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.

 

Eurovision 2008: Belgrade weeks - Senka and Bisera Veletanlić

In the weeks leading up to the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest in Belgrade, Serbia Eurocovers digs deep to find some related Eurovision coverversions.
I must confess it's not easy to find many Eurocovers linking to Serbia. The Serbian entries from Yugoslavia have hardly been covered and my collection has many gaps (see below).
But here's a sweet one from the 70's. The song Mi Znamo Sve is by sisters Senka & Bisera Veletanlić and it's a coverversion of the Netherlands 1972 entry by Sandra & Andres: Als Het Om De Liefde Gaat (When it concerns love). The chirpy nanana song was a popular hit back then and was covered in at least 10 languages.
Mi Znamo Sve was released on the b-side of the Senka Veletanlić single Tražiš Oproštaj. (Jugoton SY 22066)


Bisera Veletanlić appears on the single Dan Ljubavi, which is a coverversion of Yugoslavia's 1975 entry Dan Ljubezni, originally by Pepel In Kri (Ashes and Blood on their English releases). That entry is of Slovenian origin and is sung in Slovenian, but a Serbian version was recorded by Bisera Veletanlić, Nada Knežević, Beti Đorđević and other singers. (RTB S 52 659).





WANTED
There's probably a lot more Serbian coverversions than I know about, but here are a few I'd really like to hear. If anyone can help Eurocovers with any of these songs or other surprises I'd be ever so happy.

Tom Tom by Daliborka Stojšic. It's a version of the 1973 Finnish entry which was released on a b-side of a single (Jugoton SY-22536). Daliborka was Miss Yugoslavia 1968 and reached the semi final of Miss Universe that year (pictured left).

Mirjana Beširević - Jos Sam Mlada, a cover of the Italian 1964 winner Non Ho l'eta (Gigliola Cinquetti) released on single (RTB EP 50181).

Filip Zmaher - Moja Generacija - This is one of the very few covers of the Serbian Yugoslavia entries I know of. It was only released on a cassette (MC) dedicated to original composer of the song; Kornelije Kovac. The MC is titled Kompozicije Kornelija Kovaca iz TV "Zvucna Viljuska".

Dana Valery - This Is My Prayer

2019: The Eurocovers post about Dana Valery is another one worth moving up. Thanks to Keurspel YouTube you can now give the songs mentioned a listen. (scroll down a bit)
The original post is from 2009.
It seems Dana Valery has all but disappeared from the WWW and there still is no compilation of her work.  You can find some stuff on the digitals but none of the Eurocovers.

South-Africa release

Another international singer already lined up for a Eurocovers feature since the beginning of this blog is Dana Valery. But information on her career and recordings is very patchy I had to put the article aside several times. I thought it especially interesting because of her equally talented brother (Sergio Franchi 1926-1990) who also has a few Eurocovers to his name, so something of a Brothers and Sisters feature would have been fitting.

Dana Valery's career is all over the place and I don't know many artists who have recorded for so many record labels. Her work isn't documented anywhere and as far as I know there has never been a CD re-issue of any of her albums, let alone a compilation. I don't intend to cover all aspects of her career but the things that stood out are here. If you have any additions or suggestions please leave a comment.

Japan

Dana Valery Catalano is born in Italy but at eight she moves to South Africa with her family.
It's here that she has her first solo hits, including her first Eurovision coverversions.
But before the breakthrough she spends a short while (and one LP: Dan, Diana and the Diamonds, CBS 1962) with Rhodesian band the Diamonds.

It's hard to put her early South African releases in chronological order but it's the 1964 single This Is My Prayer that is a huge hit and becomes a top 10 best selling single of the year in South Africa. This Is My Prayer (CBS SSC 479 South Africa) is a coverversion of Gigliola Cinquetti's Eurovision winner Non Ho L'Eta (Italy 1964).

The b-side to the single is Would I Love You Again, and that's another Eurocover: t'En Va Pas, the Swiss 1963 entry by Esther Ofarim (2nd place).
The single is also released in the UK but it fails to chart. (Decca F11881),
Japan and the U.S.
Both songs can also be found on the LP Dana (CBS ALD 6747, South Africa)
After the success with This Is My Prayer Dana Valery releases an LP Dana Valery All'Italiana (CBS ALD 6694), but I don't know if there are any Eurovision songs on that, I haven't found a tracklist.
There are some more singles and albums released in South Africa up to 1965 but after that she moves to the U.S. to record what I think is her best work.

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She releases several singles on the Columbia label like You, Having You Around and especially the utterly fantastic You Don't know Where Your Interest Lies from 1967. The latter is a Simon and Garfunkel song written by Paul Simon who also provides the talking bits on the track. (originally it's the b-side to Having You Around)
The song fails to chart but has become a Northern Soul classic over the years, and rightfully so. It has appeared on many compilations and the single was re-issued on several labels.
Update In 2013 the single was re-issued in the U.K. (Outta Sight label OSV 105).

In the late 60's and early 70's she is a guest on all major U.S. TV shows (Ed Sullivan, Merv Griffin, Johnny Carson, David Frost, Liberace). Put Your Hand In The Hand (1971) is a popular song for her and it gets a single release in many countries.

A recommended album is Not The Flower But The Root from 1972 (see comments). This is a pure soul album produced by Carl Davis.
This album was re-released on CD in Japan in 2013 and 2016.

In 1975 she releases the third Eurovision coverversion on the LP Dana Valery produced by Mountain guitarist Leslie West. The album includes Dana's (quite fab) take on Cliff Richards Power To All Our Friends, the U.K. entry of 1973.

Disco doesn't pass Dana by either and she releases several records combining light disco with ballads and covers of pop hits. Her disco version of Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow (1976 # 95 on the US billboard) is dire, but the era gives Dana Valery her 'biggest' US top 100 hit the soulful ballad Don't Want to be Lonely (#87 in 1980)

In 1978 she releases a single in German, Du Bist Das Licht in Meiner Welt, but it doesn't spark a career in the German speaking countries

After a long and sudden run of personal tragedies in the early 1991 she stops working for a year but then is asked to host an American games show. It's at this show Dana Valery decides it's time for a career change. She ventures into healing through Reiki and hypnotherapy.


Sergio Franchi
In her U.S. career Dana Valery performed with her brother on several occasions (The Ed Sullivan show amongst them)
Dana's brother is Sergio Franchi, an operatic singer who later crosses over to lighter music like say, Eurocovers. In his career he records the Italian entries of 1958, 1959, 1961 and 1966. Sergio Franchi's death in 1990 is one of the personal tragedies that had an big impact Dana Valery's life. I hope to do a feature on Sergio Franchi in a future Eurocovers post.

Forever The Forces' Sweetheart, Goodbye Vera Lynn

Vera Lynn has passed away. She is one of those people who you think will stay around forever but at 103 the curtain falls. Rest In Peace and sing with the angels.

Our Vera clearing up the mess after the blitz.

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. And again in 2020 her song played its part in the celebration of 75 years of freedom in the grim time of a worldwide pandemic. 

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. She had her own radio show in which she sang songs requested by British soldiers serving abroad and messages from their families were broadcast.
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, Auf Wiedersehn, Homing Waltz and My Son My Son (a U.K. #1). Her last U.K. hit from the era was Travelling Home in 1957.

Vera Lynns career started long 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. 

She recorded an English version of the 1964 Eurovision winner Non Ho L'eta as This Is My Prayer.

Read more in this Eurocovers post about Vera Lynn when she turned 100. 

For the latest Eurovision related release news follow our Facebook.

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

The Kids Are Alright !!

Junior Eurovision, the JESC, who needs it?
The Kids do!
The Eurovision spin-off for the under 16s has proven to be a popular tv show for the youngsters aspiring to be the next singer/songwriter (they're supposed to write the songs themselves).
Fun for all the family to be had and the 5th edition taking place in Rotterdam, Netherlands next Saturday (8th December) is no exception.

Junior Eurovision is for the kids, so it's not really Eurocovers material, although there was this one time winner for Spain (2004) with the superbly titled Antes Muerta Que Sencilla (Rather dead than common) by Maria Isabel that wouldn't have been out of place in the adult competition and even got covered by some adults in Mexico (see comments) (Horoscopes de Durango, pictured), in the Dominican Republic (merengue by Juliana) and in Spain by Las Supremas De Mostoles.
You can also find the Youtube of the original version by Maria Isabel.

Eurovision history has been littered with pre-pubescents. Gigliola Cinquetti was too young to love in 1964, 1986 winner Sandra Kim (J'aime la vie) lied about her age to get in the competition and 1989 saw two toddlers on the stage. Israels barely potty trained Gili Natanel singing along with Galit (Derech Ha Melech) and Nathalie Pacque (J'ai Volé La Vie) for France, who was like 4 months or something. (She just got a baby, congratulations Nat!)

To get to the point, here are some youngsters doing cover versions of your favorite grown up Eurovision songs. They will melt every mommy's heart and make you want to make / adopt some of the critters yourself. And there's three parts!

The Kids Are Alright - Part 1. - The Girls
1961 Estando Contigo
Spains debut entry was performed by the ever fabulosa Conchita Bautista but it was the version by Marisol (a.k.a. Pepa Flores) that made the song really famous in Spain. She sang it in the hitmovie Ha Llegando Un Angel (An angel has appeared) and you can watch a clip of it at Youtube (Check out the guys in the backing!)



1965 Poupée De Cire,
----------------Poupée De Son
Considering the fact that the original song allegedly is about an activity unmentionable at this decent family blog, it's a bit unsettling to hear a 6 year old infant sing it. She must have been lured by all the little dollies.
Tatiana (Tatiana Eva Marie) recorded the song in 1992 on her first album Tatiana Chante when she was 6, and has since made name as a comedian, model and singer. Her latest (rather beautiful) CDs with Compagnie Zorongo: Narandilé and Rhapsodia are influeced by her Romanian, Greek, Dutch, French, Swiss, Turkish and Gipsy heritage and you can hear some of her music at her MySpace and website.
Tatiana Chante includes covers of songs by celebrated French songwriters like Gainsbourg, Michel Polnareff, Françoise Hardy and Guy Beart.
The CD also includes a song Ah! Quelle Histoire which could be Cliff Richards Congratulations or not. (Anyone knows?)

2006 Girls and Horses
In 2006 Germany sent Texas Lighting with their perfect slice of country pop No No Never, which failed to get Europe televoting (even though it's really really quite good).

Teresa Strobl loves horses, she even caught horsefever, as she is singing in her version of No No Never, Pferdefieber. It's from the Kiddy Contest 2006 CD, from an Austrian TV competition in which kids sing hits in their own style, and with kid-proof lyrics. Previous Kiddy Contests (& CDs) have featured a few Eurovision covers:
- Kiddy kids - Jungs (Love Shine A Light, UK 97, from CD Kiddy contest 3, 1997).
- Nicki Freiberger - Mein superstar (Zusammen Geh'n, Austria 92, from CD Kiddy Contest 9, 2003)
- Teresa Strobl - Pferdefieber (No No Never, Germany 06, on CD Kiddy Contest 12, 2006)The 2007 edition CD did not produce any Eurocovers.

Another hippic version of No No Never, Mein Kleines Süsses Fohlen (My sweet little foal) was recorded by the Lollipops, two girls who have released a zillion records but remain in their mid teens. The Lollipops CD with the song is Reiterferien sind der Hit, but they also have a new CD out Zusammen sind wir doppelt stark on which they cover the German 2007 entry Frauen regier'n die Welt (Roger Cicero) as Kids Regiern Die Welt (Kids rule the world).



Junior Eurovision Song Contest official website
Junior Eurovision related CDs are available at BeaRecords. OUT NOW: The 2 CD with all entries for the Rotterdam contest + all karaoke versions.

Related Eurocovers Posts:
Gigliola Cinquetti - Non Ho L'eta in the top 10 most covered Eurovision songs.
France Galls Poupée De Cire in the top 10 most covered Eurovision songs.
Boom Bang A Bang (UK 1969) - By Pippi Lookalike Anne Mette