Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Conny Vandenbos Box, Result!

Another Update on the Conny Vandenbos Complete Works.
It has arrived!, #295 out of a 1000. The finished product looks gorgeous and now I have to find some time to listen to the 15 CDs (it's Eurovision week...).
You can find the full (and very detailed) tracklists at here at Discogs.

If you want to get this wonderful box in your collection, just go the Conny Vandenbos website and drop an e-mail for details.



The 1965 Conny van den Bos Songfestival EP
Update
The crowdfunding project has finished successful. Congratulations to Marc!. Respect for your amazing job.
If you didn't pledge yet I'm sure the box will be available as soon as it's finished (1000 copies are made)
I'll keep you updated, watch this space.

Conny Vandenbos Box
Here’s one for the Dutchies and maybe for some other fans too.
Eurovision fans know Conny Vandenbos (as Conny van den Bos) from her 1965 entry ‘t Is Genoeg. The song only finished 11th, but is a much loved classic with an amazing orchestral backing track.

Now there’s a project to release a 15CD box set spanning her work from the early 60’s to 2001.
Conny Vandenbos released some classic songs in the 60’s, but I guess her most successful era was the seventies when she had several bestselling hitalbums and singles.

found this....
It's Enough
The 15CD box will include 308 songs, 94 that are released on CD for the first time and 35 that haven’t been previously released at all.
In the last category we’ll find It’s Enough, the never before heard English version of the 1965 Eurovision song.
‘t Is Genoeg also features in three versions, the original single, the 1968 album version and a 90’s live version.
Preselection songs Laat Me Alleen and Van De Week are also included. (Van De Week in two versions).
Van De Week is also featured twice in English as The Night. One version is from 1965 and one from 1969 from Conny's English language album that never saw the light of day. (both also previously unreleased).
And for completists, there's are Sanremo covers too:
Als Vreemden (Like strangers) is a Dutch cover of  Iva Zanicchi's La Notte Dell'addio from the 1966 Sanremo. (Thanks Frank!)
Loretta Goggi's Maledetta Primavera (1981) can be found as Vrij Als Een Vogel (Free as a bird). It's featured in the album version (1981) and also in the single version from 1982.

Another track worth mentioning is Als De Morgen Niet Bestaat (If tomorrow doesn't exist), a song sent in for the 1989 Nationaal Songfestival (Dutch preselection for Eurovision) that wasn't selected. It wasn't intended for Conny to enter the contest, but she recorded the demo.

The Box
Check this video for snippets of 83 (of the 308) tracks. At 25:20 you can hear a bit of It's Enough.

But of course it's not just the Eurovision connection that makes this collection a must have.
Some of the best early singles take pride of place in my record collection; Paleis Met Gouden Muren (Palace with golden walls) and Ik Ben Gelukkig Zonder Jou (I'm happy without you) are two.
And no-one was left unmoved by Sjakie Van De Hoek (Jack from the corner....) and Roosje Mijn Roosje (Rose for my Rose, a version of A Daisy A Day) in the mid 70's. The perfect blend of melancholy and love.

How to participate
The project needs some more supporters. Please go here to Voor De Kunst to find out more about how to participate in this massive  labour of love and secure your copy of this elaborate CD box.
All tracks will be remastered / digitalized to a very high standard and the sleeves will feature some rare photographs.

Conny Vandenbos passed away in 2002, this collection is a lovely way to celebrate her wonderful legacy.

Pledging
I've bought quite a few fantastic records the past few years through pledging (Cornelis Vreeswijk, Marc Almond, V V Brown). 
It means you pledge to buy the forthcoming product and if a project fails to raise enough to continue you'll get your money back.
It's a great way to get music from artists who are somehow not interesting enough for your average record company.

Special thanks to Frank and to Marc. And a shoutout to Frans.

Monday, May 08, 2017

Vega: Oh My Dio, it's Elvis!



Dio Come Ti Amo, frequent Eurocovers readers know that it's one of my favorite Eurovision songs.
Here's a new version that has a really famous person featuring.

Vega is a Spanish singer who recorded 5 albums in Spanish since 2003. Her new album, Non Ho L'eta, is in Italian and features 11 classic Italian tunes including three Eurovision entries. (see detailed tracklist)

For her Dio Come Ti Amo she get's a little help from non other than Elvis Costello.
Dio is the third (digital) single from the album.
The album was released in March on LP (!), Cassette (!!), CD and digital through La Madriguera Records / Subterfuge Records.
Before you buy you can listen to all the songs at Vega's Youtube channel. (see links and sources below)

Oh, before i forget, it's fab!
(I'm not a very good reviewer, but after Dio you should check out the video for Ma Che Freddo Fa)

Non Ho L'Eta - Vega tracklist
1.   Ma Che Freddo Fa
- Sanremo 1969 - Nada and the Rokes
2.   Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)
- Sanremo and Eurovision 1958 - Domenico Modugno
3.   Dio Come Ti Amo - ft Elvis Costello
- Sanremo and Eurovision 1966 - Domenico Modugno, Gigliola Cinquetti
the LP!
4.   Centro Di Gravitá Permanente
- Franco Battiato (1981)
5.   Cittá Vuota
- Mina (1963)
6.   L'Appuntamento
- 1970, originally by Roberto and Erasmo Carlos, Ornella Vanoni recorded an Italian version in 1970.
the Cassette!! / MC / K7
7.   Tu Vuó Fa L'Americano
- 1956 song by Renato Corasone and re-introduced to the dancing audience by Australian DJ’s Yolanda B. Cool as We No Speak Americano (2010)
8.   Non Ho L'Eta
- 1964 Sanremo and Eurovision winner by Gigliola Cinquetti
9.   Se Bruciasse La Cittá
- 1969 single for Massimo Ranieri
10. Azzurro
- An international hit for Adriano Celentano in 1968. Written by Paolo Conto who recorded it in 1985
11. Il Mondo
- 1965 hit for Jimmy Fontana


                                                                                             
Links and sources
Vega Website, facebook, Youtube channel
Spanish people can buy it at Fnac, other will have to work harder, make Spanish friends or get it at e-bay. Digital is available worldwide.
Discover more Eurocovers posts with Volare (Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu), Dio Come Ti Amo and Non Ho L'eta 

the CD


Monday, May 01, 2017

(I Wanna) Bring Back Eurovision - Ginny Fizz



Digital Release Image of the single
Ginny Fizz poors her heart out. She wants to bring back Eurovision to the U.K..
Her fabulous heartfelt ballad (I Wanna) Bring Back Eurovision is out as a digital single now.

I love the lyrics of the song. They're refreshingly funny without the "nobody loves us" attitude blaming Brexit, Iraq, Putin or Johnny Foreigner for the country's poor results.
Ginny sings in the bridge (followed by a key-change!):

"I got a wind machine
I got some hopes and dreams
Now all I need is a decent song
I need a song"

Although decent may not be enough to bring back the U.K.'s Eurovision glory, you go girl, make it happen.

Links and sources:
Ginny Fizz Facebook and Website
Buy the single at Amazon
The U.K. entry of 2017
P.S. the dog in the video is named Sandie.

Recordando Eurovisión
Meanwhile you can also check this one out: Spanish singer/actor Alberto Vázquez brings us some jazzy latin flavoured coverversions of some of the biggest Eurovision classics. His album is titled Recordando Eurovisión, also released on CD.