Tuesday, March 27, 2018

C’était Ma Vie: Lys Assia (1924 - 2018)

Lys Assia, La Grande Dame De L'Eurovision passed away this weekend. She was of course the winner of the first ever Eurovision Song Contest, the Grand Prix Eurovision. She participated in three contests, had four entries and was a guest of honour at many Eurovision events in this millennium.

Below are some (edited) exerpts from a Eurocovers post from 2012 when she tried to get to the Eurovision Song Contest one more time with C’était Ma Vie, a song in the Swiss National Selection for Baku.

From 2012: C’était Ma Vie
Switzerland had a very extensive preselection for Baku with well over 200 songs participating in various broadcasters pre-pre-pre voting extravaganzi. (it was held in December 2011)
One artist that of course caught everybody’s attention is Lys Assia, who entered the selection with C’était Ma Vie penned by 'Mister Eurovision' Ralph Siegel with lyrics by 'Mister L’Oiseau Et L’Enfant' Jean Paul Cara.

The song is a big orchestra driven ballad reminiscing of the olden days. It's Lys Assia's My Way or This Is My Life (The Shirley Bassey one). I don't know if there's a place for the rather old fashioned entry in todays Eurovision field, but it's great to see the old gal is still at it.
C’était Ma Vie proceded on to the final and eventually ended 8th.

Eurovision fans will of course know (and some even remember) the Grand Dame / Grand Ma of Eurovision as the first ever winner of our annual music fest. With the song Refrain, written by Geo Voumard and Émile Gardaz, Lys Assia won the initial edition of the Eurovision Song Contest back in 1956.

In 1956 each of the seven participating countries had two songs in the (radio only) competition. Switzerland selected  Lys Assia with Das Alte Karussell (The old Carousel) and the eventual winner Refrain.

The Swiss must have loved Lys a lot as she went on representing the country in 1957 with L'enfant Que j'Étais (The child that I was, 8th place) and in 1958 with her best effort Giorgio (2nd place, brilliant song).

Lys Assia’s biggest hit was not one of her Eurovision songs (although Giorgio did quite well in several pre-historic charts) but her version of the evergreen Oh Mein Papa (First performed by Lys in 1950). Other hits include Arrivederci Roma (1956) Deine Liebe (1957), Ein Kleiner Gold'ner Ring (1961) and Die Sterne Von Syrakus (1962).
Probably Assia's oldest known record release is a 78rpm / Schellac disc from 1942 titled Ich Habe Heut' Ein Kleines Rendez-vous, so her recording career spanned 70 years, from Schellack to Digital and everything inbetween.

Lys Assia Eurovision Discography 

1956   
Das Alte Karussell (German)
-  Decca D18271  / 78RPM Telefunken F 46287
Refrain (French)  - Lys Assia 
- EP Decca 1861 (France) / 78RPM 22609 / 7" Decca 19265)
Last night (English version of Refrain)
- b-side to This is my boy (Decca D 18 535, Germany)
Refrain, du goldner Traum aus meiner Jugendzeit (German)
- 78 RPM Decca F 46 266/ 7": Decca 18265/18266 EP Telefunken DX 1861
- German 78 RPM Telefunken F 46287 features both songs in German.
Refrain (1964 recording in medley)
- Adorable Lys EP (DE:Telefunken UX 5193)
Refrain, du goldner Traum…. (2003 version, German)     
- CD Sehnsucht nach dir (Schloss records, CD 95-013)
Refrain (2008, German) & Refrain (2008, French)            
- on CD Refrain des Lebens (Cariblue 14030-2)

1957
L'enfant Que J'étais  (French) 
-  EP DucretetThomson 460 V 370 (France), 7: Telefunken U 55 039, EP: UX 4819 (Germany)

1958
Giorgio (German with Italian parts) 
-  Decca 18762 (Number for most international releases)
Giorgio (full Italian version)
-  Decca 45-C 16530 (Italy)
Giorgio (French)
- EP Duc.-Thomson 460V446 (France), EP Telefunken TFR 424 (Spain)


National Finals
1956 Sei doch nicht so eifersüchtig (German, probably unreleased)
1956 Le bohémien (French, probably unreleased)
1956 Addio bella Napoli (German)
- b-side to Refrain, Du goldner Traum…. (Decca 18266), and on EP Lys Assia International (Decca DX 1861)
Lys Assia also participated in the 1956 German selection, however, details on that selection have never been retrieved. We only know that the song was NOT Ein Kleiner Gold’ner Ring.

1957 Derrière la cathedrale (French, probably unreleased)
1957 Musst du schon geh'n (German, probably unreleased)
1957 Ein trautes lied vom turm herab (German, probably unreleased)
1957 Ça n'empechera pas (French, probably unreleased)
1958 There was a national final in Switzerland but no details have survived. We don’t know if Lys had other songs besides Giorgio in this selection.

2012 C’etait ma vie (French)
- Digital single, Chips records
Can also be found on the 4CD Ralph Siegel: Die Autodiscografie - Meine Stars Für Euch
2013 All in your head (with New Jack, in English), didn’t make it to the final
- Digital single, Jupiter records






Eurocovers
In my book there are three Eurovision songs Lys Assia covered. There may be more, as Lys Assia must have recorded about a million songs in the 50’s and sixties.

Italy 1961: Al di là (Betty Curtis)
In Italian with the Dino Olivieri Orchestra
- on EP Philips 431 054, also LP San Remo's greatest hits 1958-1966

Denmark 1963: Dansevise (Grethe and Jørgen Ingmann)
Der Sommer ging voruber (German)
- single Telefunken U 55705

U.K. 1963: Say wonderful things (Ronnie Carroll)
Zwei blaue Vergißmeinnicht (German)
- single Telefunken U 55705
(Both 1963 songs were released on the same single)

Related Eurocovers posts and links
Lys Assia - The Road To Baku
Geo Voumard / Jula De Palma (Refrain)
Flo Sandon's (Refrain)



Monday, February 19, 2018

Hüpiknukk: Heli Lääts 1932 - 2018

This week, on February 16, Estonian singer Heli Lääts passed away.

Avid Eurocovers readers may have noticed I'm a bit of a fan since I discovered her impressive list of Eurocovers.

Most of this article is from Januari 2007 from the Year Of The Puppet series (About coverversions of Sandie Shaws Puppet On A String).
 I changed a few things and moved it up as a little tribute to the legendary Estonian singer.
Heli Lääts was 85.

from the 2007 post: 
Hüpiknukk
Puppet On A String comes with a variety of titles in different languages. There's Sprellemann and Sprattelgumma, Paprikajancsi and Sätkynukke, and they will all be featured here in the Year Of The Puppet.

My favorite title for Puppet On A String is Hüpiknukk. Try saying it 10 times in a row, and fast.

Hüpiknukk is the Estonian version of Puppet On A String and this one is by Heli Lääts, one of the most popular Estonian singers from the 60's and 70's.

Heli Lääts has recorded many coverversions of international hits since the late 50's and most of her work has been released on cd in the past years. Another singer that would have graced the Eurovision stage very well if only…..

So it's not a surprise some Eurovision songs found their way to Heli Lääts' repertoire. So far I have located 19:
Sweden 1962 - Keväd ja paike (Sol och vår)
United Kingdom 1967 - Hüpiknukk (Puppet On A String)
France 1968 - Allikas (La Source) - update: Thanks Frank
Germany 1969 - Kaunid Balleriinid (Primaballerina) *
Monaco 1971 - Tänav, pink ja puu (Un banc, un arbre, une rue)
Netherlands 1975 - Ding-dinge dong (Ding a dong)*
France 1977 - Lind ja laps (L'oiseau et l'enfant) *

These sevens song can be found on 3CD Heli Lääts - Eesti Kullafond (Hitivabrik, rel 2004), still available from Apollo.ee
Kaunid Ballerinid and Tänav Pink Ja Puu can be also found on the 1979 LP Поет Хели Ляэтс (Poet Heli Lääts) on the USSR state owned Melodia label (Мелодия label). I nicked the picture from discogs.
Allikas was released on a mixed artists 4-track EP (also on the Melodia label)



In addition to the ones mentioned above there are a few that have been released digitally in recent years.
Netherlands 1969 - Trubaduur (De Troubadour)
Luxembourg 1972 - Pärast sind (Après Toi)
UK 1974 - Maailm on suur  (Long Live Love)
Luxembourg 1974 -Head Teed!  (Bye, Bye, I Love You)

And these have been recorded but I haven't found many details yet
France 1958 - Valss kaunil kevadpäeval [kevad on käes] (Dors Mon Amour) (excerpt here)
Netherlands 1967 - Mu ümber on kevad (Ring Dinge Ding)
Germany 1971 - See maailm (Diese Welt)
Ireland 1971 - Ühe päeva armastus (One Day Love)
Finland 1973 - Päikese Trummid (Tom Tom Tom)
Spain 1978 -Tule, tantsime koos (Bailemos Un Vals)
Germany 1980 - Teater (Theater)
Germany 1982 - Et oleks rahu (Ein Bisschen Frieden)



Tracks marked * can also be found on the CD Unustamatu Eurovisoon, a compilation CD from 2002. It features 22 Eurovision songs covered in Estonian, dug up from the vaults to celebrate the Contest being held in Tallinn. (Hitivabrik, 2002)
Kaunid Balleriinid was also released in a remixed version by DJX on a 12"inch vinyl and DJX CD Tähesadu DJX Episood 1. He mixed the song with Spillers Groovejet minus Sophie Ellis Bextor

Links and sources
ERR/ETV news
Heldur Karmo net - A website which lists all songs translated by Estonian lyricist Heldur Karmo
Unfortunately no Heli Lääts at Spotify, but you can find some Audio's at Youtube.

Sanremo 65 - Tutte Le Vincitrici

Sanremo is 68 by now, but I just noticed this 4CD album with coverversions of all 65 winners from 1951 up to 2015 of the Mother Of All Songcontests, the Festival Della Canzone Italiana di Sanremo.

The first Sanremo festival was in 1951 and Nilla Pizzi won with Grazie Dei Fior.
Sanremo quickly became a successful stage for Italian singers and songwriters.
The Eurovision Song Contest which premiered in 1956 was modelled on the Italian music spectacular.
The Sanremo festival became closely connected to Eurovision straight away: The winner of Sanremo went on to be the Italian Eurovision entry from 1956 to 1966.

In 1967 things changed. Sanremo winner Non Pensare A Me by Claudio Villa was disqualified because the new Eurovision regulations ruled the song had been released too early. It was replaced by Non Andare Piu' Lontano after the Eurovision rehearsals started.
After that the actual Sanremo winner only went to Eurovision on four occasions.
Sometimes the Sanremo winning artists would pick another song or someone who ended lower on the Sanremo table represent Italy in Europe. In the 70's and 80's the Eurovision choice was often Sanremo unrelated.


To celebrate the 65th anniversary of the Sanremo contest a 4CD was released by Azzurra Music in 2016. It includes all Sanremo winners recorded by new, young and upcoming artists. 15 of the 65 songs are Eurovision entries.
The 4CD is still available at Azzurra Music, but for you digital youngsters, it's also available through your favorite mp3 outlets, or if you're broke, Spotify.

These are the Eurovision songs on the Sanremo 65 Tutte Le Vincitrici 4CD:
(For the full tracklist see picture below)
Year     Title  - original artist - artist on the Sanremo 65 4CD


1956 Aprite le finestre - Franca Raimondi - Serena Carpi
1957 Corde della mia chitarra - Nunzio Gallo - Marco Tascone
1958 Nel blu dipinto di blu - Domenico Modugno - Swinger Twinger
1959 Piove (Ciao ciao bambina) - Domenico Modugno - Blues Coffee Trio ft Teresa
1960 Romantica - Renato Rascel - Animarma ft. Eniko
1961 Al di là - Betty Curtis - Carlotta ft. Olly Vincent
1962 Addio... addio - Claudio Villa - Michael Vaiasinni
1963 Uno per tutte - Emilio Pericoli - Kabaré Voltaire
1964 Non ho l'età (Per amarti) - Gigliola Cinquetti - Francesca Beccaria
1965 Se piangi se ridi - Bobby Solo - Mercoledi Notte
1966 Dio come ti amo - Domenico Modugno - Luca Bui
1972 I giorni dell'arcobaleno - Nicola Di Bari - Errequatro
1997 Fiumi di parole - Jalisse - Ibrevidiverbi
2013 L’essenziale - Marco Mengoni - Proclama
2015 Grande amore - Il Volo - S.Ma.C.K (Stefania, Carlotta, Karol)

Monday, February 12, 2018

Karin Bekker's Without You

Digital Release Image Sonder Jou.
Here's a lovely new release from South Africa. For her new album Sonder Jou (Without you) Karin Bekker recorded six songs from the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest. Four songs are in Afrikaans, two in English.

Sonder Jou is available now through iTunes, Amazon, 7digital and Spotify to name a few digitessen.
A CD release is expected soon. (More details when I have them...)

Below is a list of the Eurocovers on Sonder Jou but the whole album is worth your while. The album also includes last summer's single Vriendskap (Friendship)

Karin Bekker's Eurocovers
Klaar met jou (Finished with you)
Nuwe Begin (New beginning)
Sparkle (in English)
Jy’s Die Een (You’re the one)
Genoeg (Enough)
Lionheart (in English)


Links and sources:
Thanks to Roy
Karin Bekker Website, Fan-Facebook

Some more:
If you can't get enough, Frikkie Van Biljon recorded the 2017 Slovenian entry.
On My Way by Omar Naber becomes Elke Tree (Every step). Out on iTunes, Spotify and what have you. Frikkie's Facebook
And one more for the road: Hanco recorded the Australian 2017 song (Don't come easy by Isaiah Firebrace) in Afrikaans. His version Dis Nie Maklik Nie (It's not easy) is also out on all important digital sources. Hanco's Facebook

Sunday, December 24, 2017

Kamferdrops - Ein Bisschen Frieden



Here's a cozy little weird video by Norwegian outfit Kamferdrops (Heidi Musum to her mom). It's a thoroughly modern take on the well known 1982 German Eurovision winner originally sung by Nicole.
The Kamferdrops have also released a Norwegian Swedish version  (see comments, Thanks Mikael!) titled En Liten Fågel (A little bird), you can find that video here.

Both versions are out through your local digitessen including your favorite streamers.

Kamferdrops will be participating in the Swedish Eurovision selection Melodifestivalen with the song Solen Lever Kvar Hos Dig.


The 2018 Eurovision Collectors Guide The Lisbon Collection is operational!, you can bookmark now.

Tuesday, November 07, 2017

Stranger in Paradise: Urban Turban & Shamim Naghedi

At Eurocovers we love something exotic. If you've perambulated through more than 10 years of Eurocovering you must have noticed some unusual coverversions from unexpected destinations.
Well, you can't get more exotic than this, from erm... Sweden.

Urban Turban and singer Shamim Naghedi released an album earlier this year titled Paradis. The Cd includes 12 Swedish classics* sung in Persian. It's not just Schlager with Persian lyrics, the music is filled with middle eastern mystique, hints of folk rock and all kinds of traditional instruments.

Now Urban Turban have been going for a few decades and it's mainman Peter Bryngelsson who remembers most of the tunes featured from his younger days. The Persian lyrics are by Shamim Naghedi and Safoura Safavi, both Iranian singers.

I'm not really an expert on the Swedish Classics outside Melodifestivalen, Abba and a bit of Cornelis, so I didn't recognise all the tracks on this album instantly.
But there are two Eurovision tunes that jump out. The closing track** is Det Börjar Verka Kärlek...Banne Mej, the 1968 Swedish entry by Claes Göran Hederström. (In Persian it's Engar Daräm Jedan Ashegh Mishäm)
The highlight is Ghäribe, Främling (Stranger), the 1983 Swedish entry by the High Priestess of Swedish Eurovision Carola.

The CD is out on Caprice records and of course also available through the digital platforms. Although not all may have the same tracklist (see below)
Here's the two Eurovision covers on Spotify, the full album is there too, just go check it out for yourself.

* I said Swedish classics, but there are a few that were already coverversion in their Swedish Classic disguise, more details below in the tracklist.

............
............
Tracklist Paradis
1. Sånt Ar Livet (Zendegi Iyne)
- A 1961 hit by Anita Lindblom, Originally You Can Have Her by Roy Hamilton.
2. Är Det Konstigt Att Man Längtar Bort Nån Gång (Vä äjibe deltang mishan adama)
- Lena Andersson hit from 1971, originally I'm Gonna Be A Country Girl Again by Buffy Sainte-Marie
3. Han Måste Gå (On bayäd bere)
- A 1960 hit for Gunnar Wiklund, originally He'll Have To Go by Jim Reeves
4. Gråt Inga Tårar (Gerye Näkon)
- A 1975 song by Pippis. (A Swedish original)
5. Flottarkärlek (Instrumental) (Eshghe doroghi)
- 1948 song which was a succes in 1952 for Gösta Nordgren
6. Du Ar Den Ende (Tou Tänha käsi hasti)
- The original is by Lill Lindfors, recorded in 1966
7. Jag Ger Dig Min Morgon (Subhe män male tou)
I Give You In The Morning by Tom Paxton, the Swedish version is by Fred Åkerström
8. Bygga Upp Ett Stort Berg (Besaz yek koohe buozuorg)
- 1974 song by Jan Malmsjö
9. Min Alskling Du Ar Som En Ros (Eshghe män tou mäsle goule sourkhi)
- 1943 song by Swedish legend Evert Taube
10. Främling (Ghäribe)
- Carola!!!
11. Jag Vill Ha En Egen Måne (Instrumental) (Män maahe khodamo mikhaam)
- 1972 song by Ted Gärdestad
12. Det Börjar Verka Kärlek... Banne Mig (Engar daräm jedan ashegh mishäm)
Above is the Spotify tracklist
**The original CD tracklist also includes Lyckliga Gatan (Il Ragazzo Della Via Gluck, a.k.a. Tar And Cement) but I'm not sure if it's on it, however, there is a Youtube.
I'm also not sure if Det Börjar... ended up on the CD, as there are conflicting tracklists.


Links and sources
Utter thanks go to Frederick who spotted this and alerted Eurocovers.
I haven't been able to find much in the form of websites or facebooks but there is a good article here at Musikverket.se  where I nicked some of the info.
Caprice records at Musikverket
I Wiki'd and such for the details on the songs, so you don't have to.
You'll find more Carola covers here at Eurocovers.
An article about Tar And Cement is here at Eurocovers





Wednesday, October 25, 2017

J'aime La Vie by Laurence



Here's a lovely coverversion of the 1986 Eurovision winner J'aime La Vie by Sandra Kim.

Remember the chirpy 13 year old bopping on the stage in her white and pink bellhop ensemble? Well, this version by Laurence is something completely different. Darker, moody even, but somehow still life affirming.

Laurence Plane Facebook

Sunday, July 23, 2017

Adio, Goodbye, Hyvästi

No, I’m not going anywhere, but here are two Finnish coverversions of Adio, the 2015 Montenegrin Eurovision entry originally performed by Knez (Nenad Knežević). 
Two coverversions of Adio were recorded in Finnish. Both songs are titled Hyvästi which translates as Goodbye or, indeed, Adio.


Hyvästejä
The first Finnish coverversion is recorded in 2015 and is by Aki Samuli and Susanna Heikki. This can be found on Samuli's album Tahdon (I do, Sony, also on CD) and also on Heikki's album Valoja (Lights, Sony, also on CD).

Susanna Heikki is not a stranger to the Eurocover.
Her 2009 album Vietellen (Seducing) includes En Ole Yksin (I'm not alone), a Finnish version of Hold On Be Strong, the Norwegian entry of 2008 by Maria Haukaas Storeng.
She also recorded a Finnish version of Engelbert Humperdincks ill fated Love Will Set You Free (UK entry 2012). Her version is titled Jos Rakkaus Sattuu (If love hurts). It was released as a digital single in 2014.

The second Hyvästi is from 2016. This take on Adio is by Kalle Jussila who released his version as a digital single and on his album Onnellinen Mies (A happy man). (digital release through Z-trading, don't know if there's a CD).


Željko the Great.
Adio is written by Serbian Eurovision superstar Željko Joksimović together with Dejan Ivanovič and Marina Tucaković. 


The original Knez cds
Joksimović has his name under five Eurovision entries. 
His own Lane Moje ended second in 2005 (for Serbia-Montenegro). He penned Lejla for Hari Mata Hari who ended 3rd for Bosnia-Hercegovina in 2006.
Home entry Oro by Jelena Tomašević ended 6th in the Belgrade contest of 2008.
Another 3rd place was for Nije Ljubav Stvar performed by ZJ himself (2012).
Adio may not have equalled Joksimović's earlier successes but with a 13th place in the final it is the best result so far for Montenegro (out of 9 entries).
Knez himself recorded Serbian, French and English versions of the song. (More about that here).


Links and sources:
Special thanks to Immo Aho, sorry it took so long.
All about Knez’s original Adio at the Vienna Collection.
Aki Samuli Website
Susanna Heikki Website
Kalle Jussila Website
Knez Facebook
Željko Joksimović Website
The original Adio video.
Below is a spotti link for the Finnish covers but you can also browse for the tracks at Youtube or of course buy at the Tunes and what have you.