Merci Chérie

Reupload: Udo Jürgens ウド・ユルゲンス - Merci Chérie メルシー・シェリー (Japanese, 1966)

2011-10-15T12:14:00.000+02:00

LINK: Udo Jürgens - Merci Chérie (Japanese)

Update/Reupload 15-10-2011: After I received some mails requesting a re-upload of this rare vinyl single, I thought I am going to do this for you.

Original blogpost from 2009:

This year started very good, when it comes to the hunt on rarities. This is probably the rarest rarity, Eurovision fans are looking for. And I found it. But don't ask for the price, please. I really should think about a donation button on this blog. ;-)

Austrian singer Udo Jürgens won the Eurovision Song Contest 1966 for his country with Merci Chérie, the only Austrian victory so far and the song that gave this blog its name. He recorded the song in German, French, English, Spanish and Japanese. And finally it is now possible for the ESC fans to listen the Japanese version.

On the B-side is the English version, which is also quiet unknown, as the most spread version on the internet is the one from 1973. This is the original 1966 English version (as remarked by Lior from the Diggiloo Thrush - thank you for this).

Sayonara, Chérie!

Side A
Udo Jürgens ウド・ユルゲンス - Merci Chérie メルシー・シェリー (Japanese 日本語) (T. Iwatani - U. Jürgens)
Side B
Udo Jürgens ウド・ユルゲンス - Merci Chérie メルシー・シェリー (English 英語) (U. Jürgens)

Modern Folk Üçlüsü & Aysegül Aldinç - Dönme dolap (Barış K Edit, 1981 / 2011)

2011-09-04T15:06:00.009+02:00

LINK: İstanbul 70 Psych Disco Folk Edits Vol. III by Barış K

It doesn't happen that often that you stumble over a brand new version of an old Eurovision entry. But sometimes it happens. This time thanks to Turkish DJ Barış K, who produces Turkish songs in seventies psychedelic disco style. On his brand new 12" vinyl single released this summer, Barış K offers four funky tunes of old Turkish classics.

Nazan Şoray is presented with two songs in new clothes. She started a pop career in the early eighties with her debut album Teselliye sen gerek (1981) and ended her career in the mid nineties. Ersen & Dadaşlar made some songs in the seventies. And then there is of course Dönme dolap by Modern Folk Üçlüsü & Aysegül Aldinç, the 1981 entry to the Eurovision Song Contest in Dublin. The new version here is 5'25" long and turned into a really funky tune. I simply love it!

Update september 16, 2011: As most followers of my blog know, I normally write the composers. Unfortunately they are not mentioned on this vinyl record though. If you want to know him: Dönme dolap is written and composed by Ali Kocatepe.

İstanbul 70 Psych Disco Folk Edits Vol. III by Barış K
Side A
1. Dönme dolap (Barış K Edit) - Modern Folk Üçlüsü & Aysegül Aldinç
2. Teselliye sen gerek (Barış K Edit) - Nazan Şoray
Side B
3. Halhal (Barış K Edit) - Nazan Şoray
4. Derman Bulunmaz (Barış K Edit) - Ersen & Dadaşlar

Poli Genova Поли Генова - Na inat На инат (2011)

2011-08-07T15:21:00.004+02:00

LINK: Poli Genova - Na inat

The underrated songs! Every year Eurovision fans are discussing the songs, which didn't deserve to do so bad at the Eurovision Song Contest. The focus is always on the non qualified entries for the Grand Final of course. This year Israel, Bulgaria and Norway are probably the most discussed underrated songs. I would add Cyprus and the Netherlands to the list, because I simply liked them.

Poli Genova (Поли Генова) represented Bulgaria at this years contest in Düsseldorf. She participated at the 2nd semi-final, where she came 12th, receiving two times 10 points from Italy and Cyprus. It wasn't enough though. Genova was the runner-up in the 2009 preselection in Bulgaria with the song One Lifetime Is Not Enough. It was the year when Krassimir Avramov had a landslide victory with the song Illusion.

Na inat (На инат) was written by two Austrians, Sebastian Arman and David Bronner, and two Bulgarians, Borislav Milanov and Poli Genova herself. On this Promo CD you can listen to the song and an instrumental version, which is different then the Karaoke version from the official Karaoke album. On the CD single there aren't any background vocals.

Poli Genova - Na inat (S. Arman, Poli Genova, D. Bronner & B. Milanov)
1. Na inat
2. Na inat (Instrumental)

Natalie Browne - That Sounds Good To Me (2010)

2011-07-30T12:00:00.002+02:00

LINK: Natalie Browne - That Sounds Good To Me

At first it did sound sensational. And it really did sound good to me and a lot of Eurovision fans, when the BBC did announce that composers Pete Waterman and Mike Stock would write a song for the UK entry in the 2010 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest in Oslo. And then Josh Dubovie did present the song. And many people were more then disappointed.

Stock and Waterman did compose many 80's hits together with Matt Aitken: Rick Astley, Bananarama, Laura Branigan or Dear or Alive, just to name a few. But the 2010 song didn't do well. 10 points and last place was the outcome in Oslo.

Natalie Browne and Almighty Records did try to make a gay disco hands-in-the-air tune at least. And these remixes do sound better to me then the original version. But it isn't a mile stone in Eurovision history of course. But it fits on Gay Prides and parties.

Natalie Browne - That Sounds Good To Me (Stock - Crosby - Waterman)
1. That Sounds Good To Me (Almighty Hands In The Air Radio Edit)
2. That Sounds Good To Me (Almighty Hands In The Air Mix)
3. That Sounds Good To Me (Almighty Hands In The Air Dub)
4. That Sounds Good To Me (Almighty Hands In The Air Instrumental)
5. That Sounds Good To Me (Almighty Club Boys Radio Edit)
6. That Sounds Good To Me (Almighty Club Boys Mix)
7. That Sounds Good To Me (Almighty Club Boys Dub)

Madcon - Glow (2010)

2011-07-25T13:50:00.005+02:00

LINK: Madcon - Glow

Like all people around the world I am in shock of the terror attacks by the single coward fascist, that happened in Oslo and Utøya. And as many Eurovision fans I have wonderful remembrance to the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 in Norway. As a blogger you can't do a lot, but express your deep sympathy to all Norwegians and show them, that you are on their side! This is why I am posting this Norwegian song.

Share the moment was the slogan for the Eurovision Song Contest 2010. And the hosts in Norway did really mean this slogan! Dancers from all over Europa and the audience in Oslo were shaking, dancing and jumping to this song by Norwegian rap duo Madcon.

It was the best interval act since Riverdance in 1994. Let's remember this special moment. Let's share this moment with the world. Let's share our sympathy with Norway.

Madcon - Glow
(Hitesh Ceon - Kim Ofstad - Yosef Wolde-Mariam - Tshawe Baqwa)

1. Glow (Radio Edit)
2. Glow (Extended Version)

Sandra Kim - J'aime la vie (1986 / 2010)

2011-06-12T12:25:00.005+02:00

LINK: Sandra Kim - J'aime la vie

It was probably one of the most discussed victories in Eurovision history. The real age of Sandra Kim was revealed after the contest in Bergen, which she won with the song J'aime la vie. In the song she sings that she is 15 (Moi j'ai quinze ans et je te dis, whoa whoa, j'aime la vie.), but then it was known that she wasn't even 14 at the event. The results were not canceled though, but the EBU started the regulation, that performers have to be at least 16 or older in 1990.

Sandra Kim was born 1972 near Liège, her family is from Italian origine. Her real name is Sandra Caldarone, the name Kim is inspired by Kim Wilde. In 1986 she was selected to represent Belgium at the ESC in Bergen. She won the contest, receiving points from every country. It is the only Belgian victory so far.

The last years she was still busy promoting her song from 1986. In 2008 she recorded the song for Dash as J'aime le blanc (see this post), in 2010 the video was rerecorded for the insurance company Delta Lloyd Life. It's a quiet funny video. On the left you can see the original version from 1986, on the right the older Sandra doing the same things then 25 years before (see it here on YouTube).

2010 she released her Eurovision song in all it's four versions again on a Promo CD. The tracks 1, 2 and 4 were remastered from a digital source, the English version from an analogue source, as mentioned on the CD sleeve. Strangewise she recorded several Dutch songs, but never her most known song. The English version was titled Crazy Of Life on vinyl 1986, but on the new CD promo it is also titled in French.

In may 2011 Sandra Kim released the 8 track album Make Up with songs from famous Belgian composers such as Salvatore Adamo, Dani Klein, David Bartholomé, Ozark Henry, Anthony Sinatra and Jacques Duval. (iTunes Link)

Sandra Kim - J'aime la vie
1. J'aime la vie (J.P. Furnemont - A. Crisci - R. Marino-Atria)
2. J'aime la vie (Italian version) (J.P. Furnemont - A. Crisci - R. Marino-Atria)
3. J'aime la vie (English version) (J.P. Furnemont - A. Crisci - R. Marino-Atria - M. Swimbank)
4. J'aime la vie (Instrumental version) (J.P. Furnemont - A. Crisci - R. Marino-Atria)

Sjonni's Friends - Coming Home (2011)

2011-05-28T10:24:00.009+02:00

LINK: Sjonni's Friends - Coming Home

The story behind the Icelandic entry of the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 is probably of the most touchy ever in Eurovision history. At least a project, which never happened before.

1974 born Sigurjón Brink (called Sjonni) was a well known singer on the volcanic island and he was mostly recognized as one of the founders of theatre group Vestursport. 1996 he released his first album In Bloom. In Bloom was also the name of the band he founded back in 1994. Then he started a musical career on stage of several theaters.

Sigurjón 'Sjonni' Brink made several attempts to send a song to the Eurovision Song Contest, but couldn't win. Until 2011 when he couldn't stand on stage anymore. In 2006 he tried his luck with Hjartaþrá , 2007 with Áfram, 2008 in a duet with Einar Ágúst Víðisson titled Straumurinn and in 2010 with two songs titled Waterslide and You Knocked Upon My Door.

2011 he submitted the song Aftur heim for the Icelandic preselection show Söngvakeppni sjónvarpsins 2011. The song was composed by Sjonni himself, the lyrics were written by his wife, actress Þórunn Erla Clausen. On 17 january Sjonni Brink died totally unexpected after suffering a brain aneurysm.

His friends Gunnar Ólason (Two Tricky, ESC 2001), Vignir Snær Vigfússon, Pálmi Sigurhjartarson, Matthías Matthíasson, Hreimur Örn Heimisson and Benedikt Brynleifsson decided to perform his song in the honour and memory of Sjonni Brink. They won the national final and did represent Iceland in Düsseldorf, where they came 20th, receiving one time 12 points from Hungary.

This CD made for Düsseldorf includes many interesting tracks. Beside the Friend's entry you can listen to the original Icelandic version by Sjonni Brink and an Instrumental version. Track 3 is from the 2010 preselection. Track 4 should have been the next single. The hymn hidden in Track 5 was a gift for Yoko Ono in memory of John Lennon's 70 the birthday in 2010. Bonus tracks 7 to 13 are previous recordings by Sjonni Brink and his band The Flavors.

Enjoy this friendly sound from Iceland with many guitars, catchy tunes - somewhere between The Beatles, Country music, Indie pop and Sjonni Brink of course. Perfect music for long car rides on a highway.

UPDATE 06-06-2011:

A remix version of "Coming Home" is released for free on the entry's official website HERE!

Sjonni's Friends - Coming Home
1. Coming Home - Sjonni's Friends (Sjonni Brink & Þórunn Erla Clausen)
2. Aftur heim - Sjonni Brink (Sjonni Brink & Þórunn Erla Clausen)
3. Waterslide - Sjonni Brink & Friends (Sjonni Brink)
4. Reality - Sjonni Brink & The Band Rock (Vignir Snær Vigfússon - Richard Drury)
5. Love Is You - Sjonni Brink & The Band Rock (Pálmi Sigurhjartarson)
6. Coming Home (Instrumental version) - Sjonni's Friends (Sjonni Brink)
Bonus tracks:
7. Go Your Own Way - Sjonni Brink & The Flavors (Sjonni Brink)
8. I Lose My Head - Sjonni Brink & The Flavors (Sjonni Brink)
9. Empty - Sjonni Brink & The Flavors (Sjonni Brink)
10. Calm - Sjonni Brink & The Flavors (Sjonni Brink)
11. Here - Sjonni Brink & The Flavors (Sjonni Brink)
12. Free - Sjonni Brink & The Flavors (Sjonni Brink)
13. Sun - Sjonni Brink & The Flavors (Sjonni Brink & Þórunn Erla Clausen)

Serpil Barlas & 2. Baskı - Yaşamana bak (1978)

2011-03-25T11:19:00.001+01:00

LINK: Serpil Barlas & 2. Baskı - Yaşamana bak

The last years there were no Turkish preselections anymore. This was different in former years. Even a long time ago.

Turkey first appearance at the Eurovision Song Contest happened 1975 and they had a National Final that year. The second participation was 1978. Nilüfer & Nazar won the preselection that year with Sevince. The runner-up was Serpil Barlas & 2. Baskı with Yaşamana bak, which means "See you live".

Serpil Barlas was born in Istanbul. Her mother Ayse Ipar and her father Kazim Polat were artists and singers of traditional turkish music. After releasing some 7" singles and her participation at the National Final 1978 she moved to the United States of America, where she lived 15 years. 1993 she returned to Turkey, recorded two albums (Serpil'in Dünyası-Diskotür in 1994, only released as Music-Casette, Efkarım Tarumar-Majör on CD 1998) and became an Anti-AIDS-Activist and did several projects to support the people in Bosnia, who suffered from the war that time. 1998 until 2001 she had an own TV program on Flash TV.

On this 7" from 1978 you can listen to the song and an Instrumental version.

Side A
Yaşamana bak (Levent Altındağ - Behiç Altındağ - Zeren)
Side B
Yaşamana bak (Enstrümental) (Levent Altındağ - Behiç Altındağ; Solo: Levent Altındağ)

Tonina Torrielli - I successi di Tonina Torrielli (1956)

2011-02-05T14:14:00.001+01:00

LINK: I successi di Tonina Torrielli

Italy returns! Among Eurovision fans this was probably the most wanted headline since 1997. 2011 it is finally true: Italy is back. Italian broadcaster RAI announced some days ago, that the participant will be chosen among the Sanremo entries.

Sanremo is the mother of Eurovision. The first festival took place 1951 and influenced the beginning of the idea of a song festival for Europe. 1956 this idea became reality in Lugano, Switzerland.

So the close ties between Sanremo and the Eurovision Song Contest were there since the beginning. From 1956 until 1966 the winner of Sanremo became the Eurovision entry of Italy, from 1967 until 1969 the Sanremo winners were send with another song. In 1972 and 1997 - the last year Italy participated - the winning Sanremo songs were send again to represent Italy.

In 1956 each of the seven participating countries could enter the contest with two songs. Italy did send the winner of Sanremo that year, which was Franca Raimondi with Aprite le finestre, and the runner-up Amami se vuoi by Tonina Torrielli.

Tonina Torrielli was born 1934 in Serravalle Scrivia. She participated with 19 songs at Sanremo between 1956 and 1963, including big hits like Scusami, L'edera, Tua or Colpevole. But she never had the big breakthrough like famous other singers at that time. In 1960 she married percussionist Mario Maschio. In 1965 she decided to care more about her family and stopped her music career, only 31 years old.

She lived in Turin and runned a record and instrument shop on the Piazza Costello 43. The shop closed in 2003. In the Nineties she had some appearances at Italian TV shows. In the show I migliori anni by Carlo Conti in 2008 she did even sing again.

On this EP you can listen to her 1956 Eurovision entry and runner-up of Sanremo Amami se vuoi and three more songs from that years Sanremo festival: 4th placed Il cantico del cielo, 6th placed Il bosco innamorato and Qualcosa è rimasto, which didn't reach the final of Sanremo 1956.

I successi di Tonina Torrielli
con l'Orchestra Arcobaleno
diretta da Gian Stellari
Side A
1. Amami se vuoi (Mascheroni - Panzeri)
2. Il cantico del cielo (Rossi - Testa)
Side B
3. Il bosco innamorato (Kramer - Testoni)
4. Qualcosa è rimasto (Giari - Pinchi)

Hera Björk - Je ne sais quoi (2010)

2011-01-21T14:13:00.003+01:00

LINK: Hera Björk - Je ne sais quoi

This posting is a premiere, as this is the first digital release featured on this blog. In autumn 2010 remixes of the Icelandic entry 2010 were released in the web - but only in the United Kingdom! So people in the UK: Buy this!!! But people from other European countries had bad luck, they couldn't buy or listen to the remixes. I still don't understand why. It is really stupid, as internet should be something global. I will never understand this politics.

Hera Björk tried 2007 the very first time to represent her home country at the Eurovision Song Contest, but her song Mid dreymdi didn't reach the final of the Icelandic preselection Söngvakeppni Sjónvarpsins. 2008 and 2009 she was background singer for the entries of Eurobandið und Yohanna, before she was the solo singer of her 2010 entry Je ne sais quoi. In 2009 she performed Someday in the Danish preselection and reached the top 4.

Je ne sais quoi ended on 19th place at the Eurovision Song Contes in Oslo and became ver popular among ESC fans and various Gay Prides around Europe. Here are eight versions.

Hera Björk - Je ne sais quoi (Hera Björk Þórhallsdóttir - Örlygur Smári)
1. Je ne sais quoi (Radio Edit)
2. Je ne sais quoi (7th Heaven Radio Edit)
3. Je ne sais quoi (Club Mix)
4. Je ne sais quoi (Soulshaker Club Mix)
5. Je ne sais quoi (Soulshaker Radio Edit)
6. Je ne sais quoi (7th Heaven Club Mix)
7. Je ne sais quoi (French Vocal Edit)
8. Je ne sais quoi (Soulshaker Dub Mix)

Gunnar Wiklund - Svenska, danska och engelska Eurovisions-melodierna (1961)

2010-12-18T14:58:00.001+01:00

LINK: Gunnar Wiklund - Svenska, danska och engelska Eurovisions-melodierna

Swedish singer Gunnar Wiklund was born 1935 in Luleå. He died 1989. First he was car mechanic, but soon enough he sung with orchestras in his northern Swedish hometown. His first huge hit in Sweden was Nu tändas åter ljusen i min lilla stad in 1959 with more then 200.000 copies sold. In the sixties he tried his luck in Germany. The song Geh' nicht zu den Indios came on 14th place in the German charts of 1963.

Gunnar Wiklund participated seven times in the Swedish preselections Melodifestivalen (this name for the Swedish preselection actually since 1967). In 1961 he performed April April (1st place) and Vår i hjärtat (4th place), in 1963 Vårens flickparad and Scheherazade (positions unknown), in 1966 Vinterrosor (3rd place) and Vad har jag kvar (10th place) and finally in 1968 Jag ser en värld (7th place).

Despite the fact he won the preselection with April April he was not send to Cannes to perform the song at the Eurovision Song Contest. Siw Malmkvist was the second artist, who performed the song in Sweden, but she was replaced as well, and Lill-Babs became the ticket to France. There are many rumours why Siw Malmkvist was replaces. The best known version is, that she laughed too much during the performance in the Swedish preselection.

On this EP you can find Gunnar Wiklunds version of April April and two cover versions of other ESC entries of that year: The Danish entry Angelique and the entry of the United Kingdom Are You Sure. Spela på regnbågen was the runner-up in the Swedish preselection, performed by Lars Lönndahl and and Lily Berglund on Swedish TV.

Gunnar Wiklund - Svenska, danska och engelska Eurovision-melodierna
Side A
1. Angelique (Rasmussen - B. Sten)
2. Du kan vara säker på (Are You Sure) (Allison - G. Rybrant)
Side B
3. April April (Bobbie Ericson - Bo Eneby)
4. Spela på regnbågen (Britt Lindeborg)

Jean-Claude Pascal - Portrait in Musik (1966)

2010-12-12T20:31:00.005+01:00

LINK: Jean-Claude Pascal - Portrait in Musik

Truck Branss (1926-2005) created many popular TV shows in Germany. The ZDF Hitparade was the most remarkable show he created. In the sixties he invited popular artists and each of them got a complete show. In 1966 the show Portrait in Musik had Jean-Claude Pascal as guest. For this Tv event twelve songs were recorded and released on this EMI/Electrola LP.

Nous les amoureux, the Eurovision winner from 1961 for Luxembourg, was recorded in a new version for this album. The song was already five years old, when the show took place. Other songs are sung in German and French. Funny that one of the most popular German tunes, Lili Marlen, is sung in French here.

There is much written about the interesting life of Jean-Claude Pascal. He was a fashion designer. Christian Dior thought he was good and had him in his company. He was a fabulous actor and played with other great actors. Let us name only Romy Schneider (La Belle et l'empereur) as an example. And then of course he was a great singer. In 1981 he tried his luck again, but C'est peut-être pas l'Amérique came only 11th at that years Eurovision Song Contest.

Jean-Claude Pascal - Portrait in Musik
Nach der gleichnamigen Truck-Branss-Fernsehsendung
Der Botho Lucas-Chor
Orchester unter der Leitung von Ferdy Klein
Side A
1. Nous les amoureux (Datin - Vidalin)
2. Et maintenant (Delance - Becaud)
3. Les feuilles mortes (Kosma - Prevert)
4. Wo sind die Felder (Greenfields) (Gilkyson - Dehr - Peter Ström)
5. Ich muß jetzt andre Wege geh'n (Hilliard - Hampton - Relin)
6. Ein leeres Glas (A fond du verre) (Bernard - Delanoe - Zimber)
Side B
7. Sag' mir, wo die Blumen sind (Seeger - Colpet)
8. Wind weht (Born Free) (Barry - Black - Buschor)
9. Vagabund mit Herz (Scharfenberger - Feltz)
10. Göttingen (Barbara)
11. Lili Marlen (Schultze - Henry Lemarchand)
12. C'est si bon (Betti - Hornez)

George Nussbaumer - Weil's dr guat got (1996)

2010-10-30T11:27:00.005+02:00

LINK: George Nussbaumer - Weil's dr guat got

We welcome Austria back to the Eurovision family! The selection process for the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 in Düsseldorf just started at the ORF radio station Ö3 (here). Let's hope Austria will send a good song for the comeback.

George Nussbaumer represented Austria in Oslo 1996. As far as I know he was the first blind artist at Eurovision. His gospel song Weil's dr guat got in Vorarlbergish dialect, co-written by Mischa Krausz, was a surprise that evening. It ended on 10th place, but received 12 points from Malta and France.

1963 born George Nussbaumer lives and works in Vorarlberg, the most western province of Austria on the Swiss border. Even Austrians do have difficulties to understand the dialect of the province. Nussbaumer is blind since his birth. He went to school in Switzerland and Vienna and started his music career with his album Voices Live in 1992, followed by many others (last album Offroader, 2009).

Nowadays his main job is station voice for the radio broadcaster Antenne Vorarlberg. He is also involved in a Randy Newman project. See his website for more details (German only).

His 1996 entry was released on CD single and on the album Crazy But I Do. There is the ESC version in Vorarlbergish (the so called Dialekt version), an English version and a Pianomix. One of the backing singers is Stella Jones, who performed as solo singer at the 1995 contest.

George Nussbaumer - Weil's dr guat got (Mischa Krausz - George Nussbaumer)
1. Weil's dr guat got (Dialekt version)
2. That You Feel Good (English version)
3. Weil's dr guat got (Pianomix)

Milan Stanković - Ovo je Balkan / Balcañeros (Club Remix, 2010)

2010-10-17T16:55:00.000+02:00

LINK: Milan Stanković - Ovo je Balkan (Club Remix)

In Oslo this self burned copy was handed out to several people by the Serbian delegation. It doesn't look like an official release, right? But it contains two nice remixes of this years Serbian entry - a Spanish and a Serbian one.

Milan Stanković performed Ovo je Balkan in Oslo this year and it became a hit at the Balkans. Well, it's what this song is about. The composer is a very well known man: Goran Bregović is one of the most successful composers from the Balkans. He is actually a Bosnian composer and made highly acclaimed soundtracks for movies by Emir Kusturica like Time Of The Gypsies and Arizona Dreams (with Iggy Pop).

His music concept has always been very international. He recorded songs in different languages with famous stars from various countries. Ofra Haza for example, to name one Eurovision related artist.

In Oslo Goran Bregović ended 13th with his singer Milan Stanković and lyricist Marian Tucaković.
Milan Stanković - Ovo je Balkan /
Balcañeros (Club Remix)
1. Balcañeros (Club Remix) (Goran Bregović - Jose Felix Ceballos)
2. Ovo je Balkan (Club Remix) (Goran Bregović - Mar
ina Tucaković)

I am back!

2010-10-17T16:42:00.002+02:00

First of all: I am back!

Sorry for not posting anything for such a long time. But as you might know, you do such a blog as a hobby in your spare time. And if work is getting very busy, you simply have no time for a project like this. But this doesn't mean I don't love to work on my blog. It's just not possible all the time.

Changes on the Merci Chérie Blog!

Rapidshare sucks meanwhile. So the new uploads will be posted on Mediafire. I received allways a lot of mails, concerning Rapidshare. I was Premium member, so for me it was the easiest way. But they simply cancelled my Premium account, but I still payed until 2011. That is really ripping off. So all new files will be uploaded on Mediafire. I hope you like that...

Summer Break

2010-07-15T09:33:00.002+02:00

It is summer, holidays! Enjoy the days. Merci Chérie will make a break and is walking on some mountains. I will be back soon providing with rarities and fun stuff.

Paula Seling & Ovi - Playing With Fire (2010)

2010-06-23T17:15:00.006+02:00

LINK: Paula Seling & Ovi - Playing With Fire

This song was the biggest surprise for me at this years Eurovision Song Contest in Oslo. Paula Seling and Ovi presented a very catchy pop tune and ended on 3rd place in the 2010 contest with Playing With Fire. It only received one time a 12 pointer (from Moldova of course) but received points from numerous countries and climbed at position 3.

Paula Seling was born on Christmas day 1978 in Baia Mare. Her first album Only Love was released 1998 in Germany. Since then twelve album followed. She also owns an own record studio and record company named Unicorn Records. So, she is big in Romania!

Ovi Martin (or Ovidiu Cernăuţeanu) is half Romanian and half Norwegian, which made Norwegians supporting the Romanian entry. He released his first album 2009 titled The Gig Almost Got Me Killed. In 2006 he particiapted at the Norwegian preselection with the song The Better Side Of Me which reached the second change round after the semi final. 2009 he tried it again with Seven Seconds and was in the final of the Norwegian Melodi Grand Prix. In 2010 he won the Romanian preselection with Paula Seling.

This release brings us the 2010 entry in it's original version and in two remixes, the 2009 Norwegian entry of Ovi and many other songs by the two artists.

Playing With Fire
1. Paula Seling & Ovi - Playing With Fire (Ovi Jacobsen)
2. Ovi - Bent Out Of Shape (Ovi - Simen M. Eriksrud - Bjørn Bergene)
3. Paula Seling - Believe (Paula Seling)
4. Ovi - Audrey (Ovi - Simen M. Eriksrud - Even Olsen - Preston Glass - Ovi - Simone Larsen)
5. Paula Seling - Promise (Paula & Paul Seling - Even Olsen)
6. Ovi - Vagabond (Ovi - Even Olsen)
7. Paula Seling - Just You (Paula & Paul Seling - Paula Seling)
8. Ovi - Seven Seconds (Simone - Simen M. Eriksrud - Simone)
9. Paula Seling - Get Up Now (Paula & Paul Seling - Paula Seling)
10. Paula Seling & Ovi - Playing With Fire (Fly DJs Remix) (Ovi Jacobsen)
11. Paula Seling & Ovi - Playing With Fire (Wind & Fire Remix) (Ovi Jacobsen)

On my way to Oslo

2010-05-21T16:37:00.008+02:00

At my departure to Oslo I want to give you this parody of this years Finnish entry. I simply love it.

As I told you, I am leaving for Oslo now and will be back in June. I wish all visitors of the Merci Chérie blog all the best and a fabulous Eurovision week 2010.

You want to know what music the blog author likes this year? Well, the last years I was quiet sure about the winners before the contest. This year seems to be totally unpredictable. Most people think Azerbaijan will win. I don't. I don't like the song at all, to be honest. The Netherlands do have the most difficult entry. It could end with null points or win. I really don't know. Not my cup of Shalali. Germany is the second favourite. For the future of the contest a German victory would probably be a good thing. My favourite though is ... Israel.

Here my results, without knowing the live performances yet. I change my mind the last weeks rapidly, so this list could look very different on may 29th.

Israel 12

Estonia 10

Belgium 8

Germany 7

Iceland 6

Switzerland 5

Slovakia 4

Turkey 3

Lithuania 2

France 1

Kristina - Horehronie (2010)

2010-05-19T10:32:00.008+02:00

LINK: Kristina - Horehronie

In Slovakia you can find a river named Hron. The region around that river, situated in the region of Banská Bystrica and Brezno is called Horehronie. The river is in a valley and surrounded by lovely and beautiful mountains of the Low Tatra. It is this touristic region, Kristina is singing about in her 2010 entry for Slovakia.

Kristína Palková, simply Kristina for the European audience, was born 1987. She started singing in some Jazz clubs where she met Martin Kavulič, who shall produce and compose her songs, including Horehronie. In 2008 she released her debut album ...ešte váham and she had already four hits in Slovakia. 2010 she won the Slovakian preselection with Horehronie, a tune between New Age and Orientalism.

Horehronie was a number one hit in Slovakia and the CD single release includes seven versions of the song. The bonus track on the CD single are four versions of Stonka, another hit of Kristina, released 2009.

Kristina - Horehronie
(all songs composed and written by Martin Kavulič - Kamil Peteraj)
1. Horehronie (Radio Edit)
2. Horehronie (Extended)
3. Horehronie (Akustická verzia)
4. Horehronie (KaMa Remix Radio Edit)
5. Horehronie (KaMa Remix Extended)
6. Horehronie (CJ Macintosh & Mambo DJ - Sirius Club Remix)
7. Horehronie (Karaoke)
8. Stonka (Radio Edit)
9. Stonka (Akustická verzia)
10. Stonka (KaMa Remix Radio Edit)
11. Stonka (KaMa Remix Extended)

InCulto - Eastern European Funk (2010)

2010-05-11T09:48:00.005+02:00

LINK: InCulto - Eastern European Funk

Funny instruments and a funny song: The Band InCulto will represent Lithuania at the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 in Oslo. The band released it's debut album 2004 with the (again funny) title PostSovPop. They won several awards in Lithuania like Best New Act at the Bravo Music Awards 2004, in 2005 they won two awards as Best Band and Best Alternative Act.

The lead singer of InCulto is Columbian born but Lithuanian Jurgis Didžiulis. The other members are Aurelijus Morlencas, Sergej Makidon, Jievaras Jasinskis and Laurynas Lapė. In 2004 they tried their first attempt to represent their country at the Eurovision Song Contest. The song You Don't Know was the first song in the first semifinal of the Lithuanian preselection, but failed to reach the final show. In 2006 they came 2nd with Welcome To Lithuania, which can be heard on this CD single.

Eastern Euopean Funk ist actually a very good song, but very unpredictible, as it is not a classic Eurovision tune. The CD single brings us seven songs, including four versions of the Eurovision entry.

InCulto - Eastern European Funk
(all songs written by InCulto)
1. Eastern European Funk
2. Keep On Dancing
3. Sabroso
4. Welcome To Lithuania (Live)
5. Eastern European Funk (Acoustic)
6. Eastern European Funk (2Foxy Rmx)
7. Eastern European Reggaeton (Morlenka Remake)

Michael von der Heide - Bye Bye Bar (1999)

2010-05-03T11:14:00.004+02:00

LINK: Michael von der Heide - Bye Bye Bar

The fantastic Swiss singer Michael von der Heide, which career I follow since several years (and I had the luck to meet him personally several times), represent his country this year with the wonderful song Il pleur de l'or, something between Europop and Chanson. I really like it a lot and hope Switzerland has more luck this year and we can see Michael in the final show. Switzerland would really deserve it. I liked the last two entries 2008 and 2009 a lot, but they failed to reach the final show.

Michael von der Heide participated 1999 in the German preselection show with the song Bye Bye Bar. Switzerland had to make a year break. In the German show of 1999 he was introduced as the "unofficial Swiss" representant, which was maybe a mistake, because why should Germans vote for a Swiss entry? Anyway: The song came 5th and was released on a CD single. The winner was Corinna May with Hör den Kindern einfach zu but the song had to be disqualified, which brought Ralph Siegels band Sürpriz to Jerusalem.

Michael von der Heide - Bye Bye Bar
1. Bye Bye Bar (Micha Lewinsky - Thomas Fessler - Jeannot Steck - Micha Lewinsky)
2. Grau (Michael von der Heide - Thomas Fessler - Markus Kühne - Michael von der Heide)
3. Fählsch mer (Martin Suter - Markus Kühne - Thomas Fessler)

Roger Cicero - Guess Who Rules The World (2007)

2010-04-11T21:07:00.000+02:00

LINK: Roger Cicero - Guess Who Rules The World

When I saw a TV commercial for a concert of Roger Cicero a few weeks ago, I really had a huge laugh. In one part of the clip you could read "Eastern Europe doesn't like him". Well... At least Albania and Estonia gave the German artist some points. But probably Roger Cicero is too much a swing specialist and less suitable for Eurovision.

In Helsinki 2007 he performed Frauen regier'n die Welt. A rare promo CD features the English version, without mentioning the composer and the lyricist, which isn't quiet fair for those. The composer is Matthias Hass, the lyrics in German are from Frank Ramond. I don't know if he also wrote the English lyrics.

1. Roger Cicero - Guess Who Rules The World (Matthias Hass)

Dino & Béatrice - Putnici (1999)

2010-04-04T10:59:00.000+02:00

LINK: Dino & Beatrice - Putnici

In 1999 Bosnia & Herzegovina were represented by Dino & Béatrice. Dino is known as Dino Merlin at the Balkans. His real name is Edin Dervišhalidović. He started his career with his band Merlin in the eighties. In the nineties his solo career brought several albums, which became very popular in all former Yugoslav countries. In 1993 he participated at the Eurovision Song Contest as composer of the song Sva bol svijeta, performed by Fazla. In the last years he collaborated with another musician well known among Eurovision fans: Željko Joksimović.

Béatrice Poulot is a singer from France, born on the island of La Réunion in the Indian Ocean.

The song Putnici (Les voyagers) was performed in Bosnian and French in Jerusalem. It came on a respectable 7th place.

Dino & Béatrice - Putnici (Dino Dervišhalidović)
1. Putnici
2. Putnici (Instrumental)

Bill Whelan feat. Anúna - Riverdance (1994)

2010-04-01T09:40:00.000+02:00

LINK: Bill Whelan feat. Anúna - Riverdance

Let's focus on something different today - the interval acts! It aren't only the contestants, who start (or end) their career on stage of the Eurovision Song Contest. The interval acts are loved by a lot of people. You watch a performance, while you are voting for your favourite song. The feeling between the songs and the start of the voting is simply undescribable.

In 1994 actually something really outstanding happened. The interval act in Dublin had more success and was found in more headlines the next day then the 25 entries, including the winner from - again - Ireland (Rock 'n' Roll Kids by Paul Harrington & Charlie McGettigan). Riverdance became a world wide hit since the first dance steps by Michael Flatley and his crew were done at the stage in Dublin and millions watching it.

Riverdance was released on a CD single that days. Probably a more sold single then the winner...

Bill Whelan feat. Anúna and the RTE Concert Orchestra
1. Riverdance (Radio Edit) (Bill Whelan)
2. Caraçena (Bill Whelan)
3. Riverdance (Full Version)

Max - Can't Wait Until Tonight (2004)

2010-03-30T17:37:00.004+02:00

LINK: Max - Can't Wait Until Tonight

The excitement is coming closer. Less then two months to go until the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 will take place in Oslo.

Germany made a huge process this year. The German NDR/ARD was quiet disappointed about the results in the last years. Stefan Raab, who represented Germany at the 2000 contest (Wadde hadde dudde da?), organised a talent show, which became very popular in the huge but (eurovisionwise) unhappy country. Lena Meyer-Landrut won the show and will represent Germany with Satellite. Stefan Raab is composer, TV host, something like a comedian and much more. The public broadcaster ARD had to cooperate with the private broadcaster PRO7 to find a German entry.

It wasn't the first time Stefan Raab was asked to search for the German representant. Back in 2004 he did the same. It was Max Mutzke who won that year. In Istanbul he performed Raabs composition Can't Wait Until Tonight. It was a huge acclaimed entry and it reached 8th place at the final night, with one time 12 points, coming from Spain. Let's see if Lena can do it better this year. I think, the 2004 entry was better though. But who am I?

Max - Can't Wait Until Tonight (Stefan Raab)
1. Radio Version
2. Dry Wurlitzer Mix
3. Instrumental
4. Live Version

Nino Impallomeni - Quando, quando, quando / Tango italiano (1962)

2010-03-14T11:48:00.000+01:00

LINK: Nino Impallomeni - Quando, quando, quando

In the 1960's instrumental cover versions were released in millions. Nino Impallomeni plays trumpet and is a quiet good example for that.

On this 7" he recorded two Sanremo songs from 1962: Tango italiano (2nd place) and Quando, quando, quando (4th place).

Nino Impallomeni (tromba e il suo complesso)
Side A
Quando, quando, quando (T. Renis)
Side B
Tango italiano (G. Malgoni)

Pat Boone - Willing And Eager / Quando, Quando, Quando (1962)

2010-02-13T12:01:00.000+01:00

LINK: Pat Boone - Willing And Eager

Pat Boone in a blog about Eurovision? Yes, that is the wonderful world of Eurovision and that is why it is worth to collect songs, because you find so many aspects!

Maybe you remember the Leatherstocking Tales (Lederstrumpf in German or Príbehy Koženej pančuchy in Slovak, just to mention two translations) by American writer James Fenimore Cooper which you probaly read as a child? Pat Boone is a direct descendant of pioneer Daniel Boone, mentioned in the tales.

Boone was born 1934 in Jacksonville, Florida. He grew up in a very christian and conservative family, which still is of importance. Even now as a member of the quiet radical charismatic movement Pat Boone is still preaching and is a fundamentalist conservative political commentator. In 2008 he called the gay movement "sexual jihadists" and made analogies between the gay & lesbian movement and the terror attacks in Mumbai, India. The Human Rights Camapign called his article "a new low in anti-gay rhetoric" and sadly enough they are very right. He rejected many songs and roles in movies, if they didn't fit in his christian idea. For example he rejected a role in a movie with Marilyn Monroe or he didn't kiss Shirley Jones in his first movie April Love, because she was married. Still strange how magazine Hustler could find photographs of the young Pat Boone showing his genitals, which were issued in 1984 (have a look here).

The soft and tender voice of Pat Boone (Charles Eugene Boom to mention his complete name) was perfect for the 1950s and 1960s. His first recordings in 1954 and 1955 became huge hits and were mostly covers of R&B songs written by Afroamericans, recorded by Boone for a white audience. 1964 marked an end to the early career of Pat Boone, when Beatlemania and the so called British Invasion striked the music industry in the USA. Pat Boone still made records though. In 1997 he even covered heavy metal songs.

This single from 1962 features the song Willing And Eager from the motion picture State Fair, directed by José Ferrer and with Pat Boone, Bobby Darin and Swedens export Ann-Margret in main roles. The B-side Quando, Quando, Quando (Tell Me When) is an English cover of a song with an Eurovision link. Quando, quando, quando was first performed at the Sanremo festival of 1962 by Tony Renis (who also composed the song) and Emilio Pericoli. That days the winner of Sanremo represented Italy at the ESC.

Quando, quando, quando is a very good example of songs who didn't win a festival, but became much bigger hits then the winners, weather if we talk about Eurovision (Nel blu dipinto di blu/Volare in 1958 or Ooh Aah… Just A Little Bit in 1996 to name just two examples) or Sanremo (Io che non vivo senta te in 1965 or Andrea Bocellis Con te partirò in 1995 to name other two examples - the first song became a world wide hit as You Don't Have To Say You Love Me, the second song as Time To Say Goodbye).

Pat Boone - Willing And Eager
Side A
Willing And Eager (From the Film "State Fair") (Rodgers - Hammerstein II)
Side B
Quando, Quando, Quando (Tell Me When) (Renis - Gesta)

Mecano - Hijo de la luna (1986 / 1988)

2010-01-22T15:59:00.000+01:00

LINK: Mecano - Hijo de la luna

Spanish broadcasters TVE is very good in making the wrongest possible choice. 1977 Paloma San Basilio submitted Dónde vas as Eurovision entry. It is still a wonderful song. TVE rejected the song and chose Micky with Enséñame a cantar instead - a nice song, but not really a fabulous one. 1986 they again rejected a song, that could have won the Eurovision Song Contest if you ask me: Mecano submitted Hijo de la luna to TVE, but the choice of the strange jurors was the group Cadillac with the song Valentino. I still don't understand this decision 24 years later. Hijo de la luna is an evergreen meanwhile. And who the hell remembers Cadillac?

Mecano were found by the Cano brothers. Singer Ana Toroja completed the synth-pop band from Madrid. They had huge success in all Spanish speaking countries and in Europe. Hijo de la luna was released in Europe as single much later and became a big hit in 1988 and 1989. This 7" featured here is a German release from 1988. The instrumental B-side Por la cara was recorded two years after Hijo de la luna. Por la cara gives a little Riverdance feeling and is a good example of the musical work of the Cano brothers.

Hijo de la luna was covered very often. 1998 Loona had a number one hit in several European countries.

Mecano seperated 1998, Ana Toroja had several fabulous solo albums later, one featuring a new recording of Hijo de luna (2006 on Me cuesta tanto olvidarte). On Raphaels (ESC 1966 and 1967) album 50 años después she recorded a duet with Raphael with this tune about the son of the moon. In nomember 2009 Mecano reunited and released a new single and a Best of-album.

Mecano - Hijo de la luna
Side A
Hijo de la luna (J. M. Cano)
Side B
Por la cara (I. Cano)

Daliborka Stojšić - Ti nisi kao svi / Tom, Tom (1973)

2010-01-13T08:42:00.001+01:00

LINK: Daliborka Stojšić - Ti nisi kao svi

Serbian Daliborka Stojšić became the Yugoslav candidate for the Miss Universe contest 1968 and reached the semi final. Later she started a career as singer and joined the group One i oni and recorded several solo singles and albums.

One of her singles is from 1973 and features the song Ti niso kao svi, composed by Kemal Monteno who wrote maybe one million songs, including the Yugoslav entry from 1973 Gori vatra. For Eurovision fans and collectors the B-side is from interrest, as it features a cover of the Finnish entry from 1973.

The song Tom Tom Tom was performed by Marion Rung in Luxembourg and came 6th in that years contest. It was the biggest Finnish success until 2006, when Lordi won with Hard Rock Hallelujah. But now enjoy a Serbian cover of Tom Tom Tom.

Daliborka Stojšić - Ti nisi kao svi
Side A
Ti nisi kao svi (K. Monteno - D. Stojšić - S. Mihaljinec)
Side B
Tom, Tom (R. Lehtinen - D. Stojšić - D. Lukač)

Elpida Ελπίδα - Socrates Superstar Σωκράτης (1979)

2010-01-06T12:33:00.000+01:00

LINK: Elpida - Socrates Superstar

Elpida is a greek female name, which means "hope". I am sure, Elpida Karayinnopolou had hope, when she entered the Eurovision stage 1979 in Jerusalem. She had already a quiet long career those days. Her debut album was released 1973. Her latest release was a Best-of in 1997. Elpida is (was) quiet successfull among the Greeks in Greece and abroad, mostly in the 1970s and 1980s.

The 1979 album is titled Socrates Superstar. This one featured here had been released in Israel and reached gold sales! It includes some really nice songs. My personal favorite is Dirlada, which sounds like Indios made a record in Greece. Really funny!

Israel was in Eurovision fever that days, after they won 1978. So no wonder, that Elpida released an album there. All song titles are translated into English, but unfortunately the album doesn't feature the english version of her entry. In Israel Socrates is not a forgotten song! Maya Buskila (מאיה בוסקילה) recorded a coverversion on her album Eomim shel agava (ימים של אהבה) in 2006. She covered on the same album the Spanish entry from 2003 Dime. You can listen to the album on the Bens Just Random Blog here.

Socrates (or originally Greek Sokrati or Σωκράτης) came 8th in 1979 while Israel won again. 1986 she tried it again for Cyprus but ended on last place. Hallelujah!

Elpida - Socrates Superstar
Side A
1. Socrates (D. Georgiadis - S. Tsotou)
2. Dirlada (P. Ghinis)
3. Ke pefti i vrochi (And The Rain Falls) (D. Georgiadis)
4. Iparchoun kl'alli dromi (There Are Other Ways) ( (D. Georgiadis - S. Tsotou)
5. Ora kali (Good Bye) (D. Georgiadis - S. Tsotou)
6. Drigi drigi mana mou (Velvet Mornings) (S. Vlavianos - R. Constantinos-Pythagoras)
Side B
7. Bori (It Can Be) (D. Georgiadis - M. Koufianakis)
8. Alli mia mera (Another Day) (G. Stanzos - K. Peidis)
9. Yap di bi di (G. Stanzos - K. Peidis)
10. An dis (If You See) (D. Georgiadis - M. Koufianakis)
11. Natan nacha (I Wish I Had) (D. Georgiadis - M. Koufianakis)
12. S'agapo (I Love You) (D. Georgiadis - M. Koufianakis)

Various Artists - 100 Eurovisionlög (2008)

2010-01-01T17:51:00.003+01:00

LINK: 100 Eurovisionlög Disc 1 - Erlend sigurlög 1
LINK: 100 Eurovisionlög Disc 2- Erlend sigurlög 2
LINK: 100 Eurovisionlög Disc 3- Önnur vinsæl erlend lög
LINK: 100 Eurovisionlög Disc 4 - Íslensku lögin
LINK: 100 Eurovisionlög Disc 5 - Hin íslensku lögin

Happy new year! I know you have waited two months for a new post in the Merci Chérie blog. I was quiet busy the last two months, sorry. But I will still post Eurovision stuff in 2010. Promised. And because you have waited so long, the first post in the brandnew decade of 2010 contains 100 songs!

In 2008 Iceland joined the Eurovision Song Contest for the 21st time within 23 years. Sena records released a 5 CD box that year with 100 Eurovision tunes. On the first two discs you can listen to 39 Eurovision winners, the 3rd disc contains 20 popular non-winning tunes.

The 4th disc with 21 Icelandic entries and the 5th disc with 20 songs from several Icelandic national finals are from special interrest. Some songs were probably released on CD for the first time, some songs who were performed in English at the Eurovision Song Contest are released in Icelandic on this release. So check this out!

Disc 1 - Erlend sigurlög 1
1. Abba - Waterloo (Benny Andersson - Björn Ulvaeus - Stikkan Andersson), 1974
2. Johnny Logan - Hold Me Now (Johnny Logan), 1987
3. Dana - All Kinds Of Everything (Derry Lindsay - Jackie Smith), 1970
4. Carola - Fångad av en stormvind (Stephan Berg), 1991
5. Nicole - Ein bißchen Frieden (Ralph Siegel - Bernd Meinunger), 1982
6. Milk & Honey feat. Gali Atari - Hallelujah (Kobi Oshrat - Shimrit Orr), 1979
7. Izhar Cohen & Alphabeta - A-ba-ni-bi (Nurit Hirsh - Ehud Manor), 1978
8. Bucks Fizz - Making Your Mind Up (Andy Hill - John Danter), 1981
9. Massiel - La la la (Manuel de la Calva - Ramón Arcusa), 1968
10. France Gall - Poupée de cire, poupée de son (Serge Gainsbourg), 1965
11. Frida Boccara - Un jour, un enfant (Émile Stern - Eddie Marnay), 1969
12. Secret Garden - Nocturne (Rolf Lovland - Petter Skavland), 1995
13. Marie Myriam - L'oiseau et l'enfant (Jean-Paul Cara - Joe Gracy), 1977
14. Vicky Leandros - Après toi (Klaus Munro - Mario Panas - Yves Dessca), 1972
15. Dana International - Diva (Tzvika Pik - Yoave Ginai), 1998
16. Brotherhood Of Man - Save Your Kisses For Me (Tony Hiller - Lee Sheridan - Martin Lee), 1976
17. Herrey's - Diggi-loo, diggi-ley (Torgny Söderberg - Britt Lindeborg), 1984
18. Gigliola Cinquetti - Non ho l'età (Nicola Salerno - Mario Panzeri), 1964
19. Niamh Kavanagh - In Your Eyes (Jimmy Walsh), 1993

Disc 2 - Erlend sigurlög 2
1. Olsen Brothers - Fly On The Wings Of Love (Jørgen Olsen), 2000
2. Sandie Shaw - Puppet On A String (Bill Martin - Phil Coulter), 1967
3. Céline Dion - Ne partez pas sans moi (Atilla Sereftug - Nella Martinetti), 1988
4. Bobbysocks - La det swinge (Rolf Lovland), 1985
5. Lordi - Hard Rock Hallelujah (Mr. Lordi), 2006
6. Ruslana - Wild Dances (Ruslana - O. Ksenofontov - Jamie Maher - Fayney - Sherena Dugani), 2004
7. Helena Paparizou - My Number One (Christos Dantis - Natalia Germanou), 2005
8. Johnny Logan - What's Another Year (Shay Healy), 1980
9. Lulu - Boom Bang-A-Bang (Peter Warne - Alan Moorhouse), 1969
10. Teach-In - Ding-A-Dong (D. Bakker - E. Ouwens - W. Luikinga), 1975
11. Sandra Kim - J'aime la vie (Jean-Paul Furnémont - Adolfo Crisci - Marino Atria), 1986
12. Sertab Erener - Everyway That I Can (Demir Demirkan - Sertab Erener), 2003
13. Séverine - Un banc, un arbre, une rue (Jean-Pierre Bourtayre - Yves Dessca), 1971
14. Katrina & The Waves - Loves Shine A Light (Kimberley Rew), 1997
15. Charlotte Nilsson - Take Me To Your Heaven (Lars Diedricson - Gert Lengstrand - Marcos Ubeda), 1999
16. Tanel Padar & Dave Benton - Everybody (Maiann-Anna Kärmas - Ivar Must), 2001
17. Linda Martin - Why Me? (Johnny Logan), 1992
18. Paul Harrington & Charlie McGettigan - Rock'n'Roll Kids (Brendan Graham), 1994
19. Eimear Quinn - The Voice (Brendan Graham), 1996
20. Toto Cutugno - Insieme: 1992 (Toto Cutugno), 1990

Disc 3 - Önnur vinsæl erlend lög
1. Umberto Tozzi & Raf - Gente di mare (G. Bigazzi - U. Tozzi - Raf Riefoli), 1987
2. Datner & Kushnir (Lazy Bums) - Shir ha'batlanim (Hoppa hulle hulle) (Z. Laskov), 1987
3. Rollo & King - Never Ever Let You Go (Stefan Nielsen - Soren Poppe - Thomas Brekling), 2001
4. Cliff Richard - Congratulations (Bill Martin - Phil Coulter), 1968
5. Baccara - Parlez-vous français? (Rolf Soja - Frank Dostal - Peter Zentner), 1978
6. Domenico Modugno - Nel blu dipinto di blu (Volare) (Domenico Modugno - Franco Migliacci), 1958 (ATTENTION: This is actually the recording from 1968 and not the original one from 1958)
7. Vicky Leandros - L'amour est bleu (André Pop - Pierre Cour), 1967
8. Jacob Sveistrup - Talking To You (Andreas Mørck - Jacob Launbjerg), 2005
9. Sakis Rouvas - Shake It (Nektarious Tyrakis - Nikos Terzis), 2004
10. Wig Wam - In My Dreams (Trond 'Teeny' Holter), 2005
11. Amina - Le dernier qui a parlé (Wasis Diop - Amina Annabi), 1991
12. Ketil Stokkan - Romeo (Ketil Stokkan), 1986
13. Clodagh Rodgers - Jack In A Box (John Worsley - David Myers), 1971
14. Wind - Für alle (Hanne Haller), 1985
15. Dschinghis Khan - Dschinghis Khan (Ralph Siegel - Bernd Meinunger), 1979
16. Brainstorm - My Star (Renars Kaupers), 2000
17. The New Seekers - Beg, Steal Or Borrow (Hall - Cole - Wolfe), 1972
18. Joy Fleming - Ein Lied kann eine Brücke sein (Reiner Pietsch - Michael Holm), 1975
19. Gina G. - Ooh Aah… Just A Little Bit (Simon Tucker - Steve Rodway), 1996
20. Kate Ryan - Je t'adore (Kate Ryan - Niclas Kings - Niklas Bergwall - Lisa Greene), 2006

Disc 4 - Íslensku lögin
1. Eurobandið - Fullkomið líf (Örlygur Smári - Friðrik Ómar - Regína Ósk), 2008
2. Eiríkur Hauksson - Ég les í lófa þínum (Sveinn Rúnar Sigurðsson - Kristján Hreinsson), 2007
3. Silvía Nótt - Til hamingju Ísland (Þorvaldur Bjarni Þorvaldsson - Silvía Nótt), 2006
4. Selma - If I Had Your Love (Vignir Snær Vigfússon - Þorvaldur Bjarni Þorvaldsson - Linda Thompson), 2005
5. Jónsi - Heaven (Sveinn Rúnar Sigurðsson - Magnús Þor Sigmundsson), 2004
6. Birgitta - Open Your Heart (Hallgrímur Óskarsson - Birgitta Haukdal - Sveinbjörn I. Baldvinsson), 2003
7. Two Tricky - Angel (Einar Bárðarson - Magnús Þor Sigmundsson), 2001
8. Einar Ágúst og Telma - Tell Me! (Örlygur Smári - Sigurður Örn Jónsson), 2000
9. Selma - All Out Of Luck (Þorvaldur Bjarni Þorvaldsson - Selma Björnsdóttir - Sveinbjörn I. Baldvinsson), 1999
10. Páll Óskar - Minn hinsti dans (Páll Óskar Hjálmtýsson - Trausti Haraldsson), 1997
11. Anna Mjöll - Sjúbidú (Anna Mjöll Ólafsdóttir - Ólafur Gaukur Þórhallsson), 1996
12. Björgvin Halldórsson - Núna (Ed Welch - Björgvin Halldórsson - Jón Örn Marinósson), 1995
13. Sigga - Nætur (Friðrik Karlsson - Stefán Hilmarsson), 1994
14. Inga - Þá veistu svarið (Jon Kjell Seljeseth - Friðrik Sturluson), 1993
15. Stjórnin (Heart 2 Heart)- Nei eða já (Friðrik Karlsson - Grétar Örvarsson - Stefán Hilmarsson), 1992
16. Stefán og Eyfi - Draumur um Nínu (Eyjólfur Kristjánsson), 1991
17. Stjórnin - Eitt lag enn (Hörður G, Ólafsson - Aðalsteinn Ásberg Sigurðsson), 1990
18. Daníel Ágúst - Það sem enginn sér (Valgeir Guðjónsson), 1989
19. Beathoven - Þú og þeir (Sverrir Stormsker), 1988
20. Halla Margrét - Hægt og hljótt (Valgeir Guðjónsson), 1987
21. Icy - Gleðibankinn (Magnús Eiríksson), 1986

Disc 5 - Hin íslensku lögin
1. Mercedes Club - Ho, Ho, Ho, We Say Hey, Hey, Hey (Barði Jóhannsson), 2008
2. Haffi Haff - The Wiggle Wiggle Song (Svala Björgvinsdóttir), 2008
3. Björgvin Halldórsson og Katla María - Sóley (Gunnar Þórðarsson - Toby Herman), 1990
4. Bjarni Arason - Karen (Jóhann Helgason), 1992
5. Model - Lífið er lag (Friðrik Karlsson - Gunnlaugur Briem - Birgir Bragason), 1987
6. Björgvin Halldórsson - Ég lifi í draumi (Eyjólfur Kristjánsson - Aðalsteinn Ásberg Sigurðsson), 1986
7. Bítlavinafélagið - Alpatwist (Geirmundur Valtýsson - Hjálmar Jónsson), 1989
8. Regína Ósk - Þér við hlið (Trausti Bjarnarson - Magnús Þor Sigmundsson), 2006
9. Dr. Spock - Hvar ertu nú? (Dr. Gunni - Dr. Spock), 2008
10. Hafsteinn Þórólfsson - Þu tryllir mig (Hafsteinn Þórólfsson - Hannes Páll Pálsson), 2007
11. Eyjólfur Kristjánsson - Ástarævintýri (Eyjólfur Kristjánsson - Ingi Gunnar Jóhannsson - Aðalsteinn Ásberg Sigurðsson), 1988
12. Friðrik Ómar - Eldur (Grétar Örvarsson - Kristján Grétarsson - Ingibjörg Gunnarsdóttir), 2007
13. Stefán Hilmarsson - Látum sönginn hljóma (Geirmundur Valtýsson - Hjálmar Jónsson), 1988
14. Mannakorn - Linudans (Magnús Eiríksson), 1989
15. Eyjólfur Kristjánsson - Norðurljos (Gunnar Þorðarson - Ólafur Haukur Símonarson), 1987
16. Björgvin Halldórsson - Mig dreymir (Björgvin Halldórsson - Jónas Friðrik Guðnason), 1992
17. Bræðrabandalagið - Sólarsamba (Magnús Kjartansson - Halldór Gunnarsson), 1988
18. Ellen Kristjánsdóttir - Eg læt mig dreyma (Friðrik Karlsson - Birgir Bragason - Eiríkur Hauksson), 1990
19. Erna Gunnarsdóttir - Aldrei ég gleymi (Axel Einarsson - Jóhann G. Jóhannsson), 1987
20. Björgvin Halldórsson og Erna Gunnarsdóttir - Lífsdansinn (Geirmundur Valtýsson - Hjálmar Jónsson), 1987

Isabel Varell - Veträumt/Lüg mich an (1982/1983/1984)

2009-10-31T13:45:00.000+01:00

LINK: Isabel Varell - Verträumt

1982 Isabel Varell participated at the German preselection. But it was not her song that brought some fame, the nude pictures in the German Playboy helped a bit more.

The career of Isabal Varell (born 1961 in Kempen) started in 1980, when she joined a talent show of RTL Radio. German producer Jack White, who producded maybe 1000 or maybe 1 million Schlager songs, supported her first steps in music business. In this early stage her participation at the German preselection for the Eurovision Song Contest took place. Lüg mich an was performed in the first semifinal. Do I need to tell that Ein bißchen Frieden by Nicole was the winner that year?

1983 her debut album Baby, Rock'n'Roll included Lüg mich an. 1984 she had a little hit with a 7" single titled Verträumt. This one had Lüg mich an on the B-side. I actually don't know, if she ever recorded a three minutes ESC version. But now you know why three years are mentioned above: Lüg mich an was at the pre-show 1982, recorded on the album 1983 (as mentioned on the 7") and the A-side is from 1984.

In the later eighties Isabel Varell made less music, but acted in several TV shows. 1989 until 1991 she was married with Drafi Deutscher (Marmor, Stein und Eisen bricht). He also composed the song Melodie d'amour, which came 6th in the 1990 German preselection for the Eurovision Song Contest in Zagreb.

In the nineties she combined her acting and singing talents: Hamburg saw Isabel Varell on stage of several musicals. In the later nineties she started a new career as host of TV shows like Aktuelle Schaubude, Varell & Decker and she particiapted in the hidden camera show Verstehen Sie Spaß. In the second season of the show Ich bin ein Star - holt mich hier raus (known as I'm A Celebrity - Get Me Out Of Here! internationally) she came second. At the moment she plays a main role in the German telenovela Rote Rosen. In 2009 her latest album Alles Ansichtsache has been released.

Side A
Verträumt (Marti Sharron - Albert Hammond - Peter Rafelson - Dhana Morey)
Side B
Lüg mich an (Uve Schikora - Andrea Andergast)

Claude Robin - Tom Pillibi/Ce soir-là (1960)

2009-10-28T09:31:00.000+01:00

Claude Robin - Tom Pillibi/Ce soir-là

Don't ask me, who Claude Robin was. Or is. There are two french football players with this name, and one actor with the name Claude Robin had little roles in movies in the mid-seventies like A nous quatre, Cardinal! and Les quatre Charlots mousquetaires. The same person? I really don't know.

But Monsieur Robin did sing two Eurovision entries. Tom Pillibi, french winner from 1960, can be found on the A-side, 3rd placed monégasque entry Ce soir-là on the B-side.

Side A
Tom Pillibi (Popp-Cour)
Side B
Ce soir-là (Giraud - Dorsay)

PS: Sorry, I tagged the song mistakenly with the year 2009. Of course they are from 1960.

Chéri - Italijanski restoran (1984)

2009-10-26T09:26:00.000+01:00

LINK: Chéri - Italijanski restoran

Italijanski restoran by the group Chéri (later written as Šeri) ended at 6th place at Evrovizija 1984, the Yugoslav preselection. The group consists of three members: Rade Radivojević, Zlatko Frlić and Nesa Pavlović (later replaced by Rade Pajić).

Rade Radivojević still runs a website (here), where you can see videos and listen to songs of his later compositions, including Nama treba ljubav by Maja Mitrović from the Serbian-Montenegrine preselection 2005, Ritam ljubavi by Zorana Pavić from the Yugoslav preselection 1991 and Ne idi, zlato moje by Mira Beširević from 1986.

In 1991 Šeri (this time not Chéri) tried again to enter the Eurovision stage with Da li već spavaš. But the song came only 14th in the preselection.

Rade managed to participate at the Eurovision Song Contest once: His song Ljubim te pesmama by Extra Nena came 13th at the ESC 1992 in Malmö. It was the last entry from a country called Yugoslavia. In 1992 Yugoslavia remained by Serbia and Montenegro. Two coverversions of the entry were released by Siw Malmkvist in German and Paula Koivuniemi in Finnish, which you can hear on his website as well.

Back in 1984 Rade and his group Chéri loved the eighties sound, as you can hear on this 12" EP with four tracks. From electronic new wave sound to reggae.

Chéri - Italijanski restoran
Side A
1. Italijanski restoran (N. Pavlović - R. Radivojević - Z. Skerl - M. Tucaković)
2. Izvan kontrole (N. Pavlović - P. Radivojević - M. Tucaković)
Side B
3. Na plaži (N. Pavlović - P. Radivojević - M. Tucaković)
4. Suzi (Hob - R. Radivojević - N. Pavlović)

Johannes & Christin - Sing die Melodie (1978)

2009-10-23T09:21:00.001+02:00

LINK: Johannes & Christin - Sing die Melodie

Austrian duo Johannes & Christin covered the dutch entry from 1978. 't is OK was performed by Harmony at the Eurovision Song Contest in Paris and ended on 13th place.

I can't tell you a lot about the duo. They released at least one album and some singles in the seventies. Johannes Prömmers last release I could find in the internet comes from the early nineties. I don't know what happened to Christin and Johannes. But let's listen to their cover version...

Side A
Sing die Melodie ('t is O.K.) (Ouwens - Bos - Kooyman - E. Morel - R. Österreicher)
Side B
Komm mit mir (J. Prömmer - F. Hager)

Nelly Ciobanu - Hora din Moldova (2009)

2009-10-20T10:35:00.000+02:00

LINK: Nelly Ciobanu - Hora din Moldova

Moldovan singer Nelly Ciobanu was already very experienced with music festivals before she entered the stage of the Eurovision Song Contest in Moscow this year. She performed at numerous events between the Ukraine and Korea since 1998. The begin of her music career started in 1993, when she formed the duo Master Dinamit with her brother.

2005 was her first attempt to represent her country at the Eurovision Song Contest, when Moldova participated for the first time. Her song One More Time was the runner-up. Zdob şi Zdub won that year (see this post).

The 2009 entry is a turbo folk song as it's best (or worst for those, who hate this kind of music). The promo CD features six versions of the song, but only two are mentioned on the sleeve. So the Moldovan broadcaster TRM left a little piece of paper in a black-white copy hidden in the sleeve. There is mentioned that two additional remixes can be found on the album as bonus tracks, simply named Remix 1 and Remix 2.

Nelly Ciobanu - Hora din Moldova (Veaceslav Daniliuc - Andrei Hadjiu - Nelly Ciobanu - Aristotelis Kalimeris)
1. Hora din Moldova (Original version)
2. Hora din Moldova (ESC version)
3. Hora din Moldova (Club Mix)
4. Hora din Moldova (Extended Club Mix)
5. Hora din Moldova (Remix 1)
6. Hora din Moldova (Remix 2)

Dan Ar Braz et l'Héritage des Celtes - Collector Platine (1996)

2009-10-18T11:13:00.000+02:00

LINK: Dan Ar Braz et l'Héritage des Celtes - Collector Platine

Daniel Le Bras was born 1949 in Quimper, Bretagne, France. In his early years he played guitar and his idols were Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix and the Rolling Stones. His father thought his son will make a career in hotel business - and so did he: In the 1967 he worked as a waiter in a bar in Bénodet. There he met Breton musician Alan Stivell, which should change his life.

Daniel Le Bras joined the band of Alan Stivell and he played for the first time in his life Breton, Irish and Scotish music along with Stivell and Gabriel Yacoub, who started his own band Malicorne later. They recorded seven albums between 1971 and 1977. Daniel started to understand the melodies of folk music. In this period he also became more aware of his own Breton roots and changed his name to Dan Ar Bras. In 1971 toured across France, Europe, North America and Australia. Folk music from the Bretagne became popular around the world.

In 1973 Dan tried a new carriere with a band named Mor, but thesy only recorded one album. 1976 he moved to England and joined the group Fairport Convention. He never recorded an album with the popular british band, but toured with Fairport Convention one year. He changed again his name to Dan Ar Braz.

His cooperations with Alan Stivell and Fairport Convention led to his own projects back in the Bretagne. He recorded three Celtic influenced albums and one album with acoustic instrumental music. In the mid-eighties he surprised with an album with english sung songs. There were more and more people who enjoyed his music. In 1992 he even recorded three albums, including the soundtrack for the movie Rêves de Siam.

One year before, in 1991, the album Borders Of Salt was the begin of l'Héritage des Celtes, which officially started some years later. But the basic idea was there. At the Féstival de Cornouallie in 1993 he gave a concert with 75 musicians! The concept of the l'Héritage was born.

1994 Borders Of Salt was rerecorded at Windmill Lane Recording Studios in Dublin, Ireland. Even U2 took part in the project. More then 100,000 copies of the album were sold. Celtic music was recorded and played in all it's variety with artists like Donal Lunny, The Shotts Pipe Band, Bagad Kemper, Elaine Morgan, Nollaig Casey, Karen Matheson (singer of the band Capercaillie), Yann-Fañch Kemener, Donald Shaw, Gilles Servat, Carlos Nuñez and many more.

In the 90's Celtic music was very popular at the Eurovision Song Contest as well, which led to the victory of Secrets Garden from Norway with the Celtic inspired tune Nocturne in 1995, a more instrumental song and not really of norwegian roots. Maybe that was the reason, why Dan Ar Braz and his l'Héritage de Celtes was chosen to represent France at the Eurovision Song Contest 1996. Diwanit bugale was performed in Breton. Along with Dan Ar Braz, Scottish singer Karen Matheson (Capercaillie) and Welsh singer Elaine Morgan performed on stage. At the end of the night the song reached only the 19th place. The winning song was another Celtic tune: The Voice from Ireland, performed by Eimear Quinn, won.

1997 the album Finisterres (with a longer version of Diwanit bugale), 1998 Zénit and 1999 Bretagne à Bercy kept the popular project alive. In 2000 Dan Ar Braz stopped l'Héremitage des Celtes. It wasn't easy to organise albums and tours with such a huge amount of musicians, who all have to work in other projects as well.

But Dan Ar Braz is still active. His last album Les Perches du Nil was released in 2007.

Dan Ar Braz et l'Héremitage des Celtes - Collector Platine
1. Diwanit Bugale (Dan Ar Braz)
2. King Of Laois (Vérsion live) (Traditionelle)
3. Jenovefa (Traditionelle)

Wess & Dori Ghezzi - Era (Versión en castellano, 1975)

2009-09-25T09:21:00.000+02:00

LINK: Wess & Dori Ghezzi - Era (Versión en castellano)

Wesley Johnson, better known as Wess, died at the age of 64 on september 21st in New York City. Here an older post again in memory of this great american musician who became big in Italy. Rest in peace.

This song should have won back in 1975 in Stockholm, if you ask me. Era, the Italian ESC entry (featured in Spanish here) is a fantastic song. Very groovy and sometimes it sounds like it is in slowmotion what makes the song surprisingly energetic. Really good!

Dori Ghezzi is an Italian singer, born 1946 in Lentate sul Seveso. Her career started in 1967 at the Festival delle Rose in Rome. Her debut at the famous Sanremo Festival took place in 1970. Later she met Wess and formed a duo with him.

Wess Johnson was born in North Carolina and moved to Italy, when he played bass guitar in the band of Rocky Roberts. His debut happened as well in 1967. He released his first solo album that year.

In 1973 Wess & Dori Ghezzi took part at Sanremo together and performed the song Tu nella mia vita. The song didn't reach the top 3 but became commercially the biggest success of that years Sanremo edition. In 1974 they won Canzonissima - the last edition of that popular format in Italy.

In 1975 they represented Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest in Stockholm. They were no favorites and surprised all. At the end of the night they were 3rd with 115 points, receiving 6 times 10 points and one 12 pointer from Finland. Only the winning song from the Netherlands (Ding-A-Dong by Teach In) and the United Kingdom (Let Me Be The One by The Shadows) did receive more points.

1976 the Italian-American duo took again part in Sanremo and came 2nd. In the 80ies Dori had several releases as a solo artist. Wess was quiet busy the last years. Between 2000 and 2006 he was on tour with the group WessBand.

Side A

Era (Versión en castellano) (A. lo Vecchio - D. Shel Shapiro - Jaime Israel)

Side B

Sempre tu (Lubiak - Malgioglio - Janne)

Evridiki Ευριδίκη - Misise me Μίσησέ με (1993 / 1994)

2009-09-19T11:31:00.000+02:00

LINK: Evridiki - Misise me

Misise me was Evridikis 3rd album, released 1993. 1994 she participated at the Eurovision Song Contest with Eimai anthropos ki ego, composed by her husband Giorgos Theophanous. This later release of her 1993 album included the wonderful and underrated entry in Greek and French as bonus tracks.

We have seen Evridiki three times on the stage of the Eurovision Song Contest. 1992 and 1994 she finished both times on 11th place (Teriazoume was the title of her 1992 entry), in 2007 she failed to enter the grand final in the semifinal with the french song Comme ci, comme ça.

The reason why Evridiki sings in French is simple. After school and studies at the National Conversatory in Nicosia, she went to Le Studio de Variétés in Paris, France. Later she visited a musical school in Boston, USA. In 1989 she moved to Athens. Her first release was the album Gia proti fora in 1991, followed by Poso ligo me xeris in 1992. Her 3rd album, which is featured here, is still a fans favourite and has been a big success in Greece and Cyprus. 1994 she celebrated her 2nd participation at the ESC and her marriage with composer Giorgos Theophanous. They got divorced in 2000.

Dimitris Korgialas became her new lover later and he composed her 2007 entry. Her last album is from the same year, simply titled 13. It is indeed her 13th album, not counting the Best of-album from 2004. In 2008 she performed at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest.

Evridiki - Misise me
1. Misise me Μίσησέ με (Giorgos Theophanous)
2. Zeliares ouranos Ζηλιάρης ουρανός (Giorgos Theophanous - Iro Trigoni)
3. Stis idies karekles Στις ίδιες καρέκλες (Giorgos Theophanous - Iro Trigoni)
4. Thamaste mazi Θα 'μαστε μαζί (Giorgos Theophanous)
5. Ime elegthere Είμαι ελεύθερη (Giorgos Theophanous)
6. Emena fexase me Εμένα ξέχασέ με (Giorgos Theophanous - Iro Trigoni)
7. Mono mia stigme Μόνο μια στιγμή (Giorgos Theophanous)
8. Tora zo yia mena Τώρα ζω για μένα (Giorgos Theophanous - Kostas Trigonis)
9. Otan me zetesis Όταν με ζητήσεις (Giorgos Theophanous - Kostas Trigonis)
10. Telia epapse Τέλεια επαφή (Giorgos Theophanous - Iro Trigoni)
11. Ton kosmo sas ton i norisa noris Τον κόσμο σας τον γνώρισα νωρίς (Giorgos Theophanous - Leonidas Manelis)
12. Eimai anthropos ki ego Είμαι άνθρωπος κι εγώ (Giorgos Theophanous)
13. Fenêtre sur cour (Giorgos Theophanous - Sarah Levy)

International Grand Prix 1991

2009-09-13T12:12:00.002+02:00

LINK: International Grand Prix 1991

The 1991 Eurovision Song Contest took place in Rome, Italy and is well remembered. Toto Cutugno, who won the contest a year before was probably the worst host we have ever seen in Eurovision history. Charming co-host Gigliola Cinquetti couldn't help the desaster.

In Norway a sampler with the 22 entries was released before the contest and was titled International Grand Prix 1991.

France and Norway could probably not send a finished studio version for this sampler. We do not hear Amina from France, who finished 2nd with the same amount of points like winner Carola. Le dernier qui a parlé is performed by Anisa on here. The Norwegian entry Mrs. Thompson is performed by Four You and not by Just 4 Fun as in Rome. Other songs are featured in different versions, then we did hear them on stage: Yugoslavia and Israel were released in English on this sampler, Germany in a different orchestration (probably the first version of the song).

International Grand Prix 1991
1. Yugoslavia - Baby Doll - Control (Brazil) (Zoran Vracević - Baby Doll)
2. Iceland - Stefán & Eyfi - Draumur um Nínu (titled Nina on the album) (Eyjólfur Kristjánsson)
3. Malta - Paul Giordimaina & Georgina - Could It Be? (Paul Abela - Raymond Mahoney)
4. Greece - Sophia Vossou - I anixi (titled Spring on the album) (Andreas Mikroutsikos)
5. Switzerland - Sandra Simó - Canzoner per te (Renato Mascetti)
6. Austria - Thomas Forstner - Venedig im Regen (Robby Musenbichler - Hubert Moser - Wolfgang Eltner)
7. Luxembourg - Sarah Bray - Un baiser volé (Patrick Hippert - Mick Wersant - Linda Lecomte)
8. Sweden - Carola - Fångad av en stormvind (Stephan Berg)
9. France - Anisa - Le dernier qui a parlé (Amina Annadi - Wasis Diop)
10. Turkey - Izel, Reyhan & Can - Iki dakika (Şevket Uğurluer - Aysel Gürel)
11. Ireland - Kim Jackson - Could It Be That I'm In Love (Liam O'Reilly)
12. Portugal - Dulce - Lusitana paixao (Jorge Quintela - Ze Da Ponte - Fred Micaelo - Ze Da Ponte)
13. Denmark - Anders Frandsen - Lige der hvor hjertet slår (Michael Elo)
14. Norway - Four You - Mrs. Thompson (Dag Kolsrud - Kaare Skevik Jr - P.G. Roness)
15. Israel - Duo Datz - Come Along (Kan) (Uzi Hitman - Shimrit Or)
16. Finland - Kaija - One More Lonely Night (Hullu yö) (Ile Kallio - Jukka Välimaa - Kaija Kärkinen - Ile Kallio - Jukka Hakoköngäs)
17. Germany - Atlantis 2000 - Dieser Traum darf niemals sterben (Alfons Weindorf - Helmut Frey)
18. Belgium - Clouseau - Geef het op (Kris Wauters)
19. Spain - Sergio Dalma - Bailar pegados (Julio Seijas - Luis Gomez Escolar)
20. United Kingdom - Samantha Janus - A Message To Your Heart (Paul Curtis)
21. Cyprus - Elena Patroklou - S.O.S. (Kypros Charalambus - Andreas Christou)
22. Italy - Peppino di Capri - Comme è ddoce 'o mare (Marcello Marocchi - Giampiero Artegiani)

Anna Vissi Άννα Βίσση - Autostop Ωτο στόπ & Mono i agapi Μόνο η αγάπη (1980 / 1982 / 2006)

2009-09-06T11:57:00.001+02:00

LINK: Anna Vissi - Autostop & Moni i agapi

2006 two early entries by Greek-Cypriot superstar Anna Vissi had been released digitally remastered. This was supported by OGAE Greece, as Anna Vissi had her 3rd participation at the Eurovision Song Contest that year (Everything). I won't write a lot about Anna Vissi, as most Eurovision fans love her and know a lot about her. For a good reason.

1980 Anna Vissi participated the first time at the Eurovision Song Contest for Greece, joined by the group Epikouri. Autostop finished on 13th place. 1982 she represented her native country Cyprus. Moni i agapi was composed by herself. The song was a success and came on 5th place (12 points from Norway and the Netherlands).

Anna Vissi - Autostop & Moni i agapi
1. Autostop (Jick Nakasian - Rony Sofu)
2. Mono i agapi (Anna Vissi)

Brainstorm - My Star (2000)

2009-08-29T10:08:00.000+02:00

LINK: Brainstorm - My Star

I voted for this song at the 2000 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. At the end of the night I was quiet surprised that it finished on 3rd place, because indie pop has never been that successfull at Eurovision.

Brainstorm started as a typical indie pop/rock band. They were former classmates and formed the band in 1989. 1993 they released their debut album and had two hits in Latvia. After some experiments with more "difficult" alternative music they released a mainstream album in 1996 and became very popular among Latvian teenagers. With their 4th album, released 1997 on the biggest Latvian label, they had a breakthrough and became Latvians most popular pop act. The band members were asked to be presenter on TV, on radio or to perform on various stages, which they all did.

Brainstorm had more then 10 years of experience when they entered the stage in Stockholm to represent their country. The Britpop influenced song My Star was airplayed in all Europe after the Eurovision Song Contest.

The next singles and albums did sell well, not only in Latvia. Steve Lyon, who worked with Depeche Mode, The Cure or Reamonn (to name a few) produced a Brainstorm album. Famous dutch photographer Anton Corbijn shot the band.

Gundars Mauševics played the bass in the band and died 2004 in a car accident. The band continued working though. One year later they gave a concert in front of 40.000 people. This was the biggest concert that ever took place in Latvia.

Lead singer Renārs Kaupers is still part of the Eurovision world. Beside transmitting the Latvian points the last years, he hosted the 2003 contest in his country and participated at the 50th anniversary of the Eurovision Song Contest.

Brainstorm - My Star
1. My Star (Original) (Renārs Kaupers)
2. My Star (Instrumental) (Renārs Kaupers)
3. Ain't It Funny (Album edit) (Brainstorm)

Severina - Moja štikla (2006)

2009-08-25T08:52:00.000+02:00

LINK: Severina - Moja štikla

On the record sleeve and on most websites the track list of this CD single is simply wrong. Where everyone is mentioning another version (A video version of the title song, which can be found only in the multimedia part of the CD) is in fact another song: The french version of Maj daj (French Connection). I still wonder, how this can happen to labels. Anyway:

Severina represented Croatia at the Eurovision Song Contest 2006 in Athens with the turbo folk song Moja štikla after winning Dora, the Croatian preselection. The popularity of Severina is immense in Croatia and actually in all Ex-Yugoslav countries. Neither the sex tape scandal in 2004 nor the controversy about her Eurovision entry could change that. There are even songs composed as tribute to Severina (Severina by Edo Maajka, Severina by DK Krmak or a part of the song Bolje bi ti bilo by Alka Vuicas).

The controversy about her entry was about nationalistic questions. Croatian journalists and even scientists announced, Moja štikla sounds more Serbian then Croatian. Composer Boris Novković disagreed and told the media, that the song is mostly influenced by Dalmatian music. Severina is in fact Dalmatian. She was born 1972 in Split.

The biggest superstar of the Balkans, musician and composer Goran Bregović, worked very often with Severina, who is also called Seve nacionale in Croatia.

Danijela, who represented Croatia at the Eurovision Song Contest 1998, was a class mate of Severina in Split.

On the CD single, which was released several months after the Eurovision Song Contest, you can find three different versions of Moja štikla (one version titled Moja sokole, which means My hawk), a remix of Adam i Seva and two versions of Maj daj (French Connection).

Severina - Moja štikla
1. Moja štikla (Boris Novković - Franjo Valentić – Severina Vučković – Goran Bregović)
2. Moja štikla (Instrumental version) (Boris Novković - Franjo Valentić – Goran Bregović)
3. Adam i Seva (Silver club mix) (Severina Vučković - Silvio Pasarić - Milo Stavros – Severina Vučković – Silvio Pasarić - Milo Stavros)
4. Maj daj (French Connection) (Severina Vučković – Silvio Pasarić - Severina Vučković - Silvio Pasarić)
5. French Connection (French version of Maj daj) (Severina Vučković – Silvio Pasarić - Severina Vučković - Silvio Pasarić)
6. Moj sokole (Boris Novković - Franjo Valentić – Severina Vučković – Boris Novković)

Elitsa Todorova & Stoyan Yankoulov Елица Тодорова & Стоян Янкулов - Water (2007)

2009-08-23T16:42:00.000+02:00

LINK: Elitsa Todorova & Stoyan Yankoulov - Water

Today I was at the gym and had my iPod in my ears. Then this song appeared in my random play list and I thought to myself: "Wow, what a great song. Didn't hear that for a long time". It is a very motivating song for doing some excercises. :-) So I thought, let's post it here. And in fact it is time to feature a Bulgarian entry in this blog.

Elitsa Todorova and Stoyan Yankoulov are two percussionists from Bulgaria. They work together since 2003 on numerous occasions and in different project - together or as solo artists. In Bulgaria Elitsa Todorova is also named Mrs. Drums. Stoyan Yankoulovs nickname in Bulgaria is Stundji. He is in music business since very long time, for example as drummer of the band Astronax. In 2007 the very professional duo won the national preselection of Bulgaria.

Water was the opener of the semi final in Helsinki and came 6th. In the final it worked even better and they ended on 5th position, receiving one time even 12 points from Greece.

The promo CD features one track.

Elitsa Todorova & Stoyan Yankoulov - Water
1. Water (Elitsa Todorova - Stoyan Yankoulov)

Demir Demirkan - Gerçek (2003 / 2009)

2009-08-20T08:41:00.007+02:00

LINK: Demir Demirkan - Gerçek

Demir Demirkan composed the winning song of the Eurovision Song Contest 2003 Everyway That I Can, which was sung by Sertab Erener in Riga. On the live album Gerçek he released two fantastic composers versions (studio) of the song, one as Rock version, the other one as Acoustic version.

Demirkan is from Adana, Turkey, where he was born in 1972. In the early nineties he was part of the rock/metal band Pentagram before he went to the USA to study. Back in Istanbul he released again one album with his band and started cooperations with artists like Şebnem Ferah and Sertab Erener. In 2000 he started his solo career, which led to several releases in Turkey. In 2009 his last album with Sertab Erener came to Turkish record shops and was titled Painted On Water.

Demir was also model in a Turkish ad for Lee Jeans.

Demir Demirkan - Gerçek
(all songs written by Demir Demirkan, except 11 and 12 written by Demir Demirkan - Demir Demirkan & Sertab Erener)
1. Göçmen
2. Gümüş
3. Ağır Ağır
4. Aşktan Öte
5. Belki
6. Hayyam
7. Zaferlerim
8. Getti Gider
9. Resim
10. Kahpe
11. Every Way That I Can (Rock)
12. Every Way That I Can (Akustik)

Fíladelfíukórinn í Reykjavík - Fylg þú mér (1979 / 1980)

2009-08-18T10:01:00.001+02:00

LINK: Fíladelfíukórinn í Reykjavík - Fylg þú mér

Of course you could ask me, why the hell (!) I am posting a religious album. But this album is a good example, why I love to collect Eurovision music and coverversions. The variety and diversity of songs from the biggest music event in the world (and what they made out of the songs later) is so huge, that even an Icelandic chorus singing religious songs finds its place here. Even if I am an atheist.

Fylg þú mér was recorded in june 1980. The Fíladelfíukórinn í Reykjavík (which I would translate as Philadalphia Chorus in Reykjavík), made this charity album for the benefit of Samhjálp Hvítusunnumanna, which still exists, if t his website is of the same Samhjálp. I wondered what the second name could be, and called some friends, who know some Icelandic friends etc. I simply couldn't find out what "people of White Sun" od "Sunday" could mean. Meanwhile I know that this is a helping organisation of the Pentecostal church.

On the album you can find an Icelandic coveversion of Hallelujah, the winner from 1979. It is no wonder, that this song found it's way into churches, as it is probably more a gospel song then a pop tune, or at least a successfull combination of both. Gali Atari and Milk & Honey were the performers, as you know, and it was the second victory for Israel in a row. A friend of mine, who grew up in the Pentecostal church in Romania (but left it early) told me, that he did sing the song as well, but in Romanian. He is sure that recordings do exist. Seems like this one is popular.

Have fun with an Icelandic Hallelúja and other prayers.

Fíladelfíukórinn í Reykjavík - Fylg þú mér
Hlið I
1. Fylg þú mér (Dan-Jakob Petersen - Dan-Jakob Petersen - Óli Ágústsson)
2. Hann er meira en vinur (Anton Nilson - Anton Nilson - Ásmundur Eiríksson)
3. Bið Jesú (David Culross - David Culross - Lilja S. Kristjánsdóttir)
4. Því hver og einn (Nils Roland Fossberg - Biblíuorð Róm 10:9-13, Jóh. 8:1)
5. Kórasyrpa:
a) Hér við hásæti þitt (Anneli Kimling - Óli Ágústsson)
b) Þar sem tveir eða þrír (Lennart Jernestrand - Óli Ágústsson)
c) Heimurinn, Herra minn (Anneli Kimling - Óli Ágústsson)
d) Drottinn er minn styrkur (Höf. oþekktur - Óli Ágústsson)
Hlið II
6. Hallelúja (Kobi Oshrat - Shimrit Or - Óli Ágústsson)
7. Syngdu fegursta sönginn (Philip P. Bliss - Philip P. Bliss - Lilja S. Kristjánsdóttir)
8. Þeir sem frelsarann kjósa (Audrey Mieir - Audrey Mieir - Filippía Kristjánsdóttir)
9. Jesús kom inn (Höf. oþekktur - Óli Ágústsson)
10. Jesús Guðsson (Miller - Höf. oþekktur - Óli Ágústsson)
11. Sælir eru fátækir (Ralph MacTell - Matt. 5:3-4 - Óli Ágústsson)
12. Gæfuleið (John W. Petersen - John W. Petersen - Lilja S. Kristjánsdóttir)
13. Hann væntir þín (Lydia Lithell - Lydia Lithell - óþekkt)

Kristín Ólafsdóttir - Komu engin skip í dag (1967 / 1968)

2009-08-16T12:40:00.002+02:00

LINK: Kristín Ólafsdóttir - Komu engin skip í dag

I wish I could tell you more about this singer, but I simply can't. What I understood from the writing on the record sleeve is only the fact, that Kristín Ólafsdóttir is from Reykjavík.

When I looked at the EP in a funny we-sell-everything-old shop in Iceland, I had a closer look at the first song on side B. It was titled Örlög min and the composer is mentioned as A. Propp on the sleeve. I thought to myself, this only can be a mistake and it should be Monsieur André Popp. And the record sleeve also mentioned the lyricist as P. Cour. "I think that is a L'amour est bleu" I thought, so I bought it for let's say nothing. And several days ago I listened to the vinyl (in a somewhat bad condition) back home and: Yes! It is an Icelandic cover of Vickys song from the 1967 contest in Vienna. The arrangment sounds more like a coverversion of Paul Mauriats instrumental coverversion of the song though. Mauriat was indeed more successfull with the song 1968 then the first recording by Vicky in 1967.

Kristín Ólafsdóttir has a great and very interresting voice by the way. Listen to this four wonderful songs of someone, who could have been a bubblegum superstar in Iceland. I simply don't know, if she has been one. But I somehow felt in love with her. So, Kristín, who are you? Anyone can tell me more about her? Feel free to leave a comment.

Kristín Ólafsdóttir - Komu engin skip í dag
Side A
1. Komu engin skip í dag (Magnús Eiríksson)
2. Flóttamaðurinn (Magnús Eiríksson)
Side B
3. Örlög min (A. P[r]opp - P. Cour - Jóhann Erlingsson)
4. Mamma ætlar að sofna (Sigvaldi Kaldalóns - Davíð Stefánsson)

Söngvakeppni Sjónvarpsstöðva 1987

2009-08-14T19:31:00.002+02:00

LINK: Söngvakeppni Sjónvarpsstöðva 1987

It is quiet a while ago, since I posted something here. I was travelling the last weeks. But of course I brought some of my favourite souvenirs from the trips: Eurovision music! For example this album, which I found in a 2nd hand shop in Akureyri in Northern Iceland. It includes 6 out of 10 songs from the Icelandic national final in 1987 and has been released on label Skífan, which still exists and still runs record stores.

Söngvakeppni Sjónvarpsins is the name of the Icelandic preselection shows. In 1987 Iceland participated for the 2nd time at the Eurovision Song Contest. Icelandic broadcaster RÚV changed the format in 1987. While in 1986 an expert jury voted the songs, eight regional juries gave points one year later.

One of the biggest Icelandic superstars (even nowadays) had no success in 1987. Björgvin Halldórson only came 4th with a duet with Erna Gunnarsdóttir titled Lífsdansinn, his solo song Mín þrá came 5th, the other song Ég leyni minni ást 8th. Björgvin represented Iceland 1995. His arrogant answers are a legend in Iceland. It is told that a taxi driver asked him to pay his bill. Björgvin answered: "Would you charge Elvis?"

But Halla Margrét Árnadóttir was the artist of the night. She triumphed with the song Hægt og hljótt (Smooth and still) and 88 points. Runner-up was Módel with Lífið er lag, Eyjólfur Kristjánsson came 3rd with Norðurljós, a song about one of the numerous natural miracles of that beautiful country: the northern lights. Unfortunately those two songs are not on this mini album. The other songs on this album came 9th (Í blíðu og stríð) and 7th (Sumarást).

The new Söngvakeppni Sjónvarpsins juries didn't help the entry though. Halla Margrét only came 16th at the Eurovision Song Contest 1987 in Brussels.

See this post for the 7" single of Halla Margréts entry in English and Icelandic. The preselection version on this album has a different orchestration.

Söngvakeppni Sjónvarpsstöðva 1987
Hlið 1
1. Halla Margrét Árnadóttir - Hægt og hljótt (Valgeir Guðjónsson)
2. Björgvin Halldórson & Erna Gunnarsdóttir - Lífsdansinn (Geirmundur Valtýsson - Hjálmar Jónsson)
3. Björgvin Halldórson - Ég leyni minni ást (Jóhann G. Jóhannsson)
Hlið 2
4. Jóhann Helgason - Í blíðu og stríðu (Jóhann Helgason)
5. Björgvin Halldórson - Mín þrá (Jóhann G. Jóhannsson)
6. Jóhanna Linnet - Sumarást (Þorgeir Daníel Hjaltason - Iðunn Steinsdóttir)

Unknown Artists - Grand Prix Hits 1982

2009-07-01T22:05:00.002+02:00

LINK: Grand Prix Hits 1982

One of the more weird albums in my collections. Back in the 80's several albums were released in Yugoslavia with all the songs from the Eurovision Song Contest. In this case from 1982. The artists are not mentioned on the album, but it are not the original artists, as you can already hear on the first track Ein bißchen Frieden, which is a pain in the ass, if you listen to this coverversion.

Take this as a trash contribution - and maybe you can enjoy it (but only with a lot of humour though).

Unknown Artists - Grand Prix Hits 1982
Side A
1. Ein bißchen Frieden (Siegel - Meinunger)
2. Hora (Toledano - Tahar-vel - Hiller)
3. Amour on t'aime (Moridod - Alain)
4. Bomb Out (Nuku pomiin) (Pembroke - Leskinen)
5. Here Today, Gone Tomorrow (Keathing)
6. El (Roman - Cepero)
Side B
7. Si tu aimes ma musique (Bekky - Brack - Bobott)
8. Video-Video (Brixtofte)
9. Adieu (Herodes - Falsk - Teigen)
10. Dag efter dag (Holm - Forsberg)
11. Cours après le temps (Assous - Jouveaux)
12. One Step Further (Jeffries)

Carmela Corren - Rendezvous mit Carmela Corren (1963)

2009-06-19T12:52:00.003+02:00

LINK: Carmela Corren - Rendezvous mit Carmela Corren

Carmela Corren, born 1938 in Tel Aviv, represented Austria at the Eurovision Song Contest 1963 in London. She was the first Israeli artist at the festival. The same night a second Israeli artist should represent Switzerland: Esther Ofarim.

Carmela Corren planned a career as dancer, but an injury stopped her doing so on an early stage. She began to sing and joined the Israeli army. American TV producer Ed Sullivan travelled around Israel, when he heared Carmela in 1956 and asked her to come to New York. She joined then the Southafrica tour of Cliff Richard and soon she had own concerts in the United Kingdom. The same time she played in several movies.

1962 Carmela Corren joined the German song festival Deutsche Schlagerfestspiele (which was also the German preselection for the ESC that year, and which was won by Conny Froboess with Zwei kleine Italiener) and had a huge chart success in Germany, Swizterland and Austria with her entry Eine Rose aus Santa Monica.

1963 the ORF asked her to represent Austria. With the German-English bilingual song Vielleicht geschieht ein Wunder she ended on 7th place of 16 entries.

Carmela Corren disappeared soon from show business, some comback album in the 70ies did not have a huge success. She lives in Florida now. Here is a fantastic fan site about Carmela Corren, made by the president of the Austrian OGAE.

This album was released in 10" format. There is no release date mentioned, but it should have been available in the mid-sixties. Enjoy the wonderful voice of this extraordinary singer, including the 1963 entry in the bilingual version.

Rendezvous mit Carmela Corren
Side A
1. In deinen Armen ist die Welt so schön (Charles Nowa - Dieter Rasch)
2. Life Is Worth Living (Schmid - Jay)
3. Besame Mucho (Velazquez - Skaylar)
4. Time For Living - Time For Loving (Vanberg - Jay - Kurt Hertha)
5. Bei mir bist du schön (Sh. Secunda - J. Jacobs)
Side B
6. Vielleicht geschieht ein Wunder (Erwin Halletz - Peter Wehle)
7. Johnny, wenn du Geburtstag hast (Hollaender)
8. Bahia Moon (Charles Nowa - Dieter Rasch - Pober)
9. Les feuilles mortes (Kosma - Jacques Prévert)
10. Irgendwie geht es immer weiter (Jean Gaze - Horst Ackermann - Heinz Alisch)

Grupa Música - A ave e a infância / Lição de solfejo (1977)

2009-06-13T12:53:00.000+02:00

LINK: Grupa Música - A ave e a infância

The Eurovision Song Contest 1977 took place at the Wembley Conference Center in London. The winner was France. Marie Myriam did sing the last song of the show and ended on 1st place with L'oiseau et l'enfant.

Greece was a surprise that year. There first two entries 1974 and 1976 were not a big success. In 1977 they entered the stage with a very poppy tune. Mathema solfege (Μάθημα σολφέζ) by Pascalis, Marianna, Robert & Bessy reached the 5th place.

Grupa Música recorded the two songs in Portuguese and released them on this 7" single.

Side A
A ave e a infância (Jean Paul Cara - Vasco de Lima Couto)
Side B
Lição de solfejo (G. Hadjinassios - M. Mira Gomes)

Incognito - Era (Das heißt: Es war einmal) (1975)

2009-06-11T11:56:00.000+02:00

LINK: Incognito - Era (Das heißt: Es war einmal)

I don't know anything about this group, to be honest. There is nothing mentioned on the sleeve or somewhere else in the web. But that is probably because there is this later and famous band from the UK, also named Incognito, who had hits in the nineties (Always There, Don't Yopu Worry 'Bout A Thing). Well this Incognito has nothing to do with the groovy band, as they are from Germany.

The Italian entry from 1975 was actually very groovy and it is still one of my all time favourites. This German version wes released with a song titled Ein paar Steine on the B-side. Era was performed by Wess & Dori Ghezzi in Stockholm. It came on 3rd place with 115 points, but received only one 12 pointer from Finland.

Incognito - Era (Das heißt: Es war einmal)
Side A
Era (Das heißt: Es war einmal) (Lo Vecchio - Shapiro - Hastings)
Side B
Ein paar Steine (Peters - Wolfgang)

Anonyme Plattendreher - Er gehört zu mir (1975 / 2002)

2009-06-10T20:12:00.003+02:00

LINK: Anonyme Plattendreher - Er gehört zu mir

If you listen to this dancefloor coverversion of Er gehört zu mir, you would think it is from the mid-90's. But it has been released 2002, so this techno sound was already quiet retro those days.

This coverversion will be the last one in this little Er gehört zu mir special. I hoped you liked it. Unfortunately no single person writes anything in here or gives you feedback, which is really a pain, if you do a blog like this.

Anonyme Plattendreher - Er gehört zu mir
1. Er gehört zu mir ('No Voice' Single Edit)
2. Er gehört zu mir (Full Vocal Radio Edit)
3. Er gehört zu mir ('No Voice' Club Mix)
4. Er gehört zu mir (Full Vocal Club Mix)
5. Er gehört zu mir ('No Choice' Radio Edit)
6. Er gehört zu mir ('No Choice' Club Mix)

Pee Gee - Er gehört zu mir

2009-06-06T11:02:00.003+02:00

LINK: Pee Gee - Er gehört zu mir

Another coverversion of Er gehört zu mir: Pee Gee recorded this 7" and 12" version 1994, when techno music was still something quiet new and very popular in Germany. I don't know anything about the formation Pee Gee, but in the 90's numerous anonymous DJs recorded music for so called raves, as techno parties were named in those years.

Pee Gee - Er gehört zu mir
1. Er gehört zu mir (7" Mix) (Joachim Heider - Christian Heilburg)
2. Er gehört zu mir (12" Mix) (Joachim Heider - Christian Heilburg)
3. Kenn ju fiel it (P. Gräber - H. Tielmann)

2Hi! - Er gehört zu mir!

2009-06-05T22:39:00.004+02:00

LINK: 2Hi! - Er gehört zu mir!

I can't tell you a lot about the German Hip Hop group 2Hi!, even if I would like to. In 1998 they covered Er gehört zu mir and released the song in a radio edit and a remix. The second song is titled Drin und dabei, released in two versions. If you know anything abouth 2Hi! feel free to add information in the comment area. It isn't a brilliant coverversion though. So be prepared. But interresting to listen to, what people made out of this all time German classic, that failed in the 1975 preselection.

2Hi! - Er gehört zu mir!
1. Er gehört zu mir! (Radio Version) (Joachim Heider - Christian Heilburg - S.I. Lence - B.K. Taex)
2. Er gehört zu mir! (Remix) (Joachim Heider - Christian Heilburg - S.I. Lence - B.K. Taex)
3. Drin und dabei (Radio Edit) (S.I. Lence - B.K. Taex)
4. Drin und dabei (Maxin' Relaxin' Mix) (S.I. Lence - B.K. Taex)

Marianne Rosenberg - Er gehört zu mir Remake '88 (1975 / 1988)

2009-06-03T09:32:00.005+02:00

LINK: Marianne Rosenberg - Er gehört zu mir Remake '88

In 1988 Marianne Rosenberg recorded this remake of her entry Er gehört zu mir from the German 1975 preselection. The late eighties marked a big chance in the career of Marianne Rosenberg, but let's have a look at her story:

Marianne Rosenberg was born 1955 in Berlin. Her parents had seven children and were survivors of Auschwitz. Otto Rosenberg, her father, was chairman of the board of the Berlin Roma & Sinti group. When Marianne was 14 she recorded her first 7" single Mr. Paul McCartney and was soon followed by numerous hits like Fremder Mann, Ich bin wie du or Marleen.

She really wanted to represent Germany at the Eurovision Song Contest, but failed every time. 1975 she tried it with Er gehört zu mir, but only came 10th. 1976 she tried it in Luxembourg with Tout peut arriver au cinéma, but lost against Jürgen Marcus. 1978 she participated again in the German preselection, which was broadcasted on radio, with Nein, weinen werd' ich nicht and came 7th. In the eighties it didn't get better: 1980 she ended on 12th place with Ich werd' da sein, wenn es Sturm gibt, 1982 she came 8th with Blue Jeans Kinder. Maybe Germany should still try it with her: Why not Marianne Rosenberg for Germany 2010?

In the eighties she changed her style completely. With the new wave punk band Extrabreit she recorded several songs. She became more punky, alternative, different. In the late 80's this remake of her smash hit Er gehört zu mir was done and was released on CD single. Then something surprising happened: Her mixture of extravagance, glamour and Schlager led to a new role, which she didn't feel comfortable with in the first years: she became a huge gay icon.

In the 90's she recorded several albums, including Luna, which contained self composed songs. In 2004 she re-recorded old hits in new design (see previous post, which was part of this project). Kokolores is the title of her autobiography, which was issued 2006. Now she tries it with jazz. Her latest album is titled I'm A Woman, and is a wonderful mixture of chansons and jazz.

Marianne Rosenberg - Er gehört zu mir Remake '88
1. Er gehört zu mir (Remake '88 Dance Mix 127bpm) (Joachim Heider - Christian Heilburg)
2. Für immer wie heute (Joachim Heider - Christian Heilburg)
3. Für immer wie heute (Instrumental) (Joachim Heider - Christian Heilburg)

Marianne Rosenberg - Er gehört zu mir (1975 / 2004)

2009-06-01T16:08:00.003+02:00

LINK: Marianne Rosenberg - Er gehört zu mir (2004)

It is still a riddle, how the song Er gehört zu mir by Marianne Rosenberg only came 10th in the German preselection of 1975. At least it climbed to number 7 in the German charts the same year, but the song isn't forgotten. It's still a huge hit in the German speaking countries and can't be missed on gay parties. So I thought june is the month of gay parades around the world, so this song can be used quiet well. :-)

Marianne Rosenberg released these five new remixes of her smash hit in 2004 on 12" vinyl, before she started a tour through Germany. It was recorded in the studio of Mousse T.

Marianne Rosenberg - Er gehört zu mir (2004) (Joachim Heider - Christian Heilburg)
Side A
1. Er gehört zu mir (Tom Novy's passt in jedem Club Mix)
2. Er gehört zu mir (Tom Novy's Anarchie Mix)
Side B
3. Er gehört zu mir (Schiller Remix)
4. Er gehört zu mir (DJ Strobe's USRemix)
5. Er gehört zu mir (Extended Version)

Tommy Amper - Vor Engeln wird gewarnt (1983)

2009-05-23T10:58:00.000+02:00

LINK: Tommy Amper - Vor Engeln wird gewarnt

In 1983 the successfull composer Jean Frankfurter and songwriter Robert Jung entered the German preslection with a young singer named Tommy Amper. He was born 1962 in Munich and finished his musical school in 1982. In that year he had already 10 years of experience. His first album was recorded 1972, when he was 10 years old and he recorded several songs for the czech TV show Pan Tau, which was very succcessfull in Germany in the seventies. His father is composer Quirin Amper, his mother singer Helga Reichel.

He joined numerous successfull German and international acts, from Giorgio Moroder to Spider Murphy Gang, from Juliane Werding to Jürgen Drews. The last years he dubbed German voices in TV shows, such as Hercules, Xena and South Park.

Vor Engeln wird gewarnt wasn't a success though. It failed to enter the final of the German preselection of 1983, which was won by Hoffmann & Hoffmann with the song Rücksicht. The B-side of the single was co-composed by Michael Cretu, born Romanian with huge success in Germany in the eighties (Sandra, Enigma, etc.)

Side A
Vor Engeln wird gewarnt (Jean Frankfurter - Robert Jung)
Side B
Verlier' die Hoffnung nicht (Harald Steinhauer - Michael Cretu - Helmut Frey)

Urban Symphony - Rändajad (2009)

2009-05-21T13:28:00.004+02:00

LINK: Urban Symphony - Rändajad

I don't know how you are one week later, but I am still under deep impression about the Eurovision Song Contest 2009. The split televote/jury system worked very well. The presenters were good (well, forget the semi finals in this case) and the most impressive interval act since Riverdance. Time to upload something from this year, right?

When I first heard the Estonian entry around march this year, I simply thought "Nice." But as more I was listening to the song, as more I felt in love with it. When Urban Symphony entered the stage at the semi finals I knew for sure: This is a good one (even if it was not my top favorite, because even me couldn't resist to the charme of Alexander Rybak and the impressive voice of Patricia Kaas).

An even bigger surprise for me is the composer. Sven Lõhmus had already once a song in the competition. 2005 he composed Let's Get Loud performed by Suntribe. He failed to reach the final with his boring song. So it was a big surprise to me that he composed the 2009 entry Rändajad, which sounds so different.

The title Rändajad means Nomads. Lead singer Sandra Nurmsalu had a very magic stage presence. Only a little change in her eyes made the song so interresting. Rändajad ended on position 6 and received 12 points from Finland and Slovakia in the Grand Final.

Urban Symphony - Rändajad (Sven Lõhmus - Sven Lõhmus)
1. Rändajad (Radio Version)
2. Rändajad (Lazy Drumbeat Mix)

Mess - Mess (1982)

2009-05-01T18:26:00.003+02:00

LINK: Mess - Mess

Austrian preselection 1982 had twelve entries. Three of them were performed by two artists: Fritz, born 1957 in Vienna, performed Träumen (featured in this post) and Lizzy Engstler, born 1960 in Villach, perfomed the song Du. The two singers did not win with their solo entries, but Fritz and Lizzy also formed the duo Mess. With Sonntag they won the preselection.Sonntag climbed to position 1 in the Austrian charts on may 1st 1982 and could hold the leading position another week. The next number one in the charts was the ESC winner Nicole with Ein bißchen Frieden.

In Harrogate, UK, the song reached position 9 at the Eurovision Song Contest, receiving a 10 pointer from the United Kingdom. For both artists the ESC played an important role.

Lizzy Engstler - meanwhile Elisabeth Engstler - stopped to study medicine at the university after her performance at the ESC and learned dancing and singing at the Konservatorium of the city of Vienna, which she finished 1986. She had success on stage at several occasions, including on stage of the renowned Burgtheater and the famous festival Wiener Festwochen.

1986 she started another career as TV presenter for the ORF, which she is still doing. She still is very active in Austria and won an award as most popular TV presenter in 2005, wrote a cook book and released several CDs. In 2008 she participated at the ORF show Dancing Stars (Strictly Come Dancing) and reached the final show but lost against Dorian Steidl, who represented Austria at the Eurovision Dance Contest the same year.

Fritz, who's real name is Michael Scheickl, was married with Lizzy Engstler in the Eighties. Meanwhile he changed his name to Mosaro. He does a bit esoteric chansons and instrumentals these days. You can listen to his music on his website.

1982 Mess released their only self titled album and it includes their entry Sonntag. Liebe ist auch im Schlafwagen schön is a coverversion of L'amour en wagon-lit, originally released by Michel Delpech back in 1972.

Side A
1. Dreimal täglich (M. Mell - P. A. Moser)
2. Träumen von Olivenbäumen (M. Mell - H. G. Hausner)
3. Liebe ist auch im Schlafwagen schön (M. Delpech - Y. Dessca - D. Despax - J. Relin)
4. Flamingo (M. Mell - J. Relin)
5. Do-Re-Mi-Fa-So oder so (M. Mell - R. Spreitzer)
Side B
6. Sonntag (M. Mell - R. Leve)
7. Romeo, Julia und wir (M. Mell - J. Relin)
8. Ding Dong (M. Mell - R. Leve)
9. Wie, Wann, Wo? (M. Mell - H. G. Hausner)
10. Aber am Abend (M. Mell - J. Balke jun.)

Silje Vige - Alle mine tankar (1993 / 1994)

2009-04-13T21:53:00.000+02:00

LINK: Silje Vige - Alle mine tankar

Silje Vige was born 1976 in Jørpeland, close to Stavanger, Norway. She was only 16 when she entered the stage of the Eurovision Song Contest 1993 in Millstreet, Ireland. Her father Bjørn Vige composed and wrote the ESC entry Alle mine tankar and it became one of the big surprised of the evening. The wonderful ballad received 3 times a 12 pointer (from Greece, Finland and Croatia) and ended on 5th position and 120 points.

A year after the contest she and her father recorded the album Alle mine tankar. Since then it's very quiet. She works at a culture school (Strand Kulturskole) as music teacher. She tried a comeback with the band Stonefish Brigade.

Silje Vige - Alle mine tankar
(all songs written and composed by Bjørn Vige)
1. Ut av mitt liv
2. Adle é aleina
3. Et eller aent sted derute
4. Vi vil vite
5. Før meg tebage...
6. De små, rare mennesker
7. Siste skoledag
8. Så still det er blitt i vårt hus
9. Brudd
10. Tenk du på meg
11. Dagdrøm
12. Leraren
13. Vibeke
14. Guden som forsvant
15. Jeg vet en hvile
16. Alle mine tanker

Pesma Evrovizije 1981-2006

2009-04-11T10:56:00.007+02:00

LINK: Pesma Evrovizije 1981 - 2006

This album brings us the Yugoslav history at the Eurovision Song Contest from 1981 to 2006. And talking about the history of Yugoslavia means of course wonderful music, but also war and the end of a country.

The Yugoslav history at the ESC started actually in 1961. Yugoslavia had then a break from the ESC between 1977 and 1980. In 1981 Yugoslavia had a comeback, and that's the year this album starts: Seid-Memić Vajta from Bosnia singing Leijla. The last entry of the united country was in 1991 when Bebi Dol performed Brazil. 1992 Extra Nena still represented a country called Yugoslavia, but in fact it was Serbia & Montenegro, which would come back to the ESC under this name 2004. This happened again 2005. 2006 the two countries split in two independent states. Yugoslavia could win the contest only one time in 1989 with one of their worse entries actually: Riva with Rock Me.

You will find also some songs from Yugoslav preselections in the bonus part of the album. A lot of songs are titled different on this album, then on the original recordings. I kept the titles from the album to irritate you a little. ;-)

Pesma Evrovizije 1981-2006
1. Seid Memić-Vajta - Lejla (1981) (Ranko Boban - Ranko Boban)
2. Aska - Halo (1982) (Sanja Ilić - Miro Zee)
3. Danijel - Džuli (1983) (D. Popović - M. Mihaljević)
4. Ida i Vlado - Ćao amore (1984) (S. Bučevac - M. Perić)
5. Doris Dragović - Željo moja (1986) (Z. Tutić - T. Tutić)
6. Novi Fosili - Ja sam za ples (1987) (R. Dujmić - S. Cvikić)
7. Srebrna Krila - Mangup (1988) (R. Dujmić - S. Cvikić - R. Dujmić)
8. Riva - Rock me, baby (1989) (R. Dujmić - S. Cvikić)
9. Tajči - Hajde da ludujemo (1990) (Z. Tutić - A. Vujica - Z. Tutić)
10. Bebi Dol - Brazil (1991) (Z. Vračević - B. Dol)
11. Ekstra Nena - Ljubim te pesmana (1992) (R. Radivojević - G. Janković)
12. Željko Joksimović - Lane moje (2004) (Ž. Joksimović - L. Vukomanović)
13. No Name - Zauvijek moja (2005) (S. Knezović - M Perić)
Bonus Tracks
14. Mira Beširević - Ne idi zlato moje (1986) (R. Radivojević - R. Radivojević)
15. Bebi Dol - Rudi (1983) (B. Dol - B. Dol)
16. Lepa Brena & Slatki Greh -Sitnije Cile, sitnije (1983) (K. Kovač - M. Tucaković)
17. Slađana & Dado - Princeza (1984) (S. Ilić - D. Topić)
18. Josipa Lisac - Gdje Dunav ljubi nebo (1987) (K. Klemenčić - A. Vuica)
19. Viktorija - Rat i mir (1990) (B. Jelić - M. Tucaković)
20. Flamingosi feat. Louis - Ludi letnji ples (2006) (G. Tanković/O. Amidžić - O. Amidžić/M. Kon)

Luciano Tajoli - El Gran Tayoli - Sanremo 1961 (EP)

2009-04-10T09:33:00.000+02:00

LINK: Luciano Tajoli - El Gran Tayoli - Sanremo 1961 (EP)

Luciano Tajoli was born 1920 in Milan and died 1996 in Merate near Milan (I know that village, I've been there). He started his career in the fourties and fifties, singing mostly on radio. In the sixties he was asked to sing at the Sanremo Festival. The song Al di là was sung by Betty Curtis and Luciano Tajoli in 1961 at Sanremo and the song won. It was send to the ESC that year, but it was Betty Curtis, who should get the possibility to sing for an European audience.

Tajoli should sing five other songs in Sanremo (two songs 1962, two songs 1963 and one song 1970). He had several hit singles in Italy, but couldn't start an international career.

Side A
1. Al di là (Mogol Donida)
2. Non mi dire chi sei (Calabrese - Bindi)
Side B
3. Un uomo vivo (Paoli)
4. Carolina dai (Panzeri - Pace)

José Guardiola - Exodus EP (Nous les amoureux 1961)

2009-04-08T08:51:00.002+02:00

LINK: José Guardiola - Exodus EP

José Guardiola is known as contestant from 1963. 2 years before the famous Spanish singer released this EP with 4 songs. Exodus is known by Pat Boone, recorded for the soundtrack for the same titled movie. Rockin' Little Angels is known from blues god Jimmy Rogers. Oro negro was composed by Jorde Domingo.

For ESC fans the Spanish coverversion of Nous les amoureux is of course the more interresting song. The version by Guardiola sounds quiet different then the French original for Luxembourg, which won the Eurovision Song Contest that year. It was arranged on this EP with more power, but probably less charme. But judge yourself.

Side A
1. Exodo (Exodus) (Pat Boone - Ernest Gold - C. Mapel)
2. Rock entre nubes (Rockin' Little Angel) (Jimmy Rogers)
Side B
3. Sol de nuestro amor (Nous les amoureux) (Maurice Vidalin - Jacques Datin)
4. Oro negro (Jorge Domingo)

The Pre-Eurovision Contest 1981 (Israel)

2009-04-06T10:18:00.004+02:00

LINK: The Pre-Eurovision Contest 1981

LINK: The Pre-Eurovision Contest 1981 (Bonus)

The Israeli Preselection was released on an album, which is featured in this post. Hakol Over Habibi with lead singer Shlomit Aharon won the show with the song Ha'layla or Layla, as it is titled on many albums. The song is translated into Tonight. The song is about ultimate intimacy, about unsaid things, which happens in the night. It ended on 7th place in 1981.

Hakol Over Habibi were asked already back in 1978 to represent Israel with a song called Hallelujah, but they turned it down. The song was performed one year later by Gali Atari and Milk & Honey at the ESC and you know the rest... There is still a radio rip available of the song performed by Habibi. You can download it here (scroll down).

There were other big names on the Israeli preselection 1981. Milk & Honey, who won the contest 1979, failed with the song Serenade, which only came 4th. Avi Toledano came 3rd this year. He should represent Israel one year later with Hora. Another name you will find is Shuki or Shooki Levy. He was already featured in this post. He composed the winning song and Mona Lisa.

Two songs from the show were not released on this album:

Runner-up Sexta with Cinderella is uploaded seperately in the bonus file. There you also find Yigal Bashans song Ten li hayom haze, which came 5th that night.

The Pre-Eurovision Contest 1981
Side A
1. Hakol Over Habibi הכל עובר חביבי Ha'layla הלילה (Tonight) (Shlomit & Youval Dor - Shooki Levy - Shooki Levy)
2. Shlomo Gronich & Dafna Amron שלמה גרוניך ודפנה ארמוני - Kaleidoscope קליידוסקופ (Nirit Gronich - Shlomo Gronich - Shlomo Gronich)
3. Miri Aloni מירי אלוני Haitz חיץ Partition) (Michael Heinberg - Michael Heinberg - David Krivoshei)
4. Gary Eckstein גרי אקרשטיין - Aya ve Dan איה ודן (Aya And Dan) (Ehud Nanor - Gary Eckstein - Moshe Levy - Gary Eckstein - Moshe Levy)
5. Mike Burstyn מייק בורשטיין - Sviv ko ha'olam תן לי (Around The World) (Eliuz Rabin - Roni Weiss - Roni Weiss)
Side B
6. Milk & Honey 'חלב ודבש' עם לאה לופטין - Serenade סרנדה (Shimrit Or - Koby Oshrat - Koby Oshrat)
7. Avi Toledano אבי טולדנו - Carnaval קרנבל (Shimrit Or - Avi Toledano - Nancy Brandes)
8. Irit Bulka עירית בולקא - Mona Lisa מונה ליזה (Yoel Rippel - Shooki Levy - Shooki Levy)
9. Eitan Massouri איתן מסורי - Etmol אתמול (Yesterday) (Smadar Shir - Eitan Massouri - Eitan Massouri)
10. Hedva Amrani חדווה עמרני - Bo elai בוא אליי (Come To Me) (Yair Klinger - Yair Klinger - Yair Klinger/Eldad Shrem)
Bonus:
1. Sexta סקסטה - Cinderella סינדרלה
2. Yigal Bashan מייק בורשטיין - Ten li hayom haze סביב כל העולם

Marisol - Music Ages (1961 / 2007)

2009-03-21T21:10:00.006+01:00

LINK: Marisol - Music Ages

Sorry for the long break of uploads. The reason was a nice one: I have been in Spain and of course I came back with some music. I did not only bought the Soraya album with this years Spanish entry, but could also get a hand on some nice rarities and unknown stuff yet. For example this one.

Spanish label Vinyl Sound, a name which give you a good idea of what they are doing, re-released EPs of famous Spanish singers on CD. Marisol was artist number 1. This CD has been released 2007.

Marisol was a famous child star in Spain and her career tells us a lot about what happens, when you become famous as a kid.

She was born 1948 in Málaga. Already in early ages she had great interest in flamenco dancing and singing, so soon enough she performed in local choirs and dancing groups. In 1959 Manuel Goyanes saw the little girl performing on TV and offered her (or her parents?) the first movie role. Her next movies with director Luis Lucia made her a star: Un rayo del luz, Ha llegado un ángel and Tómbola. For the movie Ha llegado un ángel she recorded her version of the Spanish Eurovision entry of 1961 Estando contigo - and her version should become much more popular in Spain then Conchita Bautistas original recording.

In the late sixties and early seventies Marisol wasn't a teenager anymore, but a georgeous young lady. She did some more movies and staged on several theatre shows, but it wasn't the success as in the begin of her career. In the eighties she had a fulminant comeback in movies of Carlos Saura (Bodas de sangre 1981 and Carmen 1983). But since then she lives in Málaga and decided not to have any public activity and dedicated her life to her family. I hope she enjoys herself now.

Look also at this Eurocovers post "The Kids Are Alright".

1. Estando contigo (A. Guijarro - A. Algueró)

2. Tómbola (A. Guijarro - A. Algueró)

3. Ola, Ola, Ola (Gasa - Guardia - Algueró)

4. Chiquitita (A. Guijarro - A. Algueró)

5. Adiós al colegio (Hermanos García Segura)

6. Corre, corre caballito (Hermanos García Segura)

7. Con los ojos abiertos (A. Guijarro - A. Algueró)

8. Nana italiana (Hermanos García Segura)

9. Una nueva melodía (A. Guijarro - A. Algueró)

10. Dos estrellas (Hermanos García Segura)

11. Mi pequeña estrella (A. Guijarro - A. Algueró)

12. Typical Spanish (A. Guijarro - A. Algueró)

13. Rumbita (Popular)14. Bulería (Popular)

15. Suenan las campanas por la madrugá (Popular)

16. Jotas (Popular)

Rex Gildo - Küsse von dir (1976)

2009-03-06T16:11:00.000+01:00

LINK: Rex Gildo - Küsse von dir

Rex Gildo covers the winning UK song from 1976 Save Your Kisses For Me in German.

16 years before this 7" he tried to represent Germany at the Eurovision Song Contest. At the preselection he performed with Angèle Durand Abitur der Liebe. 1969 he tried it again with 3 songs in the German preselection. Die beste Idee meines Lebens came 3rd. The other two songs Lady Julia and Festival der junge Liebe didn't make it to the round of the top 3 songs.

Rex Gildo was born 1936 in Straubing as Ludwig Franz Hirtreiter. As boy he was member of the boy chorus Regensburger Domspatzen. Later he was at the Otto Falckenberg school and learned acting, singing and dancing. There he strated to use the name Alexander Gildo.

His first success were the movies Immer wenn der Tag beginnt and on the side of Conny Froboess in Hula-Hopp, Conny. With Gitte Hænning he formed the duo Gitte & Rex. At this time he had bis biggest chart success as a singer, but still played in several movies. The 70's he had big smash hits in the German charts as solo singer, the most known probbaly is Fiesta Mexicana. In the 80's and 90's he tried several comebacks, but couldn't chart his songs anymore.

1974 Rex Gildo married his cousin Marion Hirtreiter, but it was already repored those days, that the was gay and had a male partner.

His last performance was 1999 in front of 3000 people at a furniture shop in Munich. The same day he felt out of the window of his bathroom. It's unkown until today, if it has been a suicide or if it has been an accident by an artist under heavy influence of alcohol and drugs. A tragic end of a once famous Schlager singer from Germany.

Side A
Küsse von dir (Save Your Kisses For Me) (Sheriden - Lee - Hiller - Behrle)
Side B
Hab' ich dich nur geträumt? (Moslener - Dostal)

Udo Jürgens - Amiga Quartett EP (1966 / 1981)

2009-03-01T13:33:00.000+01:00

LINK: Udo Jürgens - Amiga Quartett

The final Merci Chérie for a while! Amiga was the record company in East Germany. They released a lot of EPs, titles Amiga Quartett. In 1981 they released an EP with songs by Udo Jürgens, including the later version of Merci Chérie. The other three songs were huge hits in Austria, Germany and Switzerland as well.

Side A
1. Mit 66 Jahren (Udo Jürgens - Wolfgang Hofer)
2. Ich schrieb nie ein Lief für Karin (Udo Jürgens - Wolfgang Hofer)
Side B
3. Aber bitte mit Sahne(Udo Jürgens - E. Hachfeld - W. Spahr)
4. Merci Chérie (Udo Jürgens - Thomas Hörbiger)

Udo Jürgens - Merci chérie (chante en français, 1966)

2009-02-27T20:21:00.000+01:00

LINK: Udo Jürgens - Merci chérie, chante en français

Enough Merci Chérie? Well, since so many people mailed me, because they finally could listen to the Japanese and the original 1966 English version, I celebrate a bit more... This time with the French version. The vinyl is in bad condition at the end, sorry.

Side A
1. Merci chérie (U. Jürgens - T. Hörbiger - A. Salvat - C. Carrère)
2. Ça ne vaut pas l'amour (Das ist nicht gut für mich) (U. Jürgens - F. Bohlen - G. de Vilmorin)
Side B
3. Je t'attends à Vienne (So wie eine Rose) (U. Jürgens - C. U. Blecher - R. Gall)
4. Si (Siebzehn Jahr, blondes Haar) (U. Jürgens - T. Hörbiger - J. Chaumelle)

Udo Jürgens - Merci Chérie (1966)

2009-02-26T19:16:00.000+01:00

LINK: Udo Jürgens - Merci Chérie

Maybe it is time to make the original German version available. :-) Here is Merci Chérie by Udo Jürgens, winning song of the 1966 contest.

Side A
Merci Chérie (Jürgens - Jürgens - Hörbiger)
Side B
Das ist nicht gut für mich (Jürgens - Bohlen)

Ernie Englund - Merci Chérie (1966)

2009-02-22T11:13:00.000+01:00

LINK: Ernie Englund - Merci Chérie

An instrumenal Merci Chérie from Sweden. Ernie Englund played trumpet and recorded several international hits with orchestra in the 1960's. He was born 1928 in Chicago, came to Sweden 1944 and died there 2002.

Valldemosa on the B-side is a music piece Spanish style titled after the village on Mallorca.

Side A
Merci Chérie (U. Jürgens - T. Hörbiger)
Side B
Valldemosa (Frogman - G. Vein)

Ken Venturi - Merci chérie (1966)

2009-02-18T20:09:00.000+01:00

LINK: Ken Venturi - Merci chérie

Let's continue our Merci Chérie tour, a little spotlight on Austrias winning song from 1966 for the next days. I still celebrate a bit the found of the Japanese version recently.

Ken Venturi recorded a coverversion of Merci Chérie in French. The other songs are coverversions as well: Blue boléro is a song from 1965 and was recorded by Tony Osborne and his orchestra. Un giorno in più was recorded 1965 in Italy by Edoardo Vianello. I couldn't find out yet, who recorded the orignal version of Bread And Wine. If you know, let me know.

Side A
1. Merci, chérie (Udo Jürgens - Thomas Hörbiger - André Salvat - Claude Carrère)
2. On ne peut jamais savoir (Blue boléro) (T. Osborne - F. Gérald)
Side B
3. Lydia (Un giorno in più) (E. Vianello - Mogol - Ralph Bernet)
4. J'ai peur (Bread And Wine) (Jack Hammer - Ralph Bernet)

Ronnie Tober - Merci chérie / Een hart is geen hart (1966)

2009-02-16T20:08:00.002+01:00

LINK: Ronnie Tober - Merci chérie

I was not sure, if I should upload this one, as the vinyl is in extreme poor quality. On the other hand, it gives the opportunity to listen to two Dutch Eurovision covers. So I decided to upload it. But be warned: I cleaned the vinyl several times, but what you hear is all I could do. The vinyl is simply destroyed. So if you are fancy on clear sound: Don't waste your time with this one.

Ronnie Tober, who represented the Netherlands at the Eurovision Song Contest 1968 with Morgen, recorded the Austrian winner Merci chérie and the British entry A Man Without Love, sung in Dutch.

Side A
Merci chérie (Nederlandse versie) (U. Jürgens - Th. Hörbiger - R. Pedde)
Side B
Een hart is geen hart (A Man Without Love) (C. Ornadel - P. Callander - L. Post)

Jostein Hasselgård - I'm Not Afraid To Move On (Promo, 2003)

2009-02-16T19:18:00.001+01:00

Jostein Hasselgård - I'm Not Afraid To Move On (Promo)

Someone asked me for this song. So here is the promo with the Norwegian entry from the Eurovision Song Contest 2003.

Kindergarten teacher Jostein Hasselgård from Fredrikstad in Norway came 4th with this ballade, receiving the top score from Iceland, Ireland and Sweden.

Jostein Hasselgård - I'm Not Afraid To Move On (Furset - Strøm)

Isabelle Aubret - La source (LP, 1968)

2009-02-04T19:57:00.000+01:00

LINK: Isabelle Aubret - La source

I wrote already about Isabelle Aubret in this post, featuring her first recording ever. She won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1962 with Un premier amour. Six years later she came 3rd with La source, a song that gave her a comeback that year.

Isabelle recorded an LP, titled after the ESC entry La source, which is featured here and which I found a few weeks ago for 50 Eurocent (what a shame!). It is very sweet. You'll like it.

Isabelle Aubret - La source
Orchestre sous la direction musicale de François Rauber; 1, 3: d'Alain Gorague
Side A
1. La source (Daniel Fauré - Henri Djian - Guy Bonnet)
2. Le malheur d'aimer (Jean Ferrat - Louis Aragon)
3. Vivre (Jacques Debronckart)
4. C'est toujours la première fois (Jean Ferrat)
5. Notre chambre (Jacques Debronckart)
6. La chanson tendre (Jacques Debronckart)
Side B
7. Pleur' pas Stéphanie (Marc Heyral - Roger Varnay)
8. C'est toi que je t'attendais (François Rauber - Christian Arabian)
9. La rose fanée (François Rauber - André Maria Renard)
10. Le bonheur (Jean Ferrat - Michelle Senlis - Claude Delécluse)
11. L'âge tendre (Michelle Senlis - Claude Delécluse - Serge Sentis)
12. Elle avait mon âge (Jean Ferrat - Michelle Senlis)

Ruslana Руслана - Club'in (2004 / 2005)

2009-02-01T15:27:00.001+01:00

LINK: Ruslana - Club'in

2004 was a fantastic Eurovision year. Ukraine, Turkey, Serbia & Montenegro, Cyprus and many more great songs participated that year in Istanbul. It was the Ukraine, that won the contest with their 2nd participation.

2004 was the year of Ruslana Lyzhichko. She won the ESC and became a central figure in the Orange Revolution in her home country.

Wild Dances is in fact an interresting piece of music. Ruslana, who composes, writes and sings, used folk elements of the quiet unknown ethnic group of the Hutsuls in her song. The Hutsuls are Ukrainian highlanders and do live in the Ukrainian Carpathian mountains and in the north of Romania. Even in Poland and Slovakia are places with Hutsuls. The Hutsul language is sometimes considered as an Ukrainian dialect with Polish and Romanian elements. The last years efforts were done, to keep the nearly extincted language alive.

Ruslana is still very active. After winning the Eurovision Song Contest she started the huge art project Wild Energy with music, literature, dance and videos.

This album was released a year after the victory at the Eurovision Song Contest and contains twelve remixes. Wild Dances is remixed two times: The DJ Small & LV Club Mix and the Austrian C.V.T. vs DJ Nick 2005 Club Edit.

Ruslana - Club'in
1. Wild Passion (DJ Small & LV Club Mix) (M. Mike - R. Rom)
2. Dance With The Wolves (Harem Disco Mix) (Turkey) (Ruslana - R. Rom - M. Mike)
3. Hey, Go With Me (DJ Small & LV Club Mix) (Ruslana - Olexander Ksenofontov)
4. Play, Musician (Treat Brothers Happy Dub) (Ruslana - Olexander Ksenofontov)
5. Wind Song (Michael Nekrasov Zebra Mix) (Ruslana - Olexander Ksenofontov)
6. Wild Dances (DJ Small & LV Club Mix) (Ruslana - Jamie Maher - Fayney - Sherena Dugani)
7. The Same Star (Treat Brothers Re-Pop) (Ruslana - Olexander Ksenofontov - S. Balsamo - R. Rom - M. Mike)
8. The Tango We Used To Dance (DJ Small & LV Club Mix) (Ruslana - R. Rom - M. Mike)
9. Dance With The Wolves (Treat Brothers Remix) (Ruslana - R. Rom - M. Mike)
10. The Same Star (DJ Zebra & Sergei Repin Fusion House Remix) (Ruslana - Olexander Ksenofontov - S. Balsamo - R. Rom - M. Mike)
11. Wind Song (DJ Small & LV Club Mix) (Ruslana - Olexander Ksenofontov)
12. Wild Dances (C.Y.T. vs DJ Nick 2005 Club Edit) (Austria) (Ruslana - Jamie Maher - Fayney - Sherena Dugani)

Gottlieb Wendehals - Der Ohrwurm (1982)

2009-01-30T14:15:00.008+01:00

LINK: Gottlieb Wendehals - Der Ohrwurm

One of the most heard things about Eurovision nowadays (from critics, who don't like the contest mostly) is about comedy acts. But comedy acts are not new in ESC history. The first appearance of comedy was 1966 Milly Scott from the Netherlands with Fernando en Filippo (YouTube video - she was also the first black artist in Eurovision history). Later we know good and bad comedy acts like Alfred Poier, Verka Serduchka or Dustin the Turkey.

In 1982 a German comedian tried to represent his country and performed Der Ohrwurm at the national final, which was won by Nicoles/Ralph Siegels Ein bißchen Frieden. At this event he also met his wife (from 1981 to 1989) Mary Roos, who performed for Germany twice at the ESC.

Gottlieb Wendehals was an art figure of musician Werner Böhm. He created Wendehals 1979 and he was very popular with his East-Frisian accent. His song Herbert reached the top 10 of the German charts in 1980, Polonäse Blankenese was a number one hit for 9 weeks in 1982. The song became also a hit by Frank Zander aka Frank Sonnenschein.

This decade Werner Böhm tried his comeback with appearances on TV shows. 2004 he joined the German version of the RTL show I'm a Celebrity - Get Me Out of Here! In 2005 he spend some time in the Big Brother house. He became known as the guy, who drinks a lot of alcohol there.

2008 he was 2nd candidate for the far-right party Zentrumspartei for the local parliament (Bürgerschaft) in Hamburg. The party had 0,1 % of the votes at the end of the elections.

This song was a request by lovely Kiki from Hamburg. Happy to help you.

Side A
Der Ohrwurm (Wolf - Berg - Pohlmann)
Side B
Mach' dir nix draus (Böhm - Thorn)

Rosy Singers - Oh, ich will betteln, ich will stehen (1972)

2009-01-29T19:19:00.001+01:00

LINK: Rosy Singers - Oh, ich will betteln, ich will stehlen

I would like to tell you more about the German vocal group Rosy Singers, but I simply have no idea, where they came from and who they were. So, if you know anything about them, feel free to comment here. All I know is, that they released quiet a lot of albums and singles. But surprisingly enough I couldn't find anything in the internet about them.

On this 7" are two coverversions of songs of The New Seekers. They represented the United Kingdom at the 1972 contest with Beg, Steal Or Borrow, which came 2nd (of course, it's the UK) in Edinburgh.

The UK final was hosted by Cliff Richard. The New Seekers performed six songs. One of them was titles Ony By One, which is covered here in German as Mehr und mehr. The New Seekers recorded themselve the entry Oh, ich will betteln, ich will stehlen in German.

Side A
Rosy Singers - Oh, ich will betteln, ich will stehlen (Beg, Steal Or Borrow) (Cole - Wolfe - Hall - Liliberti)
Side B
Rosy Singers - Mehr und mehr (One By One) (Leader - Seago - Lilibert)

Céline Dion - Hand in Hand (1988)

2009-01-25T19:42:00.002+01:00

LINK: Céline Dion - Hand in Hand

What can I tell you about Canadian singer Céline Dion, what isn't already told? Gigliola Cinquetti, Udo Jürgens, Abba and Céline Dion are the names you hear, if there is a need to name winners, who started a huge international career after winning the Eurovision Song Contest. It is just Céline Dion, who doesn't want to remember the event in Dublin back in 1988 that much.

I don't know if she enjoys to remember her first international festival she participated in. It was 1982 in Tokyo, when Céline represented France at the World Popular Song Festival. Her home country Canada was there as well. They did send an unknown singer, who should also start a big career: Bryan Adams.

Swiss composer with Turkish roots Atilla Şereftuğ and Nella Martinetti asked her to sing their composition Ne partez pas sans moi for the Swiss preselection and she won it with 7 points ahead over runner up Furbaz, who should represent their country one year later. In Dublin she won only 1 point ahead. 2nd placed United Kingdom was represented by Scott Fitzgerald.

Céline Dion recorded Ne partez pas sans moi also in the other big Swiss language German, which is featured here. On the B-side an instrumental version of Hand in Hand, as the song is titled in German.

Side A
Céline Dion - Hand in Hand (Sereftug - Martinetti - Knipp)
Side B
Céline Dion - Hand in Hand (Instrumental) (Sereftug - Martinetti - Knipp)

Arcade Fire - Poupée de cire, poupée de son & LCD Soundsystem - No Love Lost (1965/2007)

2009-01-24T20:46:00.001+01:00

LINK: Arcade Fire & LCD Soundsystem - Split EP

If someone would ask me, which bands are the most influential in this century so far, I wouldn't have to think long time. I would answer: Arcade Fire and Franz Ferdinand.

Arcade Fire is a Canadian indie band. They started 2003 with a self titled EP. Since their debut album Funeral in 2004 the band is the favourite among the rock magazins around the world. In 2007 they released the 2nd album Neon Bible. They went on tour and there they also performed the winning song of the 1965 Eurovision Song Contest Poupée de cire, poupée de son (see here a YouTube video). They released the song on this limited 7" and sold it on their tour.

On the tour Arcade Fire was accompanied by LCD Soundsystem from New York. The man behind this project is producer James Murphy, who created a new way to combine dance music with rock music. On this EP he covers No Love Lost, originally by Joy Division.

The vinyl was pressed in very bad quality. I have listened to several rips, and they all sound bad. It is a shame, that vinyls are made in such low quality nowadays. Sorry for the scratches.

Side A
Arcade Fire - Poupée de cire, poupée de son (Serge Gainsbourg)
Side B
LCD Soundsystem - No Love Lost (Ian Curtis - Peter Hook - Stephen Morris - Bernhard Sumner)

Dora 1999 - Hrvatska pjesma za pjesmu Europe (1999)

2009-01-20T10:19:00.006+01:00

LINK: Dora 1999

The Croatian preslection is called Dora. In 1999 it was won by Doris (real name: Dorotea Dragović) with the song Marija Magdalena. It was a very clear victory. She won with 207 points, while runner-up Petar Grašo received 153 points with his song Ljubav jedne žene.

At the Eurovision Song Contest in Jerusalem Marija Magdalena did very well. It came 4th, receiving 12 points from Spain and Slovenia. Doris is from Split and very well known for supporting the football club Hajduk Split. She became popular in the 80ies as part of the group More and as representant for Yugoslavia at the Eurovision Song Contest 1986 in Bergen, Norway, with Željo moja, which reached an 11th place.

Marija Magdalena on this CD is different then the official ESC version!

Dora 1999 - Hrvatska pjesma za pjesmu Europe
1. Teens - Miris ljubavi (A. Babić - M. Šimunović - B. Krajner)
2. Kristina - Da zora zna (I. Lesić - N. Ninčević - I. Lesić)
3. Alen Nižetić - Samo ti (N. Ninčević - N. Ninčević - I. Lesić)
4. Andy - Samo nebo zna (D. Farkaš - D. Farkaš - S. Kalogjera)
5. En Face - Kad prestane kiša (M. Vidović/S. Bastijančić - S. Bastijančić - S. Bastijančić/M. Vidović/R. Funčić)
6. Giuliano - Dobro mi dosla ljubavi (T. Mrduljaš - N. Ninčević - T. Mrduljaš)
7. Josip Katalenić - San (M. Borščak - T. Toth - P. Krobot)
8. Nikita - Kraljica noći (R. Brojek - I. Krajač - I. Krajač)
9. Magazin - Kasno je (T. Huljić - V. Huljić - F. Boić)
10. Sanja Lukanović - Još jednom (A. Valenčić - R. Pilepić - A. Valenčić)
11. Turbo X - Cijeli svijet je između nas (D. Stipić - Fayo - T. Preradović)
12. Goran Karan - Nisam te vrijedan (Z. Runjić - M. Ninčević - R. Kazinoti)
13. Joy - Uzalud (B. Mihaljević - Fayo - B. Mihaljević)
14. Mandy - Lako je reći, zbogom (K. Bernardić/M. Buljan - B. Bernardić - M. Buljan)
15. Marina Tomašević - Ja sam tvoja žena (M. Tomasović - M. Tomasović - B. Jovanovac)
16. Đani Stipaničev - Još jedno jutro budi se (Đ. Stipaničev - S. Mudrinić - S. Čokljat)
17. Branka Bliznac - Dajte ljubavi (R. Dujmić - N. Ninčević - E. Botrić)
18. Zrinka - Jednom u životu (Z. Runjić - V. Huljić - R. Kazinoti)
19. Zorana Šiljeg - Nije te briga (Z. Šiljeg - Z. Šiljeg - G. Mačužić)
20. Renata Sabljak - I kako sada ići dalje (Ž. Klašterka - M. Bukmir - M. Buljan)
21. Doris - Marija Magdalena (T. Huljić - V. Huljić - R. Kazinoti)
22. Mladen Grdović -Mama Marija (M. Grdović - N. Ninčević - S. Kalogjera)
23. Minea - U ponoć, pozvoni (T. Huljić - V. Huljić - R. Kazinoti)
24. Petar Grašo - Ljubav jedne žene (P. Grašo - P. Grašo - R. Kazinoti)

Lena Philipsson - It Hurts (2004)

2009-01-13T09:04:00.000+01:00

LINK: Lena Philipsson - It Hurts

1986 was the year, when Lena Philipsson entered the Eurovision stage for the first time. She participated at Melodifestivalen with the song Kärleken är vig and came 2nd. The years later she was a regular participant at the Swedish final. 1987 with Dansa i neon (5th place) and 1988 with Om igen (2nd place). 1991 she participated as composer of the song Tvillingsjäl, performed by Pernilla Wahlgren.

2004 she finally won in Sweden wit the song Det gör ont. In Istanbul she performed the song in English, titled It Hurts. Lena came 5th at the Eurovision Somng Contest, receiving 12 points from the Scandinavian countries, Finland and Ireland.

2006 Lena was host of Melodifestivalen.

This CD single features the English version and the Instrumental version.

Lena Philipsson - It Hurts (Thomas 'Orup' Eriksson)

1. It Hurts

2. It Hurts (Instrumental)

The Pre-Eurovision Contest 1983 (Israel)

2009-01-10T21:54:00.001+01:00

LINK: The Pre-Eurovision Contest 1983

The unforgettable Ofra Haza (1957-2000) won the Israeli preselection in 1983 with the wonderful song Hi or Chay (however you like to transcribe the song). But it was very close! She received 73 points by the 7 regional juries. Runner-up Yardena Arezi received just one point less with another fantastic song titled Shiru shir amen. Arezi should represent Israel later in 1988 with Ben Adam.

Ofra Haza came 2nd at the Eurovision Song Contest 1983 in Munich. And even now, 26 years later, I am still angry that she didn't won it, as it was definetely the best song of the evening and better then Si la vie est cadeaux by Corinne Hermès, which was a good song, but for me not a winner.

What should I write about Ofra Haza, what isn't already said? She was a star and she is a legend. Her death in 2000 after an HIV infection was a shock and I remember, how I received the news, like a lot of people do. The Israeli prime minister from 2000 Ehud Barak said:

Ofra emerged from the Hatikvah slums to reach the peak of Israeli culture. She has left a mark on us all.

You can notice Israeli songs very quick, if you have heard Eurovision tunes a lot. Sometimes I think the Israeli songs are not just made for a song contest, but also for composing a new national anthem. Numerous songs from Israel are very, very hymnic. Just listen to Arezis song on this LP, and you'll know what I mean.

To make a track list from an Israeli vinyl album like this and to tag the files, isn't easy. First there are the hebrew letters (which I can't read), but good that several websites offer transcriptions. But then there are English translations on the album. For instance the band Yaldei Hashemesh Group or ילדי השמש is translated into Children Of The Sun on the sleeve. So which name should I write in the tags? I really did my best and decided to write them all, including in hebrew. You can also read the english translations from the record sleeve as well. Why the band Kesem is named Magic on the sleeve and Boomerang on several websites is really unknown to me. I use the name Magic, as mentioned on the album. If there is anything you know about the musicians, composers or about translation problem just comment. I would enjoy that.

By the way: You won't hear a lot of male voices on this album.

This post is dedicated to the people in Sderot. I thought I should post something from Israel these days...

The Pre-Eurovision Contest 1983
Side A
1. Ofra Haza עפרה חזה - Chay חי (Alive) (Ehud Manor - Avi Toledano - Nancy Brandes)
2. Riki Gal ריקי גל - Panim פנים (Faces) (Yigal Bashan - Yigal Bashan - Kobi Oshrat)
3. Kesem קסם (Magic) - Ha'agada al Bell האגדה על בל (Bell) (Anat Shertok - Eldad Shrem - Eldad Shrem)
4. Anat Rekem ענת רקם - Ya lel יא ליל יא ליל (Avi Koren - Yair Rosenblum - Yair Rosenblum)
5. Osnat Wishinsky אסנת וישינסקי - Knafaim כנפיים (Wings) (Edna Peleg - Moni Amarilio - Moni Amarilio)
6. Michal Tal מיכל טל - Madouah zé kashé מדוע זה קשה (Why) (Ilana Nulman - Ilana Nulman - Albert Piameta)
7. Pnina Rosenblum פנינה רוזנבלום -Tamid isha תמיד אישה (Always A Woman) (Pnina Rosenblum - Pnina Rosenblum - Kobi Oshrat)
Side B
8. Yardena Arazi ירדנה ארזי - Shiru shir amen שירו שיר אמן (Amen) (Shimrit Ot - Henry Bratter - Nancy Brandes)
9. Isolir Band איזולירבנד - Kol mi כל מי (Call Me) (Ami Frenkel/Roni Weiss - Roni Weiss - Ilan Gilboa)
10.Yaldei Hashemesh Group 'ילדי השמש' (Children Of The Sun) -Holech ve shar הולך ושר (Going On Singing) (Sara Ilan - Gabi Rivis - Ilan Gilboa)
11. Banana בננה -Madona מדונה (Datia Landau - David Krivoshei - David Krivoshei)
12. Gitit Shoval גיתית שובל - Beiti ביתי (My Home) (Sara Shoval - Shimon Kopliansky - Eldad Shrem)
13. Ilana Avital אילנה אביטל - Od ve od עוד ועוד (More And More) (Youval & Shlomit Dor - Uri Kariv/Habibi - Nancy Brandes)