Kiken Kuntojumppa: Finnish Fitness with Kike Elomaa

Picture from Discogs

Eurocovers don't come much stranger than this. Kike Elomaa is a world champion bodybuilder who won many body building contests in the early 80's. For 20 years she was the only non American woman to win MS. Olympia, so there!

On this 1984 cassette Kiken Kuntojumppa (Kike's Fitness Gym) Kike instructs us to get fit in Finnish to the tune of Diggi Loo Diggi Ley (clip below) and Lady Lady, the Swedish and Spanish Eurovision entries of the same year.

The recordings of the songs are the anonymous coverversions that were released on Eurovision cover albums. under several names like Honolulu Dance Band and Eddy Starr Orchestra.

Later on Kike went on to sing instead of instruct and in 1995 she recorded a Finnish coverversion of Un Banc, Un Arbre, Une Rue (Penkki, Puu Ja Puistotie in Finnish) on her CD Kike Elomaa.

She released a few albums and singles, but she never came close to the success she had as a bodybuilder.

In 2012 her 1985 album Hymykuopat was re-issued on CD with the recordings from above work-out cassette as bonus tracks. (Rocket Records)Currently she's in the Finnish parliament for some tradional values right wing political party, the less said the better, funny how things can turn from fab to drab.

I nicked some details about Kike Elomaa at her Wiki page and her Discogs. 

Even Horses Love ABBA

ABBA cover albums come in all tastes and flavors. Until now the daftest one was Babies Go ABBA, music to make your little one sleep. But now we have ABBA re-recorded for your equestrian friends. 

Championed by Isabell Werth (who is someone very important in the dressage world), an album full of ABBA covers (instrumentals) was released in Januari to use for horse ballet. You've seen it at the Olympics.

The performing artist is Richard Rossbach who has released many dressage albums.

There are some clips at Amazon

Recently André Rieu and his orchestra released an album full of hits by the Swedish foursome. More ABBA related Eurocovers posts are here.

Eurosong 2014: Petra - All Kinds Of Everything (Dana)

Lovely Petra has a go at All Kinds Of Everything, Dana's 1970 winner for Ireland. This clip is a longer version than the one in the Eurosong castings, which Petra sailed through.

Now go get her a perfect song and all is in the bag.

2014 Eurovision
Meanwhile, the 2014 Eurovision releases will be followed rigorously at the Copenhagen Collection.
Every year since 2009, all releases, versions, chart successes and other important trivia is presented to you by yours truly and all the people who have contributed via the medium of blog.
So you just need one stop to find out if your favorite entry was also recorded in Russian or French, was a #1 hit in Sweden or got some fierce remix makeovers.
And of course you'll find details on the odd coverversion too.
Here are the links to your unmissable archives:
2014 The Copenhagen Collection
2013 The Malmö Collection
2012 The Baku Collection
2011 The Düsseldorf Collection
2010 The Oslo Collection
2009 The Moscow Collection

Happy New Year!

So who isn't giving this one a listen this night?
Best wishes to all Eurocovers readers. May at least one of your dreams come true in 2014!

Jan

Goodbye, Farewell, Colin 'Bob Allison' Day

Colin Day, known as Bob Allison from the Allisons has passed away aged 72.
The Allisons scored an international hit with their U.K. Eurovision entry Are You Sure (2nd place in 1961)

Golden Oldie Are You Sure is one of the songs I knew by heart (although in my own invented variation on English) long before I found out it actually was a Eurovision tune.
The Allisons Brian 'John Allison' Alford and Colin 'Bob Allison' Day were childhood friends, not really brothers contrary to popular belief. They were more or less the U.K.'s answer to the Everly Brothers. They scored a European hit with their Eurovision runner up, the third U.K. entry in a row to finish 2nd.
The song sold over a million copies in the U.K. alone.

Despite their European hit, world domination didn't really happen for the Allisons. They managed to get two more top 40 hits and called it a day in 1963.
'Goodbye, Farewell.... Are You Sure?' they asked themselves. I guess they weren't, as the Allisons reunited on several occasions and in the 70's recruited some new brothers like Mike Allison and Tony Allison.
John White, earlier member who left in 1959 is the real composer of their Eurovision Song. (it's credited to The Allisons).

Colin Day also recorded a coverversion of Angelique, the Danish 1961 entry by Dario Campeotto. It was released as a b-side to his single Brasil (Parlophone R 4803).

Source: BBC entertainment
Parts of the above have been published the 2008 Eurocovers article Team GB 1961: Are You Sure?
List of versions of Are You Sure . This has release details on the Allisons versions and info on 42 coverversions of the song. (Word document, email me if you want it)
Discography: Colin Day and the Allisons at 45Cat,com

Another post: Jody Wayne (South Africa) - Are You Sure

Happy Birthday The Doctor

Doctor Who is 50 today! Not as old as Eurovision (or is he?), but a remarkable achievement.

Bang Bang A Boom is and Audio only (sadly) episode around the Intergalactic Song Contest.

It takes the micky, (of course, it's British), and not even Terry Wogan (Logan in this episode) is spared.

Le-Chelle - Ek Hou Van Jou

Picture from Le-Chelle's Soundcloud

A wonderful coverversion of Ik Hou Van Jou, the Dutch 1984 entry by Maribelle. This one is sung in Afrikaans.
It's so lovely that I'll forgive her for thinking it's a Dana Winner cover.

More music at Le-Chelle's soundcloud. And she has a Facebook too.

Dum Dum Diddle, to be your fiddle

This week Orchestral genius André Rieu releases a double album with one disc dedicated to the ultimate legends of pop: ABBA.

It includes Eurovision winner Waterloo but the absence of Dum Dum Diddle is a missed opportunity of philharmonic proportions.

The ABBA CD includes the following tracks:

1. Chiquitita
2. Mama Mia
3. Fernando
4. Money, Money Money
5. The Winner Takes It All
6. Waterloo
7. I Have A Dream
8. Arrival
9. Dancing Queen
10. The Way Old Friends Do
11. Thank You For The Music
12. Thank You Abba

The other CD features timeless classics like Yesterday (Beatles), I Don't Know How To Love Him (Jesus Christ Superstar), La Vie En Rose (Edith Piaf, Grace Jones), Arriverderci Roma (Renato Rascel, Mario Lanza) and Hymne A L'amour (Edith Piaf)

More details at André Rieu's website or in a CD store near you.

André Rieu and his orchestra have recorded a few other Eurovision covers in the past.
Volare (Italy 1958, with Russel Watson) on CD Zauber der Musik 3 from 2003.
Zwei kleine Italiener (Germany 1962) on 2009 CD Ich hab mein Herz in Heidelberg verloren 
Puppet On A String (Details wanted)

Tar And Cement: Oh How Much I Love Verdelle Smith

I recently 'discovered' American 60's singer Verdelle Smith. Hadn't heard about her, but through my obsession with coverversions of Dio Come Ti Amo I stumbled upon her LP In My Room from 1966.
It includes her version of the Modugno/Cinquetti classic, titled Oh How Much I Love You.

After a bit of browsing I noticed she's qualified as a one hit wonder*, and the one hit is Tar And Cement.
Tar And Cement is a coverversion of Adriano Celentano's Il Ragazzo Della Via Gluck. The original song is from the 1966 Sanremo contest, and even though it didn't do very well there, it became one of Celentano's signature songs.
Where Verdelle Smith's version of Dio... is nice, Tar And Cement is a moving interpretation, and a wonderful piece of music history. I don't know if it's sacrilege to say, but she sometimes reminds me of Dusty Springfield.
Verdelle's Tar And Cement was a top 40 hit in the US, and even got to #1 in Australia.

The 2013 CD Tar And Cement: The Complete Recordings 1965-1967 (City Hall records, US) features both songs and Smith's take on some other classics like Catch A Falling Star (Perry Como, Francoise Hardy**), I Don't Need Anything (A minor hit for Sandie Shaw) and Autumn Leaves (Yves Montand).
Similar compilation CDs have been released earlier.

Both tracks and other Verdelle Smith songs are available through the Tunes and the likes, but you can already have a listen to the crackin' ol' records thanks to some tremendous Youtube people.

Oh How Much I Love You at Youtube
Tar And Cement at Youtube
Verdelle Smith is still around, but she hasn't been pursuing a career in pop since the 60's.

Tar And Cement was also recorded by Virginia Lee (South Africa), Joe Dolan (Ireland) and The Young Idea (ft Mott The Hooples Ian Hunter)

Anna-Lena Löfgren recorded it in Swedish (Youtube)

And here's a Finnish version I quite like, Asfalttia Ja Sementtia by Kari Kuuva.

* Actually a two hit wonder. Her first hit (Alone) In My Room was a US #62 in 1966.
** Hardy also recorded a version of Il Ragazzo... titled La Maison Où J'ai Grandi.

Release news: Monica Z. - The film and the music

This week, September 13,  sees the premiere of the Swedish film Monica Z., a biopic about the life of Monica Zetterlund, Swedens legendary queen of jazz. 
Eurovision fans know Monica Zetterlund best from her wonderful 1963 Eurovision song En Gång I Stockholm (Once upon a time in Stockholm).

The film focusses on the early career of Zetterlund, when she was a critically acclaimed jazz singer, working with some of the jazz greats like Bill Evans, Stan Getz, Louis Armstrong and Arne Domérius.

Edda Magnason takes up the challenge of portraying Monica Z. Not only does she play her in the film, but she also sings all the tracks in the movie and on the soundtrack herself.

The soundtrack  is released on CD and is out now. The musical score is arranged and produced by pianist Peter Nordahl. It includes En Gång I Stockholm and several other Zetterlund classics. (Universal 0602537-35291, tracklist below).   

You can watch another clip, Sakta Vi Gå Genom Stan,  here at Aftonbladtet tv.

Monica's Melodifestival

Monica Zetterlund’s first entered the Swedish national final in 1962 with the song När Min Vän (When my friend, also performed by Carli Tornehave) which ended 2nd behind the winner Sol Och Vår (performed by both Inger Berggren who took it to Eurovision and by Lily Berglund)

In 1963 En Gång I Stockholm was one of 12 songs in the national competition. It was performed with orchestra by Zetterlund and with a small combo by Carli Tornehave.

The music is by Bobbie Ericsson, who also wrote the 1961 Swedish entry April April for Siw Malmkvist. The lyrics were written by Beppe Wolgers, a.k.a as Efraim Långstrump (Longstocking), Pipi's Papa. 

In Eurovision the song ended last with 0 poing, possibly because the songs style, a very slow jazz ballad, didn’t fit the Eurovision mold.

Ending last didn’t hurt Zetterlunds career and En Gång I Stockholm became an evergreen that is still performed and recorded today. 

In 1972 Monica’s last Eurovision attempt, Krama Mig Och Dansa (Hold me and dance with me) ended 6th in the Swedish Melodifestival.

Monica Zetterlund died in 2005 in a tragic fire accident in her Stockholm home.

En Gång I Stockholm Discography

Monica Zetterlund

- on 7” Philips 350 224 1F, no picture sleeve

Lily Berglund

- Also perfomed in the Swedish NF, no studio recording was released.

Alice Babs

- on LP Alice Babs 67 (from 1966)' and VA EP Hjälp lions hjälpa (HMV 7EGS 344)

Margareta Bengtson

- on CD Margareta Bengtson (2009)

Monica Borrfors

- on CD Monica sjunger Monica

Helena Eriksson

- on CD Sjunger Monica Zetterlund (2007, CDA LBMZ 07)

Caroline Henderson

- on CD Don't explain (2003, Stunt records)

Margareta Jonth (Opera singer) with the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra

- on LP (1978, EMI 06235612)

Edda Magnason

- on CD Monica Z., OST (2013, Universal 0602537-35291)

Anna Norrby

- on CD Stockholmsbilder (1998, CDA-CAP - 21589)

The Real Group (acapella group)

- on CD Röster (1991)

Anne-Lie Rydé

- on CD Stulna kyssar  (1992, EMI 4750252)

Testbild!

- on CD Splendid Isolation (VA, Friendly noise FYN 68)

Svante Thuresson

- on LP Jag är hip baby (1995)

Grethe and Jørgen Ingmannn 
---- - So near, yet so far (English)

- on LP Winners and losers from European Television Song Contests (Metronome MLP 15267)

Sone Banger (Accordion)

- on LP Ett glatt humör (1976, Ljud-banger: lb 1004)

Arne Domnérus Orkester (Instrumental)     

- on EP (HMV. 7 EGS 270)

Bengt Hallberg (Instrumental)

 - on CD Improvisation (1989, Musik på Drottningholm MPD CD 1)

Georg Riedel, Arne Domnérus and Rune Gustafsson (Instrumental)

- on LP Vårat gäng (1979, Sonet SLP 2647)

These are the versions I know of, if you know more or have any corrections, please let me know.


Tracklist Monica Z. - Musiken från filmen

1. Sakta Vi Gå Genom Stan

2. Hit The Road Jack

3. Monicas Vals

4. O Vad En Liten Gumma Kan Gno

5. En Gång I Stockholm

6. It Could Happen To You

7. Gröna Små Äpplen

8. Trubbel

9. Du

10. Bedårande Sommarvals

11. I Can't Give You Anything But Love

12. I New York

13. Monica Z - Svit Ur Filmen - by Peter Nordahl

links and sources
Monica Zetterlund sällskapet website
Edda Magnason website
Stellanova film website
Eurovision Collectors Guide: 10000 coverversions project
Melodifestivalen Genom Tiderna - book by Leif Thorsson