Teddy Scholten 1926-2010

Another sad goodbye in Eurovisionland. Teddy Scholten, winner of the 1959 Eurovision Song Contest died last week at the age of 83.
She was one of the popular stars of 50's and 60's Dutch radio and television entertainment. In the 70's and 80's she worked for the Red Cross.

Even though she was a frequent face & voice in Dutch entertainment, Teddy Scholten wasn't a top 40 singer, and people remember 'n Beetje, the 1959 winning Eurovision song best.
The reception Teddy Scholten received when she arrived back home was unprecedented with 100's of people at Schiphol Airport with banners and flowers and set the tone for heroes' arrivals in years to come.

'n Beetje (A little bit), written by Dick Schallies and Willy van Hemert, was the 2nd victory for the Netherlands at only the 4th Eurovision (how times have changed). It was a #4 hit on the (then monthly) Dutch charts (4 months on chart).
Teddy Scholten recorded two Dutch versions of the song and also versions in German (Sei ehrlich), French (Un p'tit peu) and Italian (Un poco).
The Italian version was a top 20 chart hit in Italy.
Teddy Scholten sang a Swedish version Om Varen on Swedish radio (1959, details wanted) but it was never recorded by Teddy. An English version, The Moment, was also written but never recorded.
In the preselection (Nationaal Song Festival) 'n Beetje was also sung by John de Mol (sr.) (released on 7" Telefunken UH 9323A). His version was a #3 hit (3 months on chart)

Eurocovers
The only Eurocovers recorded by Teddy Scholten are from 1959, her own Eurovision year.
For the Post Eurovision releases of 'n Beetje she recorded the French entry Oui Oui Oui Oui and the British entry Sing Little Birdie (with husband Henk Scholten).
Sing Little Birdie, the #2 at the contest, originally recorded by Pearl Carr & Teddy Johnson, was recorded as the b-side to the 'international' versions.

Teddy Scholten Eurocovers
Oui Oui Oui Oui (in dutch)
- on EP 'n Beetje (Philips 422366 PE)
Sing Little Birdie - Teddy & Henk Scholten
- Zing Kleine Vogel (in Dutch) on EP 'n Beetje
- (Philips 422366 PE) & 7" (Philips 318 227 PF)
- La Chanson De La Grive (French) on 7" (Philips B318254)
- Canta Uccelino (Italian)  on 7" (Philips 318 255)
The German Sei Ehrlich single has an instrumental version of Sing Little Birdie on the b-side by Orchestra Jack Bulterman.


En Smule
I have over 40 coverversions listed of 'n Beetje, most Dutch, many instrumental and a handful of other languages.
Remarkable is the popularity of the song with Danish recording artists from the era.
There are at least seven full Danish versions of the song, all titled En Smule, and there are a few medleys and instrumentals also recorded in Denmark.

En Smule - Danish versions of n'Beetje
Birgit Falk on 7" single (Heliodor HE 45 0800).
- This one is recorded with the original orchestra backing of Teddy Scholtens own pre-Eurovision version. (Orch. Jan Corduwener)
Raquel Rastenni - on 7"* (HMV 45-X 8391)
- Raquel Rastenni is the Danish Eurovision singer for 1958Birgit Bruel - on EP* 4 Grand Prix Melodier (VA) (427 933 PE Philips DK)
- Birgit Bruel went on to sing for Denmark in 1965
Lisbeth Frandsen - on 7" * (Triola TD 45-35)Rose Lundstrøm - on EP* 4 Grand Prix Sucess'Er (RCA DEP 107)
Rita Storm - on 7" * (Polyphon XM 61912)Inge Strauss - on 7" * (Sonet T 8023)Lone Helmer - on EP* Grand prix cocktail 1959 (Tono ST 41080)
Two medleys with 3 songs each, five Eurovision songs.
* All releases marked * also feature Danish Eurocovers of Sing Little Birdie.

Special thanks to Mikael.

'n Beetje - Document.
I have uploaded a list with all details on Teddy Scholtens 'n Beetje releases and 47 coverversions of the song. It's a word document.
In the Eurocovers 2007 Finweeks a Finnish version was / is featured. A Swedish version can be found in the Marie Dieke Eurocovers post from November 2006. For an Italian version by Carla Boni, check this Eurocovers post.

Marie Dieke - Ria Solar

Marie Dieke was born as Maria Riemvis in the Netherlands in 1936.
Her biggest claim to fame in the Netherlands was 'In de bus van Bussum naar Naarden' she recorded with the Skymasters in 1956 (as Maria Dieke).
She had already followed her husband to Sweden by that time and the story goes that she behaved like a true diva when she was back in the Netherlands for the recording.
Other well known Dutch recordings are Chocolade, Hernando's Separee and Zambesi.

Marie Dieke has recorded three Eurovision covers in Swedish, all from 1959:
Augustin - The Swedish entry, by Brita Borg at the contest.
- on 7" single Columbia 45-DS 2192
Om våren ('n Beetje) - The Dutch winner sung in a Swedish / Dutch mix, originally by Teddy Scholten
Åh, ifall jag vore du ändå! (Uh-jeg ville ønske jeg var dig) - The Danish entry sung in Swedish, originally by Birthe Wilke.
- both on 7" single Columbia : 45-DS 2193

Schlagerjournalen
Above songs were recently issued on a great CD Schlagerjournalen 1. There's also no 2 and 3 and all cds include great Swedish 50's and 60's songs, several with a Eurovision or Melodifestivalen connection.
For example: Schlagerjournalen 3 features the first time release of Swedens 1968 entry in English by the original artist Claes-Göran Hederström.
Other songs on the 3 cds are Gerd Person's cover of Tom Pillibi, Britt Dambergs 1960 Melodifestivalen songs Alexander and Nancy Nancy plus several cover versions of early Melodifestivalen songs. (Which wasn't called Melodifestivalen yet, I know)
The cds are highly recommended for the songs but also for the fab sound quality.
Update 2013: Six years on, You'll have to search a little bit harder if you want the CDs, as they seem to be discontinued at the regular CD stores, but the digital versions are still available through all the Tunes and what have you.


UPDATED 16-09-07 (Thanks Thomas!)
For the German market Marie Dieke used the pseudonym Ria Solar. (See top picture)
Her German recordings were re-released by BearFamily records on the CD 'In der Mitte von Samoa'.
On this CD you can find one Eurovision cover and a coverversion of a UK preselection song.

Schön ist die Liebe (Sing little birdie) 
- Ria Solar and Bert Varell
- The UK 1959 entry (by Pearl Carr and Teddy Johnson) sung in German, released a b-side to O-O-O-O Peter (Telefunken U 55 169)

Liebe Küsse und Sehnsucht (originally: Love, kisses and heartaches)
- From the 1960 UK preselection semi, sang by Marion Keene. It was a UK #44 hit for Maureen Evans (Oriole CB1540). Ria Solar released this song as a b-side to Er Heißt Maurice (Ariola AR 35 064) in 1961.

ANOTHER UPDATE 21-09-07 (Thanks Erik!)
Another coverversion by Maria Dieke to be added to the collection is of a popular Danish pre-selection song. Skol Cha Cha Cha is a version of the 1959 song Latinersangen (Peblinge cha cha cha) originally by Birthe Wilke and Preben Uglebjerg. It ended 3rd in the Danish selection. Marie Dieke recorded it in Swedish with Charlie Norman (EP Columbia SEGS 62). The track is also on the CD Schlagerjournalen 1 (see above)