The Olsen Brothers New Album, updated

Is It A Bird?, Is It A Plane?

Three week ago Eurocovers reported (here) on the forthcoming album by 2000 Eurovision winners the Olsen Brothers. There is a new tracklist now and it turns out to be more exiting than the original announced tracklist did imply.

Less great news is that the release date is now set to the end of june, while Eurovision week probably would have been better publicity wise.

Here's the full new tracklist of Wings Of Eurovision (My Way Records):
1 - Bang A Boomerang
Not a Eurovision song, but a Swedish preselection song from 1975. ABBA's Björn & Benny penned it for Svenne & Lotta and it ended 3rd in the Swedish final. ABBA themselves recorded it for the 1975 ABBA LP.
The Olsens have also recorded ABBA's Fernando which can be found on the 2003 album More Songs.
2 - Love Shine A Light
The U.K. 1997 winner by Katrina and The Waves
3 - Hallelujah - Featuring Lill Babs
Israels second winner in a row from 1979. The Olsens team up with Swedish songstress superstar Lill Babs for a jazzy interpretation. Her own April April was 14th in the 1961 contest.
4 - What's Another Year
The Irish 1980 winner you can read all about in the post below.
5 - Rock 'n' Roll Kids
The original grey-power winner, Irelands 1994 entry by Paul Harrinton & Charlie McGettigan.
6 - Waterloo
ABBA's 1974 winner for Sweden
7 - Ein Bisschen Frieden - featuring Nicole
The bro's team up with the original singer Nicole for this version of the schmaltzy German 1982 winning song.
8 - Save Your Kisses For Me
Brotherhood Of Man won in 1976 for the United Kingdom
9 - Let It Swing And Let It Rock 'n' Roll
Norway's 1985 winner by Bobbysocks! (Elisabeth Andreasson and Hanne Krogh) now sung in English.
10 - Non So Che Darei - featuring Alan Sorrenti.
Alan Sorrenti, original singer of this Italian 1980 entry guests on this new version of his Italian #1 hit.
11 - Congratulations
The song by Cliff Richard that was allegedly robbed of its victory by Franco, dictator.
It's not the first Cliff cover for the Olsen Brothers: on their 2008 album Respect you can find Livin'Doll.
12 - Fly On The Wings Of Love 2010
13 - Smuk Som Et Stjerneskud 2010

The last two tracks are new versions of the Olsen Brothers winning song from 2000. The song was performed in English at the contest, but at the national final it was in Danish.
They also recorded the song in German as Weil Nur Die Liebe Zählt. This can be found on the German language album with the same name which was released in 2002.

Volare (Italy 1958) and Främling (Sweden 1983) seem to have disappeared from the tracklist, but according to the Olsen Brothers website at least Volare was recorded.
http://www.olsen-brothers.dk/  has more information on the recording of the new album.

Shop for The Olsen Brothers CDs at BeaRecords
Digital versions of the album have a bonus track: Fly On The Wings Of Love (Remix)


Stay Tuned For The Oslo Weeks
Trains and Boats And Planes, the 2010 Eurovision stars are heading to Norways capital city to sing their little hearts out for all the world to witness and win the much coveted Eurovision trophy.
Tradition dictates that Eurocovers will celebrate the event with The Oslo weeks. in the coming two weeks there's be articles on the best loved Norwegian Eurovision stars, the Norwegian classics and interesting / odd Eurovision hits covered by Norwegian artists.
For all the news on the 2010 entries, their versions, chart adventures and of course details on CD shopping must haves there's The Oslo Collection.

Thank You India

I've been browsing for Eurocovers from India off & on for quite some time now, never with any Eurocovers worthy results. But I always came across all kinds of 'inspired' songs, where known melodies are spiced up with some new notes and the song is credited to the Indian composer.
It turns out that's not uncommon, and Eurocovers doesn't really care. Whichever way you listen, below are three versions of andré Popp's L'Amour Est Bleu / Love Is Blue (you know, Luxembourgs 1967 Eurovision entry originally by Vicky.)


Indian Movies
Composer Saluri Rajeshwara Rao wrote Ee Reyi Teeyanidi for the 1971 Tollywood* movie Chitti Chellelu.
He used a large part of L'Amour Est Bleu / Love Is Blue and added another melody line to the song.
The song is sung in Telugu (Indian language spoken mainly in Andhra Pradesh) by S.P. Balasubrahmanyam and P. Susheela but in the movie you see actors Haranath and Vanisri miming to their voices. (See Youtube in below post). It was common practice to hire professional singers to supply the voices for actors with lesser vocal talents.
Balasubrahmanyam is said to have recorded over 40.000 songs in 40 years.

In 1990 Calcutta born composer Bappi Lähiri created a song in Hindi with the same melody. Hum Dono Akele Hon featured in the film Aaj Ke Shahenshah.
Vocals are by Bappi Lähiri and Anuradha Paudwal. The female role in the song is by Kimi Katkar, the male role is for Chunkey Pandey. Lähiri also stars in the film, but not in this track.
Bappi Lähiri pioneered the use of disco music in Bollywood films (but not in this song). His songs borrow heavily on international hits like Lambada, Hasta Mañana, Karma Chameleon and Billy Jean.

Somewhere in the dark depths of my record vault lurks a vinyl from Mr. Bappi Lähiri. It was 1988, we were all screaming acieeeed, and Lähiri released a house tune called Habiba. I really should dig it up some day.

Ee Reyi Teeyanidi was re-recorded (again in Telugu) in 2003 for the movie Johnny where it was sung by Hariharan and Nanditha with Ramana Gogula producing. They lent their voices to the actor Pawan Kalyan and his wife Renu Desai (Youtube clip).

*Tollywood = Cinema of Andhra Pradesh, Bollywood is the film industry of Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay). Dollywood however, is not the cinema of Dehli.
I know the soundtrack to Johnny (2003) was released on CD (the film on DVD), but for the others I don't have any release details except that the films were released on video. The soundquality isn't very good, but the songs surely make up for that.
I've patched the info together from many sources, so please forgive me if there are inaccuracies in this post.



Brimful Of Asha
And then there's Volare. In Hindi it became Aajare, Aaja re na jaa re laage na mora jiya saajan tere bina soona, or some variation on that title. It's from the movie Sarhad from 1960 and the vocals are by no one else than the queen-mother of Indian film music, Asha Bhosle.
I haven't been able to track down a full recording of the song so that's bad luck, But there is proof, check out this patchy compilation of scenes from the film (Youtube). If anyone happens to have the track, I await your e-mail. Thanks.

Note: Salma & Sabina Agha recorded an LP of Abba songs in Hindi back in the 80's. Unfortunately for Eurocovers, Waterloo isn't on it, but the LP is still a must have. It was released in India, Sweden and the U.K. (at least) and later it was re-issued on CD several times. So if you want your ABBA hits in Hindi, shop around. (although you probably already have this amazing record in your collection).

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

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

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

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

They recorded their first single Ra Ta Ta in 1970.

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

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

Thorleifs website - 

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

The Road To Moscow 2 - Čuki from Slovenia

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

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Eurovision 2009 - The Moscow Collection

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

Sven-Olof Walldoff 1929 - 2011

Sven-Olof Walldoff, Conductor, Producer, Eurovision Icon died this week at the age of 82.

His unforgettable appearance as the Napoleon dressed Maitre d'Orchestre at the 1974 Eurovision helped propell ABBA into the worlds minds forever.

Before ABBA he worked with Agnetha on her solo hits and albums and he has also worked with Frida (Anni-frid Lyngstad) and Björns band the Hootenanny singers.

Waterloo at Eurocovers: here and here

Senhit | Waterloo - #FreakyTripToRotterdam

Happy New Year Eurocovers friends. I hope 2021 will be as fabulous as this!

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

Poupée de cire, Poupée de son x 2

Viva Niñas

Here's a lovely coverversion of Poupée De Cire, Poupée De Son, the Luxembourg Eurovision winner originally by France Gall. Viva Niñas are Véronica Codesal, Soetkin Collier and Sophie Cavez, all members of Urban Trad of Sanomi fame (Eurovision 2003).

The girls love Eurovision and have performed many Eurovision hits in their live shows From Waterloo To Sanomi.
Poupée De Cire, Poupée De Son was released as a digital single last year and is still available at your digital outlets.

Above audio is from the Viva Niñas Youtube channel.
Also check out.Vina Niñas Myspace.

Jean Cristophe

And here's another cover of the Serge Gainsbourg / France Gall classic. Less cheery-uppety than the Niñas, but equally lovely.

This track is from an album that is scheduled for release on Valentines day 2012: Ma Vie En Rose by Jean Cristophe.

Jean Christophe Ma Vie En Rose website.

Melodifestivalen 2008 - Carola Not So Invincible?

I missed yesterday's Melodifestivalen heat to wake up with the shocking news that three time Eurovision entrant Carola didn't make it to the final straight away. Well, tough luck, she, with her singing partner Andreas 'Glorious' Johnson, will get another chance to sing their One Love in the Second Chance round.

Carola's Eurovision history is one of success and glamour. Her first appearance at a national final in 1983 resulted in a maximum vote from all 11 regions' judges, something that hadn't happened before.
The song, Främling (Stranger) went on to Eurovision in Münich and ended third.
Carola recorded the song in Swedish, English, German and even in Dutch. The latter, Je Ogen Hebben Geen Geheimen (Your eyes have no secrets) scored a top 10 hit in the Dutch charts. Främling was only a # 5 hit in the Swedish charts but has become a classic over the years and is the third most covered Swedish Eurovision entry behind winners Waterloo (1974) and Diggi Loo Diggi Ley (1984).

In 1990 Carola tried again and ended 2nd in Melodifestivalen with Mitt I Ett Äventyr. Great pop song and another # 5 hit in the Swedish charts. The winner Som En Vind by reli band Edin Ådahl bombed at Eurovision (16th) and in the charts (only a 15/2 hit)

Carola's revenge came in 1991 when she won Melodifestivalen and the Rome Eurovision with Fångad Av En Stormwind (Caught by a storm) an energetic power pop schlager stunner for which Carola introduced the windmachine to the Eurovision stage.
Runner up with the equal amount of points was Amina's Le Dernier Qui A Parlé for France, but Carola was declared the winner on a high point count.
The song charted in Sweden (3/6) but failed to impress the international record buyers.

Via an almost return in 2003 with När Löven Faller (which she withdrew from the competition) 2006 saw Carola singing Invincible (Evighet at the MF) at the Athens Eurovision Song Contest. Melodifestivalen was a piece of cake, but in the international final she 'only' ended fifth (a result many other countries would start a war for).

Carola is a superstar in Sweden. She had her ups and downs, scandals and celebrations. A tabloid career ranging from religious fundamentalism and anti gay remarks to liberation trough divorce and really really loving her stylists and hairdresser. All s#@t came her way but somehow most Swedes forgave her, bought her Christmasalbums by the truckload and voted Carola as most popular Swede after the royals.
Is Carola not making it straight to the final a sign of a love that's beginning to crack or do we just blame Andreas Johnson?

I made a Carola Document (updated version september 2011) for your entertainment and information. You can find details and some picture sleeves on all Carola's versions and releases as taken from the Eurovision Collectors Guide.
You'll also find lists of coverversions from the 10.000 coverversions project. If you have any addition or correction, please let me know.
It's a Word Document and you can download it here.

Carola's page at BeaRecords offers various releases of her entries including vintage vinyl, cdsingles and several CDalbums.

http://www.carolainternational.com/ is a great site about Carola with biography, discography, news and lots more.

Here's a few coverversions of Carola's three Eurovision songs.
First up there's Främling by Marjana Derzaj, a recording in Slovenian (Tujci) from the CD Za vse poletne noci! (2001, RTVS ZKP DD 0173). The Stormwind is covered by Dutch kids project Ministars as Een Nijlpaard In De Achtbaan which translates as A Hippo In A Rollercoaster. Last is Evighet by South African boyband Hi-5. Their Afrikaans version 'N Ewigheid is from their CD Versoeking (Select musiek) which includes 6 Eurocovers in Afrikaans.


You can find another version of Främling in the last years Eurocovers post about Døsty Cåwshit. You can find a Chinese version of Le Dernier Qui A Parlé, the song that Carola beat in 1991, in this 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.

 

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

Eurocovers - 10.000 Eurovision Coverversions !

Today I found details on the 10.000th Eurovision coverversion.
10.000 coverversions is a side project of the Eurovision Collectors Guide which started with just keeping the information of all covers I received and came across while researching for the Collectors Guide (The must have Collectors booklet with all versions and releases by original Eurovision artists).

Since the early 90's I have been keeping track of any (officially released) version I could find either in sound or just picture sleeves or release info and today number 10.000 was added to the list.

I love lists, I'm mad I know, but that's me. I have featured many discographies & coverversions lists in this Eurocovers blog which were all taken from the 10.000 project list.
Browse the archives and find out more.

This work wouldn't have been possible without the help of many fellow collectors who have contributed over the past 18 years. To you: BIG BIG THANKS!
Some facts and trivia
- Italy alone takes care of almost 25% of the coverversions listed.
- Over 600 versions are in Finnish
- I have found versions in 39 languages and a number of dialects
- 20 Eurovision entries have over 100 versions listed.
- Domenico Modugno (co) wrote 3 of the top 10 most covered Eurovision songs.
- Runner up Love is blue / L'amour est bleu has 60% instrumental versions
- Puppet On A String scored the most language recordings

here's the top 10 most covered songs from the list.
994 - Nel blu dipinto di blu (Volare) (Italy 1958)
Unfortunately The Man ordered the Volare post to be removed.530 - L'Amour est bleu (Love is blue) (Luxembourg 1967)351 - Piove (Ciao Ciao Bambina) (Italy 1959)328 - Waterloo (Sweden 1974)268 - Al di la (Italy 1961)252 - Puppet on a string (U.K. 1967)187 - Non ho l'eta per amarti (Italy 1964)184 - Eres tu (Spain 1973)168 - Dio come ti amo (Italy 1966)
155 - Poupée de cire , poupée de son (Luxembourg 1965)

Each link above is to a Eurocovers post about the song with backgrounds, lists, some interesting artists and music.

If you'd like to know more about the project, participate or if you are just curious, please drop me a line.

These files (word.doc) taken from the 10.000 Coverversions project are still available for download.
- Puppet On A String coverversions in the Year Of The Puppet
- Chinese versions
- Ding A Dong coverversions

VII: Year Of The Puppet - Sätkynukke from Finland

Another day, another Puppet. One day before the Big 40 here's a Finnish version of Sandie's song by Maarja-Leena (Hentunen). I couldn't find any info on the singer and I don't have a picture either.

Sätkynukke was released on a single (Philips PF 340 791) and can also be found on the fantastic Finnish compilation CD Eri Esittäjiä Käännetyt viisuhelmet.
This is a must have 2CD with 50 Eurovision songs covered by Finnish artists, all sung in Finnish.
Finnish artists have always been very active in covering worldwide hits and Eurovision songs are no exception. It features the big hits and winners but also some unexpected choices. See the tracklist of the CD below.

The Finnish Eurocovers 2CD is available from BeaRecords, (Kaannetyt Viisuhelmet) and at most Finnish CD stores

Eri Esittäjiä Käännetyt viisuhelmet - tracklist
CD1
01: TAIVAAN SINESSÄ - Nel blu dipinto di blu - (Volare) Olavi Virta
02: CIAO CIAO BAMBINA - Leif Wager
03: TANSSILAULU - Dansevise - Laila Kinnunen
04: LIIAN NUORI RAKKAUTEEN - Non ho l’eta per amarti - Anneli Sari
05: VAHANUKKE, LAULAVA NUKKE - Poupée de cire, - Ritva Palukka
06: SÄTKYNUKKE - Puppet On A String - Maarja Leena
07: LA LA LA - She Gives me Love - Carola
08: MUA ONNITELKAA - Congratulations - Robin
09: RAKKAUDELTA NÄYTTÄÄ, HITTO VIE - Det börjar verka - Eero Raittinen
10: PENKKI, PUU JA PUISTOTIE - Un banc, un arbre, une rue - Carola
11: VARKAIN VIEN TAIKKA LAINAAN - Beg, Steel Or Borrow - Tapani Kansa
12: RAKASTAN - SAAVUTHAN - Après toi - Carola
13: NUORUUS ON SEIKKAILU - Tu te reconnaitras - Katri Helena
14: SAIN MUISTON - Ey sham - Marion Rung
15: WATERLOO Ami Aspelund
16: NIIN - Si - Lea Laven
17: SAANHAN OLLA HÄN - Let Me Be The One - Kai Hyttinen
18: DING-A-DONG Hanne
19: JENNIE, JENNIE Matti Esko
20: SILLOIN - Era - Marion ja Kirka
21: SÄÄSTÄ SUUKKOSI VAIN - Save Your Kisses For Me - Tapani Kansa
22: NIIN SE KÄY - 1 - 2 - 3 - Lea Laven
23: LINTU JA LAPSI - L´oiseau et l´enfant - Katri Helena
24: PÄIN SEINÄÄ - Rock Bottom - Armi ja Danny
25: VAPAANA - Libera - Seija Simola

CD2
01: SOITTOTUNNIT - Mathima solfege - Silhuetit
02: PALAA - Feuer - Päivi
03: HALLELUJA - Hallelujah - Anna, Muska ja Kirka
04: TSINGIS KHAN - Dschingis Khan - Frederik
05: DISCO TANGO Marion Rung
06: VUODET OHI KÄY - What’s Another Year - Kisu
07: AMSTERDAM Katri Helena
08: KUIN TEATTERISSA - Theater - Ami Aspelund
09: ISÄ-PAPPA PINGVIINI - Le Papa Pinqouin - Armi Aavikko
10: ON MERI TÄNÄÄN RAUHATON - Feggari Kalokerino - Danny
11: LIIAN PIAN ILTA PÄÄTTYY - Layla - Eini
12: HUMANAHUM Kari Tapio
13: JOHNNY BLUE Katri Helena
14: TAHDON ELÄÄ - Hora - Markku Aro
15: RAKKAUS VOITTAA - Mono i agapi - Berit
16: VAIN HIEMAN RAUHAA - Ein bisschen Frieden - Katri Helena
17: MUUKALAINEN - Främling - Meiju Suvas
18: LAHJAN SAIN - Si la vie est cadeau - Taiska
19: JULIE - Dzuli - Ilkka Salo
20: DIGGI LOO - DIGGI LEY Meiju Suvas
21: JUNA TURKUUN - Tredi di tozeur i - Seija Simola
22: MIKSI RAKKAUDELLA LEIKIT - Love Games - Vicky Rosti
23: PÄÄTTYNEET JUHLAT - La fiesta termino - Anneli Saaristo
24: ENNEN SUA - Neka mi ne svane - Laura Voutilainen
25: RAKKAUS ON SININEN - L’amour est bleu – Yölintu

South Africa: Patricia Lewis, Jy's die één !!

Patricia Lewis is a Superstar from South Africa whose music ranges from Country to Pop and she has also proven she has a fine ear for a Eurovision tune.

She recorded several Eurovision songs since 1999 and especially the later choices look a bit further than just the big hits and winners.

Currently in the South African Trefferlyste, the top 20 for Afrikaans songs compiled by Daantjie Dinamiet, there's a duet Patricia Lewis sings with 14 year old Shaun Tait.
Shaun Tait is the winner of Supersterre 2006, a TV talent show hosted by Patricia Lewis.
The song, Sing 'n liedjie, is a cover version of the Danish Eurovision entry from 2004 Shame on you, the song that failed miserably in the semi-final despite some cool shoes with wheels (it must have been the red suit then). (sorry no audio found yet)

Après toi, the luxembourg 1972 winner, was the first Eurovision song covered by Lewis, but it already had a few lives in South Africa, most famously by legendary singers Gé Korsten and Bles Bridges.
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-
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LUXEMBOURG 1972 APRÈS TOI
Coverversions from South Africa

Bles Bridges - Glo in die lewe (Afrikaans)
------ Released on 1997 CD 'Die hart van myn moeder' (Vat 5 Musik, BMG) Bles Bridges & syn dogter Sunette * - Glo in die lewe (Afrikaans)
------ On Sunette Bridges CD 'Vrou alleen' & 2003 CD 'Opskop treffers en ander' Janita Claassen - Wie sal weet (Afrikaans)
------ On CD 'Wie sal weet'(1991) Patricia Lewis - Jy's die een (Lyrics Patricia Lewis)
------ On 1999 CD 'Jy's die één' (BMG)
Gé Korsten - Glo in die lewe (Afrikaans)
------ On CD 'Naby my / Sailing' & 3CD 'Afrikaanse Goue oues' Estee Strauss (French)
------ On CD 'Ritme van hoop'
Ons Eie 3 Soprane - Come what may (English)
'Ons eie drie soprane' are/were: Janita Claassen, Rina Hugo & Ella Kotze
------ On CD 'Ons eie drie soprane' (Select Music SELBCD 335) Bianca & Friends - Come what may (English)
Bianca & Friends are a gospel group who perform as a puppet show. ------ On CD 'Bianca And Friends' - (Brettian Productions, 2002)
Karlien Husselman - Come what may (English)
------ On CD 'Wees vir my'

PATRICIA LEWIS EUROCOVERS Après toi - Luxembourg 1972 winner - Vicky Leandros
= Jy's die een (You're the one) - sung in Afrikaans ------ On 1999 CD 'Jy's die één' (BMG)
------ Video clip is on DVD 'Patricia Lewis- Die DVD (BMG 2005)
ABBA Keurspel (medley incl. Waterloo & Ring Ring. (in English) ------ On CD 'Vir ewig en altyd' (2001, BMG)
Take me to your heaven - Sweden 1999 winner - Charlotte Nilsson (in English) ------ On CD 'Vir ewig en altyd' (2001, BMG)
My heart goes boom - Norway 2000 - Charmed (in English) ------ On CD 'Vir ewig en altyd' (2001, BMG)
Dans le jardin de mon âme - Switzerland 2002 - Francine Jordy
= Tuine van my siel (Gardens of my soul) - sung in Afrikaans
------ On CD 'N nuwe lewe' (BMG)
------ Video clip is on DVD 'Patricia Lewis- Die DVD -(BMG 2005)
Il faut du temps - France 2002 - Sandrine François = 'N nuwe lewe (A new life) - in Afrikaans
------ On CD 'N nuwe lewe' (BMG)
Never let it go - Sweden 2002 - Afro-Dite (in English) ------ On CD 'N nuwe lewe' (BMG)
Shame on you - Denmark 2004 - Thomas Thordarsson = Sing 'n liedjie (Sing a song) - Shaun tate & Patricia Lewis (in Afrikaans)
------ On Shaun Tait CD Shaun Tait (Sony BMG)


Kalahari is a South African music shop that sells worldwide. Postage costs are high though, but you can't buy too much CDs at one time as you will get a hefty import tax bill. They stock the Shaun Tait CD, and various albums by Patricia Lewis, Bles Bridges and Gé Korsten.

Patricia's own website is currently not available but you can find some info at the Supersterre site. She's a busy woman as she's also currently dancing with Marcel Vilonel in the South African version of Strictly Come Dancing With The Stars and the next season of Supersterre is underway.



HELP WANTED - I'm looking for a particular single from South Africa, either the record or the audio files in any form. It's a version of the 1973 Dutch entry by Ben Cramer - De oude muzikant and it's original b-side Kom Sylvia dans met mij from the preselection.
Marnie - Die oue musikant / Kom Sylvia dans met my - 7" single (Philips TOS 1010)

VII: Year Of The Puppet - Siw Malmkvists Sprattelgummas

Sprattelgumma is the Swedish version of Puppet On A String. The Year Of The Puppet continues with none other than Siw Malmkvist.
Siw Malmkvists first appearance on the Eurovison stage was in 1960 when she sang Alla andra får varann to a 10th place in London. But her first Eurovision related venture was when she won the Swedish preselection in 1959 with Augustin. Thát song was sung at the contest by another singer: Brita Borg. But Siw Malmkvist recorded it in Swedish, German, Danish, Norwegian and maybe even Italian, although the Eurocovers detectives are still out on that last version.
In 1961 she won the Swedish selection again, this time with April April but she was replaced for eurovision by Lill Babs*.
In 1969 Siw performed Primaballerina at the contest in Madrid, but now representing Germany.

* Thanks Frank!

(All details and links on the German Colour TV LP with a rare version of the song have been removed, but here is a Youtube, as long as it's there)
Sprattelgumma single (Metronome J45-743)

A superb Siw Malmkvist Discography is at http://jazzbacillen.com/


Not only has Siw Malmkvist appeared in several national selections, she also has been active on the international Eurocovers front.
U.K. 1967 - Puppet on a string - Sprattelgumma (Swedish)
Luxembourg 1967 - L'amour est bleu - Blå, blå är Kärleken (Swedish)
Luxembourg 1971 - Pomme Pomme Pomme - Ett rött äpple (Swedish)
Monaco 1971 - Un banc, un arbre, une rue - På en gammel bank
Yugoslavia 1992 - Ljubim te pesmama - Ein Hauch von Florenz (German)
Yugoslavia 1992 - Ljubim te pesmama - Ge mej en doft ifrån Rom (Swedish)
Croatia 1995 - Nostalgia - Musik ist wie ein Freund (German, with Lidija Horvát Dujnko)
Croatia 1995 - Nostalgia - Musik är ingenting för mig (Swedish with Siw Wennerberg)





Related Eurocovers Posts. Three Swedish coverversions from 1959 by Marie Dieke, including a version of Augustin.

Eurovision covers by Swedish MF regular Anne-Lie Rydé


Swedish Winner Waterloo in Feathers and in Spandex

The Year Of The Puppet celebrates the 40 year anniversary of Sandie Shaw's Eurovision victory with Puppet On A String. Introduction to the series in this Eurocovers post.
Other versions already featured are from France, Singapore (Mandarin-Chinese), Jamaica. Yugoslavia, Estonia, U.K. (Comedy), Iceland, Lithuania, USA (Musical), Spain, Brasil, UK punk, Norway (gloom) Norway, Turkey, Portugal, Basque country Organland, Tirol, Denmark, CzechoSlovakia, Hungary, Russia, Yugoslavia (Slovenia), Chile/Argentina/Mexico