Динь-Дон - The Moscow Weeks - Ding A Dong

Eight winners of Eurovision Days Gone By have been recorded in Russian. (also see below)
Ding A Dong, much loved, ridiculed by some. Of course the 1975 Eurovision winner is flowerpicking genius and the Russians agree. The song is covered by Russian artists and it's regularly performed on various CIS states Idols / Eurovision / Kids shows.

Teach In enjoyed some popularity in the Soviet Union in the mid 70's and in 1976 Getty Kaspers, Teach In's singer at Eurovision had a USSR #1 hit with I'm Alone.
Teach In are doing a bit of a re-union tour and they also visitied Russia, playing for 40.000 people at two sold out cencerts. The band will be performing at the opening show welcome party extravaganza in Moscow on the 10th of May.

Ding A Dong Russian coversAlena Apina & Murat Nasirov's version of Ding A Dong is titled Лунные ночи (Lunnye Nochi) and can be found on a 1998 CD The Best Of Alena Apina.

Assorti (Ассорти) gave it a shot in the Russian preselection with Keep On Shining in 2005 and their Динь-Дон (Din Don) from 2003 appeared on their website and various compilations. (pic right)
(This one was already featured in this Ding A Dong Eurocovers post)
The most recent Russian version I know is from 2006 by Havana (Гавана) - Novy god v platie novom (Новый Год В Платье Новом). It was released on various Christmas compilations.


The Moscow Weeks - Dschinghis Khan
More Eurovision Winners In Russian At Eurocovers:
1964 - Non Ho L'Eta - Tamara Miansarova
1965 - Poupée De Cire, Poupée De Son - Muslim Magomaev
1967 - Puppet On A String - Emil Gorovec

1975: Some More Ding A Dong

In the Eurocovers post They can't stop the spring (March 21) a few versions of the 1975 Dutch Eurovision winner Ding A Dong (Teach In) were featured, all recorded this millennium.
The song still proves popular as in 2007 at least six coverversions have been released.


I have put all my Ding A Dong knowledge in a single word document for those interested. The list features details on Teach In's original recordings in various languages plus a list of 125 coverversions. I'm sure there must be more, but I think it's quite a list already.

I recently found a Hungarian version of the song by Csonka András which was recorded in 2001, making the total number of languages the song was recorded in now at least 16.
Another one featured below is an Estonian version by ladies band Laine from the 2000 CD Uus laine. Estonian covers of Ding A Dong now total at least five, all recorded in the past decade.
DING A DONG IN 2007
Swedish clubby outfit Supersounds have three versions on their cd-single which was released in Sweden last March. With the Estonian StarSisters CD, Dutch DJ Maarten, A blind choir* & a theatre duo** from Germany and the Finnish Re:Play compilation it's six versions of the unforgettable 1975 tune that have been released in 2007. (any more??, let me know)
* Blinde Musiker München on CD Fast schon in New York (2007)
** Blond (=Annette Postel und Gunzi Heil) - Dud el-du on CD Frisch getönt (UPDATE, it's not from 2007, but 2004....)
* = if anyone happens to have an audio…..
The Supersounds version is available in a variety of remixes at most download sites and (Swedish) CD shops



A few more Ding A Dong versions can be found in this Eurocovers post .

Чингисхан - The Moscow Weeks - Dschinghis Khan

The Moscow Weeks have finally arrived. The delegations (and Teach In!, more about that later) are arriving in Moscow and the first rehearsals for Eurovision are this weekend. I've been digging for some Russia Related Eurocovers to relieve the unbearable tension and I'll present them here in the coming weeks.

Link-o-rama in Eurovision 2009: Ralph Siegel, German composer has his 19th song in the competition this year. Just Get Out Of My Life by Andrea Demirovic (singing for Montenegro) is written by Siegel with lyricist Bern Meinunger (for whom it is his 12th Eurovision song).

Bye Bye I Love You
Siegels first Eurovision effort was Bye Bye I Love You by Ireen Sheer which ended 4th in 1974 for Luxembourg. Most of his songs were for Germany including the country's only winner and international #1 hit Ein Bisschen Frieden (Nicole 1982) and a few of the biggest German Eurovision hits like Johnny Blue (Lena Valaitis, 1981) and Lass Die Sonne In Dein Herz (Wind, 1987).
Russian lyrics were written for Ein Bisschen Frieden but I don't know if Nicole ever recorded that in the studio. However she did perform the Russian version Nemnogo Mir on a TV show (Der Goldene Einz 1992)

Huh, Hah, Dschinghis Khan
The first one Siegel and Meinunger wrote together was the biggest hit of them all. Dschinghis Khan by Dschinghis Khan (2nd in 1979) was a #1 hit and stayed on the German charts for 29 weeks.
Dschinghis Khan, the band, went on to have a succesful string of hits and hitalbums serenading a colourful collection of historic mostly dead villians and often fictional heroes (and gnomes). Mata Hari, James Bond, Billy The Kid, Rocky Marciano, Tut Ench Amun, Pablo Picasso, Ivanhoe and on….. They were also very fond of their geography with titles like Himalaya, Israel Israel, Madagaskar, Rome, Sahara, Machu Picchu, Goodbye Hawaii and their 2nd biggest hit Moskau. And all this in a 5 year - 5 album span. Tacky? sure, Corny? of course, Fabulous? Yes!!. Do yourself a favour and buy a greatest hits CD.

The circle is round if you check out the remixes of this years Montenegro entry (all versions here at Limark, official). The Moscow remix is spiced up with samples from the old Dschinghis Khan hit about this years Eurovision host city Moscow, Moskau, Москва.

Dschinghis Khan, the song, is currently #19 in the top 20 most covered Eurovision songs with 121 versions listed. Given the subject of the song (check yer wiki) it's no surprise that many of the coverversions are from Asia with versions in Japanese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean and Thai. In 2008 a version by Berryz Koubou (see this post) was a hit in Japan)

Чингисхан
Владимир Девятов и Амархуу Борхуу
But it's the Moscow Weeks, so here is a Russian version of Dschinghis Khan. It's by
Vladimir Devyatov & Amarhuu Borhuu. I don't know much about them, but I know they toured performed together in a musictheatre show. Amarhuu Borhuu is from Mongolian descent and has spent some time in Premier Ministr, the band that represented Russia in Eurovision in 2002 with Northern Girl. But Borhuu wasn't in the band at that time.
I don't know if the song was ever released on a CD but it can be found on several Russian mp3 discs like the one pictured.

We Can't Live Without Music
Another Siegel/Meinunger entry that was covered in Russian is I Can't Live Without Music from 2002, originally by Corinna May who ended 21st for Germany.
It was recorded by Anastas!a Stotskaya (Анастасия Стоцкая) who participated in the 2005 Russian preselection with Shadows (Dance All Around Me). The song is titled Музыка и я (Music & Me) and was released on the album Anastas!a Stotskaya from 2003 (limited edition only)

On a personal note: Ralph Siegel and Bernd Meinunger's body of work has made them the absolute top of the who is who of Eurovision. They deserve unconditional respect for all the good stuff. Don't let the cheesy mishaps like Switzerland 2006, Germany 1992 or Luxembourg 1985 stand in the way of the absolute pop-brilliance of Dschinghis Khan, Johnny Blue, Theater, Le Papa Pingouin, Wir Geben 'ne Party and Just Get Out Of My Life.
Extra cudos go to Ralph Siegel for founding Jupiter in 1974, a record label that brought us many Eurovision releases over the past decades often including the not so obvious hits.



More Dschinghis Khan at Eurocovers.
Buy Dschinghis Khan CDs and collectables at BeaRecords
Dschinghis Khan Official site  and fansite

Another Eurocovers album: Star Sisters from Estonia

Another album stuffed with Eurovision coverversions was just released in Estonia.
The album is titled Star Sisters and features Meribel Müürsepp (pictured below) , Elina Toompuu, Ketlin Hoel and Elina Eilonen.
Müürsepp's own national final song Mr. Right (2006) opens the album in its previously unreleased Estonian version and then nine Eurovision covers follow.
Three of them are versions of Estonian entries that have so far only been recorded in English, but now got the Estonian makeover. The other six tracks are some of the Eurovision greats like France Gall's Gainsbourg classic Poupee de cire, poupee de son, Teach In's Ding A Dong and ABBA's Waterloo. All tracks are sung in Estonian.
Tracklist Star Sisters CD:
1. Mr.Right - Meribel Müürsepp (Estonian version of 2006 Preselection song)
2. Tähevalguse tee - Elina Toompuu (Runaway - Sahlene - Estonia 2002)
3. Et oleks rahu - Meribel Müürsepp (Ein bisschen Frieden - Nicole - Germany 1982)
4. Diggi-Loo Diggy-Ley - Ketlin Hoel (Herreys - Sweden 1984)
5. Säde mu silmis - Elina Toompuu (Once in a lifetime - Ines - Estonia 2000)
6. Õnnesoovid - Meribel Müürsepp (Congratulations - Cliff Richard - UK 1968)
7. Mu päiksepoolne aken - Elina Toompuu (Through my window - Sandra Oxenryd - Estonia 2006)
8. Vahanukk - Meribel Müürsepp (Poupee de cire… - France gall - Luxembourg 1965)
9. Ding a dong - Elina Eilonen (Teach In - Netherlands 1975)
10. Waterloo - Meribel Müürsepp (Abba - Sweden 1974)

The album is available at a snip at CDMarket, a shop from Estonia I personally have good experiences with.
They also stock the must have CD Unustamatu Eurovision, a compilation of Eurovision covers recorded in the 60's and 70's in Estonia. (The CD was released in 2002).

P.S.: Blog TipThe El Rincón Del 45 (The 45's corner) blog features a Miguel Ramos EP with Eurocovers from 1968 and a Vladimir Zaroff single from 1969.

4 X 40 - Madrid 1969 - Vivo Cantando

The second winner in Eurocovers 4 X 40 series is the entry from the host country Spain. Vivo Cantando by Barcelona born Salomé (Maria Rosa Marco I Poquet).
She started her career as a singer for Radio Barcelona. In 1963* she won the 5th mediterranean songfestival with the song Se'n va anar.
Salomé recorded Vivo Cantando in Spanish in three different versions but also in Catalan, Basque, French, Italian, English and probably several other languages (but these versions remain unreleased, full details in the list)
Vivo Cantando was written by Maria José Cerato & Aniano Alcalde.
* - although some sources say 1962

Eurocovers
I found details on 50 coverversions of Vivo Cantando. No sensational names this time, and only a few of the repeat offenders of the Eurovision world have recorded the 1969 winner. There's Ronnie Tober (NL68), Birthe Kjaer (DK 98) and Edina Pop (DE 79). 40% of the covers listed are instrumental. Your Mauriats, Caravelli's and Lefêvres are all there. As usual the list is a Word document with all details on Salomé's own versions of Vivo Cantando (with picture sleeves) and on the coverversions of the song.


Rika Zaraï
Vivo Cantando wasn't the international hit Salomé had hoped for but the song became a modest European success for Rika Zaraï with her French adaptation titled Alors Je Chante.
Jerusalem born Zaraï scored her first international hit in 1961 with Exodus and she popularised Israeli songs like Hava Nagila and Jerushalaím Shel Zahav (a hit in 1967). She had her biggest European hit with Casatchock in 1969 which was immediately followed up by Alors Je Chante.
Rika Zaraï's version adds an extra melody line to the original composition which Salomé never recorded. It's this version that has been covered quite often for example by Edina Pop, Birthe Kjaer and Ad Nijkamp.
She just celebrated her 50th anniversary as an artist. Her latest CD Quand Les Hommes was released in 2007.

Rika Zaraï Eurocovers
Among the hundreds of songs Rika Zaraï recorded in her 50 year career there are several Eurovision tunes to be found.

France 1963 - Elle était si jolie (Alain Barrière)
- In French - on EP Tournez Manèges (Bel Air 211 101)Spain 1969 - Vivo Cantando (Salomé)
- Alors je chante (French) - on 7" (Philips BF 370 849) and others
- Allora canto (Italian) - on 7" (Dischi cgd 9755)
- Alors je chante (Live version) - on LP Olympia 70 (Philips 6311 017)
A version recorded in Japanese has been mentioned, but I haven't found any proof or details on that.Spain 1973 - Eres Tu (Mocedades)
- C'est Pour Toi (French) - on LP Un Refrain (Philips 6325 040)Netherlands 1975 - Ding A Dong (Teach In)
- Le Petit Train (French) - on 7" (Philips 6009 676)Israel 1978 - A Ba Ni Bi (Izhar Cohen)
- In Hebrew - on LP Rika Zaraï (CD re-issue Helicon HL 02-94149)
- In French - on 7" (Philips 6172 140)
- In Italian - on 7" (Carosello, possibly 20466 and/or promo JB 143)Israel 1979 - Hallelujah (Milk & Honey)
- Alleluia (French) - on 7" (Philips 6042 474)




You can find a Dutch Carnaval version in this Eurocovers post. A drag version of the song titled Wintersport can be found in the Eurocovers post Free at last, Costume Drama at Eurocovers. A German version by Edina pop is here.
Vivo Cantando Youtube Rika Zaraï Fansite

4x40: Introduction

4x40: De Troubadour - Lenny Kuhr

4x40: Vivo Cantando - Salomé

4x40: Un Jour Un Enfant - Frida Boccara

4x40: Boom Bang A Bang - Lulu

4x40: The Losers

They Can't Stop The Spring

The merry Irish Dervish seem pretty sure of that in their song for the Helsinki Eurovision Songcontest , but right now, the first day of spring, it's very cold and wet here.
So instead of waiting to see if spring really comes this year I play the happiest song ever to win Eurovision, Ding A Dong. Spring, Summer & Christmas rolled into one, the Teach In winner of 1975 is one of the most ridiculed but one of the most brilliant pop tunes ever.
It's also the most covered Dutch entry with over a 100 versions registered in the 10.000 coverversions project.To prove the songs immortality, here's some coverversions that were made this side of the millennium.

2007: DJ. Maarten made a new version with some horny lyrics for this years carneval and released the song on his cdsingle Ik ben een kikker (I'm a frog) (BERK Music)
2006: Another DJ, DJ Limbu from Estonia roped in Jaanika (not Sillamaa) for a club version.
2005: Asta Pilypaitė from Lithuania recorded a Lithuanian version Din Digi Dong which can be found on a compilation CD Lietus Lietuvoj 5.
2005: Burçin Şen from Turkey revamped the song into Doya Doya 30 years after Teach In won and Turkey made their Eurovision debut. (CD Yalan Ask)

2003: Assorti (Ассорти) (picture below) gave it a shot in the Russian preselection with Keep On Shining in 2005 and their Din Don appeared on their website and various compilations.

Colé and her mates sing Eurovision tunes.

South African singer Colé Van Dais has been featured at Eurocovers before as she created several interesting coverversions of Eurovision tunes.

Now there’s a new album for all to enjoy. 

Colé and Friends collects ten Eurovision tunes old and young plus two national final gems. Colé's Friends include the mighty Katrina and Great Latvian Bake Off Joran from Aarzemnieki. 
Among the others are some well known African artists like Marc Rantseli of 80's hitsters MarcAlex and up and coming singer Sisana Kubheka.

Next to Afrikaans you get to hear some languages not often (never) associated with Eurovision: Tsonga, Thai, Xhosa, Yoruba and Zulu.

Colé and Friends is available from iTunes, Amazon and Spotify.

Here's a track-by-track of the album.

1. Love Shine A Light (Africa Version, in English) with Katrina Leskanich.

The 1997 Eurovision winner by Katrina and The Waves gets a sunshiny makeover and Katrina guests on her own classic. The pair met at the 80's Rewind Festival South Africa in 2015.
This track was already released as a digital single in 2016.

2. Kom Saam Met My (Come with me) with Righardt Greyling (in Afrikaans)

The original, Dziesma Par Laimi (Latvia 2004) gained fame for being released in nine languages by the originals artists Fomins and Kleins. 

3. Spirit Of The Night with Sergey Sysuev (English/Russian)

San Marino 2017 by Valentina Monetta and Jimmie Wilson. Sergey is from Ukraine.

4. Op Die Dansvloer (On the dancefloor) with Lia Chabane (Afrikaans/Tsonga)

Glorious by Cascada (Germany 2013)

5. Dear Friend with Organ Prawang (English/Thai)

Nostalgia by Magazin and Lydija (Croatia 1995). Organ Prawang is a classical singer from Thailand.
Colé and Organ made a videoclip of this one.

6. One Gift Of Love with Keith McFarlane (English)

Runner up U.K. national final song by Dear John from 1995. Keith McFarlane was a member of Dear John when they entered the U.K. competition.

7. City Lights with Wendy Oldfield and Sisana Kubheka (English/Xhosa)

Belgium 2017 by Blanche, the biggest European hit of the Kyiv contest.

8. Molayo (I have joy) with Gbenga Adenuga from Nigeria (Afrikaans/Yoruba)

Solayo (Belarus 2013 by Alyona Lanskaya) This version was already released as a digital single in 2015. It apparently won The Voices for Charity Award for Best International Collaboration. (but I have no clue what that is...)

9. Ek’s So Lief Voor Jou (I'm in love with you) with actor Emmanuel Castis (Afrikaans)

U.K. 2015 Still In Love With You by Electro Velvet. This one didn’t fare too well at the contest but it's a typical guilty pleasure tune: You think it's not very good but when you hear it makes you happy. This could well be my favorite track on the album.

And Electro Velvet had a #1 hit on the physical singles chart in the U.K.. So there!.

10. Dinge Dong with Joran  (Afrikaans/Latvian)

Joran was the Cake Baking singer from Aarzemnieki who represented Latvia in 2014. But the tune is Ding A Dong, the Dutch 1975 winner by Teach In.

11. Peace Will Come with Marc Rantseli (English/Afrikaans/Zulu/Spanish)

Georgia’s entry by Diana Gurtskaya (2008). Colé also recorded a full Afrikaans version which can be heard here at Colé's Youtube channel.

12. Ware Vriend (True friend) with Yolundy Amanzi (Afrikaans)

Heaven by Contrazt, a 2015 song from the Norwegian Melodi Grand Prix.

Links and sources

Thanks to Roy and to Colé.

Find out about more Colé van Dais Eurovision covers in these Eurocovers articles

Colé van Dais: Facebook, Youtube channel (updated links 2020)

Support the artists: buy Colé and Friends from iTunes or Amazon.

Some other Eurocovers by Colé van Dais are:

You Don't have To Say You Love Me is a coverversion of Dusty Springfields famous hit which is originally Io Che Non Vivo from the 1966 Sanremo contest. 

Wanneer Die Musiek Verdwyn is a cover of Azerbaijan 2012. (When The Music Dies by Sabina Babayeva) (digital single)
Dink Aan My is a coverversion of Haegt Og Hljot (Halla Margret, Iceland 1987) (Album Daai Tipe Meisie)
Glans Prinses (Shiny Princess) is Danish 2007 entry Drama Queen. (Album Daai Tipe Meisie)
Die Eiland (The island) is Aspro Mavro (Άσπρο-μαύρο), Cyprus 1987 entry by Alexia. (Album Daai Tipe Meisie)
Waar In My Wereld Is Jy (Where are you in my world) is the 2013 winner Only Teardrops by Emmelie De Forest. (Digital single)
The album Daai Tipe Meisie (That kind of girl) was released in 2013.

Greece is the word: Bessy Argyraki

A compilation CD by Bessy Argyraki was released in Greece including several 70's Eurocovers.
Bessy Argyraki represented Greece on their 3rd entry in 1977: Mathema Solfege (A music lesson) by Pascalis, Marianna, Robert & Bessy.
The song was the most succesful Greek entry until Antique / Helena Paparizou came along in 2001 and it was a hit in several countries.It's also one of the most covered Greek entries.
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--
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As the Robert Williams Group (minus Marianna Toli but with with Rena Pagkrati & Takis Antoniadis), they recorded several Eurovision entries from 1975 and 1976, all sung in Greek.
On the new Bessy Argyraki 2CD San ena oneiro you can find five of them.
The 40 track 2CD also includes Mathema Solfege and coverversions like ABBA's S.O.S., Dolly Partons Jolene & 9 to 5, three hits from Grease (no pun intended) & A far l'amore comincia tu by Rafaella Carra.

--
ΜΠEΣΣΥ ΑΡΓΥΡΑΚΗ - ΣΑΝ ΕΝΑ ΟΝΕΙΡΟ
ΤΑ ΩΡΑΙΟΤΕΡΑ ΜΟΥ ΤΡΑΓΟΥΔΙΑ 1973-1987 (Universal 3746329)
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includes:
Italy 1975 - Era (Wess & Dori Ghezzi)
- ΜΟΝΟ - by Bessy Argyraki & Robert Williams
Netherlands 1975 - Ding A Dong (Teach In)
- ΝΤΙΝΓΚ ΝΤΑΝΓΚ ΝΤΟΝΓΚ - Ding Dang Dong - Bessy Argyraki
Germany 1976 - Sing Sang Song (Les Humphries Singers)
- Σ' ΑΓΑΠΩ - S'Agapo - Robert, Bessy, Takis & Rena
Israel 1976 - Emor Shalom (Chocolat, Menta, Mastik)
- ΠΩΣ ΝΑ ΣΤΟ ΠΩ - Pos na stop po - Bessy Argyraki
Italy 1976 - We'll live it all again (Al Bano & Romina Power)
- ΦΤΙΑΞΕ ΤΟ ΑΥΡΙΟ - Ftiakse to avrio - Bessy Argyraki & Robert Williams

The CD is available from several Greek music shops and at http://www.123play.gr/ as download.
-
Another interesting CD with a handfull of the Robert Williams Group covers is Ta Oreotera by Robert Williams.
ΤΑ ΩΡΑΙΟΤΕΡΑ ΜΟΥ ΤΡΑΓΟΥΔΙΑ - (Polydor 1995, re-issued on Universal 2901422)
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This one includes:
Italy 1975 - Era (Wess & Dori Ghezzi)
- ΜΟΝΟ - by Bessy Argyraki & Robert Williams
Sweden 1975 - Jennie Jennie (Lars Berghagen)
- ΤΖΕΝΗ-ΤΖΕΝΗ - Robert Williams
Germany 1976 - Sing Sang Song (Les Humphries Singers)
- Σ' ΑΓΑΠΩ - S'agapo - Robert, Bessy, Takis & Rena
Finland 1976 - Pump Pump (Fredi & Friends)
- Η ΚΑΡΔΙΆ ΧΤΥΠΆ ' ΈΝΑ ΜΠΑΜΠ-ΜΠΑΜΠ -
---------------------I kardia ktypa 'ena pamp pamp - by Robert & Takis
UK 1976 - Save your kisses for me (Brotherhood of man)
- ΠΕΣ ΓΕΙΑ ΧΑΡΑ - Pes gia hara - Robert, Bessy , Takis & Rena
This CD also includes Mathema Solfege.
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And there's some more related Eurocovers that haven't been released yet on CD as far as I know:
UK 1973 - Power to all our friends by Pascalis (Arbanitides) - LP Fili ke adelphi (1973)
Spain 1973 - Eres tu - Marianna Toli
Netherlands 1974 - I see a star by Takis & Christina
UK 1975 - Let me be the one by Robert Williams
France 1976 - 1,2,3 by Rena Pagkrati
Netherlands 1976 - The party's over by Rena Pagkrati
Netherlands 1977 - De mallemolen by Rena Pagkrati
Norway 1977 - Casanova by Rena Pagkrati
Israel 1979 - Hallelujah by Bessy Argyraki - LP
Switzerland 1980 - Cinema by Bessy Argyraki
(All songs sung in Greek)




ΜΑΘΗΜΑ ΣΟΛΦΕΖ BONUS - An unreleased studio version of Mathema Solfege by Belorussian talentshow stars Corianna & Aleksey Khlestov titled Urok Solfedgio (Урок сольфеджио) sung in Russian.Emor Shalom - We'll live it all again - Cinema - Urok Solfedgio - and from an earlier Eurocovers post : Pump Pump
Help Wanted: I would like to find out about the original releases of all above mentioned Greek coverversions (incl. those from the CDs) I know some were released on single and LP, but if you have any specific details (title, label) they would be very welcome.

Related Eurocovers Posts:
You can find a Lithuanian version of Die For You (Antique's 2001 hit entry for Greece) in this Eurocovers post about Mino.
My Number One (Greece 2005 winner) by Icelandic preselection singer Bríet Sunna Valdemarsdóttir is in this Eurocovers post

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
Quick links to all countries:
Albania - Armenia - Austria - Australia - Azerbaijan - Belarus - Belgium - Cyprus - CzechRepublic - Denmark - Estonia - Finland - France - FYR Macedonia -   Georgia - Germany - Greece - Hungary - Iceland - Ireland - Israel - Italy - Latvia - Lithuania - Malta - Moldova - Montenegro - The Netherlands - Norway - Poland - Portugal - Romania - Russia - San Marino - Serbia - Slovenia - Spain - Sweden - Switzerland - United Kingdom

Rotterdam Weeks 2.1: Dutch entries get a makeover

Eurovision Rotterdam is happening, pandemic or not. We all can use a bit of cheering up, I know I do.
You probably already know our Rotterdam 2.1 pages with all the things you need to know about the music and stars of Eurovision 2021, but here’s the link anyway.

A nice album release to coincide with this year’s spectacular is Songfestival: Nederlands trots in een nieuw jasje (Dutch pride in a new jacket) with nine coverversion of Dutch Eurovision hits. (Well, one is Belgian, (see below).
The album is out on CD on May 12 but also (already) available through you favorite digital music providers. And Spotify. 

Released by Cloud 9, they also posted a Youtube playlist.
 
Most tracks are quite different from the original (which is good) by current artists even today’s youngsters can relate too (i.e: not old)

If I had to give one 12 Poing it would be for Deborah Parlor’s soft country version of Ik Hou Van Jou / In Love With You. It shows a new side of the 1984 classic which as far as I know has only been covered as a (big) ballad.
 
1. Paul Sinha & Fleur – De Eerste Keer
- 1996, original by Maxine & Franklin Brown
2. Samantha Steenwijk – Vrede
- 1993, Ruth Jacott
3. Lisa Lois – Hemel en Aarde
- 1998, Edsilia Rombley, one of this year's hosts.
4. Pommelien Thijs – Door De Wind
- The Belgian entry of 1989 written by Dutch singer Stef Bos.

5. BENR – Je Vecht Nooit Alleen
- 2011, 3JS, performed it in English as Never Alone at Eurovision.
6. Deborah Parlor – In Love With You
- 1984, Maribelle as Ik Hou Van Jou
7. Danique – Arcade
- 2019, Duncan Laurence
8. René Karst – Ik Zie Een Ster
- 1974, Mouth & McNeal
9. Unity – Ding-A-Dong
- 1975, Teach In

 

Last year, before Rotterdam 2020 was cancelled, I posted a few bits and pieces about Dutch classics in The Rotterdam Weeks. Still worth a listen and a read.

- Someday, Morgen, Y Fori with Mary Hopkin

- A Dream Come True for Cilla Black fans

- Una Salsa para Amsterdam

- Cristina Jorio - Come Una Volta

And here are some more related pages
Ik Hou Van Jou - Richard De Bois (1949-2008) - Engelbert Humperdinck - LeChelle (Afrikaans)
Ding A Dong - The Moscow Weeks - Nicki French - Colé van Dais - They Can't Stop The Spring
Door De Wind - Justice for a classic (Miss Montreal, with playlist)

Rotterdam 2021 + Rotterdam 2020

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.

Could It Be Happiness?: Sennek's Eurovision EP

While my Nicki French CD is probably held hostage by customs I took some time to check out another new Eurovision coverversion project.
Sennek, Belgian Eurovision singer in Lisbon has released four Eurovision songs over the past few months now bundled in a digital EP Eurovision Unplugged.  (scroll down if you have Spotify)

The tracks:
- Ding A Dong (Netherlands 1975, Teach In)
- Just A Little Bit (Ooh, Aah) (United Kingdom 1996, Gina G.)
- Gelukkig Zijn (Belgium 1975, Ann Christy)
- Rise Like A Phoenix (Austria 2014, Conchita Wurst)
Four lovely versions, sort of unplugged. Just A Little Bit is a lush jazzy affair which shows that it’s more than a disco tune.
Gelukkig Zijn is sung in Dutch and English, just like that legendary performance in Stockholm back in 1975. Senneks version is a gentle Bossanova and her vocal performance is delicious.
Now go to your favorite digital outlets and get a hold of this.
 
Sennek’s own Eurovision song A Matter Of Time didn’t make it to the final.
More about that one here at theLisbon Collection.

Sennek has a Website, on her Youtube there's even more Eurocovers. 
Here are more Ding A Dong Eurocovers

Ooh, Aah, Gatecrashing Eurovision

Rise Like A Phoenix at the Copenhagen Collection

2023 Liverpool

Tejano Time - 1977 - Enseñame A Cantar

Enseñame A Cantar (Teach me to sing) is probably one of the cheeriest songs ever to enter Eurovision. The Eurovision performance (Youtube) is legendary for the background singers who seem to live the happiest moment of their life (or they are on something). Even though they only ended 9th in the 1977 contest
The song performed by Micky and written by Fernando Arbex still is a popular singalong and has been covered many times (63 versions currently listed).
Fernando Arbex also wrote Micky's European hit Bye Bye Fraulein and Middle Of The Roads Soley Soley.
Enseñame A Cantar has traveled well and has recently ended up in Texas where some great coverversions have been recorded. Two of them are here.

First up there's the handsome lot The Tejano Boys, who released their Texmex version of the song on their album No Me Se Rajar (CE distribution, 2004). It's all about the squeeze (© TexMex FM radio) and the TexMex trademark accordion, played by Oscar Anzaldua is featured prominently on the track.
The Tejano Boys from Brownsville, Texas are specialists in the Tejano genre. Their energetic live shows and relentless touring won them a devoted following throughout Mexico and the United States. The Boys have their MySpace here.

The second Tejano version of the song featured here is by Ruben Vela, from his 2007 CD Los Melones (Crown records). Ruben Vela from San Antonio is a legend amongst Tejano accordion players and has been recording for over 50 years.
"Throughout the years, Ruben Vela's music has touched the hearts and souls of Tejano fans around the world. In 1983 he was honored for these outstanding contributions to the world of Conjunto music and inducted into the Conjunto Hall of Fame at the world famous Conjunto Festival in San Antonio." (From the Crown Records Ruben Vela Bio)

Break out the Mezcal, grab some enchiladas. Great songs to cheer up any day!!

Both artists' albums and loads of other great Tejano CDs are available from CE Musica (USA only) and the likes of Amazon, Cduniverse and e-bay.


Tejano (Spanish for "Texan") or Tex-Mex music is the name given to various forms of folk and popular music originating among the Hispanic-descended Tejanos of Central and South Texas (says Wiki)
Related Eurocovers PostMexico's finest cowboys Los Reyes Del Camino cover the 1971 Italian entry L'Amore E Un Attimo (Perdo Cariño Mio) in this post.

Blog Tip:One of the first ever Eurocover singles I ever bought, Que Bueno Que Bueno by Los Sirex can be found at El Rincon Del 45. A great beat version of the Spanish 1965 entry originally by Conchita Bautista. The A-Side track is a version of Petula's DownTown
They also feature the above mentioned L'Amore E Un Attimo by the original singer Massimo Ranieri, with his own Spanish version.
And a happy 1st Birthday to El Rincon !!!!
... and don't forget to enter the Tobi Jooste CD competition here.