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

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

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

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

Koi Ha Mizuiro  (恋は水色)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sunette Bridges - Let The Music Play

Being the offspring of a celebrated superstar must be a daunting job. On the one hand people are interested in you because of your famous parent, on the other hand the press will scrutinize every move you make and compare it to your mom or dad. (and hope you fail...) 

Either if you want to go your own way, or follow in the footsteps of your ancestor, you can never really do it the right way (well, except Enrique maybe). There's always the accusations of capitalizing on the success of the ones that came before you.

Sunette Bridges is no exception. In the past she has been given a hard time in the South African tabloid press, who measured out every move she made, good or bad.

Sunette Bridges has to fill the shoes of her father Bles Bridges (1947-2000), who is one of the great legends in Afrikaans schlager / pop music history.

After an absence of almost six years Sunette is back with a vengeance.

She released her 6th album Let The Music Play and the album was well received by the critics of Afrikaans music.
It's a wonderful collection of songs; coverversions and a few self penned ones, that reflect a coming to terms, a coming of age even, for the South African singer.

Here are the tracks on Let The Music Play.
1. Girl Without Love
The album opens with a version of A Man Without Love. Not the U.K. 1966 Eurovision song, but a cover of the San Remo song Quando m'innamoro from 1968. But most people know it as the Engelbert Humperdinck's world hit.
2. I've Never Been To Me
Remember Charlene? Her original is one of the most unlikely Motown hits ever. It's raunchy and at the same time almost religious and one of the timeless pop classics. Sunette's version is an uptempo affair without losing the essence of the original song.
3. You Are
A duet with Xavier
4. Solitaire
5. Story Of A Life
6. Shallow
Shirley Clamp's Min Kärlek (from Melodifestivalen 2004) in an English version with lyrics written by Sunette herself.
7. Il Mondo
Another Italian classic, performed in Italain by Sunette
8. If I Give My Heart To You
A Petra Frey (Eurovision 1994) Song
You can watch this one at YouTube. With bits from her Let The Music Play Theatre tour.
9. Andante, Andante
Frida sang it on Abba's Super Trouper LP, a timeless song from Abba's 'lighter' collection.
10. Wanted
The Dooley's! remember them,? Wanted was a 1978 hit, #1 in Japan even. Sunette does a delightful pop version and for me one of the top tracks of the album.
11. L'amour Ca Fait Chanter La Vie
The only real Eurocover on this album is the #2 from 1978, Jean Vallée's song is the the typical 70's ballad only to be found at Eurovision. Sunette recorded it in French.
12. You Don't Bring Me Flowers
The Barbra Streisand & Neil Diamond classic in an uptempo version.
13. A Mi Manera
Sinatra's My Way in Spanish and English
14. Mano
One of the hits by Maywood, the Dutch duo who failed to re-ignite their career with a miscalculated Eurovision appearance 10 years after Mano was a hit. Outside the Netherlands Maywood enjoyed some success in Spain, Germany and South Africa and just about every non-anglo country in the music world..
15. Broken Heart
Thomas G:Son written preselection song from Finland song Who Cares About A Broken Heart originally by Johanna.
16. Get The Party Started
At first I though it silly to end an album with a track about getting started, (The 1 Non Blonde Linda Perry penned Pink hit) but I was wrong. After getting all this out in the world, it's the dawning of a new era for Sunette.


Sunette Bridges album discography:
Vrou Alleen (2001)
- This includes the duet with her Father Bles Bridges Glo In Die Lewe, a coverversion of the 1972 Eurovision winner Après Toi. The original Afrikaans version was recorded by Bles Bridges in 1997.
Dit Is My Lewe (Vat Musiek 2001)
- Featuring Siek En Sat, a coverversion of Javiera's Varje Timma Var Minut, a hit from the 2000 Swedish national final. (Melodifestivalen)
Opskop Treffers En Ander (EMI 2003)
Kan Jy dans (EMI Capitol 2003)
Sprokie (Hartman 2004)
Let The Music Play (Markon 2009)

Sunette Bridges has also been working on Afrikaans versions of the Maltese and Albanian 2005 Eurovision entries, but they remain unreleased.

In 2007 Sunette issued the book Gister, Vandag en Môre (Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow) in which she recounts her life story .
How is it to be raised in the a family with a famous father, how she made her choices in life, both bad and good, and how she dealt with the media attention, wanted and unwanted.
The book is in Afrikaans and is still available at graffitibooks.co.za.

Let The Music Play is available at Kalahari who sell internationally.

MoniQue & Snotkop - Ek val vir jou

Here's another cover from South Africa. MoniQue and Snotkop (yep, Snothead) cover the Finnish 2009 entry Lose Control (Waldo's People) as Ek Val Vir Jou (I fall for you) in Afrikaans. You can find the track on MoniQue's album with the same title. The album also includes an English version of the song.
The CD is out now on Select music and is available at Kalahari. It's also digitally available at Rhythm Music Store and some international digital stores.

Summertime bits and pieces part 1.

Eurocovers has not fully collapsed yet under the heat, but lazyness prevents indepth analysis of the high standards you are used to from yours truly. I didn't even tie in with the footie and the vuvuzela madness, for which you probably are thankful
But here's some found food and bits and pieces people have been sending.

Perla
Remember Perla? In this Eurocovers post (UPDATED in 2021) you can read all about the beautiful Brasilian pop singer and her covers of your favorite Eurovision songs. There was one version missing which now can be found in this YouTube. It's the Spanish language version of Mia Martini's 1977 entry Libera.
It's one of 90 Perla songs you can listen to on the Perla Radio Youtube channel. Thank you Perla Radio!

Leon Calvert
Easy listening blog Detour features an LP Captivation by Noel Trevlac including an instrumental version of Puppet On A String. Not only is this a must hear track because it is exceptionally good, it's also interesting because Mr. Trevlac is actually Leon Calvert, acclaimed British jazz trumpeteer who probably didn't want to have his name attached to some cheap covers LP. But the quality of the arrangement and the trumpetering betrays him. Thank You Detour Blog!

South Africa
Music news from South Africa is a bit slow at the moment. Several Eurocovers are on the brink of release (or not, as postponing is the word of the day). You can find one little teaser for a forthcoming release at the Jasmyn website.
You can hear a part of Iemand Soos Jy, a coverversion of the ill fated Barbara Dex song that ended last in 1993. Jasmyn will also have two other Eurocovers on her album, but there's not much info on her website yet.
Another anticipated but overdue album is Die Enigste Manier (The only way) by Lee Scott (of Hi-5). It includes Wonderland, an Afrikaans version of Fairytale, last years winner and Wens Ek Kon (2009 runner up Is It True? from Iceland). You can listen to excerpts from the album tracks including the Eurocovers at the Lee Scott website. update: There's also a cover of Chiara's Malta 2009 song titled Vandag.
Moniqe Foxx tackles the forgotten Malta entry Believe 'n' Peace by Times 3 (1999) as Ek Glo for her new album.(very short clip at the Moniqe Foxx website). The album will also include a version of Secret Combination (Greece 2008). The album will be out on Markon records.
Lea Le Roux covers the luscious Andorran 2009 entry La Teva Decisio (Susanna Georgi) as Ek Es Gereed on her album due in november. (small clip at Rea Le Roux website).

A lot of small excerpts which are of course useless to the Eurovers fan, so I'm pleased to end this shortlist of Afrikaans covers with two full versions:

It's Henk Grimsell with his interpretation of Soraya's La Noche Es Para Mi (Spain 2009). The song is titled Vanaand Is Net Vir My from his new album Dis Tyd (Southern Buzz records). And the girls love him!

South African Bachelor Of The Year Stefan Ludik also has an album out. Burn This Town is out on CD in South Africa and also digitally available at Play.com, We7 and MusicMe. It has one Eurocover, Lose Control, last years clubby Finnish entry by Waldo's People. It's in English and a bit louder than the original.
At MusicMe you can listen to the full tracks of the album.

Totally Off Topic Extra Bit Of Afrikaans Info 
Cooler As Ekke by Jack Sparow is heading for a massive hit in the Netherlands. It's a soft hippy hoppy track of which I don't understand a word (maybe just as well) but it can be considered quite cool in a Borat kind of way. It's the first Afrikaans language hit in the Netherlands since Thembi took a medley of discofied Afrikaans folksongs to the top 10 in 1976. (Take Me Back To The Old Transvaal)

2010 coverversions
Currently at #4 in the German charts is Schland O Schland by Uwu Lena. The football hymne to the tune of Lena's 2010 Eurovision winner Satellite was released on cdsingle after some initial hesitation. The number 4 is a lucky number for the Germans. #1 next week?. (update: erm, no , #5)
There's also a Finnish version of Satellite, it's called Kiertokuu by Charlotte Kero.
Read more about all the Satellite Eurocovers at Lena's page at the Oslo Collection. More news on the Keistad Street Organ CD (with a cover of the Dutch entry) can be found at the Oslo Collection Sieneke page.

More Mostly Off Topic Great News
Samantha 'Touch Me' Fox and Sabrina 'Boys Boys Boys' Salerno have teamed up for an ace coverversion of Blondie's Call Me (Youtube). Welcome back girls, the world just wasn't the same without you.
The cdsingle is only released in Italy so far, but the digital release is widely available. I bought my cdsingle at favorite shop Juno, who also stock a picture disc 12" inch.
Sam Fox's old band Sox once tried to go to Eurovision with Go For The Heart, but they ended 4th and Love City Groove went on to the contest somewhere in Ireland.

O Vento Mudou - UHF
After all that schlager and pop it's time for a bit of Rawk. Portuguese rockers UHF have recorded the Portuguese 1967 entry O Vento Mudou (Eduardo Nascimento) for their new album. And it's great!
You can listen to the song at the UHF MySpace . Thanks Ed!

Perdon Cariño Mio
Two versions of the Italian 1971 entry L'Amore è Un Attimo can be found at the website of Pino Lucciano. One in Spanish (Perdon...) and one in Italian. Eurocovers loves that song, so that's why it's here. There's also a version of Volare if you scroll down a bit on the site.
Another Tex Mex version of the song by Los Reyes Del Camino can be found in this Eurocovers post from 2007.

Moscow revisited: Believe Again

2010 is here and so is the new Eurovision season. Preselections, National finals, Melodi Grand Prixes or whatever you call them, are in full swing and a few days ago Denmark announced their 10 hopefuls. (info here at DR TV)

Song # 2, All About A Girl by Joakim Tranberg is written by the same team as last years Danish entry Believe Again: Lars Halvor Jensen, Martin Michael Larsson & Ronan Keating.
Ronan Keating is Mr. Rollercoaster of Boyzone, but you already knew that.
Of course there's 9 more songs and if the quality is as good as last year you should put some cash aside for the DMGP 2010 CD which will be released early februari.

Last year in Moscow the Danish entry performed by (Niels) Brinck ended 13th in the final, which is respectable but not exactly winning.
Believe Again scored a #1 hit in Denmark and got a platinum award. It also spent 2 weeks on the Swedish charts reaching # 44.
Who knows what could have been if there had been a proper release in Europe.
But almost a year later Believe Again is a winner at Eurocovers with the most successful coverversions of the year. Brinck homepage Brinck at The Moscow Collection

Jeroen Van Der Boom
Jeroen van der Boom, one of the Toppers (Dutch entry 2009) has recorded a Dutch version of Believe Again on his new album Verder (Red Bullet Music, released in September). The track is titled Weer Geloven.

In november it was released as a cdsingle which also includes an acoustic version of the song.
In Christmas week the cdsingle took the #1 spot on the Dutch singles-sales top 100, a second # 1 hit for Jensen, Larsson & Keating.
Jeroen Van Der Boom Home

South Africa
Four South African singers have recorded Believe Again song in Afrikaans, but it's Heinz Winckler who gets the clearance to release it. Wincklers version, Ek Kan Weer In Liefde Glo (I can believe in love again), is released on his new album which is out on Selekt Musiek in September.

Heinz Winckler was the winner of the first Idols (Pop Idol) in South Africa in 2002. You probably have seen him on the (one off) international show World Idol in 2003, where he finished 4th performing Aerosmiths I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing. (The winner was Kurt Nilsen from Norway).
Winckler released three albums, all sung in English and the new one is the first with songs in Afrikaans (although five songs are in English).
You can see the video in this post. The clip is also at Heinz Winckler MySpace where you can listen to some earlier songs (in English).

The first Afrikaans coverversion of Believe Again was recorded by Henri Alant. The track is called Ek Glo (I believe) and was originally planned to be on Alant's forthcoming CD, which seems unlikely now.
Ek Glo is already issued on a 6-track advance promo CD Sal Jy by Artists Warehouse.
Two other artists in the battle for Believe Again were Kobus Muller and Francois Marais.

Charl Stone
A fifth South African singer who has recorded Believe Again is Charl Stone.
Newcomer Charl is a policeman from George (on the south coast). He recorded Believe Again in English for his album 'n Nuwe Geur (a new scent).
You can listen to Believe Again and some other tracks from his debut at his MySpace.
Excepts of all album tracks are at RhythmMusicStore.




AustraliaOrianthi Panagharis is an Australian rock singer/guitarist who covers the song in English on her new album Believe (Geffen records).
The track is now titled Believe without the Again.
Read more about Orianthi at her website and find out about her Michael Jackson This Is It auditions at Popdirt.
The first single from Orianthi's album is According To You which is currently on the Australian charts (reaching #8 last december).
According To You also charts in the US Billboard hot 100 (currently at #26) and in various Canadian and Japanese charts.
Please note there's also a track called Believe on Orianthi's 2007 CD Violet Journey, but that's a different song. Obviously.

Special thanks to Roy & Songfestivalweblog and Dominique.
Parts of this article have already been featured at Eurocovers and the Moscow Collection.

Jeroen Van Der Booms cdsingle is available at BeaRecords who also stock the Brinck CD.
Both the Heinz Winckler & Charl Stone albums are available at Kalahari. (Heinz, Charl)
Digital versions are available at Rhythm Music Store. This South African download store offers mp3's worldwide, but I haven't tried it yet.
Orianthi's CD is available through all regular uni-ama-play-tunes webshops.

South Africa CD news: Dancing On Splintered Glass

Eurocovers has regularly featured CD info of South African artists recording your favorite Eurovision songs. Often in the Afrikaans language, or other exotic tongues like English.
So, when all eyes are on South Africa in 2010 , because of the Football (Soccer….) World Championship, Eurocovers continues to track the Afrikaans music scene for those artists covering your favorite Eurovision tunes.

Many popular and up and coming artists have selected one or two Eurocovers for their latest albums but this is the first time an artist decided to fill a CD with Eurovision songs only. And an interesting eclectic collection it is.
Since the South African Eurocovers boom started Dominec has been working on his CD Dans Ons Op Splinterglas and now it finally sees the light.
15 tracks are here. All are songs that have graced the Eurovision stage in the past 30 years, the oldest being Peter Sue and Marcs Io Senza Te (Switzerland 1981).

Here is the full tracklist of Dans Ons Op Splinterglas, released on Saturn Records.

Winde Van Verandering (Winds Of Change)
- Netherlands 1990 - Ik Wil Alles Met Je Delen - Maywood
Tornero
- Romania 2006 - Tornero - Mihai TraistariuBemin My Vanaand (Love Me Tonight)
- Belarus 2005 - Love Me Tonight - Angelica Agurbash
Sonder Jou (Without You)
- Andorra - Sense Tu - Jenny
Wat Kan Ek Doen (What Can I Do)
- Switzerland 1981 - Io Senza Te - Peter Sue & MarcJy Het My Verraai (You Betrayed Me)
- Bulgaria 2006 - Let Me Cry - Marianna Popova
Jy Het Myn Hart Gebreek (You Broke My Heart)
- Slovenia 2006 - Mr Nobody - Anzej DejanLa Dolce Vita
- Finland 1989 - La Dolce Vita - Anneli SaaristoBly Net By My (Just Stay With Me)
- Iceland 2004 - Heaven - JonsiSe Jy Vir My (Tell Me You're For Me)
- Russia - Never Let You Go - Dima BilanJy Is Die Een Vir My (You're The One For Me)
- Croatia 2004 - You Are The Only One - Ivan MiculicOns Laatste Nag (Our Last Night)
- Sweden 1995 Se På Mig - Jan JohansenJe T'adore
- Belgium 2006 - Je T'adore - Kate RyanOns Somersaand (Our Summer Evening)
- Malta 2001 - Another Summer Night - Fabrizio Faniello
Die Lewe Is Wat Jy Daarvan Maak (Life's What You Make It)
- Norway 2004 - High - Knut Anders Sørum


You can listen to the songs at the recordcompanies pages Saturn records where there is also some order information. I don't have the details on international orders, but you can drop them a mail for information.

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With Eurovision 2010 upon us and preselections in full force, the 2010 Oslo Collection is now launched. Here you'll find all release info on the entries of the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest in Norway. Bookmark now.

1970: All Kinds Of Hank.

This year it's 40 years ago that Ireland clocked up their first Eurovision victory. Many followed.
18 year old Dana's sweet lullaby All Kinds Of Everything sums up a few of her favorite things and the song may be a bit too saccharine according to todays standards. Hard Rock Hallelujah it is not.

At the time, Eurovision was practically dead, or at least in need of a doctor. Only 12 countries participated in the contest in Amsterdam.
Eurovision was overhauled (pimped, the kids) with some new inventions that still last today. The infamous Postcards, an opening show and more attention to the stage, which provides artists with different 'backdrops'.

Dutch TV did their thing, but a good part of Eurovisions saviour is thanks to Dana success. Plus Mary Hopkin was there for the U.K. and the world was introduced to Julio Iglesias.

All Kinds Of Everything, written by Derry Lindsay and Jackie Smith, was an international hit and it's genuine evergreen material. It takes its rightful place in the list of Irish classics.
The song travelled well and was recorded in at least 13 languages including Mandarin, Afrikaans and Icelandic. Dana however, only recorded the song in English.
I'm not launching an All Kinds Of Everything Year here, but there will be a few Eurocovers post dedicated to this Irish Eurovision gem.

Hank Locklin
The seminal American version (if there is such a thing) was recorded by honky tonk / country singer Hank Locklin.
Hank Locklin scored over 30 hits in the U.S. country charts and crossed over to the pop charts with Please Help Me I'm Falling, a U.S. top 10 hit in 1960 which was also his biggest hit in Europe.
It was probably his popularity in Ireland that made him notice All Kinds Of Everything. Already in 1964 he recorded an album Irish Songs, Country Style with all your Irish Eyes & Danny Boys (re-issued on CD in 2006)

In 1970 he delved in the Irish songbook again for his LP Bless Her Heart...I Love Her (US RCA 4392) and came home with All Kinds Of Everything.
A later recording appeared on the U.K. (only?) LP All Kinds Of Everything from 1980 (UK Top Spin TSLP 112).

Hank Locklin recorded over 60 albums and his songs were recorded by many artists including Dolly Parton, Dean Martin and Willie Nelson. He died last year at the age of 91.


Hank Locklin U.S. LP Discography
Please Help Me I'm Falling can be heard at at Hank Locklin's MySpace

A Jamaican reggae version of All Kinds is in the Eurocovers post Jamaica, Can I Have Your Votes Please pt. 2. Two (English) versions from China are here and a video by Mia Kalember from Yugoslavia is here.

Priscilla - Klein bietjie liefde

And here's a bit of a world premier, Priscilla's new videoclip Klein Bietjie Liefde, an Afrikaans version of the Finnish entry A Little Bit by Nina Astrom (2000). The track is taken from Priscilla's CD Net 'N Bietjie Liefde, which was released earlier this year.

Release news South Africa: Andriette, Heinz Winckler, Patricia & The Hoff

Andriette
South African singer Andriette (Norman) has just released her new album Dink Aan My (Think of me).
Dink Aan My is her second album, after last years Diamant.
There's one Eurovision cover on it and that's Düm Tek Tek, this years Turkish entry by Hadise. (4th place in Moscow).
Hadise's Düm Tek Tek already enjoyed some success in Japanese charts and it's Andriettes turn to make the song a hit in South Africa. It will be the next radiosingle of the Dink Aan My CD.

The album is a joyous mix of rock and pop and there's a beautiful version of Fleetwood Mac's Songbird on the 13 track CD.

The album is available at many digital sources like Virginmedia and itunes and the CD is available in South African (web) shops.
Andriette homepage (in Afrikaans)

Heinz Winckler
Heinz Wincklers CD Ek Kan Weer In Liefde Glo is also out this week. You have already seen the video of his coverversion of Believe Again (Denmark 2009). There's another track of Eurovision interest, Jy Gee My Butterflies. This is an Afrikaans version of Butterflies by Tone Damli Aaberge, the #2in this years Norwegian selection and a #2 hit in the Nowegian charts (Kept off the #1 spot by eventual winner Fairytaile).
As expected, Ek Kan Weer In Liefde Glo is a collection of solid pop rock songs, mostly original compositions and a few coverversions thrown in for good measure. The songs are in English and in Afrikaans.
The 16 track CD closes with a coverversion of Alphaville's Forever Young.

You can hear a collage of the album at Heinz' Youtube channel, where you can also find the video to the albums title track / Eurocover.
Heinz Winckler Homepage - Heinz at Eurocovers


Patricia and The Hoff
The third much talked about coverversion of this years contest, German entry Miss Kiss Kiss Bang by Patricia Lewis and David Hasselhoff is also out now. The song, originally by Oscar Loya and Alex Christensen (Alex Swings Oscar Sings) ended 20th, but hey, it was on Oprah so they actually won anyway.

LISTEN HERE

The Afrikaans coverversion can be found on the re-issued Patricia Lewis CD Net Soos In Drome, which also includes the other song Lewis recorded with Hasselhoff: As I Am.

Charlotte Perelli's Hero (Sweden 2008) and Swedish preselection songs Cara Mia (Måns Zelmerlow), Empty Room (Sanna Nielsen) and Live Forever (Magnus Carlsson) complete the tracks of Eurocovers interest.
As a bonus there are three videoclips on the CD including Hero, Miss Kiss Kiss Bang and Gee My Nog 'n Kans. The CD is released on Sony and is available internationally through Kalahari.
The Hoffnews - This is where you read it first .

More to come: Keep checking Eurocovers for more news on South African releases like the long awaited return of Sunette Bridges, the even longer awaited debut album of Dominec and new releases by Jeandre Odendaal and Eurocovers favorite heartthrob Tobi Jooste.

1991 Bailar Pegados, World Tour Of The Americas

Bailar Pegados, dancing close together, dirty dancing even….. The Spanish Eurovision entry of 1991 by stubbly heartthrob Sergio Dalma didn't leave a dry seat in the house. Even if you knew that 'the wink' was rehearsed over and over, you couldn't help but feeling at least some kind of shiver. (Original Youtube)
The song ended 4th, which is a very respectable place of course, and Sergio Dalma became a bit of a superstar. In fact he already scored a hit with Esa Chica Es Mia before his Eurovision appearance. Now Dalma is celebrating 20 years in the music business with a tour. Earlier this year he toured 10 countries in South America.
He recorded Bailar Pegados in Spanish, French and Italian and made a reggae version in 2004.
Sergio Dalma at BeaRecords

A good number of coverversions of Bailar Pegados was recorded, but it's remarkable that most of them were recorded in this millennium, up to 18 years after the original recording. And most are from South America, as they love Bailaring Pegados a lot.
I've been working on this quite some time, and new versions seem to pop every time I look.

There is close Salsa, Merengue, Cumbia, Durango dancing going on in Chile, Venezuela, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, The Dominican Republic, Argentina and the US. Here's a few, pick your partner for the next dance.

K-Zike De La Sierra are from Mexico and they specialize in the energetic upbeat dance humpah of Durango. Bailar Pegados is from the album Mi Primera Vez from 2009.
The also recorded Non Ho L'eta (No Tiene edad) on their 2006 CD Kazique (Merci Marco!!)
They have a MySpace too, but there's not much there. But I'm really loving the hats: 12poing.

There's a Wiki about Duranguense music.


Coralillo's Bailar Pegados is probably one of the best versions around. Musically they thread the same Duranguense paths as several of the others, but it is very well executed and the singer Francisco Rivera has a great voice. Coralillo operate from Chicago (O city), USA, but musically they stick close to their Mexican roots.

Bailar Pegados is from their album Con Mas Veneno which is available at most large webshops (cd-baby, cduniverse etcetera) Coralillo Myspace. Great outfits boys.



Gerardo Farias (Argentina) starts the song as a ballad, but it seems to go even slower when the cumbia kicks in. A perfect soundtrack to a lazy summer. (CD Lluvia De Amor, 2006). No extra poing for the outfitthough.



An older version was recorded by Dayana Pereyra (from Venezuela), sister to popular 80's & 90's singer Diveana (Ana Pereyra). Dayana recorded a salsa version of Bailar Pegados for her 1992 album Completamente Tuya. Somehow she never made another album, even though her debut was a reasonable success.
The male vocals are by Erick Franceski.


Last South American version in line is by Paty López from Chile. It's a chilling acoustic version which sounds a bit like being recorded in a bathroom, adding to the experience. It's from the CD Ellas Cantan Con Paty López from 2007.


Back in Europe, Pedro Guiterrez is a Catalan Rocker and his must hear Pegados (Youtube) is a rough ole blokes rawk version. On his Youtube channel you can also check out his Catalan version of 1968 Eurovision winner La La La (Youtube)



Below is a massive list of Bailar Pegadoses that have been released officially. Where possible with the usual details and links.
The first time I noticed that Bailar is such a popular song today is when I was doing a MySpace song search, so many links are MySpace.
If you know more (I'm sure there are), or have any corrections please leave a comment, thanks.

Atalaje
- CD Eurovision por rumbas (1999) Spanish Eurovision covers.
Los Ausentes de Durango (Chicago, US) (Myspace has BP)
- CD Y Seguimos Siendo (2008)
Bachata Magic (Dominican republic)
- CD Sensualmente Bachata (1995)
Bagabun2 de Tierra Caliente (Chicago US) (Myspace has BP)
- CD Bagabundos de tierra caliente y lloraras (1997)
Banda Café
- CD Regresa a mi
Banda del Sol (Mexico) (Myspace has BP)
- CD Bailar Pegados (2006) (Disa / Universal)
Luciano Bello (= Comedian Felipe Camiroaga)
- CD Ricas e inteligente (1999)
Los Cartageneros (possibly Argentina)
- CD Verano Tropical (VA 1992)
Coralillo (Chicago, US) (Myspace has BP)
- CD Con mas veneno
Dayana ft Erick Franceski (Venezuela, Salsa)
- CD Completamenta tuya (1992) (Velvet/Rodven)
Gerardo Farias y la Sonora (Argentina)
- CD Lluvia de amor (2006)
Daniel San Fernando (Argentina)
- CD Sentimientos
Manolo Galván (Myspace has BP)
- CD Mundo Latino (RCA) & CD Los Super Exitos
Gilito y su Clave (Swedish/Cuban Salsa orchestra) (Myspace)
- CD Los Superexitos
El Gran Lider (Mexico) (Myspace)
- CD Provocando...
Padrino Gutierrez - Rock version (Youtube)
- CD El ultimo cartoucho (2007)Kampesino Musical (Mexico) (website)
- CD Bailando Sobre Las Nubes (2006)
K-Zike de la Sierra (MySpace)
- CD Mi Primera Vez
Paty López (Chile)
- CD Cantan con ellas (2007)
Marcelo 'Teto' Medina (Argentina)
- CD Mi forma de ser (1991)
Eduardo Medina (Chile) (Myspace has BP)
- CD Azul latino
Milton (Morales, Cuban born Italian)
- CD Milton (2008) (Duck Records)
Los Mirlos (Peru) (Myspace)
- CD Como Amiga
Alfredo Pardo
- CD Spanish Romantic
Pipel Rengifo (Youtube of BP)
- release info wanted
Ritmo Rojo
- CD Bailar Pegados (1996) (Fonovisa/Fonorama)
Rod's band- 40 Años De Eurovisión. cheap covers of Spanish entries
Franco Simone (Italy)
- CD Mundo Latino
Trio SolCuba (USA)
- CD Mas Y Mas (2004)
Tru-La-La with Gary (Argentina)
- CD Exageradísimo 1992
Boyband Quartet founded in 1984, Have been through 21 members by now.Fernando Viña Y Su Sonora Palacio (Uruguay) (Website)
- CD Bailar Pegados (1991) (Sondor Top)
The World Company
- CD Momentos románticos (Sendmusic)
Nicola (Niko) Congiu (Italy) - Ballare Stretti (Italian)
- CD Chiavi
Lior Datauker (Hebrew version)
- details wanted
Jennifer Zamudio - Verlore tyd (Afrikaans) (Website)
- CD Hoor hoor (Select / Jennifer Zamudio Productions)
Joan Garcia Escala (Trumpet instrumental) (website)
- CD Trompeta
Miguel Nacel (Piano Instrumental)
- CD Enamorados (2008)
Uncredited (Trumpet instrumental)
- CD Frank - The Magic Trumpet vol. 2

2009: Believe Again Again Again and Again. (& Pippi)

There have been some interesting developments regarding the Afrikaans coverversion of Believe Again, this years Danish Eurovision entry sung by (Niels) Brinck (13th in the final).
It turns out four South African singers have recorded the song, but it's Heinz Winckler (picture) who gets the clearance to release it.
Wincklers version, Ek Kan Weer In Liefde Glo (I can believe in love again), is released on his new album which is out on Selekt Musiek in September.
You can already see the video in the post below. The clip is also at Heinz Winckler MySpace where you can also listen to some earlier songs (in English).
Believe Again was written by Lars Jensen, Martin Larsson and Ronan Keating.

Heinz Winckler was the winner of the first Idols (Pop Idol) in South Africa in 2002. You probably have seen him on the (one off) international show World Idol in 2003, where he finished 4th performing Aerosmiths I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing. (The winner was Kurt Nilsen from Norway).
Winckler released three albums, all sung in English and the new one is the first with songs in Afrikaans (although five songs will be in English).
The first Afrikaans coverversion of Believe Again was recorded by Henri Alant. The track is called Ek Glo (I believe) and was planned to be on Alant's forthcoming CD (which seems unsure now).
Ek Glo is already issued on a 6-track advance promo CD Sal Jy by Artists Warehouse. (Some info in Afrikaans and pic sleeve is here)
Two other artists in the battle for Believe Again are Kobus Muller and Francois Marais.
Special Thanks to Roy.

2009: Moscows Eurocovers
You can read more on coverversions of 2009 Eurovision songs at The Moscow Collection, where you can find all details on the Moscow Eurovision versions, releases, charts and covers. Official Eurocovers so far are of the entries from Norway, Iceland*, U.K., Denmark, Germany, Spain, Ireland* and the Netherlands. A few less official covers are thrown in for good measure.
* = these are (co) composers demo versions.
Vacation in the Netherlands
Rein Mercha currently has a chart hit in the Netherlands with the summer track Vakantie (Vacation or Holidays). It's a coverversion of Volare (Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu) which needs no further explanation.
He recorded it with the Gitano Kings, so it's no surprise the song is inspired by the famous Gipsy Kings version of the 1958 Eurovision song which was a worldwide hit in 1989.
Vakantie so far reached #66 in the Dutch sales top 100. You can watch the video here at YouTube.
The cdsingle is released by the NRGY label and is available at the TV Oranje website (sorry, NL only, limited payment options) and in the handful of Dutch shops that still sell singles.


RE: Jazzbox
The Jazzbox version of Dansevise (clip in this post) will be released on an EP (Also on Ituuns) including an extended version.
Source: A reply to the Jazzbox post by the artist himself at 3Minutes.me, recommended Eurovision blog.

MySpace YourSpace OuttaSpace, Pippi's Pappa
Speaking of Jazz, let's pay another visit to a MySpace page. This time it's Helena Eriksson, Swedish Jazz singer. And when you say Swedish Jazz, you think En Gång I Stockholm; The Swedish 1963 Eurovision song by Monica Zetterlund gets a relaxed makeover by Helena and her wonderful harmonica man Luciano Mosetti .
The track is from the album Helena Eriksson sjunger Zetterlund from 2007.
Check out Stockholm and some other great tracks at Helena's Myspace here.

I Didn't Know That...
I knew that the lyrics to En Gång I Stockholm were written by Beppe Wolgers (Bertil John Wolgers, 1928-1986) but I didn't know that he is the daddy of the most famous redhead ever to walk the globe, Pippi Långstrump, Pippi Longstocking, Pipi Duga Čarapa, پی‌پی جوراب‌بلنده (for more, see wiki).

That is to say, Beppe Wolgers, is Ephraim Långstrump, Pippi's Papa and Captain of the Hoppetossa in the 1969/70's TV series that made the Astrid Lindgren character and her adventures world famous. (or even more famouserer than they already were).
Ephraim is superstrong and megacool and all that, but of course he is no match for Pippi (played by Inger Nilsson). Everyone wanted to be Pippi, but I guess most of us were just Tommy or Annika.
Beppe Wolgers wrote many songs and Swedish lyrics to international (jazz) standards. He also wrote childrens books and became a kids favorite as a storyteller in Beppes Godnattstund (Beppe's Goodnighthour).
There's a MySpace dedicated to Beppe Wolgers here, where you can also listen to another version of En Gång I Stockholm. (by The Real Group, acapella stars).

Ek Kan Weer In Liefde Glo

Believe Again, Denmarks 2009 entry by Brinck, now in Afrikaans by Heinz Winckler.

Release news: A La Laila - The collected works of Laila Kinnunen

A LA LAILA - ALKUPERÄISET 1957-1980
Legendary Finnish Songstress Laila Kinnunen's collected work finally gets the long awaited release it deserves. This project has been on the shelves for many years, already before her death in 2000.
Several different compilations, most with rare and previously unreleased tracks, have been released in the past few years, so I didn't expect the boxset to materialize anymore.
But at the end of this month an 8CD box is released by Warner Music Finland with (almost) all the Laila Kinnunen tracks you need.

Laila Kinnunen (Laura Annikki Kinnunen) was one of the great singers of Finnish popular music in the 50's and 60's.
To most Eurovision fans Eurovision fans she is probably best known for Valoa Ikkunassa, the first ever Finnish entry from 1961 which ended 10th. Eurocovers readers know her from her many versions of 60's Eurovision classics.

Her work in Finnish is collected on the first six cds of the boxset including:
1-19. Lemmenaika koittaa - Dags igen att vara kär (Sweden pre 1959)*
2-11. Kaikki saavat toisensa - Alla andra får varann (Sweden 1960)
2-12. Romantica (Italy 1960)
2-13. Yö jo on cherie - Bonne nuit ma cherie (Germany 1960)
2-14. Tom Pillibi (France 1960)
3-8. Valoa ikkunassa (Her own Finnish entry, 1961)
3-9. Pikku ikkuna - cover preselection 1961
3-10. Kaikkialla - Al di la (Italy 1961)
3-11. Kesäyö Palmassa - Sommer i Palma (Norway 1961)
4-1. Tipi-tii (Finland 1962)
4-3. Kevätauer - Sol och vår (Sweden 1962)
5-4. Tanssilaulu - Dansevise (Denmark 1963)
6-3. Muistojen Bulevardi - (Finland) preselection 1966)
Other tracks include Finnish originals but also covers of standards like The Girl From Ipanema, From Russia With Love, Fever, Walk On By, Bei Mir Bist Du Schön and many others.
The set opens with her great cover of one of my favorite Modugno songs Lazzarella from 1957.

CD 7 is a collection of songs in Swedish
7-1. Tom Pillibi
7-2. Romantica
7-3. Bonne nuit, ma chérie
7-8. Ett ljus i ett fönster (Valoa Ikkunassa)
7-9. Sommar i Palma
7-13. Ti-Pi-Ti
If I'm not mistaken it's the first CD release of rare single Ett Ljus I Ett Fönster. Which is great.

CD 8 has rarities in several languages like German, Russian, Hungarian, English and even Afrikaans (Saries Mareis)
This cd also includes Vårvalsen and Ding Dong Ding, two songs she recorded with the Nordic singers of the 1961 Eurovision Song Contest (Dario Campeotto, Nora Brockstedt and Lill Babs).
The CD closes with a previously unreleased version of Tipi Tii.

What's missing?
I'm no one to complain of course as this collection is nothing short of fabulous.
But you won't find Unohdusta Ei Ole (preselection 1967) on this box set.
Absent Eurocovers are Merci Cherie, Malloryn Laulu (Le chant de Mallory) & Odotin Sinua (Ce Soir Je T'attendais). But these have been released on other cds.

There's a full Laila Kinnunen Eurocovers discography with picture sleeves in the 2007 Finweeks post about Laila Kinnunen.
Here are all Laila Kinnunen related Eurocovers items.

The 8CD box A La Laila is released by Warner Music Finland (release date 26-08-09) and has 160 tracks plus a 168 page booklet. The retail price is around 70 euros at various webshops.
* Thanks Mikael, see comments

Milana Misic
Milana Misic is the daughter of Laila Kinnunen. Her 2008 CD release Laulumme, with two Eurocovers (Al Di La & Dansevise), was already featured in this Eurocovers post.

Earlier this year (april) she released another album with songs made popular by her mom.
The album is Valoa Ikkunassa - 12 Laila Kinnusen Ikimuistoista Laulua (Columbia 74912323) and the first Finnish Eurovision song is one of the tracks. And it also has Modugno's Lazzarella.

http://www.milanamisic.com/

Eurocovers Summer Break - part 2

Here's a few more Eurocovers Summer Break classics.

Okkar Eina Nótt - Erla Þorsteinsdóttir
Lovely Icelandic version of Dors Mon Amour, the 1958 winner for France (by André Claveau).
Find some great Argentine Tango versions of Dors Mon Amour in this Eurocovers post.

Aldila Ciptaan Dunya - Lilis Suryani
Indonesian version of Al Di La, the Italian 1961 entry originally by Betty Curtis. Lilis Suryani was a famous singer in Indonesia (she died in 2007). Her career was riddled with politics and controversy but most of all adoration from the Indonesian fans.

Al Di La in the top 10 most covered Eurovision songs.
The (other) Indonesian version of Al Di La by Sandra Reemer is here.
An Indonesian version of the 1973 winner is in this post.

BLOG TIP: While browsing for some more info on Lilis Suryani I came across an interesting blog with music from Indonesia. Madrotter. Hours of browing fun guaranteed.
I found two Eurocover related posts: Indonesian singer Ernie Djohans LP La Novia has Daar Bij De Rivier (Dutch version of Belgium 1964, Robert Cogoi's Près De Ma Rivière). And there's a wonderful Indonesian cover of everybodies favorite Love Is Blue (L'amour Es Bleu) in the post about the Reynettes. Go check it out, you know you want to.

Met Sint Jan - Lize Marke
Yugolavia's 1968 entry Jedan Dan in Flemish by Lize Marke who herself sang for Belgium in 1965. More Jedan Dan fun in the Eurocovers post Men In Tights.

La La La - Leelo Karp
Estonian version of the 1968 winner by Massiel (Spain)

Ek Sien 'n Ster - Barbara Veenemans
Afrikaans version of I See A Star (Ik zie een ster) by Mouth & MacNeal. #3 in the 1974 contest and a European hit for the Dutch Duo. Barbara Veenemans is a celebrated opera singer (soprano).

Eurocovers Summer Break part 1

2009: The Moscow Collection
Even though the 2009 contest is way behind us, The Moscow Collection blog still keeps you updated with the latest news on the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest. Versions, Releases, Charts, Coverversions, it's all there.
Some of the latest updates:
Bulgaria: Krassimirs Illusion, cdsingle & album out now
Turkey: Hadise Big In Japan, Japanese cdsingle & hit
Spain: Soraya, remix, mutant coverversion
Netherlands: Toppers In Concert CD & DVD imminent
Russia: Anastasiya's Mamo remixes online
Norway: Alexander Rybak wins the 54th Eurovision Song Contest and scores a European hit (& # 67 in Australia!), New remix on Russian CD.
Denmark: Brinck in the charts, promo release, Afrikaans coverversion

Breaking News - David Hasselhoff records Miss Kiss Kiss Bang

Knight Rider and Bay Watch Beach Bum David Hasselhoff has recorded Miss Kiss Kiss Bang together with South African megastar Pamela...  Patricia Lewis.

It's all pictured a bit tragic and sensionalist in the South African press as they claim it's the last song national treasure Patricia Lewis will ever sing. She's diagnosed with tumors on her vocal chords and will have surgeory. And "it's possible she can never sing after the operation".
Let's all just hope all goes well so we can enjoy some more of Patricia's fabulous schlager-pop albums.

They recorded two songs together and one of them is Miss Kiss Kiss Bang (sung in Afrikaans), this years German Eurovision entry by Alex Swings Oscar Sings

LISTEN HERE
NEWS UPDATE HERE

David Hasselhoff is in South Africa to play around with some white sharks with big teeth to lively up his U.S. reality TV show that is currently being filmed. He re-scheduled his SA trip because of his close friend Patricia Lewis' impending operation.

Last friday they performed their new songs together at a special performance outside the Montecasino recording studio's near Johannesburg.

Patricia Lewis covered many Eurovision songs. On her last album Net Soos In Drome she recorded Swedish 2008 song Hero and two Melodifestivalen songs. (soundclips)
Also check Patricia Lewis at Eurocovers for older material.
For Hasselhoff it's his first Eurocover.
update: Miss Kiss Kiss Bang and As I Am the other songs Lewis recorded with Hasselhoff will be released on a repackaged issue of the Net Soos In Drome CD.

Original performers of Miss Kiss Kiss Bang, Alex Swings Oscar Sings, have already had their moment of worldwide superfamedom in the Oprah show - The Worlds Got Talent.

sources: News24.com, The Hoff News and thanks to Roy.
You can shop for most Patricia Lewis albums at Kalahari.

Priscilla Smith #1
Priscilla Smith is currently #1 on the Kingfisher FM Afrikaans top 10 with Klein Bietjie Liefde. It's an Afrikaans version of the Finnish 2000 entry A Little Bit (Nina Astrom).
The track is taken from the CD Net 'n Bietjie Liefde which also includes a cover version of the Hungarian 2008 entry.There's an excerpt of Klein Bietjie Liefde at reverbnation.
I hope to get some more details later.