Polish 2014 Eurovision stars Donatan Cleo and their Slavic Girls brought you Boobs, and the viewing rates for the contest went up by 15.000.000. But what do real men love even more than Boobs? Yes, Metal, Full Growl Metal to be more specific.
My Słowianie, this years 'The Song That Keeps On Giving' is covered in this amazing version by Sławek Wyłup and Mateusz Trojak in the clip above.
And if the growling vocals are too much for you, you can also listen to the Metal version mixed with Cleo's vocals. (Here at Youtube)
There's more Slavic fun to be had, V-Unit, Polish hip-hop rappers, have recorded a 'parody' (Youtube here also has a free download link). It deals with a whole other set of prejudices than the Donatan Cleo version, involving testosteron and stealing wallets. And instead of boobs there's muscles, very big muscles.
The V-Unit track was also remixed asMy Słowianie (Odpowiedź mężczyzn)and that one is released on their CDBękarty Internetuon(also on Spotify).
A rock'n'roll version of My Słowianiewas recorded by Late Again. I don't know if it has been released officially, buthere's a Youtubeof the studioversion. Nice.
There are many more parodies of My Słowianie. Here's one with some Polish firefighters already clocking over 2.000.000 views.
Donatan (and) Cleo have recorded quite a few fab versions and remixes in Polish and English themselves. You can find out all about these here at the Copenhagen Collection.
With this years Eurovision stars arriving in the Finnish city of Helsinki it's time to take a look at some coverversions of the song that finally brought the victory to Finland after 40 attempts.
Mighty Monsters Lordi's Hard Rock Hallelujah may have changed the face of Eurovision, or not, it's only one year ago, but it seems Eurovision 2007 sees more music styles than ever competing for the cup, or at least a place in the final.
It's clear you don't need a typical Eurovision song to enter, or even to win, so several countries are riding the 'New Eurovision Wave' (a.k.a. NEW). Some examples: Andorra sends a few Blink/Sum punky brats. Hungary throws in a Janis style blues belter, Germany rolls out the Big Band and Bulgaria goes all Ethnic on Acid. and there's Scooch.
So it's fitting that Hard Rock Hallelujah has been covered in a variety of music styles from cha cha cha and mediteranean club to some smurfsounds and a Nerd-testosterone filled male choir version.
The first version that popped up just days after Lordi's triumph was an unforgettable TV performance by the Tehnikaülikooli Akadeemiline Meeskoor, a male choir from the Tallin Technical University (Estonia). It wasn't released on CD but is worth checking out on YouTube. (update: The choir released the track as an extra track on cdsingle Kolm Piiska, see comments)
Gorgeous Maarja (Maarja-Liis Ilus) performed a soft ballad version of HRH in the National Estonian final proving again that she is the most lovetastic Estonian singer in the world. (also on Youtube)
And then there's a few versions from Finland. The Ratzz are an animated band of rats who turned it into Hard Ratzz Hallelujah, sung in Finnish. (CD Hard Ratzz Hallelujah 2006 Bonnier music) - The Ratzz Myspace
That other Finnish vermin, Pikku Orava The Cellphone Chipmunk will release a full version of HRH on its forthcoming album Mei Siedie (Out in Germany 25-05 on EMI). For Germany Pikku Orava also sports the title 'Das Heavy Metal Eichhörnchen' (The Heavy Metal Squirrel) Jope Ronuansu is a Finnish comedian and his version is probably funny. I didn't find any info on a CD release.
A club CD in Italy features a dance version of the song. Some illustrous types called Frodo United totally screwed up the metal classic and made it, well…, listen for yourselves. (CD Sexy hitmix 2006 summer edizione (VA))
The best and seriousest version of Hard Rock Hallelujah is by Nat Newborn and Big Time, a big band with a groovy cha cha version. Remember Mike Flowers Pops?
You can hear the song at the Nat Newborn site. It's out on his Finnish top 10 album 'On the rocks' which also includes a version of Sata Salamaa, the Finnish entry of 1987. The album is available at CD-ON.
More Finland related covers to follow in the coming weeks.
Related Eurocovers Posts:
Pikku Orava's version of Dschinghis Khan
Puppet On A String in Finnish
Wolves Of The Sea, the Latvian 2008 Eurovision entry by the Pirates Of The Sea may have suffered from the Under 12's Fancy Dress Party stigma and the Smurfs covering the song in several languages didn't really help its infantile reputation.
But now there's Alestorm from Scotland to the rescue. Their metal makeover of Wolves Of The Sea is great fun for all the family to be had. The track is from their Leviathan EP, out now on Napalm records (who else).
Alestorm will tour North America in March followed by a European tour in April.
Listen at Alestorms MySpace and Buy the EP here (Europe) or here (U.S). Myspace also has all the tourdates. - -
Here's an older post that's popular again right now, so, worth moving it up. Did a bit of an update too, still completely and utterly awesome.
After Poupée De Cire, Poupée De Son and L'Amour Est Bleu I really hope the band someday will discover the Gainsbourg Genius that is Boum Bada Boum by Minouche Barrelli.
(From 2012) Here's something completely and utterly awesome. Swedish Symphonic metal band Therion, formerly known as Megatherion, have released their 15th(!) album and it's a collection of French 60's and 70's songs including some well known classics (and quite a few obscure gems). The classiest of classics is of course Poupée De Cire, Poupée De Son*.
The album is out in October 2012 and is titled Les Fleurs Du Mal (The flowers of evil).
There are two versions of the 1965 Eurovision classic on the CD along with unforgettables like La Maritza (Sylvie Vartan), Polichinelle (Another France Gall hit), Initials B.B. (Serge Gainsbourg) and Les Sucettes (One of the biggest hits for the Gall/Gainsbourg Tandem)**.
See below for the full tracklist and details on the singers who originally recorded the songs.
You can buy the album (and the 2016 EP below) through the Therion website here.
Therium founder Christofer Johnsson is taking a massive risk with this unusual clash of Metal, Opera and YèYe album by financing the project himself, so please support them and Buy It.
2016 update
Therion have also tackled L'Amour Est Bleu (Love is blue), the 1967 entry by Vicky Leandros.
It's on the EP Les Épaves, which was recorded in 2012, so I guess the tracks just didn't make it to the Fleurs album. But the tracks don't sound like leftovers. Go find it in you favorite record store or digitessen.
There are two versions of Vicky's Eurovision classic on the EP. Les Épaves was also released on limited edition vinyl 10 inch and cdsingle. Tracklist below. ---------- ----------
* You know by know: Poupée De Cire, Poupée De Son is the 1965 Eurovision winner for Luxembourg performed by France Gall and written by Serge Gainsbourg ** Only the version of the album sold at the live shows and the Japanese edition have the bonus track Les Sucettes. - Thank you Gabriel, see comments
Therion website, Facebook
Also check out Lori Lewis (Therion singer) website.
And ABBA fans: here's a video of Therions take on Summer Night City from their 2001 album Secret Of The Runes. Special thanks to Olaf and Gabriel. Please see comments.
Les Tracks
Here’s the full tracklist
of the Les Fleurs Du Mal album. I did some digging on the net and found
most of the original singers.
1. Poupée De Cire,
Poupée The Son (France Gall, 1965)
2. Une Fleur Dans Le
Coeur (Victoire Scott, 1968)
3. Initials B.B (Serge Gainsborg, 1968)
- Of course the B.B. initials stand for Brigitte Bardot
4. Mon Amour, Mon
Ami (Marie Laforet, 1967)
- Written by legendary Eurovision winning songsmiths André Popp and Claude Marnay.
5. Polichinelle (France
Gall, 1967)
6. La Maritza
(Sylvie Vartan, 1968)
7. Soeur Angelique
(Annie Philippe, 1966)
8. Dis-Moi Poupée
(Isabelle, 1967)
9. Lilith (Léonie, 1972) - see comments, thank you Fabio
10. En Alabama
(Léonie, 1971)
11. Wahala Manitou
(Léonie, 1971)
- Both Leonie
tracks originally appeared on the same single. Source : discogs
12. Je N'ai Besoin
Que De Tendresse (Claire Dixon, 1967)
13. La Licorne D'or
(Victoire Scott, 1968)
14. J'ai Le Mal De
Toi (Betty Mars, 1974)
- Betty Mars is the French 1972 Eurovision singer. - This J'ai Le Mal De Toi is not the 1964 Colette Dereal song.
15. Poupée De Cire,
Poupée The Son
16. Les Sucettes (France
Gall, 1966)
Sources :Discogs,
Youtube and record collection of yours truly. Les Épaves
1. L'amour est
bleu (heavy version) (Vicky Leandros cover)
2. Nous ne sommes
pas des anges (France Gall cover) 3. La fermeture
éclair (Delphine cover) 4. Ah-Hem-Ho-Hu-Err
(Christine Pilzer cover) 5. L'amour est bleu
(mellow version) (Vicky Leandros cover)
First of all, a great big happy VII to all Eurocovers readers, let's make it a good one!
Now to more urgent matters.
RIFF RAFF From AC/DC to ABBA
2006 was a good year for Eurovision metal. The mighty mighty Lordi won the Eurovision songcontest, and Berlin AC/DC tribute band RIFF RAFF released a CD full of abba covers.
Waterloo isn't an unexpected choice for a rock/metal band to cover, it has been done before for example by Black Ingvars (Sweden), Cloth (New Zealand), Gabba (in Ramones style), Los Enemigos (Spain) and Nation (Sweden) but it's 'interesting' to hear what AC/DC's version of I have a dream and Chiquitita would sound like.
Voicewise the bands singer Steve sticks close to the original, not ABBA, but AC/DC, and after a song or 5 it makes you wonder, why didn't AC/DC have any songs as good as this? (Just kidding guys) In all, great fun for all to be had, now all sing along: Mamma Mia, here you go to Hell....
The album is titled AB/BA - Rock'n'Roll Mutation vol. 1. (the / being a little electric flash sign thingy)
Tracklist:
Money, Money, Money
I Have A Dream
Super Trooper
Mamma Mia
Take A Chance On Me
Knowing Me, Knowing You
Winner Takes It All
Chiquitita
Dancing Queen
Waterloo
Two rock covers with a similar brilliant thought: let's make people think we're Led Zeppelin.
Both songs here start with the famous intro of Whole Lotta love and before you know it even the most hardcore prog-rock die-hard is lured into a Eurovision tune. - Black Ingvars recorded several Eurovision songs with the same trick. Their Främling for example is mixed with Stairway to heaven and Diggi Loo Diggi Ley starts with the opening chords of Van Halens Jump.
The track featured here is a version of Det Börjar Verka Kärlek, Banne Mej (Damn, it starts to look like love) originally by Claes-Göran Hederström. The song finished 5th for Sweden in the Contest in London in 1968.
The Ingvars 1998 CD Schlager Metal features 13 Eurovision and Melodifestivalen (Swedish preselection ) covers plus their own MF entry Cherie (5th in 1998). Couldn't find a webshop that still stocks it so you have look for it in the 2nd hand shop or auction sites.
The Chorrojumo take on Whole Lotta Love is yet another version of Volare, but this time it Rocks!. From their 2006 CD-EP Malavida!
Unfortunately the video has been deleted now but you can still listen at Psychadi's Soundcloud.
Here’s the first Eurocover of the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest worth mentioning. You all know Sergey Lazarev’s Russian entry You Are The Only One and we’re all expecting it to do very well.
Picture from Psyckadeli's Facebook
The song inspired Psyckadeli from Kristianstad (Sweden) to record this fantastic coverversion.
It’s Rock, it’s Pop, it’s Energy, Psyckadeli basically took the original and set it on fire!
Psyckadeli is based around Max Haze and Chris Crash and they work with different singers an musicians (their PsyckE’s).
The singer electrifying You Are The Only One is Maria Storck (What. A. Voice!).
You should also check out new single Leaving My Soul (with Elin Vikner).
The Stockholm Collection has all info on this years Eurovision releases (CDs, digital), versions and charts. Check out the links below to find your favorites.
The V-Unit track was also remixed as My Słowianie (Odpowiedź mężczyzn) and that one is released on their CD Bękarty Internetuon (also on Spotify).
