Anno Domenico Revisited: Volare 65

This is an updated version of an older Eurocovers post

It's Grammy time, the 65th edition sees nominations for Eurovision winners ABBA and Måneskin. (Not holding my breath though).

So time to look back (again) to that first ever Grammy winning Eurovision song (and record) Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu by Domenico Modugno. A.k.a. Volare.

This year on January 9, Domenico Modugno would have celebrated his 95^th birthday.

And on Februari 1 his Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare) won the 1958 Sanremo contest.

Some facts about Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)

The song was written by Domenico Modugno (music) and Franco Migliacci (lyrics). The most used English lyrics are written by Mitchell Parish.
The song was written in 1957 but was first launched at the eighth San Remo contest (Final Februari 1st) where it was performed twice. Once by Domenico Modugno and once by Johnny Dorelli.
Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu won the San Remo song contest and Modugno represented Italy in the third Eurovision Song Contest in 1958 in Hilversum, The Netherlands on the 12th of March.

Modugno was a relative newcomer back in 1958 and didn't have a stitch to wear. He had to borrow the blue tuxedo he performed in.

The Eurovision Song Contest was won by France's Dors Mon Amour by André Claveau and Modugno ended third with 13 points. 2 times 4 from Belgium and Germany and five times 1 point. And zero poing from Denmark and Luxemburg.

But Modugno laughed all the way to the bank, as his song , soon known as Volare (after the refrain) became one of the top 100 best selling singles of 20st century, a US #1 hit, A double Grammy winner and one of the most covered songs with several lives in most decades since the original recording.
Volare won the first ever Grammy for a song in 1959. Volare was Best Song and Best Record.

I don't know if he did pick up his award himself but he got a statue anyway, in Puglia, Italy.

Domenico Modugno went on to participate in Eurovision two more times. In 1959 with Piove (Ciao Ciao Bambina) and in 1966 with Dio Come Ti Amo.

Modugno also wrote the 1962 entry Addio Addio which was performed by Claudio Villa.

Domenico Modugno passed away in 1994 at the age of 66.

Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu, outside Italy better known as Volare had several lives.

A disco version by Al Martino was a worldwide hit in 1975 and the Gypsy Kings made it a successful signature tune in 1989.

Names:

In the 50's and 60's many of the greats recorded Modugno's song: Dalida, Chubby Checker, Connie Francis, Cliff Richard, Wayne Newton, Petula Clark, Ella Fitzgerald, Dean Martin, The Platters, Bobby Rydell, Caterina Valente, Louis Armstrong, Chet Atkins, John Barry, Anne Shelton, Count Basie, Asha Bosle, Oscar Peterson, Brasilian legend Leny Eversong and even Anita Bryant....

Later recordings include those by David Bowie (OST Absolute Beginners), Juliette Gréco, Pavarotti, Engelbert Humperdinck, Barry White, Alex Chilton and also, Black Lace.

And as I love lists, these are Eurovision stars who recorded the song:

Al Bano, DJ Bobo, Dario Campeotto, Claudio Villa, Martine Clemenceau, Fud Leclerc, Conchita Bautista, Sergio Dalma, Simone de Oliveira, Lill Babs, Nora Brockstedt, Inger Jacobsen, Ulla Pia, Vice Vukov and also, Black Lace

(All Links go to other Eurocovers content)

In 2008, when Volare was 50, Eurocovers ran a series of articles of the many coverversions of Volare. If you use this link you can find all Anno Domenico related posts.

60th anniversary

2018 re-issue single

Carosello Records and Edizioni Curci launched a series of releases throughout 2018 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Volare and to honor one of the greatest artists in the history of Italian music.

An exclusive vinyl single was released of Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Limited edition of 1958 copies).
It features the original 1958 version and an instrumental of the 1967 re-recording.
The single is housed in a black inner sleeve and also includes the sheetmusic. Nice!
(Fonit/Carosello 8034125 848027)

Back of the 60th anniversary sleeve

This is an updated version of an older Eurocovers post

The History Book Of My Soul with The Kik.

Rotterdam band The Kik released their Eurovision album The Kik Hertaalt Eurovisie. And it has that wonderful vintage Eurovision logo we all know and love and miss.

I don't know how to translate "Hertaalt", something like re-translates, but it's not really translating. The songs get a new set of lyrics, in Dutch, and the band's lyricist Dave von Raven proves he's a master at that. Some are funny, some are moving but all are clever. Dave has a way with words not often heard in current Dutch popular music.

Of course the album is more interesting for people who have a grasp of the Dutch language but the music is not to be underrated either. Some Rock'n'Roll, some Surf, with a smidge of violin or accordeon here and there. The romantic Latin gipsy flavours of Diva fit the song beautifully.

The 12 track CD/LP features 10 Eurovision classics and two instrumentals. It's out now on CD, LP and digital in all Dutch shops that sell good music. 
Their record company Excelsior records  and Northend appear to sell internationally.

1.   Eurovisie Twist '22 - instrumental

- Our Eurovision hymn in a Telstar  instrumental style.
2. Waterloo

- ABBA's 1974 winner was the first track released last year in Rotterdam Eurovision week. I remember being stunned by the lyric-smithery of this straight away.
3. Rotterdam 

- Originally Amsterdam by Maggie MacNeal (Netherlands 1980). They mention the war!

4. Stilte Na De Storm

- The Common Linnets Calm After The Storm has my favorite teary line roughly translating as "No-one sits besides me (in the car) but I say something to them anyway." (sorry, doesn't have the punch (or The Kik) translating it)
5. Binnenkort (Soon)

- Making Your Mind Up (Bucks Fizz,  UK1981) has some self censoring bleeps and that may not stay funny. 

The uncensored version was released on the single in 2021 (digital) but is not on the CD.
6. Een Avond Met Jou (A night with you)

- All Kinds Of Everything (Ireland 1970 by Dana) is sort of funny painful. All today's miseries from global warming and famine to Corona lockdowns and traffic jams are all more fun than...... And even a popular (personal pet hate) band gets a read.
7. Poupée De Cire, Poupée De Son - instrumental

- I know it's one of their favourite Eurovision tunes, maybe that's why they didn't dare to give the song a new set of lyrics.

8. 't Is Toch Vreemd (Yet, it is strange)

- Dansevise, originally by Grethe & Jörgen Ingmann (Denmark 1963). It is such a romantic melody and the new Dutch words fit perfectly.
9. Tring Tring

- ABBA's 1973 pre-song didn't make it to Eurovision but has a firm place in the History Book On The Shelf. The Kik know that. Highlight.
10. Een Beetje (A little bit)

- The second Dutch winner from 1959 by Teddy Scholten is about booze.
11. Diva

- Wonderful lyrics again, might as well be about the journey of the original singer Dana International (Israel 1998). Highlight
12. Waar Blijft De Tijd? (Where does time go)

- Non Ho L'Eta by Gigliola Cinquetti, Italy's 1964 winner. It's about time and where it goes when we're done with it.

 

Perla Paraguaya do Brasil, A Eterna Pequenina

A 2008 Eurocovers post updated here and there with new links etc.

Brasil, Brazil, a famous one point song from the 1991 contest (Bebi Dol - Yugoslavia) but also the country with more Eurocovers recorded than any other non-Eurovision country.
I don't want to sell Football short, but music is probably the cornerstone of Brasilian life.
So it's not surprising that many Eurovision songs have found their way to Brasilian singers. From the first contest in 1956 (with at least 3 songs covered in Brasil) to well into the 70's Eurovision songs have been covered by artists from the home of Samba.
About every Italian entry, most of the songs from the U.K. and many of the winners and hits from other countries. Only Portuguese songs seem a bit underrepresented.

So here's a bit of Brasilian Pop History, mixed with a bit of Paraguay and a touch of Sweden and of course Eurovision songs.

Perla was born Ermelinda Pedroso Rodriguez d'Almeida in 1952. She was raised in a musical family in Caacupé, Paraguay but she left the family in the early 70's and headed to Rio where she started performing and was soon welcomed as an international attraction.
Appearances on popular TV shows got her a record deal soon and she released her first LP Perla* in 1972 with mainly Spanish language evergreens.

The first LP was in Spanish but her second album titled Perla was released in both a Portuguese language version and a Spanish language version, catering for the complete latin American market. It includes the first Eurovision cover, but I'll get to that later. It also includes her first hit Estrada do Sol.
Her 1976 album Palavras De Amor was also recorded in two languages and it includes what was probably her biggest hit Fernando, of ABBA fame.

Productive Perla released an album every year from 1975 to 1982 and sometimes even two, and the ABBA cover formula worked well for her. Chiquitita for example was another of her top hits as Pequenina. Later on she occasionally released an album, often sponsored by her fan club.
Most of her early songs are coverversions of popular hits and her popular ABBA covers were all re-issued on a 2002 CD 50 Perla Canta ABBA E Outros Hits (in Portuguese). Her version of S.O.S.: Paz De Um Grande Amor is as melancholy as the original and one of the best ABBA covers ever recorded (IMHO of course).

An extended version of the Canta ABBA album (also including Livre, see below) is on Spotify and other digital sources. 
Perla's more recent work is Perla, Nossas Canções from 2002 (Spanish version Perla, Nuestras Canciones was released in 2003)

PERLA EUROCOVERS
Italy 1966 - Dio Come Ti Amo
You may think Eurocovers is overdoing it a bit with this one, but it's Perla's first Eurocover recorded in 1975, so it's here. It's also the most covered Eurovision entry by Brasilian artists with almost half of the covers I know of it coming from Brasil.
Perla recorded three versions:
Deus Come Te Amo (Portuguese)
- on EP Perla (RCA 1010143, 1976) and LP Perla (RCA - 1030152, 1975)
Dios Como Te Amo (Spanish)
- on LP Perla en Espanol (RCA - 9910393, 1975)
Dio Come Ti Amo (Italian, recorded in 1999)
- on CD Especialmente Para Você (Brasidisc BRCD 1005, 1999) (also on digitalia)

Italy 1977 - Libera (Mia Martini)
A disco era Eurovision song that doesn't have many covers to its name, but Perla takes care of two.
Livre (Portuguese)
- on LP Perla (RCA 1030219, 1977) (song also on digitalia)
Libre (Spanish)
- on LP Perla, Para Los Que Han Amado (RCA 99111319)

United Kingdom 1978 - Bad Old Days (Coco)
Meu Querido Pai (Portuguese)
- On LP Perla (RCA 103.0266, 1978)
Viejo Papa (Spanish)

- on LP Perla* (RCA Victor ILP 015 (Bolivia) & RCA 1836 (Venezuela)

Israel 1979 - Hallelujah (Milk and Honey, 1979 winner)
Alegria (Portuguese)
- on LP Pequenina (RCA Victor 1030309, 1979)

* As you may have noticed, several (different) LP's are just called Perla

Links and Sources:

Perla Paraguaya official Facebook

Perla, A Eterna Pequenina is a biography from 2021 by Marinaldo Da Sila E Silva (in Portuguese)

  Perla website - This site has an extensive discography and also Perla CDs for sale. And of course pictures, lyrics and videos.
Clique Brasil and Special Thanks to João.

In previous Brasil posts you can find Puppet On A Strings and Eurocovers by My New Favorite singer Leny Eversong.

Rotterdam weeks 2.1: 바니걸즈 - 딩딩동, K-Pop avant la lettre

The last coverversion for the Rotterdam Weeks can't be anything other than a coverversion of Ding A Dong, the 1975 Dutch winner by Teach In.

Much ridiculed then and now, it still is one of the most recognisable Eurovision tunes ever.

Thát opening riff is up there with the best hits in popmusic. So now you know.

The coverversion (below) is from South-Korea. 

The singers are twin sisters The Bunny Girls 

(바니걸즈), Ko Jeong-suk and Ko Jae-suk. 

They were active and popular from 1970 to 1990. They recorded about close to 20 albums, most with original Korean compositions but in the mid 70's they recorded coverversions from worldwide hits.

Their 1975 LP 팝송 하이라이트 - 라무는 나의 친구 is an album with international songs and it includes both Waterloo (워터루) and Ding A Dong (딩딩동) sung in Korean. Plus songs like ABBA's Honey Honey, Gigliola Cinquetti's La Rosa Nero, Tony Orlando's Yellow Ribbon and the Carpenters' Top Of The World. The title track Lamu Is My Friend is a coverversion of a Bollywood song.

So far I have only found the two mid 70's Eurovision winners (as Eurocovers) but the duo have released many LP's plus many single tracks on Various Artists albums, so there may be more.

* = Google translate says "Pop Song Highlights - Lamu is my friend".

If you want to listen to the whole Bunny Girls album it's here at Youtube (playable track by track).

More Rotterdam Weeks Coverversions

- Ragazzo di Piccola Città in una Grande Sala Giochi

- Penghibor Di Rantau by Rahimah Rahim

- Dutch entries get a makeover (CD release)

- Someday, Morgen, Y Fori with Mary Hopkin

- A Dream Come True for Cilla Black fans

- Una Salsa para Amsterdam

- Cristina Jorio - Come Una Volta

Over the years Ding A Dong has been featured in several Eurocovers posts. 

You'll find them under this (search) link

The Rotterdam 2.1. Collection is here

Here you'll find everything you need about the 2021 entries, versions, releases, charts etcetera.

Farrah Fawcett Majors goes Eurovision with Jean-Paul Vignon

Updated in 2021 to give Jean-Paul Vignon a little more credit, the original post was from April 2012.

Here's one piece of Eurocovers treasure I didn't know about. 

It's iconic American actress and Charlie's Angel Farrah Fawcett-Majors (1947-2009) doing a coverversion of the Italian 1974 Eurovision entry Si with French singer/actor Jean-Paul Vignon.
Vignon does all the singing but Farrah makes it all amazing by sexy-rapping all over the song like's she's French or something.
This single was already released in 1977 and Farrah Fawcett-Majors was a superstar and still no-one at Eurocovers knew of this gem. (in 2012, ed)

As far as I know this is the only time Farrah Fawcett-Majors ventured in the world of music.

Here at Jean-Paul Vignons website you can listen to the song in good quality. A Youtube audio is below.

The single was released in the U.S. (Nelson Barry NBR 7900, various promo's exist) and in Mexico (Columbia k.30010) in a gorgeous picture sleeve that makes no secret of who is supposed to sell this record.

Picture from Discogs

Jean-Paul Vignon

Besides releasing many singles in France, most from 1957 to 1967 Jean-Paul Vignon later focused more on his acting. This single with Farrah Fawcett was a bit of a one off.

As an actor you may have seen him in Star Trek The Next Generaton as a holographic waiter (Ep: We'll Always Have Paris) or heard him in Shrek as the Merry Man. Other credits are soaps like Days Of Our Lives, Gilmore Girls and Dallas (as a waiter again). In fact he played a waiter or similar roles in many shows. Add Hotel, L.A. Law, Falcon Crest (croupier), Murder She Wrote, Columbo and more.

He's still around and performs live shows (pandemics permitting).

In his bio it says that Farrah and him covered a winning Eurovision song but that can be forgiven. It's not like anyone remembers the actual winner.

His memoirs, published in French (De L'Ethiopie A L'Utopie) and English (From Ethiopia To Utopia) were released  in 2018 / 2019.  (More about that here at Vignon's website)

Vignon has a website and facebook with some great photos. This one of Farrah & Jean-Paul in the studio is especially lovely. Here's his bio on his website. 

Si by Gigliola Cinquetti ended second behind ABBA's Waterloo in the Brighton Eurovision Song Contest of 1974.

But credit where credit is due, I nicked the picture from the Cranched For Now blogspot, who wrote about this in 2009. So you go there now, read more about it, see the disc but don't forget to come back though.....

the b-side of the sleeve

Therion - Poupée de cire, poupée de son

Here's an older post that's popular again right now, so, worth moving it up. Did a bit of an update too, still completely and utterly awesome.

After Poupée De Cire, Poupée De Son and L'Amour Est Bleu I really hope the band someday will discover the Gainsbourg Genius that is Boum Bada Boum by Minouche Barrelli.

(From 2012) Here's something completely and utterly awesome. Swedish Symphonic metal band Therion, formerly known as Megatherion, have released their 15th(!) album and it's a collection of French 60's and 70's songs including some well known classics (and quite a few obscure gems). The classiest of classics is of course Poupée De Cire, Poupée De Son*.

The album is out in October 2012 and is titled Les Fleurs Du Mal (The flowers of evil).
There are two versions of the 1965 Eurovision classic on the CD along with unforgettables like La Maritza (Sylvie Vartan), Polichinelle (Another France Gall hit), Initials B.B. (Serge Gainsbourg) and Les Sucettes (One of the biggest hits for the Gall/Gainsbourg Tandem)**.
See below for the full tracklist and details on the singers who originally recorded the songs.

You can buy the album (and the 2016 EP below) through the Therion website here.
Therium founder Christofer Johnsson is taking a massive risk with this unusual clash of Metal, Opera and YèYe album by financing the project himself, so please support them and Buy It.

2016 update 
Therion have also tackled L'Amour Est Bleu (Love is blue), the 1967 entry by Vicky Leandros.
It's on the EP Les Épaves, which was recorded in 2012, so I guess the tracks just didn't make it to the Fleurs album. But the tracks don't sound like leftovers. Go find it in you favorite record store or digitessen.

There are two versions of Vicky's Eurovision classic on the EP. Les Épaves was also released on limited edition vinyl 10 inch and cdsingle. Tracklist below.
----------

----------

* You know by know: Poupée De Cire, Poupée De Son is the 1965 Eurovision winner for Luxembourg performed by France Gall and written by Serge Gainsbourg
** Only the version of the album sold at the live shows and the Japanese edition have the bonus track Les Sucettes. - Thank you Gabriel, see comments

Therion have uploaded several clips from the Fleurs album to their Youtube channel. Next to Poupée there are videos of Initials B.B.,  Mon Amour, Mon Ami  of Je N'ai Besoin Que De Tendresse and one of J'ai Le Mal De Toi.

Therion website, Facebook
Also check out Lori Lewis (Therion singer) website.
And ABBA fans: here's a video of Therions take on Summer Night City from their 2001 album Secret Of The Runes.
Special thanks to Olaf and Gabriel. Please see comments.

Les Tracks

Here’s the full tracklist of the Les Fleurs Du Mal album. I did some digging on the net and found most of the original singers.

1. Poupée De Cire, Poupée The Son (France Gall, 1965)

2. Une Fleur Dans Le Coeur (Victoire Scott, 1968)

3. Initials B.B (Serge Gainsborg, 1968)

- Of course the B.B. initials stand for Brigitte Bardot

4. Mon Amour, Mon Ami (Marie Laforet, 1967)

- Written by legendary Eurovision winning songsmiths André Popp and Claude Marnay.  

5. Polichinelle (France Gall, 1967)

6. La Maritza (Sylvie Vartan, 1968)

7. Soeur Angelique (Annie Philippe, 1966)

8. Dis-Moi Poupée (Isabelle, 1967)

9. Lilith (Léonie, 1972) - see comments, thank you Fabio

10. En Alabama (Léonie, 1971)

11. Wahala Manitou (Léonie, 1971)

- Both Leonie tracks originally appeared on the same single. Source : discogs

12. Je N'ai Besoin Que De Tendresse (Claire Dixon, 1967)

13. La Licorne D'or (Victoire Scott, 1968)

14. J'ai Le Mal De Toi (Betty Mars, 1974)

- Betty Mars is the French 1972 Eurovision singer.
- This  J'ai Le Mal De Toi is not the 1964 Colette Dereal song. 

15. Poupée De Cire, Poupée The Son

16. Les Sucettes (France Gall, 1966)

Sources :Discogs, Youtube and record collection of yours truly.

Les Épaves
1. L'amour est bleu (heavy version) (Vicky Leandros cover)

2. Nous ne sommes pas des anges (France Gall cover)
3. La fermeture éclair (Delphine cover)
4. Ah-Hem-Ho-Hu-Err (Christine Pilzer cover)
5. L'amour est bleu (mellow version) (Vicky Leandros cover)

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

100! Forces' Sweetheart Vera Lynn - This Is My Prayer

Happy 100th Birthday Vera Lynn!

Below is a Eurocovers post from 2009 about Vera Lynn who turned 100 on March 20..
A remarkable anniversary for a remarkable singer who means more to many people than I can ever imagine.

Vera Lynn, Dame Vera Lynn to the Brits, is internationally the best known Sweetheart Of The Forces.
As promised in the Eurocovers post about another Forces' Sweetheart, Anne Shelton, here's a Eurovision coverversion by the singer most identified with the Second World War and
all commemorative ceremonies ever since.

Vera Lynn was born in the First World War and started to record in 1935. Signature song We'll Meet Again was first recorded in 1939. It became a song of hope in the dark days of the war and later a song of remembrance. The song gave its title to the popular 1942 film starring Vera Lynn herself.

Vera Lynn sang for the British and Allied forces all over the world on many occasions during the Second World War and she had her own radio show in which she sang songs requested by British soldiers serving abroad and messages from their families were broadcasted.
Other popular Vera Lynn hits of the (pre charts) war years were The White Cliffs Of Dover, Yours and You're In My Arms. In the 50's she scored hits with Forget Me Not (a U.K. #1), Auf Wiedersehn, Homing Waltz and My Son My Son. Her last U.K. hit was Travelling Home in 1957.

Vera Lynns career started way before Eurovision and unlike Anne Shelton she didn't participate in any of the early British preselections for Eurovision. But she was on the selection committee of the 1959 U.K. selection.

Eurovision 2020: The Rotterdam Collection is (still) on!

Pic from Discogs

This Is My Prayer
As far as I know Vera Lynn recorded one Eurocover and it's the 1964 winner Non Ho L'eta (Italy, Gigliola Cinquetti). Vera Lynns English version, This Is My Prayer was released on a single in 1964 (HMV POP 1287). It didn't reach the charts and now is a hard to find collectors item. It was re-released in 2007 on the 2CD The Singles Collection (EMI Gold)
Here's an audio tube

This Is My Prayer was recorded by several artists in the 60's, but original singer Gigliola Cinquetti didn't release an English version until 1974, when she included a new recording on her album Si, coinciding with her second Eurovision appearrance. Cinquetti released Non Ho L'eta in Italian, French, German, Spanish and Japanese in 1964. Contrary to popular rumours, Cinquetti never recorded an English version in 1964, so her 1974 version is actually a coverversion of a coverversion of her own song. (...)

The Veterans Sweetheart
Vera Lynn never repeated her 40's and 50's hit successes but always remained a high profile guest on war remembrance ceremonies and TV shows. Her most successful albums later have always been reworkings of 40's songs like the 1962 LP Hits Of The Blitz.

For the largest part of her 70 year career, Vera Lynn has been a remembrance singer, always representing the good old days and the bad old days.
No disrespect intended, but it seems a bit sad that her career has always been stuck in the war. Record buying audiences just couldn't accept her work as that of a contemporary artist having a recording career with new songs.
In 1979 she has a go at ABBA's Thank You For The Music (released on single PYE N 108), which perfectly illustrates the mood of always looking back.


Update 14-09-09: Congratulations are in order. In the week that 11 Beatles albums enter the top 40, Dame Vera Lynn scores this weeks #1 in the U.K. Album Charts with the compilation We'll Meet Again - The Very Best Of Vera Lynn.
The new compilation (on Decca) has 20 tracks including all the evergreens. (but not This Is My Prayer)

The album is available in the U.K. shops and at all major internet outlets, including digital.

links and sources:
We'll Meet Again RAF performance (YouTube)
Vera Lynn at 92 article in The Guardian
This is my prayer at Discogs
Vera Lynn Wiki
Anne Shelton at Eurocovers.

Check this Eurocovers post for This Is My Prayer by Dana Valery and this post for more versions of Non Ho L'Eta, # 7 in the top 10 most covered Eurovision songs.



CD Tip: Twangvision
Here's one I missed back in the days.
After (or rather before) Caramba Samba from Norway and Greek Bossavision from Brasil here's Twangvision. Twangy guitars, think Surfari's, Telstar, Apache.

Twangvision is a CD released in 2007, coinciding with the Helsinki contest.
It features instrumental guitar versions in Twang style of some popular Eurovision hits and a host of classic Finnish entries. All newly recorded by Finnish guitar bands.

I've been trying to find some audio clips on the net, but I haven't found any yet, so you'll have to make do with the tracklist.
The CD is available through many Finnish webshops including the recordcompanies own site Twangsville.


Twangvision: Instrumental guitars from Finland play Eurovision Song Contest. (Twangsville Productions TWGS 3466)
1 Te Deum (Eurovision hymn) - The Regents
2 Light In The Window (Valoa ikkunassa Finland 1961) - The Lunaters
3 Tipi-Tii (Finland 1962) - Honey B. & T-Bones
4 Sentimental Song (Muistojeni laulu Finland 1963) - The Webasto
5 Non ho l´età (Italy 1964) - The Aftons
6 Western Sunset (Aurinko laskee länteen (Finland 1965) - Pekka Tiilikainen & Beatmakers
7 Poupée De Cire, Poupée De Son (Luxembourg 1965) - Waikiki Kuks
8 Playboy (Finland 1966) - The Spectre
9 Waterloo (Sweden 1974) - Kaapo & Zetor
10 I Will Follow Starlight (Katson sineen taivaan Finland 1979) - The Webasto
11 Fantasy Dream (Fantasiaa Finland 1983) - The Regents
12 Ein bißchen Frieden / Valo yössä: Hold Me Now (Germany 1982 & Ireland 1987) - Toptones
13 Eurovision Theme - The Silver Hawks

Judith Sings, ABBA Swings: A Jazz Tribute To ABBA

Digital Release Image

ABBA, remember them? I guess you do.
Jazz singer Judith Nijland has just released an album with ABBA hits revamped into some delicious Jazz tunes.
There's shoobie doo wah swingy Jazz (I Do I Do I Do I Do I Do is Fab! ), some Samba and others are more smoky cocktail bar exercises.
I am a complete ignorant when it concerns jazz terminology, so I suggest you just have a listen (see links below).

The album A Jazz Tribute To ABBA features classics like Waterloo, I Have A Dream, Thank You For The Music, etc., twelve classic ABBA songs are there.
Voulez-Vous gets a makeover in French, oui, Waterloo and One Of Us feature tenor saxist Yuri Honing, fan and no stranger to the ABBA cover himself (he recorded Waterloo for his 1996 Startrax album).

ABBA's 42 year old Waterloo single, NL edition.

The Judith Nijland album is out on iTunes, don't know about all territories though.
The CD word is mentioned at the website, but I haven't seen a physical release yet.
I'll keep you posted.


Links and sources
Listen to Waterloo, Summer Night City and Lay All Your Love On Me through Judith Nijlands Tubestation.
Short clips of all songs are here
A Jazz Tribute To ABBA Website (English) and Facebook. (in Dutch)

ABBA posts at Eurocovers
Jazz posts at Eurocovers

Happy ABBA Day!

Waterloo picture sleeve from Austria

It was 40 years ago today, ABBA won the Brighton Eurovision with Waterloo.
Four decades on ABBA's music is as relevant as ever.

1983 picture disc
 with French and German versions

ABBA - Waterloo 40 - releases.

We all have the songs, bought them several times on singles, LP's and CDs, but still the host of festive releases celebrating the 40 years of Waterloo are making me greedy.

Sadly there is no unreleased material included and of course the ABBAs have enough money, but I might just buy one or two items to celebrate.

Here's a few that might tickle your fancy.

Picture Disc

- A 7" inch picture disc with Waterloo in Swedish and English will be released on April 6 in Sweden. A similar issue will be released in other countries to celebrate Record Store Day (April 19)

Update: My Shiny Waterloo Picture Disc has arrived # 0701/7000

Netherlands sleeve

Waterloo: The Album
- April 6 is also the release date of the special edition of the Waterloo album. It will include 8 bonus tracks including all the versions of Waterloo that were ever released. Also the US and UK remixes of Ring Ring are included.

The set comes with a DVD featuring several TV performances including the two Eurovision versions, two MF versions, the preview version and two TOTP performances of Waterloo.

The infamous Finnish caviar sleeve

40 singles box
- If you really want to splash out there is a box with 40 vinyl 7 inch singles out on the 5th of May.

Next to the 31 singles that were originally released in Sweden there are 9 international singles including the German and French Waterloo’s, Spanish language Chiquitita and I Have A Dream, When All Is Said And Done (as released in Australia) and Lay All Your Love On Me, originally released on 12 inch maxi.

Yugoslavia

The sleeve and label of each single in the box set are exact replicas of the original issues. 
Only the 9 singles not originally released by Polar Music have been given new Polar labels, corresponding to the design used by Polar during the era when each single was released.

It's a severely limited edition, although no numbers are specified.

Retails at a mere € 220,- to 300, -. 
See full track list below.

ABBA Gold Superdeluxe
- April 6 also sees a 3 disc edition of ABBA Gold, featuring the original ABBA Gold and More Gold CDs plus a third disc with tracks that have appeared as b-sides to the various single releases. 59 tracks in all, but maybe the least interesting release of the bunch.

ABBA 40/40 Japan

ABBA's career in Japan, like many western popstars' was at least patchy. Some of the big international hits didn't do very well, while some others, some Japan only singles were more successful.
Björn and Benny also has some success in Japan before the girls were ven mentioned. She's My Kind Of Girl and Love Has It's Ways were hits in various Japanese charts in 1972. It resulted in the release of some very early ABBA singles like I Am Just A Girl and Another Town Another Train.
In Japan the Anniversary Of The Year is celebrated with a 2CD ABBA 40/40 with 40 songs selected by Japanese fans in a survey held last year. Out since March 26. Some surprising choices there, Tiger, Our Last Summer, Hey Hey Helen, Move On, but the pre-Ring Ring oldies are not included.

25th anniversary CD-EP

The 40 Singles Box includes

1. People Need Love / Merry-Go-Round

2. He Is Your Brother / Santa Rosa

3. Ring Ring Swedish Version / Åh, vilka tider

4. Ring Ring English Version / She's My Kind of Girl

5. Love Isn't Easy (But It Sure Isn't Hard Enough) / I Am Just A Girl

6. Ring Ring German Version / Wer Im Wartesaal der Liebe steht

7. Waterloo Swedish Version / Honey, Honey Swedish Version

8. Waterloo English Version / Watch Out

9. Waterloo German Version / Watch Out

10. Waterloo French Version / Gonna Sing You My Lovesong

Australia EP

11. Honey, Honey / King Kong Song

12. Honey, Honey German Version / Ring Ring (remix)

13. So Long / I've Been Waiting For You

14. I Do, I Do, I Do / Rock me

15. S.O.S / Man In The Middle

16. Mamma Mia / Intermezzo No.1

17. Fernando / Hey, hey Helen

18. Dancing Queen / That's Me

19. Money, Money, Money / Crazy World

20. Knowing Me, Knowing You / Happy Hawaii

21. The Name Of The Game / I Wonder (Departure)

U.K. promo EP

22. Take A Chance On Me / I'm A Marionette

23. Eagle / Thank You For The Music

24. Summer Night City / Medley: Pick A Bale of Cotton-On Top of.

25. Chiquitita / Lovelight

26. Chiquitita Spanish Version / Lovelight

27. Does Your Mother Know / Kisses of Fire

28. Voulez-Vous / Angel eyes

29. Estoy Sonando / Does Your Mother Know

30. Gimme Gimme Gimme (A Man After Midnight) / The King Has Lost His Crown

South Africa

31. I Have A Dream / Take A Chance On Me (live)

32. The Winner Takes It All / Elaine

33. Super Trouper / The Piper

34. Happy New Year / Andante, Andante

35. Lay All Your Love On Me / On And On And On

36. One Of Us / Should I Laugh Or Cry

37. Head Over Heels / The Visitors

38. When All Is Said And Done / Soldiers

39. The Day Before You Came / Cassandra

40. Under Attack / You Owe Me One

Thanks to Jean-François and to Fernando. 
Parts of this article have been featured previously on our facebook page

Japan Anniversary 2CD