Mamma Mia, It's Udo!

Yesterday the musical "Ich War Noch Niemals In New York" opened at the Operettenhaus at the Reeperbahn in Hamburg.
The show, with already 150.000 tickets sold in advance, is based on the songs of one time Eurovision Winner and 100 million record seller Udo Jürgens.

It seems the crowd, including celebrity red carpet huggers (Peter Kraus!, Wenche Myhre !!) loved the show, the critics are mixed. The musical is a thin story about an ambitious TV show host Lisa (Kerstin Marie Mäkelburg) who neglects her mother Maria (Ingeborg Krabbe) who's life in an old folks home bores her to tears and she flees to New York with her old-folk home amant Otto (Horst Schultheis).
Lisa, with Otto's son Axel (Jerry Marwig) needs to get the parents back to the home in a week otherwise their residences will be cancelled. Neither of them want to take care of their parent at home so they'll try everything possible to get the runaways back home in time.
Lisa is nominated for a TV award she desperately wants and at crunch time it's either the award, or getting Mutti back in time.
But it's not only the story that makes this musical interesting but it's the music. The musical is created using 23 songs by Eurovision legend Udo Jürgens. (He wrote over 900!) All his big hits feature in the show including 1966 Eurovision winner Merci Cherie, Aber bitte mit Sahne, Mit 66 Jahren, Griechischer Wein, Siebzehn Jahn - Blondes Haar, Buonas Dias Argentina and much more.

Udo Jürgens was involved in the casting for the show himself. The direction is by Christian Struppek & Glenn Casale and the production is by Maik Klokow. It's the first German only production for Dutch music theatre company Stage Entertainment.
The IwnniNY cast CD will be released in februari 2008 by Ariola/Sony.

Watch a trailer video here. More information is here (in German) and more about the cast is here.
Udo Jürgens participated for Austria in the Eurovision Songcontest in 1964, 1965 and 1966. He won in 1966 (Merci Cherie) but the 1964 entry Warum Nur Warum became an evergreen and a worldwide hit as Walk Away for Matt Monro. Find out about Walk Away covers in this Eurocovers post.
Udo Jürgens official homepage
Some reviews of the show (all in German)
Jetzt.de (Süddeutschen Zeitung)
Welt Online (Die Welt)
Tagespiegel
and an amateur Youtube excerpt

1964 - Walk Away - Warum Nur Warum

I was just checking the Matt Monro Jnr website to see how his second album If He Could See Me Now is shaping up only to discover that Walk Away has been scrapped from the initial tracklist. Shame really, as it would have been perfect Eurocovers promotion for the album.


Who and WhatMatt Monro is a British singer who enjoyed huge success in the 60's and Matt Jnr. is his son singing dads songs and currently working on his second album. -
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Matt Monro Snr. (1930-1985) entered the Eurovision song contest for the U.K. in 1964 with I Love The Little Things, ending 2nd, but it was another song from the 1964 contest that became a famous standard still being recorded today.
It was Udo Jürgens' first of three consecutive Eurovision entries Warum Nur Warum (Why oh why) that Matt Monro took to the international charts. In English it became Walk Away and it was his 2nd biggest hit. And in Spanish it became Vete Por Favor.
Matt Monro also recorded Merci Cherie (LP This is the life)

I have only been able to find one coverversion in German, but almost 20 in English, including versions by well known stars like Vicky Carr, Timi Yuro and Brenda Lee. The most recent coverversion of Walk Away is by Peter Grant, a modern new swing pop crooner who recorded it for his acclaimed 2006 CD New Vintage.

(Other) Eurovision artists that have recorded the song are musical star Michael Ball, 1961 winner Jean-Claude Pascal and Germany's legendary dancing twins The Kessler sisters.

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The coolest version here today is by Brenda Lee. American Rock'n'roll star a.k.a. Little Miss Dynamite. She recorded two English version including one in 1969 with Richard Williams (LP Johnny one more time (Decca DL-75111, 1969), but the most interesting is of course her featured Japanese version.
International hits like I'm Sorry, Sweet Nothin's, Fool #1 and All Alone Am I made Brenda Lee the most popular female singer (with the most hits too) of the 60's.

You can find a YouTube clip of Brenda Lee Singing the song with the Casuals, with Brenda singing in Japanese. The Casuals also recorded the song themselves.

So, sadly Matt Monro Junior hasn't recorded his dads → Eurovision song and neither the big Eurocover hit, but still it's worth while to take a look at his website.
Peter Grant has a great new CD Traditional out this week available from all sources (but no Eurocovers there)
And Udo Jürgens of course went on to win the Eurovision song contest in 1966 with Merci Cherie and still is one of the biggest stars in the German speaking countries today.
He recorded many versions of Warum Nur Warum (see doc) including a live version with the Supremes (post-Ross though) and several versions in Italian, Spanish and English.
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Udo Jürgens' work will be celebrated in Mamma Mia style when in december the musical Ich War Noch Niemals In New York (I've never been to New York) premieres in the Operettenhaus in Hamburg. The musical features 23 of Jürgens hits including Merci Cherie (but not Warum Nur Warum) used in a story about an ambitious TV show host and her neglected mother.
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RELATED POST: You can find a version by Byron Lee in the Eurocovers post Jamaica Can I Have Your Votes Please (part 1)
More Udo Jürgens at Eurocovers to follow soon….

Mamma Mia, It's Udo, Again!

Udo Jürgens would have been 85 last month. But he died. Five years ago.

He’s probably the most prolific songwriter ever to appear on the Eurovision stage. He wrote about a 1000 songs, sold 100 million records and represented his home country Austria three times at the Eurovision Song Contest. The 3^rd time he won, with Merci Cherie (1966).

It is said that even Sir Elton John has expressed his envy toward Jürgens’ songwriting talent.

In 2007 his songs were forged into a musical Ich War Noch Niemals In New York and your Eurocovers wrote a bit about that here.

Now there’s a movie of the musical, again drenched in Udo’s music. Ich War Noch Niemals In New York the Movie is in German and now playing in theaters in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Luxembourg. 

The Philip Stölzi directed movie stars Heike Makatsch, Moritz Bleibtreu, Katharina Thalbach, Uwe Ochsenknecht, Michael Ostrowski, Pasquale Aleardi, Marlon Schramm and Mat Schuh.

Reviews are mixed, from raving to raging. 

I haven’t seen it but I can’t wait for the DVD with subtitles (expected in June 2020, also on Blu Ray if you're into that).

The Soundtrack

One Eurovision song made it to the film, Merci Cherie is performed by the ever gorgeous Moritz Bleibtreu. (but a very short version at 1.38).

The music from the film is out on CD and deluxe 3CD set. Disc one has the songs from the movie, the bonus discs have all kinds of tributes and coverversions featuring artists like Pepe Lienhards orchestra (Jürgens’ touring band leader for 37 years!), Matt Monro (the amazing If I Never Sing Another Song), Nana Mouskouri, Heino, Caterina Valente, Milva and many more. (see image below for tracklist)

Digital?, not so much, it seems Spotify doesn't want us outside the German speaking countries to hear it. Same for Apple music, maybe iTunes has it but it doesn't show up here.

Links

Mamma Mia It's Udo! (2007 post about the original musical)

You can find out about Udo Jürgens Eurovision entries and their versions on page three and four of the Eurovision Collectors Guide (via our facebook page, open to all).

IWNNINY, der Film has a Facebook page

A trailer for the movie.

Udo Jürgens Website

Walk Away - Warum Nur Warum at Eurocovers

Diamonds Are Forever

This week legendary Welsh songstress Shirley Bassey releases her final album I Owe It All To You. A modestly titled album (and song) thanking her fans for their loyalty over the years. The album has new songs, a few coverversions and some old personal favorites of Shirley reimagined.

In the back of my mind I always knew Goldfinger, Big Spender and Diamonds Are Forever but the first Shirley Bassey record that made a real impact on me was the 1978 disco version of This Is My Life (La Vita). She originally performed that song, also performed by Elio Gandolfi, in the 1968 SanRemo contest but it didn’t make it to the final. Below is the wonderful 1968 SanRemo performance.

To be fair, I wasn’t a massive fanboy at the time, but I learned to love her later. In the 80’s and 90's (second hand bought) singles started piling up to the point she got her own section in my record collection. (An honour not bestowed on many)
I was overjoyed when I found the Italian single with Diamonds Are Forever sung in Italian (Vivo Di Diamanti).
I was stunned by her cooperation with Yello (The Rhythm Divine) and adored her Propellerheads hit History Repeating*. And, no surprise, I also love The Performance from 2010 with new songs by cool people like Rufus Wainwright, The Manics, Gary Barlow and the Pet Shop Boys.

There’s no Eurovision tune on the new album, so here’s the videoclip of the only Eurovision song she covered, Dio Come Ti Amo (Italy 1966, Domenico Modugno).

Dio Come Ti-Amo (Oh God How Much I Love You) was first released in 1991 on the album Keep The Music Playing. On the original LP release Modugno is credited as D. Medunidoleo.
She also recorded another Modugno song Chi Si Vuol Bene Come Noi..., a 1968 single for Bassey sung in Italian.
Shirley Bassey recorded several songs from the Great Italian Songbook so there may be some more SanRemo covers in there, I don’t know (do you?).

Update: Jezahel from her 1972 LP And I Love You So was a SanRemo entry for Delirium (as Jesahel), finishing 6th).

Another Eurovision legend, Udo Jürgens, also supplied Bassey with (at least) two songs.
Reach For The Stars from 1961 (originally Woher Ich Auch Komm’) with English lyrics by Norman Newell**.
If I Never Sing Another Song (or. Illusionen by Alexandra, 1967 and Udo Jürgens himself, 1974) was recorded by Shirley Bassey in 1976. You can find a nice article (and lovely pics) about Udo meeting Shirley here at the Shirley Bassey Blog.

* Jamala, Eurovision 1944, also did that one, on her album For Every Heart. (video)
** Trivia alert: Norman Newell wrote the English part of the lyrics to the 1963 Swiss entry Vielleicht Geschieht Ein Wunder by Carmela Corren which was performed in German and English at the contest (and on record).

 

Shirley Bassey website
Shirley Bassey facebook
The Shirley Bassey Blog
I Owe It All To You is released on November 6 on CD, deluxe CD (with book but no extra tracks) and digital. (Shopping)

More Eurocovers posts about Dio Come Ti Amo include Elvis & Vega, Verdelle Smith, Perla, Sonny J., and the 10000 coverversions project #9.

007 approves, R.I.P. Sean Connery

 

Sissel - Walk Away

Digital single artwork

Sissel, Sissel Kyrkjebø that is, has released a new digital track in her Reflections project.

Reflections V (5) already. Reflections is a project where the singer will release a song every week for 50 weeks to celebrate her big birthday.
And it's beautiful.

Of course Sissel is a well known classical and crossover singer from Norway (Here’s a nice bio) and you may have spotted her in the interval of the 1986 Eurovision Song Contest.

Or singing the Olympic tune in Lillehammer in 1994.

Walk Away is the English version of the first Eurovision entry for Udo Jürgens (Warum nur warum, Austria 1964, 6^th place).

Pre- Merci Cherie, Jürgens’ song was made popular by Matt Monro who scored a worldwide hit with it.

Matt Monro’s own 1964 entry I Love The Little Things did better at Eurovision (2^nd)
but didn’t make the charts.

Warum Nur Warum/Walk Away has since been recorded by many other artists like Brenda Lee (who even recorded it in Japanese), Byron Lee and Mighty Sparrow, Virginia
Lee (that’s 3 Lee’s there), Jane Morgan, Julie Rogers, Nancy Wilson, Timi Yuro
and Eurovision stars Alice and Helen Kessler, Michael Ball and Lasse Mårtenson.

Thanks for the tip Mikael!

Sissel Website
More Walk Away's

For the latest Eurovision related release news follow our Facebook.

R.I.P John Holt

Jamaican singer John Holt passed away October 19, aged 67.
Here's an audio of his coverversion of Warum Nur Warum by Udo Jürgens (Austria's entry of 1964), maybe better known as Walk Away made famous by Matt Monro.

Holt also recorded Sandie's Puppet On A String.

John Holt had several hits with coverversions of other peoples songs, but his biggest claim to fame probably is The Tide Is High which Holt wrote and recorded with his band The Paragons. The song was covered by Blondie and by Atomic Kitten who both took it to the Number 1 spot of the U.K. charts.

Udo Jürgens 1934 - 2014

Rest In Peace.

VII: Year Of The Puppet - Brasil

Brazil may be famous for the rainforests, caipirinha's and futeball magic, but most of all Brazil is the country with the most Eurovision cover versions to its name, without ever setting foot on the Eurovision stage.
Although they lost interest after the 70's, the amount of coverversions from the land of the Carnival far outnumbers any other. The selection is limited though, it mainly includes the songs from Italy, the U.K. and Udo Jürgens.
Domenico Modugno's entries 'Nel blu dipinti di blu' (Volare) and 'Dio come ti amo' seem the most popular of all, but also the late 60's British songs have been Brazilified by the Brazilian greats and less greats.
Puppet on a String is no exception and I know of five versions made in the land of Pelé.

Don't expect any exotic samba rhythms, the Brazilians surely knew Pop back in the 60's.



My favorite version is the one by Ed Carlos, at the time a child star, who's youthfull voice gives the song the innocent identity it never was supposed to have.
Katia Cilene, another Jovem Guarda star sticks closer to Sandie's original in both sound and looks.
Vocal group Os 3 Morais, three siblings of the Espírito Santo family, recorded the song for their first LP as Os 3 Morais. This also includes a version of Tell The Boys, the song that finished 2nd in Sandie Shaw's Song For Europe selection and that was Sandie's own favorite.

Discography of Brazilian Puppets:
All songs are titled Estou Feliz and are sung in Portuguese.
Ed Carlos - 7" (Fermata FB 33320)
- also on LP Ed Carlos (Fermata FB 209, pictured)
UPDATE Ed Carlos rerecorded the song in 1977 for an LP and EP (CBS) with his voice dropped a few octaves.
Katia Cilene - EP (CBS 33500)
Suzy Darlen - EP 'Oh Johnny' (Odeon 7 BD 1134)
João Luiz - EP (Polydor 555 008)
Os 3 Morais - LP 'Os 3 Morais' (Premier PRLP 1087)

I haven't heard the versions by Suzy Darlen or João Luiz and there may be more too.
Discographies of Brazilian young 60's artists - http://www.jovemguarda.com.br/

German Classics - Theater - Karel Gott

Another German Classic, here’s a coverversion of the 1980 song Theater. Fabulous Katja Ebstein scored her third top three result for Germany with the song.

The version here is by popular Czech singer Karel Gott, a Eurovision star in his own right. He participated for Austria in 1968 with the Udo Jürgens penned Tausend Fenster (Thousand windows), a song which Gott recorded in German, Czech, French, English and Italian.

Karel Gott is no stranger in Eurocovers world, he recorded German coverversions of Wunder Gibt Es Immer Wieder (Germany 1970) and Ein Lied Kan Eine Brücke Sein (Germany 1975) plus Czech versions of Se Piangi, Se Ridi (Italy 1965) and Eres Tu (Spain 1973).

Žít Stokrát, the Czech version of Theater wasn’t released at the time of recording but it appeared later on a re-issue of Gotts 1980 LP Dnes (Supraphon).

Эмиль Горовец - The Moscow Weeks - Emil Gorovets

Here's a re-hash of an older Eurocovers post, but I think the Moscow Weeks can't go by without mentioning Emil Gorovets, who recorded some of the great 60's Eurovision entries in Russian.
I know I promised a feature story about the Russian Jewish singer, but even after much research I wasn't able to write a coherent story that does his life story justice.
Emil Gorovets was born in Ukraine in 1927, moved to the US in 1970 and died in 2001 in New York.

So for The Moscow Weeks you'll have to make do with his Eurovision covers discography and the songs (♫) most songs are in Russian but there is also one from his rare Yiddish LP Emil Gorovets sings the worlds songs in Yiddish.
Эмиль Горовец - Eurocovers discography
Austria 1966 - Merci Cherie - Udo Jürgens
Мерси, Шери - on Russian Flexi 00019601-2
A Dank (in Yiddish) - LP (LPG 1003)
Luxembourg 1967 - L'amour Est Bleu - Vicky
Тень и свет (Ten I svet) - on LP Poet
U.K. 1967 - Puppet On A String - Sandie Shaw
Я не кукла (Ya ne kukla) - on flexi EP Melodija 0001183-4
U.K. 1968 - Congratulations- Cliff Richard
Сто поздравлений (Sto Pozdravleniy) - on flexi EP Melodija Д 00025771-2
Israel 1979 - Hallelujah - Milk & Honey
Hallelujah (English/Russian) - on CD Luchshie Pesni (1996)

The Russian compilation 2CD Emil Gorovets - Zolotaya kollektsiya retro 2004 features all 60's tracks in Russian.

A good discography of Gorovets' Russian work is here.

Details and tracklist of the Yiddish LP are here

2008: Anno Domenico - Jane Morgan

Selecting coverversions for Anno Domenico, the Volare year, isn't an easy task. Hearing the same song over and over again should come with a health warning. There's some hundreds lined up for re-listening and then I always like to find out some more about the artist and before I know it another few hours of my life have been whiled away on the world wide web trying to read languages I don't speak and decypher scripts I can't read . But I often end up concluding that most of the great and interesting Volares are made in America. Crooners, Moviestars and Blonde Bombshells with gorgeous picture sleeves do it for me all the time and so here's another one from that category.
And it's by an American singer who has some more Eurocovers to her name, so that's a bonus for all to be enjoyed.

Jane Morgan
Jane Morgan is an American singer born in 1924 whose first big hit was Fascination in 1957. The song, originally a French toujour-vert from 1932, featured in the Billy Wilder movie Love In The Afternoon (with Audrey Hepburn, Gary Cooper, Maurice Chevalier) and became a top 10 hit for Jane Morgan in the U.S.. The follow up hit The Day The Rains Came (Gilbert Becauds Le Jour Où La Pluie Viendra) ended just outside the top 20 in the States but was a #1 hit in the U.K.
Her fondness for reworking French classics is no surprise as her career started out in France where she toured and worked for four years prior to her American breakthrough.

The 1958 LP The Day The Rains Came (KAPP records KL - 1105) includes Jane Morgans version of Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare). A adequate version laced with sugary violins, sung in Italian and English.

The 2nd Eurocover Jane Morgan recorded was an English version of Romantica, the Italian entry from 1960 (6th place, originally by Renato Rascel). A much better effort than Volare with a wonderful orchestral arrangement. She even took the song to the UK charts (39/5) (UK single: London HLR 9120). It has also appeared on various Jane Morgan LP's.



Udo Jürgens' Walk Away (Warum Nur Warum, Austria 1964, 6th) (Extensively featured in this Eurocovers post) was the third Euro-classic on Morgans repertoire. The song was released on her 1969 LP Traces Of Love (RCA 4171).

But it's a less known song which is my top favourite from the Jane Morgan Eurocovers collection.


My Poor Heart Feels Like Breaking
The opening line of the debut entry for Ireland in 1965, Walking The Streets In The Rain by Butch Moore (what's in a name). It describes the sentiment of the indeed heartbreaking tale about rain and tears and streets very well. The Streets became a blueprint for many Irish entries to follow and it's one of the saddest songs in anyones Eurovision collection.
The song ended 6th in Eurovision and was an Irish #1 for the original singer, but it has only been covered a few times.
Jane Morgans version with the appropriate rain-droppy violin intro was released in 1965 on the EP Maybe (Epic 9008, Portuguese edition pictured above) and on her LP Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye (Epic LN 24247). In the UK it was a b-side to the Maybe single (Columbia).

There have been several compilation CDs with Jane Morgans hits, but I haven't found a CD with any of the Eurovision covers.

Source: An extensive Jane Morgan biography is here at E-notes.



2008: Anno Domenico is a tribute to Domenico Modugno's Eurovision classic Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare) which conquered the world 50 years ago. Eurocovers highlights half a century of remarkable coverversions of the Italian evergreen. Other American Volares already featured are by Doo-wop stars The Platters, gay basher Anita Bryant, James Dean love interest Pier Angeli, Box Tops hero Alex Chilton, Disco Crooner Al Martino, soul singer Jesse Belvin and from last year Jazz Legend Ella Fitzgerald.
And with this search link you'll get all the Volare posts.

VII: Year Of The Puppet - Chile, Argentina, Mexico

The Year Of The Puppet takes us to all corners of the globe. Here's three versions of the song made by South American stars of the 60's.

Chile - Gloria Benavides - Marionetas en la cuerdaSinger and comedienne Gloria Benavides, born in 1952, was a child star rising in the early 60's, mainly with Spanish versions of worldwide hits like Norman (Sue Thompson) and Amor por teléfono (Telephone lover, Connie Francis). She was a part of La Nueva Ola Chilena, the generation of young rock'n'roll and pop stars of Chile in the 50's and 60's.

She made her actual radio debut at the age of three in the popular Uncle Alex Club (Club del Tio Alejandro).
Her teenager career was mainly musical, but she finally focussed more on acting and comedy, resulting in the mid 80's show 'La show de Gloria', a regular TV show with comedy and music. Benavides is still regarded as one of the biggest comedy stars of Chile.

Gloria Benavides also recorded No Tengo Edad Par Amar Te (Non Ho l'Eta, Italy's 1964 winner) and Primo O Poi from the 1965 San Remo contest (10th)


Violeta Rivas is a hugely popular singer in Argentina in the from the 60's to today.
You can read all about Violeta Rivas at her homepage (in Spanish)

Here is her Eurocovers Discography (all songs in Spanish)

Dios como te amo (Italy 1966, Dio come ti amo by Domenico Modugno)
- b-side to Ninguno me puede juzgar (RCA Victor 31A-084)
- EP Canciones del Festival de San Remo 1966 (RCA Victor)
with 4 San Remo 1966 songs
- also on LP with the same title with 12 San Remo 1966 songs (RCA Víctor AVL 3650)

Merci Cherie (Austria 1966 winner, original by Udo Jürgens)
- 7" single (RCA Victor 31A-0963)
- EP Sin Final (RCA Victor 3AE-3536)

Titere (U.K. 1967 Puppet On A String - Sandie Shaw)
- 7" single (RCA Victor 31A-1100)
- EP Kilimandjaro - (RCA Victor 3AE-3607)

Dios como te amo & Titere can be found 2004 compilation CD 20 Secretos de amor (BMG Argentina)


Mexico - Los Rockin Devil's - Muñeco de cuerdaLos Rockin Devil's were a rock band from Tijuana, Mexico, part of a huge wave of rock'n'roll bands that emerged in the 60's.
At the height of their fame they produced 2 LP's each year (1964-1969) on which they covered all the Rock 'n' roll classics in Spanish but also turned some Eurovision songs into fresh pop hits.

Los Devil's Eurocovers, all in Spanish

No tengo edad para amarte (Italy 1964 winner Non ho l'eta by Gigliola Cingquetti)
- on LP Los Rockin Devils (Orfeon 1964)
Muñeco de cuerda (Puppet on a string)
- on LP Nuevos Hit's de Los Rockin Devil's (Orfeon 1967)
Bum Bang A Bang - (Lulu's co-winner, UK 1969)
- on LP Los Nuevos hits de Los Rockin Devil's (Orfeon 1969)

Bio and Discography can be found on the Los Rockin Devil's website







The Year Of The Puppet celebrates the 40 year anniversary of Sandie Shaw's Eurovision victory with Puppet On A String. Introduction to the series in this Eurocovers post.
Other versions already featured are from France, Singapore (Mandarin-Chinese), Jamaica. Yugoslavia, Estonia, U.K. (Comedy), Iceland, Lithuania, USA (Musical), Spain, Brasil, UK punk, Norway (gloom) Norway, Turkey, Portugal, Basque country Organland, Tirol, Denmark, CzechoSlovakia, Hungary, Russia, Yugoslavia (Slovenia) more to come....

FINWEEKS: Laila Kinnunen Eurocovers discography

The Finweeks continue with a Eurocovers discography of Laila Kinnunen. Below is all the information I have collected over the years, If I missed something, please let me know.

Laila Kinnunen (Laura Annikki Kinnunen) was one of the greatest singers of Finnish popular music in the 50's and 60's.
She earned her legendary status with her smooth voice that made the sometimes harsh Finnish language sound like velvet. Her body of work is impressive and many of her recordings have been released on CD.
She sang many Italian classics but also other European and American standards, Russian songs and of course Finnish originals. She recorded in several languages including Finnish, Swedish, Hungarian, German, English, Italian and Spanish.
To most Eurovision fans Eurovision fans she is probably best known for Valoa Ikkunassa, the first ever Finnish entry from 1961 which ended only 10th.
Laila Kinnunen died in december 2000.
(Picture: Laila Kinnunen features on a Finnish postal stamp, along with Katri Helena, Marion Rung and Kirka. Of course Lordi have their own stamps in the set.)
LAILA KINNUNEN - EUROVISION & EUROCOVERS DISCOGRAPHY

Finland 1961 - Valoa Ikkunassa - Laila Kinnunen
- Valoa ikkunassa (Scandia KS 388 & EP Laila Cannes'issa)
- Ett ljus I ett fönster (Swedish) - Laila (Sonet T 7503, on 7" with a Swedish version of Sommar I Palma, red vinyl)
The Swedish records all appeared under the name Laila, without Kinnunen.

Finland 1962 - Tipi-tii - original by Marion Rung
- Tipi-tii (7" Scandia KS 423 & EP Scandia SEP 159)
- Ti-pi-ti (Swedish) - Laila (7" Sonet T 7523, red vinyl)

France 1960 - Tom Pillibi - Jacqueline Boyer
- Tom Pillibi (7" Scandia KS 358* & EP Eurovision Laulukilpailut)
- Tom Pillibi (Swedish) - Laila (EP, Sonet SXP 4023)
Germany 1960 - Bonne nuit, ma cherie - Wyn Hoop
- Yö jo on cherie (EP Scandia KS 358* & EP Eurovision Laulukilpailut)
- Bonne nuit, ma cherie (Swedish) (EP Sonet SXP 4028, blue vinyl, pictured and EP Sonet SXP 4023)
Italy 1960 - Romantica - Renato Rascel
- Romantica (7" Scandia KS 355** & EP Eurovision Laulukilpailut)
- Romantica (Swedish) - Laila (EP, Sonet SXP 4023)
Sweden 1960 - Alla andra får varann - Siw Malmkvist
- Kaiki muut saavat toisensa (7" Scandia KS 355** & EP Eurovision Laulukilpailut) (picture: The lyrics to Tipi-tii, click the pic for larger version)


1960: The EP Eurovision Laulukilpailut (Scandia SEP 120) features above 4 Finnish coverversions from 1960 by Laila Kinnunen.
The Swedish versions of Tom Pillibi, Bonne nuit and Romantica can also be found on a Swedish EP (Sonet SXP 4023)













Thanks Klaus!Thanks Erik !


Italy 1961 - Al di lá - Betty Curtis
- Kaikkialla (7" Scandia KS 390*** & EP Laila Cannes'issa)
- Al di lá (Swedish) - Laila (EP Sonet SXP 4023)
Norway 1961 - Sommer i palma - Nora Brockstedt
- Käsa Palmassa (7" Scandia KS 390 & EP Laila Cannes'issa)
- Sommar i palma (Swedish) - Laila (7" Sonet T 7503, see Valoa ikkunassa) 1961: The EP Laila Cannes'issa (The contest was in Cannes that year) features The Finnish 1961 entry, coverversions of the Italian and Swedish entries and a version of Pikku ikkuna, the song that was 4th in the 1961 Finnish National Final by Kai Lind.

Sweden 1962 - Sol och vår - Inger Berggren
- Kevätauer (7" Scandia KS 425 & EP Laila, Scandia SEP 164)
Denmark 1963 - Dansevise - Grethe & Jörgen Ingmann
- Tanssilaulu (7" Scandia KS 474)
France 1964 - Le chant de Mallory - Rachel
- Malloryn laulu (CD Muistojen kyyneleet)
Austria 1966 - Merci Cherie - Udo Jürgens
- Mercie Chérie (German) (CD Muistojen kyyneleet)
Luxembourg 1966 - Ce soir je t'attendais - Michèle Torr
- Odotin sinua (CD Kadonneet helmet)

2001 CD Muistojen kyyneleet and 2002 CD Kadonneet helmet are collections of rare recordings and previously unreleased material including several songs in English and Italian


A recommended compilation is the Finnish 2CD Kaikki kauneimmat from 2004 which features many of the Eurovision covers, her greatest hits and versions of songs like Marina, Lazzarella and Brigitte Bardot.





Source: Finnish recordings are probably the best archived in the world. If you visit Database of The Finnish Institute of Recorded Sound you can find all documented records that were ever released in Finland from 1901 to 1999.Not just Eurovision, but anything you need to find out. If anyone in Finland ever recorded a cover of your favorite song, it's there.

L'amour a la Française

Forget about a new president, the French people had far more important voting to do last night. And there was a superbe lot to chose from so and I'm pleased they gave the vote to Les Fatals Picards to represent them in the Helsinki contest in May.
The jumpy rocking pop tune with the great accent is a big departure from the traditional grumpy French chansons of recent years which really only work about once every three times.

The Jean Luc Picard link is not the first intergalactic connection for a French entry.
A memorable choice from France was back in 1999 when they picked that spaced out woman Nayah who had ties with the Raelian cult and caused a bit of a stir. Spaceships would come for her (remember it was 1999) and make her the queen of the Universe, or at least win the Galactivision Song Contest.
Je veux donner ma voix was the song, and the greatest thing it did back then was score a # 100 hit (one week) in the French charts. And it scared away the aliens.

Still Nayah's Voix was heard as far as Tahiti and Canada where coverversions of the song were made.

First up there's Maruia from Tahiti. Don't know much about her except she has made quite a few CDs with Polynesian pop mixed with coverversions of ABBA et les chansons pop. She also recorded a version of the Swedish 1999 winner Take me to your heaven. (Find that in this Eurocovers post)
Ginette Reno does a great job on the song and makes it actually quite good.
The Canadian singer was one of the most popular artists in Quebec in the 60's and 70's and even had a fling with the BBC after she won the Yamaha Tokyo Song Festival representing England.
Je veux donner ma voix is on the first CD of a series collecting her work mixed with new and unreleased recordings.
She also recorded a version of Udo Jürgens 1964 entry Warum, nur warum better known as Walk away. (Dis-moi pourquoi)
Read more about her at http://www.ginettereno.com/


Je veux donner ma voix - Maruia - CD Te Ora Hau (Vol. 11) (1999)
Take me to your heaven - Maruia - CD Te Ora Hau (Vol. 11) (1999)
Dis-moi pourqoui - Ginette Reno - LP Ginette en amour (Apex, ALF-1580, 1965)
Je veux donner ma voix - Ginette Reno - CD Mademoiselle Reno (Melon-Miel, 2004)

Related posts: French versions of Sandie Shaws Puppet on a string can be found in this Eurocovers post.
Le dernier qui a parlé (France 1991) in Cantonese is here.
A Lithuanian version of the French 1993 song Mama Corsica is here.

Someday, Morgen, Y Fori - UPDATED

This article from 2020, preparing for the Rotterdam contest that never happened,  is updated with the latest info on Ronnie Tober's new digital collection featuring two previously unreleased versions of his Eurovision song out now on a digital collection. (see versions list, scroll down a bit). 

We LOVE previously unreleased versions finding their way to the world although a physical release would be appropriate.

Special thanks go to Nor Bert.

First the original bit about the coverversions (it's Eurocovers after all) then all about Ronnie Tober's own versions and releases.

Above is a lovely coverversion of the Dutch 1968 entry Morgen (Tomorrow), originally by Ronnie Tober.
The coverversion is by The New Faces, a Scottish trio who released a whole range of singles but never made it to the charts.
The band would have been perfect Eurovision material, if you listen to their songs (there's some on Youtube) they're a good mix of 60's beat and cheesy stuff in Puppet On A String style.
Above was uploaded by Mr Charlie Chalk, recommended Youtuber preserving many almost forgotten songs.

Dehongliad Cymraeg Y Fori
Welsh Eurovision singer Mary Hopkin recorded the song as Y Fori (Tomorrow).
It first appeared on a 1968 EP Mary Ac Edward, Mary being Mary Hopkin and Edward Edward Morris Jones.
On the EP only the Welsh lyricist was credited  (Geiriau Ann Clee)
When it was released on a compilation LP in 1979, The Welsh World Of Mary Hopkin, the composers credited were Friml / Hooker instead of the original Joop Stokkermans, Theo Stengers (and Clee)
And on a later compilation which was probably not very official, Y Fori was categorized as Trad. (Traditional) oh well.
The recording is a bit odd too, it appears to be fading much too early, at 2 minutes, while Mary is still happily singing along. Edward is not on Y Fori.
Other covers on the EP are Welsh versions of Something Stupid and Guantanamera.

The Mary ac Edward EP

Mary Hopkins' biggest hits were Those Were The Days in 1968 and Goodbye in 1969. She also recorded Spanish, German, Italian and French versions of Those Were The Days. (For you language fans)
In 1969 she performed at the Sanremo contest in Italy. All songs were performed twice of which one rendition was by an international singer. Sergio Endrigo's Lontano Dagli Occhi was performed by our Mary. The song finished 2nd.
Mary Hopkin entered Eurovision for the U.K. in 1970, she ended 2nd with Knock, Knock Who's There? and scored another international millionseller.

Ronnie's first English version single

Ronnie Tober
Ronnie Tober himself recorded several versions of Morgen and indeed Someday (see below)
A re-recording of the English version (recorded in London) was probably aimed at the U.K. market with a more "British" beat sound than the original.
Morgen ended 16th at the contest (out of 17) with only 1 point (thank you Italy).
He scored 9 top 40 hits in the Netherlands but Morgen wasn't one of them.
His 1965 preselection effort Geweldig (Grrreat) did better (it got to #23) and is probably better remembered than Morgen.
See below for all Ronnie's releases and coverversions of Morgen and the Eurovision tunes Ronnie covered himself.

At the end of this page you'll find the Spotify playlist with songs from this post available.

Morgen - Ronnie Tober releases
Netherlands 7" Morgen / Die ouwe pianola (Philips JF 333 966)
Netherlands 7" Someday (1st) / I feel like crying (Philips JF 333 978)
Netherlands 7" Wiederseh'n / Someday (2nd version) (Philips JF 318 967)
U.K. 7" Wiederseh'n / Someday (2nd) (Decca F22769), promo exists
Norway 7" Wiederseh'n / Someday (2nd) (Philips JF 318 967)

Morgen - previously unreleased, out in 2022

Two previously unreleased versions have been released in 2022 on the digital collection Ronnie Tober Singles en B-Kanten 1964-1984.

Morgen - German version

Morgen - Enkel gezongen

The "Enkel gezongen" version has a single/solo vocal whereas the other version have a double vocal with Ronnie providing his own second voice / backing vocal.

The collection has all versions from 1968 but no later re-recordings.

These tracks are on the new collection:

Geweldig (National Final 1965)

Kip in’t water (NF 1965)

Die ouwe pianola (NF 1968)

Morgen (ESC 1968) - original single

Morgen - “Enkel gezongen” (alternate without second voice)

Someday - original English of Morgen

Someday - 2nd English (here named single version)

Morgen - German version

Een hart is geen hart (U.K. 1966 cover)

Merci Cherie (Austria 1966 cover)

Morgen re-recordings
Netherlands LP: 15 Jaar Ronnie Tober (Telstar TF 8198 TL) has Morgen (new recording 1978)
Netherlands LP/CD: Zilver (Qualitel 2571/72) has Morgen (new recording 1988)
Netherlands CD: Holland Amerika Story (VA, Qualitel 252) has Morgen (in Medley, 1988)*
* medley also includes Ronnie singing Netherlands 57, 80 and 60 plus his 1965 pre-song Geweldig.

National Song Contest
Ahead of the Dutch National Final (Nationaal Songfestival) an untelevised pre-contest was held in which all four finalists sang three songs. Even though information about this is incomplete the other songs by Ronnie Tober are known to be Die Ouwe Pianola (That old pianola) and Als Ik Speel (When I play). The Pianola song ended up on the original single  Morgen b-side.
All three songs were released on Ronnie's 1968 LP Ronnie's Songparade (Fontana 826 405 QY)

The original Dutch version single

Morgen / Someday - coverversions
Blue Diamonds - Someday
- Netherlands 7"  b-side to Angelina (Netherlands CNR UK 10 002
- Germany 7" b -side to Angelina (Germany Ariola 14101 AT)
- France 7" a-side (France Ducretet Thomson FD 103)  (Thanks Michel-Pierre!)
- South Africa 7"  a-side (South Africa STER CNR 9509)
The New Faces - Someday
- U.K. 7"  (Decca F 12862), promo exists
- Germany 7"  (Decca DL 25 358) in p.s., promo exists
- South Africa 7"  (Decca FM 7429) in p.s.
Mary Hopkin - Y Fori a.k.a. Yfory
- U.K.  EP Mary Ac Edward (Cambrian SEP 420)
Draaiorgel De Arabier (Street organ instrumental)
- Netherlands EP,  in medley  (Philips JF 334510)

Ronnie Tober Eurocovers
(All sung in Dutch, all Netherlands releases)
1966 Merci Cherie / Een Hart Is Geen Hart (A heart is no heart)
- The Austrian winner by Udo Jürgens and the U.K. entry A Man Without Love (Kenneth McKellar)
- 7" (Philips 333 511 JF) comes in two sleeve variations
1969 Leve Het Leven (Long live life)
- Spanish 1969 winner Vivo Cantando by Salomé
- on LP Ronnie Tober Successen (Philips 873017 UBY)
1972 Als Het Om De Liefde Gaat (If it's about love) - with Robert Goliembiewski
- Dutch 1972 entry by Sandra and Andres
-  Track 2 on cdsingle  Naar De Kermis (1995, GayKrant PTS 3636 1395)
1993 Mijn Amerika (My America)
- Coverversion of Mama Corsica, the 1993 French entry by Patrick Fiori
- cdsingle (Koch 346 078)

If you know of any other release or coverversion of Morgen, please let me know.

Ronnie Tober Website and Facebook

More Rotterdam Weeks Eurocovers Specials

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- Penghibor Di Rantau by Rahimah Rahim

- Dutch entries get a makeover (CD release)

- A Dream Come True for Cilla Black fans

- Cristina Jorio - Come Una Volta