" Jugoton SY-22536)
1981 - Reggae OK - original by Riki Sorsa
An Estonian version Otse resgy by Widholmi Piduripael. This is from an LP Mäletan veel which was released in Sweden in 1982 (Estonian voice: SLP 1017)
The Estonian Voice label released several Estonian LP's including some with Eurocovers. I'd love to find out more about these releases for a future Eurocovers post but I haven't been able to find out anything else than their existance and tracks. Can anyone shed some light on these albums and their history? please let me know….

FINWEEKS: Laila Kinnunen Eurocovers discography

The Finweeks continue with a Eurocovers discography of Laila Kinnunen. Below is all the information I have collected over the years, If I missed something, please let me know.

Laila Kinnunen (Laura Annikki Kinnunen) was one of the greatest singers of Finnish popular music in the 50's and 60's.
She earned her legendary status with her smooth voice that made the sometimes harsh Finnish language sound like velvet. Her body of work is impressive and many of her recordings have been released on CD.
She sang many Italian classics but also other European and American standards, Russian songs and of course Finnish originals. She recorded in several languages including Finnish, Swedish, Hungarian, German, English, Italian and Spanish.
To most Eurovision fans Eurovision fans she is probably best known for Valoa Ikkunassa, the first ever Finnish entry from 1961 which ended only 10th.
Laila Kinnunen died in december 2000.
(Picture: Laila Kinnunen features on a Finnish postal stamp, along with Katri Helena, Marion Rung and Kirka. Of course Lordi have their own stamps in the set.)
LAILA KINNUNEN - EUROVISION & EUROCOVERS DISCOGRAPHY

Finland 1961 - Valoa Ikkunassa - Laila Kinnunen
- Valoa ikkunassa (Scandia KS 388 & EP Laila Cannes'issa)
- Ett ljus I ett fönster (Swedish) - Laila (Sonet T 7503, on 7" with a Swedish version of Sommar I Palma, red vinyl)
The Swedish records all appeared under the name Laila, without Kinnunen.

Finland 1962 - Tipi-tii - original by Marion Rung
- Tipi-tii (7" Scandia KS 423 & EP Scandia SEP 159)
- Ti-pi-ti (Swedish) - Laila (7" Sonet T 7523, red vinyl)

France 1960 - Tom Pillibi - Jacqueline Boyer
- Tom Pillibi (7" Scandia KS 358* & EP Eurovision Laulukilpailut)
- Tom Pillibi (Swedish) - Laila (EP, Sonet SXP 4023)
Germany 1960 - Bonne nuit, ma cherie - Wyn Hoop
- Yö jo on cherie (EP Scandia KS 358* & EP Eurovision Laulukilpailut)
- Bonne nuit, ma cherie (Swedish) (EP Sonet SXP 4028, blue vinyl, pictured and EP Sonet SXP 4023)
Italy 1960 - Romantica - Renato Rascel
- Romantica (7" Scandia KS 355** & EP Eurovision Laulukilpailut)
- Romantica (Swedish) - Laila (EP, Sonet SXP 4023)
Sweden 1960 - Alla andra får varann - Siw Malmkvist
- Kaiki muut saavat toisensa (7" Scandia KS 355** & EP Eurovision Laulukilpailut) (picture: The lyrics to Tipi-tii, click the pic for larger version)


1960: The EP Eurovision Laulukilpailut (Scandia SEP 120) features above 4 Finnish coverversions from 1960 by Laila Kinnunen.
The Swedish versions of Tom Pillibi, Bonne nuit and Romantica can also be found on a Swedish EP (Sonet SXP 4023)













Thanks Klaus!Thanks Erik !


Italy 1961 - Al di lá - Betty Curtis
- Kaikkialla (7" Scandia KS 390*** & EP Laila Cannes'issa)
- Al di lá (Swedish) - Laila (EP Sonet SXP 4023)
Norway 1961 - Sommer i palma - Nora Brockstedt
- Käsa Palmassa (7" Scandia KS 390 & EP Laila Cannes'issa)
- Sommar i palma (Swedish) - Laila (7" Sonet T 7503, see Valoa ikkunassa) 1961: The EP Laila Cannes'issa (The contest was in Cannes that year) features The Finnish 1961 entry, coverversions of the Italian and Swedish entries and a version of Pikku ikkuna, the song that was 4th in the 1961 Finnish National Final by Kai Lind.

Sweden 1962 - Sol och vår - Inger Berggren
- Kevätauer (7" Scandia KS 425 & EP Laila, Scandia SEP 164)
Denmark 1963 - Dansevise - Grethe & Jörgen Ingmann
- Tanssilaulu (7" Scandia KS 474)
France 1964 - Le chant de Mallory - Rachel
- Malloryn laulu (CD Muistojen kyyneleet)
Austria 1966 - Merci Cherie - Udo Jürgens
- Mercie Chérie (German) (CD Muistojen kyyneleet)
Luxembourg 1966 - Ce soir je t'attendais - Michèle Torr
- Odotin sinua (CD Kadonneet helmet)

2001 CD Muistojen kyyneleet and 2002 CD Kadonneet helmet are collections of rare recordings and previously unreleased material including several songs in English and Italian


A recommended compilation is the Finnish 2CD Kaikki kauneimmat from 2004 which features many of the Eurovision covers, her greatest hits and versions of songs like Marina, Lazzarella and Brigitte Bardot.





Source: Finnish recordings are probably the best archived in the world. If you visit Database of The Finnish Institute of Recorded Sound you can find all documented records that were ever released in Finland from 1901 to 1999.Not just Eurovision, but anything you need to find out. If anyone in Finland ever recorded a cover of your favorite song, it's there.

FINWEEKS: Eurocovers covers the classics in Finnish

Eurovision Week in Helsinki.
It's been said before, despite the lack of success Finland is a Eurovision Nation Extraordinaire. In no other country have so many Eurovision songs been covered and most of them were recorded in Finnish. Popular singers like Laila Kinnunen, Katri Helena and Marion Rung each have recorded 10 or more songs in Finnish.
In the 80's there were LP's featuring all songs of the yearly event getting the Finn-over and even in modern times, when not many coverversions are recorded, there's the odd Finnish version.

Here's some Finnish coverversions of the ancient Eurovision winners.
I don't know of any Finnish cover of the first Eurovision (Refrain by Lys Assia, 1956) but for almost every year after some Finnish artist has covered the Eurovision winner, and often several other entries too.
Netherlands 1957 - Net als toen - Corry Brokken
- Kalevi Tauru - Oispa unta se vain (7" Triola ts 356 & 78 RPM Triola t 4356, 1958)
France 1958 - Dors Mon Amour - André Claveau
- Leif Wager - Nukkuos rakas (EP Blu Master blu 122 & 78 RPM Blue Master blu 550) (Leif Wager pictured right)Netherlands 1959 - 'n Beetje - Teddy Scholten
- Seija Karpiomaa - Vain hiukan (Various artists EP Scandia SEP 99)


France 1960 - Tom Pillibi - Jacqueline Boyer
- Laila Kinnunen - Tom Pillibi (7" Scandia KS 358 & EP Eurovision Laulukilpailut, Scandia SEP 120)
Laila Kinnunen (1939-2000) is one of the great legendary singers in the history of Finnish popular music.
I'm working on a Eurocovers post detailing all her Eurovision covers to be featured here soon.

Luxembourg 1961 - Nous les amoureux - Jean Claude Pascal
- Leif Wager - Me rakastavaiset (7" Decca SD 5528)
France 1962 - Un premier amour - Isabelle Aubret
- Vieno Kekkonen - Ensimäinen rakkaus (7" Scandia KS 428 & EP Scandia SEP 162)

Finnish recordings are probably the best archived in the world. If you visit Database of The Finnish Institute of Recorded Sound you can find all documented records that were ever released in Finland from 1901 to 1999.
Not just Eurovision, but anything you need to find out. If anyone in Finland ever recorded a cover of your favorite song, it's there.



Above are featured vinyl recordings that mostly haven't been issued on CD.
A must have 2CD with Eurocovers from 1958 to the late 90's in Finnish is available in Finnish shops and at BeaRecords. You can find details in this Eurocovers post.