ABBA, remember them? I guess you do.
Jazz singer Judith Nijland has just released an album with ABBA hits revamped into some delicious Jazz tunes.
There's shoobie doo wah swingy Jazz (I Do I Do I Do I Do I Do is Fab! ), some Samba and others are more smoky cocktail bar exercises.
I am a complete ignorant when it concerns jazz terminology, so I suggest you just have a listen (see links below).
The album A Jazz Tribute To ABBA features classics like Waterloo, I Have A Dream, Thank You For The Music, etc., twelve classic ABBA songs are there. Voulez-Vous gets a makeover in French, oui, Waterloo and One Of Us feature tenor saxist Yuri Honing, fan and no stranger to the ABBA cover himself (he recorded Waterloo for his 1996 Startrax album).
ABBA's 42 year old Waterloo single, NL edition.
The Judith Nijland album is out on iTunes, don't know about all territories though.
The CD word is mentioned at the website, but I haven't seen a physical release yet.
I'll keep you posted.
Jazz. Many Eurovision songs have been given the jazz treatment over the decades and this week a new CD has been released with two Eurovision songs in a jazz makeover.
Jan Menu and Jasper Soffers have collected ten more or less classic Dutch songs on their Dutch Songboog (Dig Diz Music).
There's the first Dutch winner Net Als Toen (Corry Brokken 1957) but a more remarkable choice is Wat Een Dag from 1961.
Original singer Greetje Kauffeld, a commended jazz singer herself, didn't release the song back in 1961 and the only coverversions I know are at least 40 years old. Wat Een Dag was written by Dick Schallies with original lyrics by Pieter Goemans.
So well done gentlemen, for digging this little gem up.
The 'Dutch Songbook' quartet are
Jan Menu (Baritone sax)
Jasper Soffers (Piano)
Clemens van der Feen (Bass)
Hans van Oosterhout (Drums)
Wat Een Dag known coverversions:
Eddy Doorenbos
- on 7" (Delta DS 1001, 1961)
Letty De Jong
- on LP 14 Jaar Songfestival (Various artists, Philips 1970)
Peter Kreuder (Piano instrumental)
- on LP Piano Parade (Concert Hall SVS 2575, 1961)
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).
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)
- 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
There have been some interesting developments regarding the Afrikaans coverversion of Believe Again, this years Danish Eurovision entry sung by (Niels) Brinck (13th in the final). It turns out four South African singers have recorded the song, but it's Heinz Winckler (picture) who gets the clearance to release it.
Wincklers version, Ek Kan Weer In Liefde Glo (I can believe in love again), is released on his new album which is out on Selekt Musiek in September.
You can already see the video in the post below. The clip is also at Heinz Winckler MySpace where you can also listen to some earlier songs (in English). Believe Again was written by Lars Jensen, Martin Larsson and Ronan Keating.
Heinz Winckler was the winner of the first Idols (Pop Idol) in South Africa in 2002. You probably have seen him on the (one off) international show World Idol in 2003, where he finished 4th performing Aerosmiths I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing. (The winner was Kurt Nilsen from Norway).
Winckler released three albums, all sung in English and the new one is the first with songs in Afrikaans (although five songs will be in English).
The first Afrikaans coverversion of Believe Again was recorded by Henri Alant. The track is called Ek Glo (I believe) and was planned to be on Alant's forthcoming CD (which seems unsure now). Ek Glo is already issued on a 6-track advance promo CD Sal Jy by Artists Warehouse. (Some info in Afrikaans and pic sleeve is here)
Two other artists in the battle for Believe Again are Kobus Muller and Francois Marais. Special Thanks to Roy.
2009: Moscows Eurocovers
You can read more on coverversions of 2009 Eurovision songs at The Moscow Collection, where you can find all details on the Moscow Eurovision versions, releases, charts and covers. Official Eurocovers so far are of the entries from Norway, Iceland*, U.K., Denmark, Germany, Spain, Ireland* and the Netherlands. A few less official covers are thrown in for good measure. * = these are (co) composers demo versions. Vacation in the Netherlands
Rein Mercha currently has a chart hit in the Netherlands with the summer track Vakantie (Vacation or Holidays). It's a coverversion of Volare (Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu) which needs no further explanation.
He recorded it with the Gitano Kings, so it's no surprise the song is inspired by the famous Gipsy Kings version of the 1958 Eurovision song which was a worldwide hit in 1989. Vakantie so far reached #66 in the Dutch sales top 100. You can watch the video here at YouTube.
The cdsingle is released by the NRGY label and is available at the TV Oranje website (sorry, NL only, limited payment options) and in the handful of Dutch shops that still sell singles.
RE: Jazzbox
The Jazzbox version of Dansevise (clip in this post) will be released on an EP (Also on Ituuns) including an extended version. Source: A reply to the Jazzbox post by the artist himself at 3Minutes.me, recommended Eurovision blog.
MySpace YourSpace OuttaSpace, Pippi's Pappa
Speaking of Jazz, let's pay another visit to a MySpace page. This time it's Helena Eriksson, Swedish Jazz singer. And when you say Swedish Jazz, you think En Gång I Stockholm; The Swedish 1963 Eurovision song by Monica Zetterlund gets a relaxed makeover by Helena and her wonderful harmonica man Luciano Mosetti .
The track is from the album Helena Eriksson sjunger Zetterlund from 2007.
Check out Stockholm and some other great tracks at Helena's Myspace here.
I Didn't Know That...
I knew that the lyrics to En Gång I Stockholm were written by Beppe Wolgers (Bertil John Wolgers, 1928-1986) but I didn't know that he is the daddy of the most famous redhead ever to walk the globe, Pippi Långstrump, Pippi Longstocking, Pipi Duga Čarapa, پیپی جوراببلنده (for more, see wiki).
That is to say, Beppe Wolgers, is Ephraim Långstrump, Pippi's Papa and Captain of the Hoppetossa in the 1969/70's TV series that made the Astrid Lindgren character and her adventures world famous. (or even more famouserer than they already were).
Ephraim is superstrong and megacool and all that, but of course he is no match for Pippi (played by Inger Nilsson). Everyone wanted to be Pippi, but I guess most of us were just Tommy or Annika.
Beppe Wolgers wrote many songs and Swedish lyrics to international (jazz) standards. He also wrote childrens books and became a kids favorite as a storyteller in Beppes Godnattstund (Beppe's Goodnighthour).
There's a MySpace dedicated to Beppe Wolgers here, where you can also listen to another version of En Gång I Stockholm. (by The Real Group, acapella stars).
Today it's 50 years ago that the final of the Italian SanRemo contest took place. The 3 day contest started on januari 30 and the final 10 songs competed on februari 1.
We all know the song that won, but in the olden San Remo days (1957 - 1967 + 1969) all songs were performed by two different artists, and the contest was won by both.
Modugno vs. Dorelli
Only one of them went on to Eurovision and the choice for the composer of the song is logical. So we all know Domenico Modugno, but the other winner Johnny Dorelli missed the train to world wide fame. It makes it even sadder that in 1959 the same thing happened with Piove (Ciao CiaoBambina). Modugno went to Eurovision and had the hit, Dorelli missed out.
Dorelli's version of Volare ended up at 26 in the end of year charts in Italy in 1958. Modugno's version was only #2, behind Paul Anka's Diana. --------------------------------------------------(pic: Domenico Modugno, Nilla Pizzi & Johnny Dorelli) Johnny Dorelli scored his first success in 1956, Calypso Melody and he also recorded international hits like Julia (a #1 in Italy), My Funny Valentine, Love In Portofino and Speedy Gonzales.
His 1967 Sar Remo entry L'immensità was another hit record (# 2 in Italy) but Dorelli's success shifted to TV shows and later to acting in Italian films.
Swinging
Dorelli recently released two jazz CDs Swinging (2005) and Swinging Parte Secunda (2007) featuring new versions of jazz standards including remakes of L'Immensita, Love In Portofino, My Funny Valentine etc. Both CDs on the Carosello label are available from most webshops.
Johnny Dorelli Eurocovers Discography (additions welcome)
Italy 1958 - Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)
- 7" & EP (CGD E 6041)
Italy 1959 - Piove (Ciao Ciao bambina)
- EP (CGD HG 7707)
Italy 1960 - Romantica (Renato Rascel at Eurovision)
- details wanted
2008: Anno Domenico will feature 50 years of coverversions of Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare).With this link you'll get all the Eurocovers posts that have featured (or mentioned) the song so far.
Another Blog TipA-Ma-Zing is the only word I could find for the LP featured at You Hear It, It's Unpleasant.
The LP by US quartet The Scotch Foursome includes Volare but also a host of other sleaze-cheese you will love. The post about the Foursome is here. You can listen to Volare with the player or d/l the full album and hear Ralph, Joe, Tony & Jim slaughter classics like My Girl, Light My Fire and I Wish You Love.
I received several reactions on the 10.000 Eurovision coverversions top 10 list and posts, most positive (thanks) but there are a few things I’d like to clear up.
The top 10 of most covered Eurovision songs is the top 10 from the list of Eurovision coverversions I have been keeping track of since about 1989.
So 18 years of keeping and collecting information from record collections, internet sources and especially information that was sent to me by other collectors over those years.
I can just do so little to answer the question ‘Why is Hallelujah / Congratulations etcetera not in the top 10? - הללויה
The composer of Hallelujah, Kobi Oshrat allegedly claimed some years ago there were 500 versions recorded of the song, (something with a lawsuit over recording rights was going on) but I have only been able to find info on 120.
Same with 'Sir Cliff's Congratulations just missing out on a top 10 spot with 140 listed versions.
Titles like Hallelujah, Congratulations, La La La, Romantica etcetera are not the easiest to research on the internet and of course there are more versions of these songs than I have listed. I’m not claiming my lists are in any way conclusive, but I think they are the only ones of its kind you’ll find anywhere so please appreciate my work and make use of it while you can.
Here’s the list of Hallelujah’s, currently the 17th most covered Eurovision song in the 10.000 coverversions list. The song was written by Kobi Oshrat with lyrics by Shimrit Orr.
If you think the song belongs in the top 10, start sending your versions and information to me.
And to listen to some music here's two versions of the song, hard to pick any favorites though, as most are even cheesier than the original. Eydie Gormé & Steve Lawrence first released the song under the name Parker & Penney (7" USA Warner WBS 887) but it can also be found on LP/CD releases under their 'own' name.
The Crossfire track is a powermetal version, although it wouldn't be out of place in a 70's broadway musical either. Sung in Hebrew.
Hallelujah! - a document..
Word.doc featuring all versions by Milk and Honey plus a list of coverversions of the 1979 Eurovision winner from Israel.
Екатерина Черноусова
A sublime Jazz version (in Hebrew) of Hallelujah is available at a russian Jazz site. The site in Russian and English features a version by The Rooms (Комнаты) featuring Ekaterina Chernousova from their 2005 CD Im Telech and is something different from the usual hands in the air versions of the song. (for the downloads scroll halfway down the page)
In the Eurocovers post Noisy Israeli's you can find some coverversions by Australian punkers YidCore including their ultimate partyversion of Hallelujah.
For a groovy Thai movie version of the 1978 Israel winner A Ba Ni Bi check out this Eurocovers post.
Noruega, Land Of Latin Rhythms.
Maybe this years Eurovision winner Fairytale by Alexander Rybak doesn't set your salsa* limbs in motion straight away and neither does any of the other Norwegian entries, but Hovedøen Social Club do a good job in bringing some latin flavours to the Norwegian classics.
Their latest (2nd) album ¡Ay Caramba! is a collection of songs in Norwegian in various Latin American music styles. And there's three Eurocovers, so I'm happy.
Voi Voi, Norway's first entry from 1960 (Nora Brockstedt) get a sizzling salsa makeover. Romeo, Ketil Stokkans 1986 entry is a slice of merengue you can't sit still to and Lykken Er (1971, Hanne Krogh) is an off-beat bossa samba jazz exercise that goes a bit out of control halfway (in an artistic way of course).
You can listen to all tracks of the album (and the previous one) in the musicplayer at http://www.hovedoen.no/. The album is for sale at CD-ON and other Nordic sources and also digital at http://www.musikkonline.no/. (C&C records CCD039).
Here's the # 7 most covered Eurovision song of all time. A close call between # 8 and # 7 in the top 10 of most covered Eurovision songs.
# 7 - Non Ho L'eta (Per Amarti) - Gigliola Cinquetti
- 187 versions listed
Eurovision fans know 1964 is the 'Lost Contest'. Until today all footage of the contest seems lost except for a few fragments. Danish TV (the contest was in Copenhagen) destroyed all light entertainment archives in the late 60's because they were branded uncultural and not worth saving. And somehow all the other TV companies have displaced their copies too.
Before the Eurovision victory Gigliola Cinquetti won the San Remo contest with Non Ho L'eta (Per Amarti) (written by Mario Panzeri & Nicola Salerno) together with Patricia Carli. (from 1957 to 1967 all San Remo songs were performed by two artists).
It was the start of a formidable career for Gigliola Cinquetti in Europe but also in South America and Japan. Non Ho L'eta was her breakthrough hit and she returned to Eurovision in 1974 where she finished second (behind ABBA's Waterloo) with Si. In 1991 she had the daunting task to restrain Toto Cutugno, her co-host in the chaotic Eurovision song contest at Cinecitta.
You can find a superb worldwide Gigliola Cinquetti discography at Big Cobra's site.
Too Young To Love?Several local legends recorded the song but the only worldwide superstar I could find is Vera Lynn, Sweetheart of the forces (47 at the time). Her English version was released on a 1964 single. (This Is My Prayer HMV POP 1287, 1964) which has just been issued on CD for the first time on a 2CD 'Vera Lynn - Singles Collection'.
Eurovision stars that have recorded Non Ho L'eta are Sandra Reemer (when she was 14 years old), Karina (at 20), Alice & Ellen Kessler (both 28), Grethe & Jørgen Ingmann (29 & 42), Mrs Einstein (Combined age 300), José Guardiola , Micky and Raquel Rastenni.
伊東ゆかり- 夢見る想い A word.doc with all versions (Cinquetti's and covers) listed is here. Versions in 20 languages are there including Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and Korean.
One of the nine Japanese versions listed is sung by Yukari Ito - 伊東ゆかり who performed in the San Remo contest herself in 1965 with the wonderful L'amore ha i tuoi occhi. HMV Japan stocks a nice compilation of Yukari Ito's hits including Non Ho L'eta and Dio come ti amo.
Тамара Миансарова - Дай помечтать мне
The Russian version Day pomechtat' mne featured here by Tamara Miansarova started out life as a Flexi-disc with the Krugozor magazine. (San-Remo-64 Krugozor 1964 N2 (12) - Flexi also has Cinquetti's own version. (CD pictured does not include this track)
조애희 -나이도 어린데
A Korean version was recorded by Jo Aehee - 조애희 in the 60's and there's a later re-recording too.
I don't have many details but I do know the first version was on a various artists LP with a title somewhat like this: 이금희,박재란 외 - 오아시스 하이라이트 (or....)
Elly Vilhjálms - Heyr mína bæn
The last version featured is by Ellý Vilhjálms (1935-1995) from Iceland.
Elly Vilhjálms was one of the most popular singers in Iceland in the 60's and 70's and she's still regarded as a national treasure. She earned her pedestal in the Icelandic music history gallery singing Jazz standards, Pop hits and national originals in Icelandic. A recommended CD compilation is Lítill fugl which includes Heyr mina bæn and Það er svo otal margt (A cover of All kinds of everything, Irelands 1970 winner)
The CD is available from various Icelandic CD shops and as a download from http://www.tonlist.is/ (English version is under construction though)
Vilhjálms Icelandic version has been covered at least three times, by Ína Valgerður, Paul Oscars sister Diddú (Sigrún Hjálmtýsdóttir) and by Ragnar Bjarnasson.
LOOKING FOR:
Actually I miss quite a few interesting versions of this song, most notably the one Tsin Ting (Jìng Tíng) 静婷- Aini Aini (Non ho l'eta) - Chinese on EP (Tae 142) from Hong Kong, probably sung in Mandarin.
In the Eurocovers countdown of most covered Eurovision songs of all time Waterloo is at # 4, but mostly thanks to a massive load of absolutely crappy try-a-likes from albums and projects imaginatively titled 'So and so sing the hits of ABBA, ABBA The Tribute'. Cheap cash-ins loaded with lame vomit-like versions of ABBA's hits. None of that here of course, but they're all in the list.
# 4 - Waterloo - ABBA - 328 versions listed
ABBA & Waterloo are Eurovision. The song won the ultimate (but flawed*) all time Eurovision thingy as the best song of 50 years Eurovision.
ABBA recorded Waterloo in Swedish, English, German and French. * - The selection of 15 songs didn't have Ding A Dong.
The biggest 'stars' to cover the song are probably Bananarama, but not many famous singers dare to try touching an ABBA song unless it's Thank You For The Music.
Eurovision singers covering Waterloo are: Carola, Charlotte Nilsson, Mrs Einstein (again), Ami Aspelund, Seija Simola and Tanel Padar with Lenna (of Vanilla Ninja).
Most versions are in English but still the language count is 22.
And again Eurocovers presents a list with all versions of Waterloo. (Word.doc)(UPDATED 2-3-10). Get it, read it and let me know if there's anything to add. EsperantoFirst up there's simpatico slaphead Ralph Glomp, German Esperantist renaming the song Gotenburg'. There's two hands full of Eurocovers sung in Esperanto, and Ralph Glomp takes care of six of them. Gotenburg' is on his CD Ĵus per kares´ from 2003.
To make a very long story short: Esperanto is a constructed language (like Sanomian, but then people actually are really serious about it) created as an ideal world language for all people of the world to understand.
In the early 20's it was even considered to be the official language used for the (pre) UN but we have to thank the French for stopping that, as they still thought French would be the one and only international language. (Wikipedia on Esperanto)
Hear some more of Ralph Glomps music here. Iom da paco (on the same page) is his version of Ein Bisschen Frienden (Germany 1982). Down under
ABBA were hugely popular worldwide, only in the US sales were disappointing. (Only one # 1 hit there) but nowhere were the people so ABBA crazy as in Australia. So it's fitting to include an ABBA tribute from down under here. The track below is from a single by Norman Gunston (Actor Garry MacDonald). It's an ABBA medley with a bit of Waterloo at the end. Oh yeah, it's comedy, see it at Youtube. For my favorite ABBA tribute album we remain in the area. In 1995 the Flying Nun label released a CD with ABBA covers by noisy New Zealand bands and almost every track is fantastic. Cloth (where are they now?) did Waterloo but if you like your ABBA tunes even louder, get the full CD which is still available in various internet shops.
GAbba GAbba - Hey
The ideal combination of ABBA songs + noise would have been the Ramones. Both quartets specialised in the perfect pop tunes, only the Ramones played a bit faster.
British Gabba noticed just that and they covered Waterloo on their CD with ABBA covers Leave Stockholm. In good Ramones tradition Waterloo is brought back to a neat 1 minute 36.
Hear more at their MySpace
If these versions didn't get rid of your unwanted guests you could play the version of Waterloo by The Yuri Honing Trio. Uncomfortable Jazz at its best and even though the track is like one big intro it's actually pretty cool. It's from the 1996 CD Star Tracks which also includes versions of Björks Isobel and Cyndi Laupers Time After Time.
A really sick version is made by some knob twiddlers who call themselves the Sweet Little Band. Not worth listening to but it's a great picture sleeve. They even made a Hebrew version for the Israeli market. It's an instrumental CD titled Babies Go ABBA. The music is so tedious they guarantee that you baby will sleep in minutes. (Although I think it's bordering on child abuse).
It's not just your favorite Swedish popsters that have received the honour of seducing your cry-baby into a coma, you can also try out Babies Go Elvis, Babies Go Pink Floyd (original version will do wonders too), Babies Go Carpenters, Babies Go Coldplay, Babies Go Guns 'n'Roses (yeah that'll help) and probably the most effective of all Babies Go Bob Marley. No Babies Go Lordi yet…. The evil CDs are mady by RGS music in Argentina.
In 1967 Danish Eurovision winners Grethe and Jörgen Ingmann recorded an LP full of Eurovision classics titled 'Winners and losers from European television song contests'
The LP features 11 coverversions (in English) of Eurovision songs plus a new recording of their own 1963 winner Dansevise (I loved you).
Even though it's never a good idea to have the word Losers in your album title, this is a lovely LP with smooth interpretations which has never been rivalled by any other coverversions project since.
Mixing Jörgen Ingmanns guitar magic with the laid back jazzy vocals of Grethe, they hardly ever stick close to the original versions of the songs.
The LP is a bit remeniscent of Julie Jondon's 'Julie Is Her Name' album, but with better songs of course.
Stand out tracks:
So near, yet so far, originally by Monica Zetterlund, which in any other universe is one of the greatest vocal jazz classics ever written.
Que bueno, que bueno in which the fiery Flamenco is exchanged for a gipsy guitar flavoured bossa rhythm.
Side 1
I love the little things
Only tears are left for me (Ce soir je t'attendais)
Without words (Brez besed)
Que Bueno, Que Bueno
Walking the streets in the rain
Absent minded (Uh, jeg ville önske jeg var dig)
Side 2
This is my prayer (Non ho l'eta)
We, who are in love (Nous les amoureux)
Merci Cherie
So near, yet so far (En gång I Stockholm)
Mallory (Le chant de Mallory)
I loved you (Dansevise)
It's not an easy to find LP and an official CD re-issue (with bonus tracks please) is long overdue.
Winners and losers from European television song contests
Grethe and Jörgen Ingmann
(Metronome MLP 15.267, Germany)
40 years ago the Eurovision Song Contest was held in The Hague, Netherlands. Not because the Dutch had won but because Israel ran out of steam after two victories.
The Dutch entry, Amsterdam by Maggie MacNeal did well and ended 5th.
On the "Is it a classic meter" it scores about 8 I guess, it's one of those tunes many people can still sing along to after 40 years.
It has been covered a few times and remarkably half of those are in Finnish.
Here's one I didn't know about yet even though it's almost 20 years old.
Gerardo Rosales a.k.a. Señor Tambo is from Venezuela but he moved to the Netherlands in 1993.
He has recorded over 20 albums and worked as a percussionist for many artists and orchestras. Live and in the studio.
This track is from the CD La Salsa Es Mi Vida which was recorded in New York and released on the Dutch Jazz label Javaanse Jongens Tracks in 2001. (and even on SACD, I know some of you like that)
Vocals are by Astrid "La Holandesa" (Astrid Pulles)
It's a Salsa style Amsterdam for the dancefloor and I love it and so will you.
The Divine Comedy
British band The Divine Comedy released their 10th album Bang Goes The Knighthood two months ago. It's worth checking out the limited edition of the album which includes an extra disc (if you can still find it).
The bonus cd Live at Cité de la Musique, Paris, features nine mostly French tracks.
Next to classics like Brels Amsterdam and Vanessa Paradis' Joe Le Taxi there are two Eurocovers: L'Amour Est Bleu and Poupée De Cire, Poupée De Son, both songs need no further explanation methinks.
(Divine Comedy Records DCRL101DCD)
Kirkorov
Russian Eurovision singer and multi Eurocoverer Philippe Kirkorov (Фили́пп Кирко́ров) has recorded a version of the Swedish 2009 entry La Voix (Malena Ernman) He teams up with soprano Anna Netrebko (Анна Нетребко) for the quasi classical pop ditty and if you visit his website the song starts playing.
More Kirkorov Eurocovers in this post.
The russian version is titled Голос, but an English version is also recorded
Portugal Discographies
An highly recommended website for Portugal Eurovision history fans can be found at this Portuguese music history site.
The pages Os Reis Do Vinyl feature several interesting pages.
There are some very extended discographies with delicious picture sleeves including Eurovision legends Madalena Iglesias, António Calvario and Simone De Oliveira.
You will find their Eurovision sleeves and many of their Eurocovers.
You can also read about the Festival Da Canção Portuguesa before the country made its debut at Eurovision in 1964.
Lots of info new to me, there was already talk of a Eurovision appearance since 1961 (They finally made their debut in 1964). Really wonderful browsing.
I used google translate to navigate the site in English, but you'll get some funny translations. Antonio Calvario translates as Butch Moore, Madalena Iglesians becomes Dickie Rock and Maria Marize becomes Queen Mary. But it helps anyway.
Esta Balada Que Te Dou
To stick to the subject of Portugal, here is a great coverversion of the 1983 entry Esta Balada Que Te Dou (Armando Gama) .
This version by Os Pontos Negros was recorded last year for a Radio station and appeared on a compilation issued by Radio Antena 3: 3 pisata vol. 2.
I don't think it was released on a Pontos Negros record. Their 3rd CD Pequeno-Almoço Continental is out on Universal since last April
Esta Balada is a bit alternative (The Pontos are cited to be inspired by The White Stripes) and it's certainly a long way away from the sugar coated original, but it keeps the melancholy madrugada-feeling perfectly in tact.
If you want to hear a version of Esta Balada Que Te Dou a bit closer to Armando Gama's version there's a new recording by Marcelo Costa. His CD Marcelo Costa is out on Sony since april. It's available through most digital outlets. You can listen to Marcelo's Balada at his MySpace playlist.
And here's a bit of interesting trivia for the die hards. Esta Balada Que Te Dou broke the Eurovision rules back in 1983. Armando Gama had already released a version of the song on his 1982 LP Quase Tudo (RT records RT 10021). At the time the rules about songs being previously released were even stricter than today, but it seems nobody noticed and Gama got away with it. Esta Balada was the 5th Portuguese entry to end 13th at the contest.
More Portuguese Eurovision entries are covered on an eponymous album by Sons Do Tejo (Espacial records). The album includes Menina Do Alto da Serra (1970 originally by Tonicha) and Desfolhada Portuguesa (1969 by Simone de Oliveira).
You can listen to Menina at their MySpace along with some other tracks from the CD.
The album is available at most digital outlets. The CD is at CD.GO.
Jørgen Ingmann and poets
Mikael sent me this bit of info on an unusual version of Dansevise, the first Danish Eurovision winner.
The CD Jørgen Ingmann Og Digterne is a collection of tracks by Ingmann on guitar accompanied by poets who recite the lyrics of the songs. Dansevise is recited by Marianne Gerner over what is probably a 1976 instrumental recording of the song by Ingmann.
The CD comes with a book and is available in the Danish bookshops (Forlaget Vandkunsten ISBN 9788776951092, 2009). Read more (in Danish) at Forlaget Vandkunsten.
Ingmann is of course an acclaimed guitarist with several worldwide solo hits in the 60's (He scored a US #1 with the Shadows Apache). He was joined by his wife Grethe (1939 - 1990) for many singles including their Eurovision win in 1963.
And you can still check out the duo's sensational Winners and Losers coverversions LP feature in the second Eurocovers post ever.
Made In China
A 2009 CD by The Fake Orchestra - Made In China, is actually not fake, and not made in China, but the orchestra is from Slovenia. The jazz album features one Eurocover: Ne Prizigaj Luci V Temi which is a Slovenian version of Ne Pali Svjetla U Sumrak, the Yugoslavian entry from 1962, originally performed by Lola Novaković. The fakers have a MySpace, but sadly it doesn't feature the Eurocover. Excerpts are at Sternsmusic.
Elda Viler
Some more anoraky bits here: Yugoslavia's first two entries (including Ne Pali Svjetla U Sumrak) were actually submitted to the Yugoslavian selection by TV Ljubljana (Slovenian TV), but they had to be performed in Serbo-Croat in the selection and subsequently at Eurovision. The first time an entry sung in Slovenian entered Eurovision was in 1966 (Brez Besed by Berta Ambrož). Of the first ten Yugoslavian entries five were submitted by TV Ljubljana. Of the 17 entries that followed only one came from Slovenia.
Slovenian jazz legend Elda Viler popularized Ne Prizigaj Luci V Temi (in Slovenian) in the 70's. The clip below is a live recording from 2009 with the Goriski Pihalni Orkester (loving the outfits guys).
Danish Jazz singer Sinne Eeg has released a new version of the 1963 Eurovision winner Dansevise (Grethe and Jørgen Ingmann, Denmark) on her new album Kun En Drøm. (Released last april on Red Dot Music / EMI) You can hear the song and others on Sinne Eegs Myspace.
Sinne Eegs version of Dansevise proves again how timeless the song is and although the arrangement is far from the original, Eegs voice remarkably reminds of Grethe Ingmanns original version.
Kun En Drøm is available in Danish (online) record shops now.
More Grethe and Jørgen Ingmann at Eurocovers here. Dansevise by Laila Kinnunen is hereand by Anne-Lie Rydé here
More never than often I get the question: 'Dear Eurocovers, What's the best Norwegian entry ever?'
Well, there's an easy answer, but it's not very nice to name a song that is decades old while the Norwegians have done their utmost best ever since with some amazing winners and fantastic plonkers. But for me it must be the 1966 song Intet Er Nytt Under Solen (Nothing is new under the sun) by Åse Kleveland. (YouTube)
It's a jazz-folky repetitive tune in the vein of Danish 1963 winner Dansevise and it clocks in at 1 minute 41 which of course adds to the fabulousness of the song. It has a chirpy sadness with gives it the Je Ne Sais Quoi (to coin a popular Icelandic phrase) that makes it the intriguing classic it still is.
Åse Kleveland ended 3rd at the contest, a result Norway didn't come close to anymore for almost 20 years.
She went on to host the 1986 Eurovision Song Contest in Bergen and was the Minister of Culture in the Norwegian government from 1990 to 1996.
The Arne Bendiksen penned song was performed twice in the Norwegian preselection. Åse Kleveland did the 'small combo' version and Grynet Molvig sang the song with the grand orchestra. Both versions were released on single. It's the only time both singers released the song in all 13 occasions Norway did the double-artist-each-song-twice-selection thing.
Åse Kleveland recorded the song in Norwegian, Swedish and German and I know of just a handfull of coverversions (see the full list below)
She also recorded the 1967 smash L'Amour Est Bleu, Love Is Blue on single Blå, Blå, Min Kjærlighed♫ (Polydor NH 66 814, 1968)
Intet Er Nytt Under Solen Originals and Eurocovers Discography xx
Intet Er Nytt Under Solen (norwegian) - Åse Kleveland
- on 7" (Polydor NH 66774)
Alles War Schon Einmal Da (german) - Åse Kleveland
- on 7" (Germany: Polydor 59 040)
Intet Är Nytt Under Solen (swedish) - Åse Kleveland
on 7" (Sweden: Polydor NH 59713)
Inter Er Nytt Under Solen - Grynet Molvig
- on 7" (Triola 434) Grynets version is only 1 minute, 32 seconds long!
- coverversions - Janh Teigen Experience (norwegian)
- on cdsingle Are you Teigened? (AMI 866038) The Janh Teigen Experience does not involve any real Jahn Teigen involvement. Their Are You Teigened? cdsingle includes three other Eurocovers A Ba Ni Bi (Israel 1968), Vi Gratulerer (U.K. 1968) and Jengis Khan (Germany 1979). Their Intet… is a fantastic bit of hypno-rock, what ever happened to them? Pitsj (Acapella femtet, norwegian)
- on CD Pitsj from 2006 (Grappa 2006) ---Pitsj Website & MySpace. (MySpace has their Voi Voi) The Vineyards (norwegian)
- new digital release, see below Norwegian digi 2010, on album later Oscillate? (norwegian)
- on cd EP Sønbreak (2002) Jette Ziegler (danish)
- Intet Nyt Under Solen on 7" (Life NP 1533)
I like to think there are more coverversions, do you know any that's not mentioned here?
Intet Er Nytt I 2010? Intet Er Nytt Under Solen also happens to be the new single of noisy Norwegian Guitar wielding alternative rock band The Vineyards and the digital release is this week.
Their version with bluesy space twang guitars and some staple groovy 60s organs is very 2010 and recommended listening to any music adept.
Go on, have a listen to the song at the Vineyards website or MySpace. You won't be disappointed.
Wot! No Sha La Lie? The Puma Hardchorus European Song Contest.
There's always some smug grumpies inventing an alternative contest in the Eurovision weeks because they think Eurovision is crap but this years Puma Hardchorus European Song Contest is something different.
Golden voiced friendly football supporters from four countries give the Eurovision songs of their country the Wiener Sängerknaben makeover. Two even have a go at their 2010 entry.
Eurovision relic Terry Wogan introduces the competition of which you can find the clips at the Puma Youtube channel and you can vote until May 29.
1982 Germany - Ein Bisschen Frieden
1997 Italy - Fiumi Di Parole
2010 France - Allez Ola Olé. The best one of the lot!
2010 U.K. - That Sounds Good To Me
There's another one, but it doesn't seem to be in the competition.
2008 Ukraine - Shady Lady has an appearance by the original singer Ani Lorak.
Dutch Jazz pianist Pia Beck has died. She was a bit of a legend over here and I remember her TV performances in variety shows from the 70's well. But my memory doesn't go back far enough to recall Pia Becks popularity in the 50's and 60's.
Next to playing the piano she also sang on many of her records.
Below is one track she recorded for her LP Beck To The Future (1990). It's a coverversion of the Norwegian 1985 winner La Det Swinge (Bobbysocks!)
She also recorded a version of the Dutch 1959 winner 'n Beetje.
Tonight is the night. The 57th Eurovision final starts at, 24.00 local Baku time. 21.00 CET. My country didn't make it to the final for the 8th time in a row, which must be some sort of record.
We're used to it, sad, but we'll be having big fun anyway.
Update: It's done, What's Another Year and all that. I'll leave most of the pre-contest text here, with the additions from the day after below
And special congrats to Malta's Kurt Calleja for being so lovely and fun and making it to the final and to Albania's Rona for being such a stunning singer.
And final break a leg to wonderful legend Engelbert Humperdinck who has the ghastly task to open the contest, but can take a nap during the other performances.
Oh and Jedward are probably the nicest blokes in the world.
If you're not in Eurovision TV world you can follow the show here: Eurovision TV (Update: now the adress for re-watching!) Songfestival NL - also have a second screen
If you want to have a quick info-check of all entries from the final check them out at The Baku Collection:
Some Eurocovers posts feature: Anggun (France), Engelbert Humperdinck, Soluna Samay (Denmark), Trackshittaz and Jedward (Ireland).
And already some of the 2012 entries have been covered. Find out more here at Eurocovers.
Update: And this is what happened:
Latest updated: Sweden - Wins Eurovision 2012: Euphoria! for Loreen International hit, cds out now, remixes, Acoustic and Dansband Schlager coverversions Russia - Runner Up: Baku Babushka's win second semi, 10! Party versions of For Everybody released Serbia - 3rd place forŽeljko JoksimovićNije Ljubav Stvar, Download Spanish, Symphonic and new Trubači version Azerbaijan - 4th: Sabina Babayeva, remixes, New ethnic version, Remix competition winner, new Jazz version Albania - Best ever result for Albania:Rona Nishliu, New Suus, English version Estonia - 6th: Ott Lepland sings Kuula. English, Spanish and Russian versions, cdsingle Turkey - 7th: Can Bonomo Loves Us Back, promo update Germany - 8th: Roman Lob cds, new website, album out now Italy - 9th Nina Zilli, L'Amore È Femmina (Out Of Love) Spain - 10th Pastora Soler, digital EP, Quedate Conmigo. stunning coverversion, best result since 2004. 11 to 26: Moldova - Pasha Parfeny, Trumpet out for the girls Romania - Mandinga cds, pick up Club De Mandinga CD with Libertatea mag, tracklist CD Macedonia - KaliopiCrno i Belo, download Russian version Lithuania - WellDonny! Love Is Blind, Another version (French) and debut album tracklist, updates. Ukraine - Gaitana Be her guest to download, Special edition album details Cyprus - La La Love for Ivi Adamou, Euro Edition CD, remix, Kids: books are important Greece - Eleftheria EleftheriouAphrodisiac promo and cdsingle info. Bosnia Hercegovina - Maya Sar Korake Ti Znam. Italian, English versions, promo update Ireland - Jedward II cdsingle, Watershedline, Young Love in June. Iceland - Greta and Jónsi digital EP release Malta - What A (semi) Night for Kurt Calleja, cdsingle and new mixes France - Anggun updates, cds, duet versions Denmark - Soluna Samay, Around the world, Best Of the old stuff release Hungary - Compact Disco, 10 versions of SOOH, cdsingle United Kingdom- Engelbert Humperdinck,cdsingle Out Now!, Autobiography: What's in a name? Norway - Tooji wins battle with Sofi but tails at ESC final , Acoustic version released, coverversion, updates
Stranded in the 2nd semi: Bulgaria - Sofi Marinova just misses the final, download song, promo updates Croatia - Nina Badric Nebo remixes, cdsingle, Remix competition Portugal - Festival da Canção, CD! digital single for Filipa Sousa, promo Georgia - Anri Joxadze, no final for The Joker The Netherlands - Joan packs her feather, Dreamcatcher! #1 hit, promo updates Belarus - Litesound Heroes go home empty handed. Listen to new version and remixes. Slovenia - Eva Boto. EMA CD, versions update, cdsingle Slovakia - Miro Šmajda a.k.a. Max Jason Mai to Baku, Don't Close Your Eyes
Stranded in the 1st semi Switzerland - Unbreakable, CD info, Sinplus, 7th Heaven remix, 11th in semi Finland - UMK CD out now, Pernilla back to the handball competition Israel - Izabo to Baku, versions update, Album details, Time to go San Marino - Valentina Monetta Stock Exchange, 17 versions and counting, Social Network Song and the F-word song. MontenegroRambo Amadeus Not Last!' Brain Awareness, download Latvia - New Beautiful Song for Anmary, cdsingle promo updates Belgium - Iris' Would You cdsingle and album Seventeen Austria - Trackshittaz backside closes rear, cds out now, listen to the remixes And some other bits and pieces
