Blog Tip: Favorites In Original - 杜德偉- 抱緊我

A blog I love to visit frequently is Favorites In Original.
Here you can find coverversions in Cantonese paired with their originals including picture sleeves.
It features originals from all over the world and if you browse around you'll find a few Eurocovers and some non-Eurovision songs by Eurovision stars like Patricia Kaas, Anna Oxa, Julio Iglesias, Celine Dion, Carola, Kirka, Nicole and Celine Dion.
One that I didn't know yet is by Alex To. 抱緊我 is a Cantonese (Chinese) coverversion of Johnny Logan's Hold Me Now, the 1987 Eurovision winner for Ireland.
Alex To already recorded it for his 1987 debut album Alex To (杜德偉). Great to find another Eurocovers treasure 22 years after its release. (the post is here) --


Eurovision 2009 - The Moscow Collection
The Latest News At The Moscow Collection Blog:
U.K. promo Spain promo
Lithuania: Sasha Song, Russian version online
Montenegro - Andrea's remixes
Macedonia - Next Time, English, Serbian versions.
Finland - Lose Control - Remix info, cdsingle Out Now
Romania: The Balkan Girls - CDsingle out now!
Armenia: Ինգա Անուշ Արշակյաններ, audio, video, dance!
Germany: Tracks cdsingle, Digital release, Spanish version
Switzerland: Lovebugs The Highest Heights, cdsingle out now!
France - Patricia Kaas - Kabaret CD, new version, Live CD Out Now!.

Eurocovers releases roundup: South Africa

I'm currently working on an updated version of the South Africa coverversions list, as it has been a few years since I last published that (actually pre-Eurocovers blog). It'll take some time, but I hope it's here in a few weeks. (it's here now)
For now: you'll have to do with an update on the Eurocovers that have been released in South Africa fairly recently.

Steven Sterling III
Steven Sterling has released his 3rd album Steven Sterling 3. (Sterling Musiek STERCD002)
There's one new Eurocover of interest there and it's the opening track Mama Afrika. This is a great Afrikaans version of Mama Corsica, the French entry of 1993 by Patrick Fiori.
The album also includes a re-recording of Lief Vir Alles Hier (Für Alle, Germany 1985), which Sterling recorded for his Debut CD.
Third song of Eurocovers interest is Glimlag (Smile), a coverversion of Under Your Spell (Sweden 2006 pre-selection - Evan)
The album is for sale at Kalahari*.
Lief Vir Alles Hier (In love with everything here) is technically an André Schwartz ♫ cover, who was the one who made the song hugely popular in South Africa.

Casanova Shaun Tait
Shaun Tait's second album Ek Se Kom Ons Doen Dit (I say let's do this) is out now and features the first South African coverversion for Andorra. He recorded Casanova (2008 - Gisela). The album also features two popular pre-selection songs.
Gee Jou Hart Vir My (Give your heart to me) is Lay Your Love On Me (BWO, Melodifestivalen 2008) and Viva La Musica was Man Meadow's song for the Polish 2008 selection.
Title track Ek Se Kom Ons Doen Dit is a cover of Charlotte Perrelli's Bullet, her follow up single to Eurovision hit Hero (CD Out now on Sony SA) (Kalahari)
On his debut CD Shaun Tait recorded Sing 'n liedjie (Sing a song) as a duet with Patricia Lewis, Queen Of South African Eurovision Covers. It's Shame On You (Denmark 2004 - Thomas Thordarsson)

Let's Rage At The Club Kung FuCharl Smit's last CD Lekker Jol (Great party, Ramkat RAMCD001) features two tracks of Estonian origin.

Kom Ons Raas (Let's rage) is a coverversion of Estonian entry Let's Get Loud by Suntribe. Even better (imho) is the title track, Lekker Jol. It's Club Kung Fu, a pre-selection song from 2003 that was originally by Estonian superstars Vanilla Ninja. That song was the audience favorite, but their vote only counted for like 10% or so. The professional jury hated it, but Vanilla Ninja did quite well for themselves, especially in Germany. They were invited to represent Switserland in 2005 and with Cool Vibes they ended 9th.
Charl Smit's version of the song is about traffic. Smit is currently working on his new CD which will have some more Eurocovers surprises.
The album is available at Kalahari*. The track Lekker Jol was also released on the VA compilation Kuier In Afrikaans (Ramkat RAMCD004)

Another version of Club Kung Fu was recorded by Nicholis Louw: Welkom By My Party can be found on his CD Hier Naby Jou (Close to you).

I noticed a download site where you can preview the tracks (Rhythm Online)*. They sell legal mp3's internationally and are currently working on an easy payment system (it's too complicated now for my liking)
http://www.nicholislouw.co.za/

Juanita ForeverJuanita Du Plessis celebrates her career with a double CD of her best hits and new tracks. Opening track of CD1 is 'n Ewigheid, (An eternity) a new coverversion of Carola's 2006 entry Invincible (Sweden). It's already the 2nd Afrikaans version of this track, after the boys of Hi-5 recorded it on their CD Versoeking.

Juanita's 2cd 10 jaar Platinum Treffers is also available at Kalahari*. You can listen to all songs at her homepage (here) http://www.juanita.co.za/

Juanita's 1997 album Young Hearts included a coverversion of Gina G.'s Ooh Aah Just A Little Bit (U.K. 1996) in a hits medley

Moet My Nie Vergeet Nie

Rian Ungerer's CD Moet My Nie Vergeet Nie (Don't forget me) features the track Agter Moes Laat (Had to leave behind), which is a coverversion of Vukovi Umiru Sami (Croatia 2005 - Boris Novkovic)
Girl band Shine 4 have split up, but they have released a best CD with some new tracks. One of these is Je t'Adore (Belgium 2006, Kate Ryan) which is sung in Afrikaans.
Leandie Lombaard. I mentioned her CD here. Now she has her own website where you can listen to excerpts of the songs.
Some other recent releases are tenor Jannie Moolmans CD Ek Kom Huistoe (I'm coming home) which includes Vandag (Today) (Le Grand Soir, Belgium 2005), Jaycee Crauses CD Ek Weet with Steeds Verlief (Everything, Greece 2006) and Waar Is Jy (Tornero, Romania 2006) and the previously mentioned albums by Jennifer Zamudio and Patricia Lewis.

Special Thanks to Roy and to Juan.
*Please note: I haven't tried any of the shops mentioned recently and I advise you contact them first about postage, payment and delivery information if you're interested in buying any of the CDs.
If you want to hear Mama Corsica in Lithuanian check this Eurocovers post.
All South-Africa related posts at Eurocovers are here. The Document is here.

Eurovision 2009 - The Moscow Collection

The Amsterdam Eurovision 2009 Concert.

If Moscow is too far, the crisis hit your bank balance or you were planning a long overdue trip to Amsterdam anyway this is the 2009 event for you:

On April 18, Marcanti Amsterdam will host a concert with many Eurovision Stars of the 2009 contest. Already a very impressive list of artists have confirmed: The entrants of Denmark, Belgium, Spain, Iceland, Lithuania, Cyprus, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Albania, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Slovenia, Poland, Moldova and Armenia will attend, more artsist to be confirmed. The show is hosted by Marga Bult and Maggie MacNeal. TICKETS, Video promo. More Info

50.000.000 Elvis Fans Can't Be Wrong ?

Probably it completely escaped you in your part of the world, but down in the lowlands the 2009 Belgian Eurovision entry, Copycat by Patrick Ouchène, is big news.

Now Georgia may think they're having problems with Putin on their case, Ouchène is really in trouble as he has offended Elvis and the wrath of the Elvis Army is a force to be reconed with.

Elvis fans have inundated all the Eurovision blogs and websites with their grief and the fanclub Elvis Matters has called upon the EBU (Big Giant Head of Eurovision) for the song to be banned because they are offended, hurt and deeply disturbed by the lyrics of the song.

Ouchène sings about this guy who is copying him, wearing the same clothes, eating the same sandwich etcetera. In fact Copycat is a tale about a cat. The cat being an Elvi-fied version of Le Chat, a popular cartoon figure by Philippe Geluck.

I thought is was funny, and even sweet. It's probably the F-word* that causes the biggest problem

Elvis Presley himself had to cope with similar outraged masses and the long arm of the law in his time. The good law abiding Christian society was deeply offended by his hip gyrating Hound Dog humping performances. And now it's the Elvis fans' turn to have their crusade.
I think it's a good publicity stunt for Elvis and the fans should be pleased that the King is put in the spotlight by someone else than the recordcompanies who are only re-re-releasing the 17th limited edition picture disc of Are You Lonesome Tonight because the fans will buy it anyway. But that's just my opinion.

Copycat Le Blog has all info, lyrics and the video of this years Belgian entry.
Copycat at the Moscow Collection
* - Fat

Eurocovers
Elvis Presley never recorded a cover of a Eurovision song although he came close in 1965 when he recorded, Please Don't Stop Loving Me (YouTube) which plagiarised the Italian 1964 winner Non Ho L'eta (by Gigliola Cinquetti).

Rock 'n' Roll Kids
Copycat is a Rock'n' Roll song, a rarity in Eurovision world. Except for some very light twisty jive variations in the 80's (Yugoslavia's 83 and 87 songs for example) the only real Rock 'n' Roll song was one of the German entries of 1956: So Geht Das Jede Nacht by Freddy (Quinn).
A two minute hip shaker about a girl who dates a different guy every night (for dancing only of course, it's 1956).
Freddy didn't win, and the choice for the syrupy Refrain by Lys Assia shaped Eurovision for many years to come.
How the world would have been different if Freddy would have set the Eurovision standard back then.
Freddy recorded So Geht Das Jede Nacht in German (Youtube) and in Japanese (!).

I know of 10 coverversions of Eurovisions first Rock 'n'Roll song but none of them really catches the spirit of the Freddy original. Ralf Bendix gives the song a jazzy swing mood and is probably the best effort. (although I haven't heard them all).

Freddy himself also steered away from Rock'n' Roll, becoming one of the greatest melancholy German Schlager singers of all time, with romantic songs about sailors and heartbreak.
I don't know of any coverversions other than German or Instrumental.

So Geht Das Jede Nacht coverversions
Götz Alsmann
- details wantedRalf Bendix
- on 7" (Electrola EG 8616)
Charly
- on EP (Harmona 3D 36329)
Crazy Legs
- on CD Wir Sind Wider Wer (Bear family)
Dirk Darmstaedter u. Bernd Begemann
- on CD Tapete Unterwegs (5 track VA cd)
Wolf Gabbe u. Jonny's Boogie Band
- on VA EP SchlagerParade 2 (Opera Europäischer Phonoklub 4123)
Freddy Grün
- on 78rpm (Bertelsmann Schallplattenring 78 8632)
Die Tornados
- on CD Kaviar Statt Reis (Bear family)
Hans Arno Simon
- in medley (Piano) - details wanted
The 3 Jacksons (Accordion) part of medley
- on 10" LP Jacksons Parade No. 7 (Philips 13055 R)

MySpace, Lenny Kuhr and more

MySpace YourSpace OuttaSpace
MySpace is brilliant. Sometimes a bit slow maybe, but brilliant.
I already mentioned a load of Volare covers featured on MySpace. But there's more, so I'll check out the ones I find of interest by the great known and even greater unknown on a probably not so regular basis and share some of my my findings here at Eurocovers.

The handsome fellow on the right is Aaron Caruso.
On his MySpace he sings some Italian classics in various styles, but the relaxed laid back style on Dio Come Ti Amo (Italy 1966 Domenico Modugno) fits him like his pants do.
The song can also be found on his 2003 debut CD Passione. I really love the flugelhorn in the intro too.

You can find out more about Aaron at his own website and buy his music (digital and cds) at CDBaby
Another sweet one that caught my ear is by Trio Los Hispanicos. (link restored 2011) Their MySpace features a coverversion of the Italian 1971 entry l'Amore È Un Attimo by Massimo Ranieri. It's in Spanish, titled Perdon Cariño Mio (track 4) and it only had 12 plays (most by me)!, can you believe that?
Trio Hispanicos are from Alamo, Texas and their Eurocover is a perfect melancholic Tex Mex ballad. Go check 'em out.
40 years De Troubadour tribute site.
Your Eurocovers celebrated the four 1969 winners in the 4 x 40 - Madrid 1969 series but now a new website has been launched with all you need to know (and more) about the Dutch co-winner De Troubadour.

It's created by the Official Lenny Kuhr fansite and they have done a marvellous job.
The work of love features many insights on Lenny Kuhr's adventures, the history of the song, discography, coverversions (yep) and many great pictures.

I love the Curiosa / Curiosities page with pictures from ads, postcards and even Lenny Kuhr cigar bands. And also the page about De Generaal / The General, the Lenny Kuhr tribute to Legendary Football Coach Rinus Michels is great.
And there's more, but you better check it out for yourselves.

The site is in Dutch, but with the Google Translator it works reasonably well in English and other languages.
Lenny Kuhr - De Troubadour tribute site (new link) and on this YouTube channel there are many Lenny Kuhr clips and performances.


Eurovision 2009 - The Moscow Collection
The Latest News At The Moscow Collection Blog:
Sweden: Melodifestivalen Charts, history and some other trivia
Netherlands: Website launched, listen to the new version, new cds.
France - Patricia Kaas - Kabaret CD info, tour info, new version
Georgia: Disco Inferno: EBU Rejects song, Georgia Out?.
Belgium: Copycat is here! Elvis fans not happy.
Ukraine: Svetlana Loboda to Moscow, Official Video
Romania: Elena Gheorghe Website launches
Cyprus - Radio version of Firefly available
Serbia, Slovakia, Russia, Estonia decided
Albania: Carry Me In Your Dreams

Alestorm, The Kings Of True Scottish Pirate Metal

Wolves Of The Sea, the Latvian 2008 Eurovision entry by the Pirates Of The Sea may have suffered from the Under 12's Fancy Dress Party stigma and the Smurfs covering the song in several languages didn't really help its infantile reputation.

But now there's Alestorm from Scotland to the rescue. Their metal makeover of Wolves Of The Sea is great fun for all the family to be had. The track is from their Leviathan EP, out now on Napalm records (who else).
Alestorm will tour North America in March followed by a European tour in April.
Listen at Alestorms MySpace and Buy the EP here (Europe) or here (U.S). Myspace also has all the tourdates.
-
-

The Road To Moscow 4: Let's Dans With Thorleifs

Melodifestivalenfever has taken over Sweden and Europe in full force. Even though there are many great acts in the selection (Alcazar! Markoolio !!, E.M.D. !!!BWO !!!!), it's a modest year for artist doing Eurocovers.
In round one there was Marie Serneholt, one time A*Teens singer who has recorded Waterloo with her top teen band as their first pre-success single. In the same round there were the Scotts, a Dansband who recorded the 1968 entry Det Börjar Verka Kärlek Banne Mej on their 2008 CD (and #1 album) Jag Tror På. Oss. Marie was axed straight away and the Scotts will return to the 2nd chance round 'Andra Chansen'.
This weekend it's round four and another Dansband, party veterans Thorleifs try their luck with Sweet Kissin’ In The Moonlight.

Dansband culture
Everytime a 'hardcore' Dansband enters the Swedish preselection Melodifestivalen it's a bit of a row in the Swedish press. Somehow it's never a problem when female dinosaurs of the Dansband variety abuse the hottest ticket of the year for a comeback attempt, but when it's a dansband it's always too tacky, too cheap, too whatever.
Dansbands are bands that play live music for people to dance and party, think weddings, townsquare festivals. They play all the 50's to 80's hits, often in Swedish but also in English.. With an overpriced drink or six in your gut they soon become the best band in the world because dansbands are utterly professional and know how to get a party started (and going).
When Arvingarna won the Swedish selection in 1993 they were ridiculed (But their entry Eloise still is a mighty fine pop tune and it ended 7th). And when the testosteron overload from the steamy Brandsta City Släckers participated in full firefighters gear (2002 & 2003) SVT allegedly banned them from any future participation.

-

Thorleifs
And now there's Thorleifs, Dansband since about 1812. They're supposed to be too old, too corny etcetera, but Eurocovers is having none of that. Dansband music is a Swedish phenomenon which belongs in Melodifestivalen just as much as all the Schlager Queens (yay Shirley, yay Velvet) and the token Alternative Entry That Always Ends Last in the semi semi semi pre.
Thorleifs made about 30 (thirty!) albums since 1973 and they once had ABBA as their warming up band. Not many bands can say that.

They recorded their first single Ra Ta Ta in 1970.

I found details on three Eurovision covers by Thorleifs.
In 1981 they released the LP Johnny Blue. The title track is a cover of the German entry by Lena Valaitis (2nd) . And there's Du Hänger Väl Med Up which is Making Your Mind Up, Bucks Fizz's U.K. 1981 winner.
A third cover is an Sax instrumental of Swedish entry Stad I Ljus (Tommy Körberg, 1988) which appeared on the album Stadens Ende Spelemann.

Thorleifs most recent album is Förälskade from 2008, available from most Swedish webshops like CDON who also stock the Scotts album.
Dansbandmusik is very much alive and Förälskade is one of Thorleifs most successful albums to date, their 2nd # 1 album after 1976's Skänk Mig Ding Tankar.

Thorleifs website - 

The Road To Moscow 1 - Hera Björk (Denmark/Iceland), Tapani Kansa (Finland), Nucha (Portugal)

The Road To Moscow 2 - Čuki from Slovenia

The Road To Moscow 3 - Wenche Myhre (Norway), Đorđe Marjanović (Serbia)

-

Eurovision 2009 - The Moscow Collection

For those interested in the releases and the latest news of/on the impending Eurovision Song Contest I have created a new blog: The Moscow Collection.
Here you can find all the latest release info and all details on versions, remixes, promos etcetera. Official links, where to hear the new songs and where you can buy the latest CDs, it's all there.
The new blog replaces the yearly word documents (like the Belgrade Collection and so on). Go check it out now!.

Love? it's Blue but the War Is Not Over

Sinead MulveyIreland has chosen Sinead Mulvey & Black Daisy for Moscow Et Cetera…
On Sineads MySpace there's a Eurocover: It's a demo of the 2005 Irish entry Love? originally by Donna & Joe.


Help Wanted:Do You Know This Love Is Blue?
Here's a question from a Eurocovers reader. I have been probing my Love Is Blue collection but I haven't found any version that matches the description. Can You Help?
" I'm looking for a single (45 rpm) from around 1967-1970 . One one side it had L'amour est Bleu with vocals in FRENCH. I believe theorchestration was by Paul Mariat's orchestra. It may have have been a male vocalist who sort of spoke and whispered the song in French.
I know it wasn't Vicky Leandros or Claudine Longete or Michèle Torr.
I have been looking endlessly. Have you ever heard of this single?"Does anyone out there have a suggestion?, please leave a comment or e-mail

Michael Learns To Rock CDMichael Learns To Rock from Denmark have recorded The War Is Not Over, the Latvian entry of 2005 for their new CD Eternity.
One of the MLTR members co wrote Kun Med Dig, the Danish 1996 entry that was eliminated in the pre-eliminary audio round (There was a closed selection to get rid of the excess entries in 1996, 7 countries saw their song axed, all the work in vain)
They recorded Kun Med Dig themselves as Paint My Love which became one of their signature songs.
Michael Learns To Rock Homepage
-
-
MySpace VolaresHere's a variety of new Volares on MySpace, all these guys deserve a visit, but listen at your own risk!
The Rocksteady Beat Orchestra - ska-swing
Marcello Zitti - OAP rule!
Cabarock - me like!
Patrick Mittiga - oooh →
Sing Swing
Johnny Brachizio - smooth instrumental
Duo Simo Pao
Spaghetti Style - Big Swing
Cialtrontrio
Triki Trak Band - more swing
SexBomba - Polish Punk
Vic Latino - fromage
Triviani Swing
Mo'Better Band - Brass
Hammond Big band - Groovy
-
Eurovision 2009 - The Moscow Collection
For those interested in the releases and the latest news of/on the impending Eurovision Song Contest I have created a new blog: The Moscow Collection.

Here you can find all the latest release info and all details on versions, remixes, promos etcetera. Official links, where to hear the new songs and where you can buy the latest CDs, it's all there.
The new blog replaces the yearly word documents (like the Belgrade Collection and so on). Go check it out now!.

Forces' Sweetheart Anne Shelton

While lingering at the sofa with a nasty back injury, I watched the Antiques Roadshow the other week. I may lose some of my credibility here, but the BBC TV show where people bring their antiques to have them valued intrigues me. I especially love it when some dear old dear comes up with some prop she used for a lifetime as an ashtray which turns out to be so valuable it can pay for healthcare and a dishy full time caretaker for the rest of her life.

My attention was drawn to some memorabilia of Anne Shelton. A lady had some pictures and I think some jewelery of Anne Shelton to be valued.

Anne Shelton was a Sweetheart Of The Forces in WWII and the memorabilia tied in with the remarkable history of the singer.
The item also set my Eurovision bells ringing and I knew there had to be some Anne Shelton connection to Eurovision or Eurocovers in my collection.

Anne Shelton (1923 - 1994)
Anne Shelton was the first artist to record the WWII classic Lili Marleen in English and made it a success in the U.K. In the war she also worked with Glenn Miller and needless to say, she toured and entertained the forces extensively.
It was only in 1956 that Anne Shelton had her first (and only) official #1 hit with Lay Down Your Arms, a coverversion of Ann Caroline written by Swedish song legend Åke Gerhard, originally recorded by Thory Bernhards in 1955.

In 1956 she also had three songs in the infamous British pre-selection for the first Eurovision Song Contest. The U.K. never made it to the actual contest because the selection procedures weren't finished in time. The three songs, I Can't Help Loving You, With All My Loving Heart, The Heart Of A Child have never been released on record as far as I know (please see comments, Thanks Thomas!). (There were 36 songs in the multi round competition, each performed twice by different artists).
She entered the British national finals again in 1961 with Light A Candle (released as a b-side to Don't Forget on Philips) and in 1963 with My Continental Love (A-side single on Philips) and both songs ended 4th.

In the 50's and 60's Anne Shelton toured all over the world but she never repeated the commercial success of Lay Down Your Arms. Later on she remained a celebrated guest performer at many commemorative concerts and WWII remembrance days. She continued to perform until her death in 1994.

Eurocovers celebrated 50 years of Domenico Modugno's Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare) last year with many coverversions of the classic Eurovision tune. At the time I hadn't noticed Anne Shelton's version to be of any special interest among the 100s of versions out there (Sorry).
That was until last Sundays Antiques Roadshow.

Anne Shelton's Volare (in English) was released in 1958 on single (Philips PB852) and on the EP The Italian Touch (BBE12205)


Please visit the Official Anne Shelton Website for more information about this remarkable singer. A good 7"/ EP discography is here at 45rpm.
2008: Anno Domenico - 50 years of Volare at Eurocovers.

Other legendary Force's Sweethearts are Gracie Fields and of course Vera Lynn. They too recorded coverversions of Eurovision songs, more about them in future Eurocovers posts.
And for those who like their circles round: Thory Bernhards recorded one Eurocover: En Gång Skall Vi Åter Mötas, which is a version of Einmal Sehen Wir Uns Wieder (Germany 1961) by Lale Andersen. And Lale Andersen is the first singer to record Lili Marleen (in 1939).

David Hartsema 1925 - 2009

A sad goodbye in the Netherlands. Eurocovers celebrated 40 years of De Troubadour just a few weeks ago with the 4 X 40 post about the 1969 Eurovision winner.
And now I read the news at Songfestivalweblog that the lyricist who wrote the De Troubadour with Lenny Kuhr, David Hartsema died last Saturday.

Hartsema wrote over 900 songs and poems in Dutch, Groningan, Frysian, English and French. He wrote most lyrics for Lenny Kuhr debut LP and he was an avid supporter of the Groningan language. He worked many years with Liane Abeln, who is one of the most prolific singers in the Groningan language. He also was a painter and a woodsculptor.
David Hartsema was 84

(sources Songfestivalweblog, RTV noord, Streektaalmuziek all in Dutch)

Below there's a new live version of De Troubadour I found on Youtube. It's Lenny Kuhr with Ralph Rousseau and Frans de Berg from their new theatre show Troubadours Van Alle Tijden (Troubadours of all times)

Lenny Kuhr Ralph Rousseau Frans de Berg - De Troubadour 2009