Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Alice's second Sanremo. No longer Alice Visconti, nor Carla Bissi but simply Alice. A song written by Alice herself with Franco Battiato and Giusto Pio. An usual song lacking a proper refrain, performed in an aggressive way by fierce looking Alice with wild hair. It was a real breakthrough. If the trio's first offering the year before for Italian hit waves was a hit this became a mega hit and international success that made her known not only in Italy but abroad as well. Such a shame Italy didn't participate in Eurovision that year (but her time would come) but then again, most likely they wouldn't have had sent Sanremo winner anyways. Number one hit in Italy, Top-5 in Austria and Switzerland, Top-20 in Germany.  The song featured in her 4th album simply titled Alice, that was published abroad as Per Elisa with different styling. A new version of the song is included in Personal Jukebox album. Per Elisa Vuoi vedere che perderai anche me Per Elisa Non sai più distinguere...

Alice debuted in Sanremo (under her real name Carla Bissi) in 1972 without success, returned in 1981 and won it. That started a internationally successful pop career all the way to Eurovision 1984 with Franco Battiato. After that her music changed, she abandoned the search for hits and spotlight on festivals and television. Her label didn't like that very much though. She got her wish to publish a special album God is my DJ of sacred music and sacred in music only by agreeing to do Sanremo 2000 and a compilation album Personal Jukebox of new versions of her hits. Il giorno dell'indipendenza placed 11th. She has returned to semi-pop oriented music in her 2021 and 2014 albums, and has toured and released an album of Battiato's songs in 2022-23 after his death. 

  A new series to lead you to Sanremo 2024, where Ricchi e Poveri is competing again! For the 13th time. They have won it once, been runner up twice and also once 4th and once 5th. They used to be four, but now they're only two left after 57 years of activity (unless Marina makes a surprise comeback to the line up, who knows?). Sará perche ti amo placed only 5th but was by far the biggest success being the most sold single of the year and topped the charts for 9 weeks. The success continued in Europe and latin America and has been covered in various languages ever since even to current days. Out of dozens covers here's the Finnish one. 

  Italy took its well deserved third victory - finally! - at the Eurovision song contest 2021. Over the years several other Italian entries would have been worthy winners. In this series I will go through all of them from the worst ranking to the win ners. Ricchi e Poveri and Questo amore were chosen by Rai for Eurovision because... why not? They were popular and their record label was linked to Rai by ownership. Sadly their entry, that placed only 12th out of 20, is almost a forgotten one among their countless hits but for this blogger, 11 years old at the time,  it is the start of love Italian language and all things Italian and I still just love Ricchi e Poveri. The quartet of Angela, Angelo, Marina and Franco was founded in 1967, has sold over 20 million records globally and is still going strong. Marina left, or was forced to leave depending sources, in 1981 - apparently for flirting a bit too much with Angela's man -  just before the group had their biggest hit Sa...

The Italian legend and Eurovision veteran Franco Battiato turns 76 today, but the main reason this year is to celebrate his La voce del padrone album that turns 40. The album was the very first album in Italy to sell over one million copies and changed the Italian music scene forever and influenced other artists and does so even today. In most every voting by critics ever since it is considered as one of the most important Italian albums ever. And no wonder considering the songs on it, that are all classics these days. The album and its songs were hits also in Spain, France, the Netherlands and Germany among others. Remaining in Eurovision theme his Eurovision veteran partner Alice covered several of them in her stolen jewels album Gioilli rubati in 1985.  Now for the 40th anniversary the album is re-released in various limited edition formats and remasterings, including the one being most alike to the original (after remastering in 2008) with minor changes Battiato now considers...

"Se dig omkring, Var det det här vi drömde, drömde Är det någonting, Någonting vi glömde, glömde Har vi en planet fylld av mänsklighet Hela mitt liv har jag försökt att fråga Fråga och få ett svar... " Those lines of lyrics are ones that have burned into my mind like no other, since I heard them one summer night in 1983 as opening number of Carola's summer tour in Sweden. She was still behind the stage and her voice alone gave shivers to the audience listening in silence before exploding the applause and cheers when she entered the stage when the beat came in. Priceless moments.  Of course I knew the song from her debut album that I had listened by then about a half zillion times on vinyl. The song stayed with me and I heard it live again in Helsinki when she was doing concert here in 2015. And now thanks to Zara Larsson she has re-recorded and re-released it as a single due to public demand. Sometimes a simple pop song can go so far..... (And it...

The Eurovision winners and favorites will have the biggest gathering together since Norway's Momarkedet's legendary 25th anniversary event back in 1981 that cemented this blogger's fandom giving me the fist glimps of those old glories and I was hooked. In the era of no internet or Youtube or whatsoever it was the only way to see the past ones and it had an immense impact. On me at least. It made me. These days things are different with footage available for everyone everywhere anytime. The biggest impact this time seems to be the bruning question is Dima Bilan a diva or not, pulling out a few days before over a font size problem in a poster. I must say I agree with him. Why is Gali Atari, just an example in a big font and Dima is not? Or the obvious, why is Sergey in a big font and Dima is not? Or rather: Why aren't they all in same font and in alphabetical order so no one has issues with anything? Just wondering..... Dima, I feel you.  I have listed the winner in...

Every now and then Eurovision song contest winners come back to the contest and looking back quite often it hasn't been such a good idea. A total of 14 previous winners have managed to return (and even more have tried but failed to win the national final. Latest of them is Swedish Loreen last year). In this series I have a brief look at them and how did it go..... French theater, television and movie actor, comedian, imitator, author, singer and fashion designer for Dior, Jean-Claude Pascal (1927-1992) won the Eurovision song contest 1961 for Luxembourg with Nous les amoureux . The Croix de guerre awarded war hero was a popular star at the time, and later was awarded also Commendeur des Arts et des Lettres medal. He took an easy win beating UK to the second place with 31 points vs 24.  He released 17 albums between 1960-84, several tv-movie and tv-series, nearly 40 movies between 1949-73.  He was voted the most elegent man of France several times. In 1981 he w...

  The Fizz (or Eurovision 1981 winners Bucks Fizz) continue their comeback success with second single Amen (following amazing Dancing in the rain ). The video is very fitting for this Halloween period. Welcome back! San Marino's Eurovision entry I didn't know by Serhat has been re-released as a new duet version with legendary disco queen Martha Wash . As much as I love her she isn't bringing much extra to the table and it's a shame. Martha: belt it out LOUD! As no one does that as beautiful as you do.... Another Eurovision winner Helena Paparizou has released for a change a goodie in Greek, An me deis na klaio , apparently translates to If you make me cry . It features Anastasios Rammos and is the best thing I've heard from her for years! Check out also this live version ! (And so great Greece will sing in Greek again in Eurovision!) Third Eurovision winner in this post is Loreen . Yet another release from her worthcoming album, Hate the way I...

  It's autumn and it's raining. At least here in Finland. But like a sunshine here come the good old (Bucks) Fizz with their comeback single Dancing in the rain . It's lovely and nostalgic, like time stood still. In a good way. I'm back in the land of make believe, talking in my sleep. Just one of those nights when my camera never lies and I'm making my mind up. Now those days are gone but The Fizz bring them back. Aww...

The Eurovision song contest 1981 winner Bucks Fizz who may not call themselves Bucks Fizz for legal reasons anymore even if everyone does so anyways, are reunited and in the studio recording new material with producer Mike Stock  of Stock-Aitken-Waterman fame and the new album will be released in September as The Fizz.   Read more here . Can't wait! And below are some of this blogger's favorite Bucks Fizz hits.....

Miriam is a band from Torino and they've got a very special featured vocalist on their latest single, Alice! Plutone is a lovely song from their album to be released later this year titled  Questo é Pop , and could easily be also a new Alice solo track stylewise. All negative I can say about is that Alice is not featured also in the video!

Today would have been Riki Sorsa's 64th birthday, if cancer didn't take him away way too soon.  R.I.P. and congratulations wherever you are!

It has been a very sad year for Eurovision Finland this 2016. After Lasse Mårtensson (ESC 1964) and Riki Sorsa (ESC 1981) also Päivi Paunu (ESC 1972) passed away a couple of days ago. Of cancer like so many others. Considering before this year all but two Finnish stars were alive ( Laila Kinnunen ESC 1961 and Kirka ESC 1984) now we have lost already five.  Päivi Paunu made a name in folk circuit in Helsinki suburbs in the early 1960's, and soon she was in recording studio and her first single and album were released in 1966. Two years later she scored a megahit with Oi, niitä aikoja and she was co-starring two big summer tours in the late 1960's. Slowly her musical styled became more schlager-pop. Her singing career faded away when she started studying but she continued singing in the girlgroup Mirumaru in the early 1980's and doing some occasional small private concerts. She's also related to the famous Von Hertzen Brothers - she was their uncle's wife...

This has been a sad Eurovision weeks for Finland. Riki Sorsa (ESC 1981) passed away just before the first semifinal, and now we are reached with news that Lasse Mårtenson (ESC 1964) has left us, too. Besides his own song he was very much involved in the Finnish Eurovision history as composer.  He wrote a total of 14 Euroviisut entries, winning twice: Marraskuu (1963), Laiskotellen (1964) , Iltaisin (1965), Ge mig en grabb (1965), Pieni sana (1966), Ken hän on? (1966), Revontuli (1967), Sua kutsun, Maarit (1967), Varjoon - suojaan (1967 ), Pilvilaulu (1971), Hän on mennyt vuorten taa (1973), Laulun kuulen (1974), Fasten seatbelts (1975), Kuusitoista hyvää vuotta (1977) He was 81.  Rest in peace. 

Riki Sorsa told us just a month ago that he's dying of cancer and would have only weeks to live. That time has now come to an end. Rest in peace and reggae ok forever.

Riki Sorsa (63), who reggaed it away for Finland back in 1981 Eurovision song contest has given the face for the cruel battle against cancer. He has had cancer for the past ten years and already beated the throat cancer. All seemed fine, but he was diagnosed with lung cancer last fall. Just a couple of weeks ago he was informed he would have only weeks, or a few months at best to live. Over the years he has been out and open with his health state, and have given confort to many people in the same situation, and has helped to raise the awareness of dangers of smoking among other things with a rather shocking yet demostrative video: "I'm happy I have been able to give strenght and hope to other people" he says, "and I'm very touched by the support and love from the people. This award really warms my heart. I have the last weeks of my life to live, from two weeks to two months the doctors say but one is always hoping it would be a bit longer.....You never k...

Today back in 1981 Europe made their mind up and United Kingdom's Bucks Fizz with their revolutionary choreography won the 26th Eurovision song contest at Simmonscourt Pavilion of the Royal Dublin Society. All of 20 countries were present with Cyprys debuting. Israel returned after winning 1978 and 1979 and declining to host and participate in 1980. Also Yogoslavia returned but Italy stayed home and would only return two years later, as did Morocco and we haven't seen them since.... A lot of returnees in this edition: the 1961 winner Jean Claude Pascal (LUX), Björn Skifts (SWE), Tommy Seebach (DEN), Cheryl Baker (UK) and Maxi from Sheeba (IRE). Both Cheryl and Maxi were once again present in groups while Maerty Brem (AUT) now presented himself as solo artist. And most notably the Swiss Peter, Sue & Marc returning for the fourth time - and singing in fourth language! This time they opted for Italian after trying in French, English and German and scored 4th place with Io...

Italian Eurovision 1984 entrants Alice and Franco Battiato have been colaborating on and off since 1980 in various albums, songs and occasional live performancs together, especially in the 2010's. But now, nearly four decades later they are touring together for the very first time. The joint affair seems them doing their solo songs, joining for their duets and a few other songs. This is manna from heaven for their fans and needless to stay the long Italian tour is pretty much sold out beforehand (so far 22 ou of 32 concerts). The anteprima concert took place in Carpi on February 13. There might (and I think should) be changes to the track list that you can see after the jump. The tour starts for real from Trieste tonight.

Riki Sorsa has released a new album Kun tunnet rakkauden... (When you feel love...), his first since 2000. In between he has beaten throat cancer threatening his voice but now he's back! And with something completely new to his repertoire. He sings the Finnish songbook with jazzy arrangements, or classics from the 1930's to 1970's and two Eurovision entries are included: Laiskotellen that Lasse Mårtensson took to Copenhagen 1964 and Aurinko laskee länteen , the Viktor Klimenko null pointer in Naples 1965. Also Mårtensson's classic Marraskuu is included. All the songs except those beforementioned are covers that have become evergreens in Finland in Finnish. Listen to samples here and buy the album here .