Showing posts with label Matt Pop. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Matt Pop. Show all posts

Thursday, February 13, 2020

Rotterdam weeks: A Dream Come True for Cilla Black fans

Cilla Black, British institution, I guess she needs no introduction to most Eurocovers readers.
Below (at the end of this post) you can hear her lovely coverversion of the Dutch 1984 entry Ik Hou Van Jou as A Dream Come True. (It's Rotterdam weeks after all).
Cilla Black released her version of the Dutch classic in 1993 on her album Through The Years. (CD, LP and MC)
A Dream Come True also ended up as the b-side of the single Heart And Soul (recorded with Dusty Springfield). (7"inch and cdsingle)

You're Sensational!
The legendary singer, TVshow host and all round showbizz star passed away in 2015.
Now, for the first time, an unreleased song is released. On Valentines day!
You're Sensational was recorded in the early 70's and only recently uncovered. The track is remixed by Matt Pop.
There are two versions: An extended remix and a radio edit.
It's a digital single (ltd cdsingles are sold out now) but let's all buy it or stream it and get Cilla back to #1. (I'm talking to you Brits here, make it happen!, Update:  It didn't.).

You're Sensational at iTunes, Amazon
and a link to all digitessen

A nice bit of Eurovision trivia about Cilla Black, who of course would have been the dream representative for the U.K.. In fact (or: allegedly, to be safe) she was asked if she was interested to do Eurovision in 1968. Cilla didn't think it was a good idea to have another female singer after Sandie Shaw's victory and she declined.
She ended up hosting the Song For Europe contest that year with Cliff Richard in her BBC TV Show Cilla and Cliff ended up with Congratulations and a 2nd place in the London Eurovision.

I Can't Go On Living Without You
In 1969 it was Lulu's turn to do A Song For Europe. One of the six songs she performed was I Can't Go On Living Without You written by then little known songwriter duo Elton John and Bernie Taupin. Hard to believe now, but the song came last.
Cilla Black recorded the song for her LP  Sweet Inspiration (1970) and it was released as a single in Venezuela, New Zealand and as a b-side in Japan.



Links and sources
Cilla Black Website and FB
Matt Pop FB and more Matt Pop at Eurocovers
More Ik Hou Van Jou coverversions posts

Monday, April 29, 2019

Play It Again Nicki!

Picture from Energise records Facebook.

Look who's at it again! Nicki French releases a new EP Let's Play That Song Again covering some Eurovision tunes we all know and love. 
The EP includes Go (Gigliola Cinquetti's Si from 1974), My Star (Brainstorm 2000) You Are TheOnly One by Sergey Lazarev and Tonight Again (Guy Sebastian)
One of these is one of my top 3 favorite Eurovision songs ever, so well done Nicki.

All songs feature in two versions on the EP including mixes by Pete Ware and Matt Pop.
If you buy the CD version a new mix of Don't Play That Song Again (Nicki's own Eurovision classic from 2000) is yours as well.

We. Love. Nicki.
The 2015 Eurovision EP
CD version (still) available at Energise Records who also still have Nicki's first Eurovision from 2015 EP available. (more about that one here at Eurocovers)
The digital version is out on May 6. (but discontinued as of 2023)

Energise!
Energise Records "does" Nicki French and also gives us some great Linda Martin, Sinitta, Hazell Dean and more. 
There's also a delicious cover version of Verona (Koit 'n' Laura's Estonian entry that was robbed) by Sean Smith and Peter Wilson released in a variety of mixes (on a 2CD set).

Links and sources
Nicki French website and FB
Energise Records website and FB
Nicki French: The first Eurovision EP




also check out:



Monday, May 11, 2015

Nicki French 2015: The Eurovision EP

Digital release image
Nicki French, much loved British Eurovision chanteuse, releases a new remix EP including new mixes of her 2000 entry Don't Play That Song Again and a few Eurovision covers.

Don't Play That Song Again ended 16th in the 45th Eurovision Song Contest (in Stockholm).
Hold Me Now is the winner of the Brussels contest of 1987. It was Johnny Logans 2nd victory for Ireland.
One Step Further, originally by Bardo, ended 7th in Harrogate (1982)
And then there's Ding A Dong, the winner of 40 years ago. The Dutch entry by Teach In won the contest in Stockholm en became a European hit.

Update 2019: Nicki French released another Eurovision EP, more info here.

Nicki French shot to fame with her dance coverversion of Bonnie Tylers Total Eclipse Of The Heart. 
It was already the third time Nicki released the song but the 1995 version became a worldwide hit.
It was a No. 5 in the U.K. and a No. 2 in the USA. It went to No. 1 in Canada, Japan and Brasil.

Eurovision EP Tracks:
1. Don't Play That Song Again 2015 (Andy Haldane Remix)
2. Hold Me Now (Andy Haldane Remix)
3. One Step Further (Matt Pop Mix)
4. Ding A Dong (John Springate Mix)
5. Don't Play That Song Again 2015 (Matt Pop's Golden Anniversary 12inch)
6. Hold Me Now (Matt Pop Mix)
7. Don't Play That Song Again 2015 (Andy's Karaoke Mix)
8. Hold Me Now (Andy's Karaoke Mix)
A CD single is released on May 15, still available at the Energise Records shop.
The digital release is out May 23. (but discontined now)

Earlier this year the album One Step Further was released including Matt Pop remix versions of the four Eurovision songs mentioned above.
Another recent release is the album Nicki French: The Singles 1997-2015.
Energise Records also offer a 4-disc (though CD-r) release with the albums One Step Further, The Singles 1997-2015, a Megamix CD and a 4th album Total Eclipse Of The Heart including two previously unreleased demo's.



Energise Records website
More Eurocovers Ding A Dong posts are here, and various versions of Hold Me Now are here.
Original cdsingle

Also check out 2015: The Vienna Collection
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