Eurocovers: Festival da Canção

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Simone de Oliveira, Rainha do festivais

A living legend, Simone De Oliveira, returns to the Festival RTP da Canção, the Portuguese national selection for Eurovision. À Espera das Canções is the song she will try to return to the contest with, 45 years after her last visit to the Eurovision stage.

As far as festivals go, Simone de Oliveira is royalty.

The Portuguese final of 2015 is on March 7.
Update: So Simone didn't make it to Vienna, which is a shame of course. But here at Eurocovers we're happy she's still out there and we hope to see her again in some Festival or another.

Promo EP 1969

Simone De Oliveira made her first appearances at the Festival da Canção Portuguesa* in the late 50’s and early sixties, winning a few of them along the way.

Other festivals she attended are Festival da Canção da Figueira da Foz. (winning in 1962), Festival Internacional da Canção do Rio de Janeiro, Festival da Nova Canção de Lisboa (winner in 1979) and the 1980 OTI festival (Songcontest of Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries)

* Not to be confused with the Eurovision selection Festival RTP da Canção.

Simone De Oliveira entered Eurovision twice. In 1965 with Sol De Inverno and in 1969 with Desfolhada Portuguesa. She only finished 13th and 15th but both songs now rank top five of Great Portuguese Classics that happened to be Eurovision entries.
I think Desfolhada Portuguesa only has to leave the 1974 entry E Depois Do Adeus (Paulo De Carvalho) before it in the Portuguese evergeen immortality stakes.
Both of Simones songs have been recorded by many artists and are still covered and performed today.

Simone also recorded a few interesting Eurocovers. There's Volare and Puppet On A String (but who hasn't covered these?) but also the 1968 entries of Germany and Monaco.
Eurocovers loves lists, so below you can find the discography of Simone's own entries and her Eurocovers. Finally there's a list of Festival RTP da Canção entries.

Simones Eurovision songs and versions

Portugal 1965 - Sol De Inverno (13th place)

- Sol De Inverno (Portuguese) - on EP (Continental Rec. P-QB 192)

- Sol De Invierno (Spanish) on EP Nàpoles 1965 (with three other ESC entries) (ES: Belter 51.520)

Note: Spanish EP Sol De Invierno has the Portuguese version (Belter 51.509, Spain)
Thanks for the correction Jean François!
- Sol De Inverno (in Medley Português) on LP Algumas Canções Do Meu Caminho (Live) (Ariola 1106844, 1992)

- Sol De Inverno (live acoustic 2004) on CD Intimidades (Vidisco, also on DVD)

Note: French EP Soleil d'Hiver (Decca PEP 1088) is sung in Portuguese, French version unconfirmed.

Portugal 1969 - Desfolhada Portuguesa (15^th place)

- Desfolhada Portguesa (Portuguese) on EP (Decca PEP 1276)

- Deshojada (Spanish) on 7” inch single (Decca MO 648, Spain)

- Terre guitarre (French) on 7” (Decca PN 110, France, also has Spanish version)

- Promo EP (Decca VC4) has Portuguese, Spanish, French & Instrumental by Thilo’s Combo. The Instrumental is actually track 1 on side A.

- Desfolhada (live 1992) on LP Algumas Canções Do Meu Caminho (Live)

- Desfolhada (live acoustic 2004) on CD Intimidades (Vidisco, also on DVD)
- Desfolhada Portuguesa (2018) - Namorados Da Cidade ft. Simone De Oliveira on CD Namorades Da Cidade. All info on this 2018 release is here at Eurocovers.

Simone De Oliveira Eurocovers

Italy 1958 - Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare) - Domenico Modugno

- Nos Teus Olhos Vejo O Céu - EP (Alvorada mep 60136, 1959)

Spain 1966 - Yo Soy Aquel - Raphael

- Tu És Aquele - EP Música No Coração

(Decca PEP 1131) see video above

U.K. 1967 - Puppet On A String - Sandie Shaw

- Marionette - EP (Decca PEP 1204)

Germany 1968 - Ein Hoch Der Liebe - Wenche Myhre

- Viva O Amor - EP (Decca PEP 1250)

Monaco 1968 - A Chacun Son Chanson - Line et Willy

- Para cada um sua canção - EP (Decca PEP 1250)

The 1968 songs can be found on the same EP

Germany 1967 - Anoushka

- Simone and Marco Paulo

- ~~Duet~~ on EP Tu Só Tu (Decca Pep 1211)

I’m not sure about this one, track could be by Marco Paulo only. If you know more, e-mail me or leave a comment, thanks.
Update: It is indeed a song by Marco Paulo solo. Many thanks for the info Klaus! The EP features one duet, two tracks by Simone and one by Marco Paulo.