Nicki French 2015: The Eurovision EP

Digital release image

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

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

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

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

Eurovision EP Tracks:

1. Don't Play That Song Again 2015 (Andy Haldane Remix)

2. Hold Me Now (Andy Haldane Remix)

3. One Step Further (Matt Pop Mix)

4. Ding A Dong (John Springate Mix)

5. Don't Play That Song Again 2015 (Matt Pop's Golden Anniversary 12inch)

6. Hold Me Now (Matt Pop Mix)

7. Don't Play That Song Again 2015 (Andy's Karaoke Mix)

8. Hold Me Now (Andy's Karaoke Mix)
A CD single is released on May 15, still available at the Energise Records shop.
The digital release is out May 23. (but discontined now)

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

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

Original cdsingle

Also check out 2015: The Vienna Collection
Quick links to all countries:
Albania - Armenia - Austria - Australia - Azerbaijan - Belarus - Belgium - Cyprus - CzechRepublic - Denmark - Estonia - Finland - France - FYR Macedonia -   Georgia - Germany - Greece - Hungary - Iceland - Ireland - Israel - Italy - Latvia - Lithuania - Malta - Moldova - Montenegro - The Netherlands - Norway - Poland - Portugal - Romania - Russia - San Marino - Serbia - Slovenia - Spain - Sweden - Switzerland - United Kingdom

Johnny Logan: What's Another 30 Years.

Johnny Logan, you either love him or adore him, King of Eurovision, Three times Eurovision winner, you will probably know all the accolades.

30 Years ago he won the contest for Ireland with What's Another Year, Irelands second victory of many, 10 years after Dana.

What's Another Year became a huge European hit, Going # 1 in U.K., Sweden and Ireland and top 10 in most European countries.

Johnny Logan recorded the song in English, German and Spanish (see below) and also released a few re-recordings, including a spanking new 2010 version.

I don't know if it's rough being percieved as a one trick pony, always being associated with Eurovision, but it surely keeps Johnny Logan in a job.

It still results in many guest appearances as singer and jury in the Eurovision pre-season and also resulted in a fantastic tour with the Eurovision In Concert show with the Dutch Airforce orchestra.

Nature Of Love

Of course Johnny Logan has released many other records, and his latest albums The Irish Connection and Irishman In America (2008) was quite successful chartwise in Scandinavia.

He has now recorded a new album titled Nature Of Love. The album is a bit country rock tinged and for the Eurovision fans: There's new versions of his three Eurovision winners What's Another Year, Hold Me Now and Why Me?.

The first single from Nature Of Love is Last Days Of Beautiful. You can listen to the song at Tajmer, Johnny Logans management.

The album is out in Germany May 7 (Indalo/DA Music). Excepts from all tracks can be heard at Rebeat.
Nature Of Love is now available at Bearecords, as well as many other Johnny Logan releases.
update In Scandinavia the album is out on the Black Pelican label (SME-8869771-2602). It charts in the Swedish Danish and Norwegian album charts. 

Eurocovers

Most What's Another Year coverversions are from the Nordic countries and many are recorded in English but it was also a popular tune for orchestra's, Hammond players and other instrumental music magicians.

Eurovision stars that have recorded the song are Brotherhood Of Man, Geraldine Branagan, Noelle Cordier, Lars Berghagen, Ivo Linna and Jørgen Ingmann.

The most famous artists to record What's Another Year are Shane McGowan & The Popes (ex Pogues) and US country singer Charley Pride .

A personal favorite is by Australian singer Karen Knowles, one time (later) Seekers member. She recorded Logan's winner for her 2nd album Loves Us All in 1982. 

Que Es Un Año Mas
Now here's a glimpse in the weird & wonderful world that is Eurovision collecting.

Recording your Eurovision tune in a host of languages is a time honoured Eurovision tradition and Johhny Logan is no exception. His german version Was Ist Schon Ein Jahr is well known and was released on a single in Germany in 1980. But there has always been this elusive Spanish version Por Un Año Mas that seemed impossible to find. Many collectors came home from holidays in Spain to find out that the mega rare 7"inch single found in a grubby backstreet thrift shop contained the English version of the song.

For a few years it was known that the Spanish version had to be released on a Mexican compilation LP, but no one had ever heard the song. Johnny Logans discography makes no mention of it either.
Discussions about its existence were the order of the month and some even dared to doubt the Eurovision Collectors Guide, oh ye faithless. But no more!

Now it has finally surfaced, in fact, someone YouTubed it already a year ago, but I, and many collectors with me, just failed to notice.
The title turns out to be Que Es Un Año Mas and the LP in question is Europa Canta En Español, a collection of European hits performed in Spanish by the original artists like Rafaella Carra, Umberto Tozzi, Joe Dassin and Vicky Leandros. (Released on Epic, Mexico)

We, the anoraks, are without purpose now. But people in Mexico, does any of you have the Katja Ebstein promo single Teatro (Spanish version of course) lying about. Just drop me a line.
Special thanks to André Vermeulen

Andrew Carrington

Andrew Carrington, not the son of Blake, has recorded a coverversion of Was Ist Schon Ein Jahr, the German version of What's Another Year.

It can be found on his new album Ich Leb Für Dich.

Australian born Carrington was a lead singer in the Ten Tenors.

His German language CD also includes coverversions of Rücksicht (German entry 1983) and Wer Liebe Lebt (Germany 2001)
Ich Leb Für Dich is out May 7 on Warner Music Germany.

Sources: Muziekfreaks weblog, thanks to Marion Minten
http://www.johnnylogan.net/

2010: The Oslo Collection
The place to go for all the latest release news of the 2010 Eurovision stars.

Denmark: cdsingle, album info *** Azerbaijan: Safura advance release info *** Israel: Harel Skaat Versions update ***  Moldova: Lounge, Pop Rock versions*** France: Jessy matador new release info *** Estonia: Siren cdsingle*** Slovenia: CD info *** Spain: Daniel Diges CD out now, Swing Jazz version *** Bosnia-Hercegovina: cdsingle out now *** Georgia: Sofia Nizharadze new website, promo update *** Iceland: Hera Björk in French *** Eurosong News Handbook out now

Yep, Eurobandið time again, This Is My Life, album out now!!

Eurocovers favorite Eurobandið* have released their debut album and it's a real treat for Eurocovers fans. The Second Best Band In The World (after BWO of course) release their CD This Is My Life with 11 tracks including the Eurovision 2008 entry with the same title.

The album also has a remix of the Icelandic contender, some great Eurocovers and other songs of interest.

Don't leave without me now = Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi, Celine Dion's winner from 1988 (for Switzerland).
A ba ni bi - Israels 1978 winner.
Hold me Now - Johnny Logan's second victory for Ireland in 1987
By Your Side = the english version of Regína Ósks Þér við hlið, preselection song from 2006
Fire = Eldur, Fridrik Omárs solo pre-song from 2007
Thinking of you = Fridriks solo song from 2006 Það Sem Verður
Við sigrum að ári! - Making your mind up, Tha' Fizz's winner (U.K. 1981).
In My Dreams is the most interesting cover of all . The Norwegian rockers' Glam hit (9th in the 2005 contest) now is a smoochy love ballad.

Unfortunately, the Icelandic version of This Is My Life is not on the tracklist. So no perfect 10 then.

Excerpts and full tracklist of the album here at Tónlist. And you haven't seen the official video yet, there's a YouTube here, and it's fab.

Eurobandið featured in this and this and this and this Eurocovers post (a lot I know, maybe they'll send some competition giveaway CDs by now), for some sounds go to their MySpace.
* I keep calling them Eurobandið, Euroband sounds so tacky.

RePlay Euroviisut 2007 CD

Bonnier/Amigo Music Finland have released a compilation CD with Eurovision covers in a trance/dance style including a coverversion of Hanna Pakarinens 'Leave Me Alone' (Finland 2007) and last years winner Hard Rock Hallelujah. I've seen the album at CD-ON.
UPDATE Re:play Euroviisut is now also available at BeaRecords.

The album is titled Re:Play Euroviisut and is out now.
(Not to be confused with a 2005 CD with the same name)


Tracks:
01. Hold Me Now (Lowland & Drome)
02. Katson sineen taivaan (Transamerica feat. Katasha)
03. A-ba Ni-bi (Vovecto + T.K.)
04. Hard Rock Hallelujah (Gothrance feat. Liia + Saga & Street) ♫
05. Poupeé De Cire, Poupeé De Son (Françoise Framboise feat. Margaretha)
06. Leave Me Alone (Android Army feat. Linah)
07. Diggiloo Diggiley (Jennie)
08. Diva (Maryan)
09. Ding - A - Dong (Volvecto + Liia)
10. Eläköön elämä (Stomper & Maryan)
11. Pump Pump (Pikku-Freddie)
12. Fantasiaa (radical Rat Race feat. Pirita & Tara)
13. A Little Piece (Mädchen Roshill)

Blog Tip: Favorites In Original - 杜德偉- 抱緊我

A blog I love to visit frequently is Favorites In Original.
Here you can find coverversions in Cantonese paired with their originals including picture sleeves.
It features originals from all over the world and if you browse around you'll find a few Eurocovers and some non-Eurovision songs by Eurovision stars like Patricia Kaas, Anna Oxa, Julio Iglesias, Celine Dion, Carola, Kirka, Nicole and Celine Dion.
One that I didn't know yet is by Alex To. 抱緊我 is a Cantonese (Chinese) coverversion of Johnny Logan's Hold Me Now, the 1987 Eurovision winner for Ireland.
Alex To already recorded it for his 1987 debut album Alex To (杜德偉). Great to find another Eurocovers treasure 22 years after its release. (the post is here) --


Eurovision 2009 - The Moscow Collection
The Latest News At The Moscow Collection Blog:
U.K. promo Spain promo
Lithuania: Sasha Song, Russian version online
Montenegro - Andrea's remixes
Macedonia - Next Time, English, Serbian versions.
Finland - Lose Control - Remix info, cdsingle Out Now
Romania: The Balkan Girls - CDsingle out now!
Armenia: Ինգա Անուշ Արշակյաններ, audio, video, dance!
Germany: Tracks cdsingle, Digital release, Spanish version
Switzerland: Lovebugs The Highest Heights, cdsingle out now!
France - Patricia Kaas - Kabaret CD, new version, Live CD Out Now!.

More Volumes: Play It Again and Again Nicki! updated

not the real LP yet, image taken from Energise

What's a Eurovision season without Nicki French?.

Exactly.

It's 2023 and our Nicki is giving us her new album, or rather Celebration, the imaginatively titled Eurovision. 

Collecting several tracks we already know from her EP's and a few new ones, Eurovision will be released on CD and Yes Vinyl.

Vinyl is limited to 100 copies and expected in September (darn those vinyl production traffic jams) 

The CD is expected on May 10.

Check out Energise music for ordering. 

But if you can't wait until your hardcopy arrives, your favourite digitals already have it.

Here's the tracklist for the CD and digital release.
1. Dont Play That Song Again 2015 Matt Pop edit
2. One Step Further
3. Love Games
4. My Star
5. Too Late For Love
6. Go (Before You Break My Heart) (Ballad Mix)
7. You Are The Only One
8. Ding A Dong
9. I'm Never Giving Up
10. Shine
11. Hold Me Now
12. Tonight Again (Pete Ware Mix)
13. Don't Play That Song Again (Candlelight Mix)
14. One Step Further (Matt Pop Extended Remix)
15. Love Games (Matt Pop Extended Remix)
16. You Are The Only One (Project K's Melodrama Remix)
17. Ding A Dong - Pete Ware Simply Divine Mix 

I'm a bit busy/lazy so: Below is the Nicki French article from May 17, 2021 when her Let's Play That Song Again EP was released. I moved it up. Yay!. 

Also check out her 2019 EP here and here's the post on her 2015 EP.

Eurovision 2023: The Liverpool Collection

Volumes: Play It Again and Again Nicki!

Nicki French, you either love her or adore her. But I have a confession to make. When Don't Play That Song Again won A Song For Europe I was not immediately bowled over. Sorry Nicki. 

I was there on that 13th of May in Stockholm and saw Nicki give it her all and from that moment I began to see the light. 

And today I love it to bits. Also because it's an excellent example of clever songsmithery by John Springate and Gerry Shepherd.

Fast Foward to 2021:

Let's Play That Song Again Vol. 2 is the third Nicki French EP (or mini album as they call it now) offering a number of Eurovision Coverversions (Nicki loves Eurovision) that also includes new versions of Don't Play.. (see below)

The Tracks:

1. I’m Never Giving Up (Matt Pop Radio Edit)
2. Shine (Pete’s Shine Like a Star Mix)
3. Eurovision Mini-Medley
4. Don’t Play That Song Again (Candlelight Mix)
5. I’m Never Giving Up (Matt Pop Dream Sweet Club Mix)
6. Shine (Pete’s Shine Like the Sun Mix)
7. Don’t Play That Song Again (New Extended Version)
8. Eurovision Mega Medley

the original cdsingle

The two versions of Nicki's own Eurovision tune are new versions making the total of versions a nice round 11 (afaik). Whatever will be next, a French version?

Shine is one of the most used titles in Eurovision and Nicki opts for the Russian entry of 2014 by the Tolmachevy Sisters. A bit random maybe, since she also recorded a Russian entry on the 2019 EP.

I'm Never Giving Up is the U.K. entry of 1983, originally by Sweet Dreams.

Now if someone could only convince Nicki to record Boum Bada Boum by Minouche Barelli for her next Eurovision release.

Let's Play That Song Again Vol. 2 is available at Energise Records on CD and as digital download. Or if you're poor, it's also at your regular streamers.

Volume 0 and Volume 1

Eurocovers has featured the other Nicki French Eurovision EP's back in 2015 and 2019. 

(If you click the pictures you'll go to the original Eurocovers posts) They are still available at Energise records.

Don't Play That Song Again from the Eurovision Collectors Guide.

(click to enlarge)

Have I missed any?, please let me know.

Links and sources

Nicki French website and FB
Energise Records website and FB

Eurovision Collectors Guide FB

Re-release news, not so historic B.O.M. album finally gets CD release.

Brotherhood Of Man, you either love'em or adore'em.
The 1976 Eurovision winners (Save Your Kisses For Me) were quite succesful in the 70's.

The Eurovision line-up we all know and love had some international hits before the contest (1975 hit Kiss Me, Kiss Your Baby was the first B.O.M. single I bought).
They also managed to hold on to their success after Eurovision (Angelo, even though a blatant ABBA - Fernando rip-off, is totally brilliant).

An early incarnation of the band had also scored some hits in the U.S. in the early seventies, most notably United We Stand.

By the time the eighties came around, the stream of hits dried up and some clever people at B.O.M.s headquarters thought a greatest-hits-of-other-people LP would be a good idea.
And they were not wrong. The LP stayed on the U.K. charts for two months and achieved gold record status.

Brotherhood Of Man Sing Twenty Number One Hits features, well, 20 #1 hits. Most songs were hits in the 70's. The album includes one Eurocover: What's Another Year by Johnny Logan, the Irish winner of 1980.

Other tracks are ABBA's Dancing Queen, Boney M's Rivers Of Babylon and the Commodores' Three Times A Lady.

See tracklist below for all 20 #1 hits.

Da' Brotherhood tried to repeat the success with a similar double album with 20 disco hits and 20 love songs titled 20 Disco Greats / 20 Love Songs. but that failed to repeat the popularity of 20 #1 hits .
The Eurovision line-up of Brotherhood Of Man are still going strong and perform often on the Eurovision / nostalgia circuit, both with 70's tribute shows and their own material. A good time guaranteed for all. Respect!

The original Twenty Number One Hits LP was released in 1980 on the Warwick label, the CD re-issue is released on Northwold records. It's out 10-10-11.

Brotherhood Of Man Sing Twenty Number One Hits

We Don't Talk Anymore
Bright Eyes
When You're in Love with a Beautiful Woman
Don't Give Up on Us Baby
Together We Are Beautiful
What's Another Year
I Will Survive
I'm Not in Love
Working My Way Back to You
Mull of Kintyre

Dancing Queen

When I Need You

Rivers of Babylon

If You Leave Me Now

Don't Go Breaking My Heart

Three Times a Lady

One Day at a Time

When Will I See You Again

Annie's Song

Sailing

A Norwegian version of Save Your Kisses For Me by the Bendik Singers can be found in this Eurocovers post. A Czech version by Helena Vondrackova and Jiri Korn is here.

Brotherhood Of man website

Jamaica, can I have your votes please? pt. 2

Note: This is a Eurocovers post from 2006. I made some changes and added a bit and moved it to the top.
You'll find links to the Youtube (audio) versions of some songs uploaded by other people who I wish to send a big THANKS here.

Here's some more stuff from Jamaica.
Most Jamaican recordings I found are by male singers.

There are hardly any versions by female singers and I think this reflected the state of the Jamaican music business in the 60s and 70s.
And if I find something with a girly name (Lynn, Ambelique) they turn out to be men too.

pic from discogs

A popular record is 'All kinds of everything' by Peggy and the Cimmarons. Her version of the 1970 Irish winner by Dana  has a sort of upbeat feel which is both charming and innocent. (Youtube audio)

I think it's at least as good as the original.
The original 7"inch single features the vocal version and an instrumental (Dub) version by Carl Levey (Levy) and the Cimmarons  (Dub Youtube Audio)
(Trojan TR 7752, Jamaica 1970)
The single was released in several other countries too, sometimes only mentioning Peggy or spelling Cimmarons as Cimarrons.

Another Irish winner that got the reggae makeover is Johnny Logans 1987 song 'Hold Me Now' by Tanya Stephens. (Youtube audio). Again, the b-side is a dub version of the song.
(BMR records 7024, made in Jamaica, 1987)
I found this track on a compilation album 'Pure Lovers' (Jetstar Phonographic records) and it was also released on a Tanya Stephens 12"inch single.

Fermena Edwards
Fermena - Come what may (Après toi, Luxembourg 1972)
 + b-side dub version by Fermena and Ranny

- 7"inch single (PAMA PM 839, UK) (Youtube Audio)

Fermena - Wonderful Dreams (Tu te reconnaitras, Luxembourg 1973)
 + b-side dub version by Ranny Williams All Stars
- 7"inch single (PAMA PM 879 UK)
The subtitle is Erestu (on the label), which is odd, as that was another song from the 1973 contest.
Fermena is Fermena Edwards from Jamaica. Only three singles are known, and two are Eurocovers of Luxembourgian winners.

P.S. A

Here's some more versions by female singers from Jamaica.
A full post on elusive Jamaican singer Elaine Baker and her Puppet On A String is here.
Plus on LP Soul And Ska (Island ILP 968) by Joyce Bond there's a 'Puppet on a string', the 1967 winner orginally by Sandie Shaw.

Also check out:
Jamaica can I have your votes please part 1
Year Of The Puppet: Ken Boothe
Year Of The Puppet: More From Jamaica
Elaine Baker, Where are you now?
John Holt Obituary

P.S. A Jamaican interpretation of Riki Sorsa's Reggae O.K. still has to be found………

100! Forces' Sweetheart Vera Lynn - This Is My Prayer

Happy 100th Birthday Vera Lynn!

Below is a Eurocovers post from 2009 about Vera Lynn who turned 100 on March 20..
A remarkable anniversary for a remarkable singer who means more to many people than I can ever imagine.

Vera Lynn, Dame Vera Lynn to the Brits, is internationally the best known Sweetheart Of The Forces.
As promised in the Eurocovers post about another Forces' Sweetheart, Anne Shelton, here's a Eurovision coverversion by the singer most identified with the Second World War and
all commemorative ceremonies ever since.

Vera Lynn was born in the First World War and started to record in 1935. Signature song We'll Meet Again was first recorded in 1939. It became a song of hope in the dark days of the war and later a song of remembrance. The song gave its title to the popular 1942 film starring Vera Lynn herself.

Vera Lynn sang for the British and Allied forces all over the world on many occasions during the Second World War and she had her own radio show in which she sang songs requested by British soldiers serving abroad and messages from their families were broadcasted.
Other popular Vera Lynn hits of the (pre charts) war years were The White Cliffs Of Dover, Yours and You're In My Arms. In the 50's she scored hits with Forget Me Not (a U.K. #1), Auf Wiedersehn, Homing Waltz and My Son My Son. Her last U.K. hit was Travelling Home in 1957.

Vera Lynns career started way before Eurovision and unlike Anne Shelton she didn't participate in any of the early British preselections for Eurovision. But she was on the selection committee of the 1959 U.K. selection.

Eurovision 2020: The Rotterdam Collection is (still) on!

Pic from Discogs

This Is My Prayer
As far as I know Vera Lynn recorded one Eurocover and it's the 1964 winner Non Ho L'eta (Italy, Gigliola Cinquetti). Vera Lynns English version, This Is My Prayer was released on a single in 1964 (HMV POP 1287). It didn't reach the charts and now is a hard to find collectors item. It was re-released in 2007 on the 2CD The Singles Collection (EMI Gold)
Here's an audio tube

This Is My Prayer was recorded by several artists in the 60's, but original singer Gigliola Cinquetti didn't release an English version until 1974, when she included a new recording on her album Si, coinciding with her second Eurovision appearrance. Cinquetti released Non Ho L'eta in Italian, French, German, Spanish and Japanese in 1964. Contrary to popular rumours, Cinquetti never recorded an English version in 1964, so her 1974 version is actually a coverversion of a coverversion of her own song. (...)

The Veterans Sweetheart
Vera Lynn never repeated her 40's and 50's hit successes but always remained a high profile guest on war remembrance ceremonies and TV shows. Her most successful albums later have always been reworkings of 40's songs like the 1962 LP Hits Of The Blitz.

For the largest part of her 70 year career, Vera Lynn has been a remembrance singer, always representing the good old days and the bad old days.
No disrespect intended, but it seems a bit sad that her career has always been stuck in the war. Record buying audiences just couldn't accept her work as that of a contemporary artist having a recording career with new songs.
In 1979 she has a go at ABBA's Thank You For The Music (released on single PYE N 108), which perfectly illustrates the mood of always looking back.


Update 14-09-09: Congratulations are in order. In the week that 11 Beatles albums enter the top 40, Dame Vera Lynn scores this weeks #1 in the U.K. Album Charts with the compilation We'll Meet Again - The Very Best Of Vera Lynn.
The new compilation (on Decca) has 20 tracks including all the evergreens. (but not This Is My Prayer)

The album is available in the U.K. shops and at all major internet outlets, including digital.

links and sources:
We'll Meet Again RAF performance (YouTube)
Vera Lynn at 92 article in The Guardian
This is my prayer at Discogs
Vera Lynn Wiki
Anne Shelton at Eurocovers.

Check this Eurocovers post for This Is My Prayer by Dana Valery and this post for more versions of Non Ho L'Eta, # 7 in the top 10 most covered Eurovision songs.



CD Tip: Twangvision
Here's one I missed back in the days.
After (or rather before) Caramba Samba from Norway and Greek Bossavision from Brasil here's Twangvision. Twangy guitars, think Surfari's, Telstar, Apache.

Twangvision is a CD released in 2007, coinciding with the Helsinki contest.
It features instrumental guitar versions in Twang style of some popular Eurovision hits and a host of classic Finnish entries. All newly recorded by Finnish guitar bands.

I've been trying to find some audio clips on the net, but I haven't found any yet, so you'll have to make do with the tracklist.
The CD is available through many Finnish webshops including the recordcompanies own site Twangsville.


Twangvision: Instrumental guitars from Finland play Eurovision Song Contest. (Twangsville Productions TWGS 3466)
1 Te Deum (Eurovision hymn) - The Regents
2 Light In The Window (Valoa ikkunassa Finland 1961) - The Lunaters
3 Tipi-Tii (Finland 1962) - Honey B. & T-Bones
4 Sentimental Song (Muistojeni laulu Finland 1963) - The Webasto
5 Non ho l´età (Italy 1964) - The Aftons
6 Western Sunset (Aurinko laskee länteen (Finland 1965) - Pekka Tiilikainen & Beatmakers
7 Poupée De Cire, Poupée De Son (Luxembourg 1965) - Waikiki Kuks
8 Playboy (Finland 1966) - The Spectre
9 Waterloo (Sweden 1974) - Kaapo & Zetor
10 I Will Follow Starlight (Katson sineen taivaan Finland 1979) - The Webasto
11 Fantasy Dream (Fantasiaa Finland 1983) - The Regents
12 Ein bißchen Frieden / Valo yössä: Hold Me Now (Germany 1982 & Ireland 1987) - Toptones
13 Eurovision Theme - The Silver Hawks

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

1966 Dio Come Ti Amo - Cabaret Short Circuit

I don't think it happened before: I just received a new CD and while enjoying the virgin listening out of nowhere an intriguing Eurocover pops up.The CD in question is Disastro by Sonny J. which I bought because I totally love Handsfree (If You Hold My Hand).
Handsfree is a sampladelic reworking of Donna Hightower's* If You Hold My Hand.
I didn't suspect anything reading the tracklist, but track 4, Cabaret Short Circuit is a reworking of Jack Jones' fantastic live version of Oh How Much I Love You, which is Dio Come Ti Amo, only one of my favorite Eurovision songs and a honorable member of the Gallery Of Most Covered Eurovision Songs. And it's written by Mr. Volare: Domenico Modugno.
Sonny J. speeds up Jack Jones's version, adds the necessary crackle and umph and makes a nice use of Jones talking bits.
Of course all you Captain Stubing fans know Jack Jones of the Theme From Love Boat !
-

Oh how Much I love You by handsome Jack was originally released in 1967 as a b-side of Don't Give Our Love Away (Kapp K880) and on his LP Our Song (Kapp 3531) .
The live version used on Cabaret Short Circuit is from the 1970 LP Jack Jones In Person, Live At The Sands (RCA SF 8149 , 1970, & Laserlight CD reissue, 1993)



Sonny J.'s excellent Disastro album is available at a record shop near you or your PC. Highly recommended if you like cut'n'paste dance - pop genuis. I know I do.


-
Sonny J. Myspace & Sonny J. Homepage and Sonny J TV (all the videos)
Jack Jones Official Site - Jack Jones Studio Audio at Youtube
Mike Patton's live version of Dio Come Ti Amo is in this Eurocovers Post
The 10.000 coverversions post about Dio Come Ti Amo is here and in this post there's a version by Angolan Duo Ouro Negro.


* I think Donna Hightower had a go at the Spanish preselection for Eurovision in the 70's, but my mind is blank about that just now. Her best known hit is This World Today Is A Mess from 1972 (and a hit in 1974).

ANOTHER ONE
Another new(ish) version of Dio Come Ti Amo was recorded by Tereza (Kesovija), Croatian singer who entered Eurovision in 1964 for Monaco (Bien Plus Fort) and for Yugoslavia in 1972 (Muzika I Ti).
Her CD Zaustavi Vrijeme from 2007 includes a Croatian version of the song titled Bože, Kako Te Volim. (Youtube)

Introduction to music of Ex-Yu & Croatia
Which brings me to another recommended read. Sasha has a new Rate Your Music site where you can find out about the most important Yugoslavian artists from the past 50 years.

You can find an 'Introduction to music of Ex-Yu & Croatia' here. It's written in English.