ESC Covers has almost 600 songs composed by Ralph Siegel from Germany. We have decided to look at the 100 most interesting songs in the next 100 days. The songs have been picked at random. We start off with a huge hit for Dschinghis khan called Moskau – pity he did not write one called Lisbon – we do hope that maybe Ralph will make it to Lisbon with a song for some country.
Here is a Finnish cover of the 1979 Eurovision song from Germany – DSCHINGHIS KHAN
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qe6w0D97zSM
Marks & Stefanet – Join Us in the Rain
– Tell us about your contest entry: What is its main message? Whether it was written especially for the preselection? Have you considered any other options?
– Our song was written especially for the contest by “Mister Eurovision” Ralph Siegel. The main and the only message of the song is that only together we can get the power to change our world, to make it clearer, fairer and more beautiful. Allegorically, it sounds like this – in order to live under “the sun” “tomorrow”, “today” we need to join hands together and not to be afraid to step out into the rain. Do not be afraid to say “no”!
– Introduce your creative team working on a song and stage performance? Was anyone of it already connected with Eurovision in the past?
– I, Andrei Stefanet, am a professional musician, I have participated in many international competitions (successfully)) and for several years have participated in the Eurovision Song Contest as a backing vocalist. My partner Mariana Marks is a professional singer, she was born in Ukraine, but for 15 years lives in Germany. Now she is busy working on a new musical “Zeppelin”, in May, it premiers in Berlin. Songs by Ralph Siegel participated in the “Eurovision” 24 times. Many of them have become global hits: for example “Dschinghis Khan” and “Moskau”, which were widely known even in the Soviet Union.
– Tell us more about your stage presentation plans: what do you want to focus the audience’s attention on?
– I think that song presentation should look balanced, so that the visual range do not dominate and do not distract from the substance. Our duo, this is not a dialogue between two lovers, it is a kind of protest, a call to action. We want the audience not only to listen, but to hear! That is why the outfits and the animation in the background – it’s just a seasoning to the product. It is important not to overdo, not to add too much sugar or salt. As M. Gorky said: – Culture is a sense of proportion))
– Why do you think your entry is worthy to represent Moldova at the Eurovision Song Contest? and can you guarantee a certain minimal result at the international competition in case of your victory?
– Today, we live in such an information space in which to surprise someone for 3 Eurovision minutes with folklore gimmicks, dresses to the floor, fire, drums and acrobatic flic- flacs is not even something impossible, but fundamentally naive and ignorant)). Today in fashion are “separate meals”)). Therefore, such a musical “seething” affects directly the viewer vestibular system and therefore creates confusion and discord directly in the stomach)). For a circus one needs to go to the circus, for folklore there are own places as well. Lovers of the colors can easily buy the kaleidoscope. Unfortunately, such phenomena as “Lordi” and “Conchita” just do not have a chance to pass through a sieve Eastern European (not Pavlovian) preselections. Well, of course I can guarantee for us, Moldova and Europe the victory and only the victory. The runner-up is actually the first loser))
Televised stage of the preselection will include one semifinal on 24 February and national final on 25 February. Out of 14 participants only 8 (4 chosen by jury and 4 chosen by televiewers) will qualify to the final.
Find out more info on the Moldova page: http://esckaz.com/2017/mol.htm
This was one of the best Eurovisions in many ways. This was the only time ever I had a direct flight to Eurovision. It was also the shortest flight (every other flight to Eurovision took almost 24 hours with lay overs somewhere) and the only time I could visit without a visa. But I had accommodation problems as the travel agent lied to me. Instead of securing me accommodation close to the venue, I was living in a guest house miles away from the venue. The travel agent said I wanted to stay CLOSE to a bus stop to take me to the venue, but my directive was that I want to stay as close as possible so I could walk there. It took almost an hour travelling by bus to Eurovision every day. Also I was totally away from any official hotels, so I was unable to use their transport and so I had to buy a bus ticket daily. I must say the guest house was out of this world, but totally wrong for me who came to Eurovision and wanted to be close to the venue.
Israel gave me my best accreditation ever – made me HEAD OF DELEGATION of SOUTH AFRICA so for the first and only time, I was allowed backstage to speak to the artists in private. They also produced for me a press card so that I was also able to get a pigeonhole. That year I represented the Portuguese radio station RADIO CIDADE.
Morten had a very special flight to Israel. He was on the same plane with all the artists from the Nordic countries. In the same plane were Selma (Iceland), Van Eijk (Norway), Charlotte (Sweden) and Trine and Michael (Denmark). Finland did not qualify for Jerusalem, so they were not there. Carola Haggkvist was also on the plane.
My flight from Johannesburg landed 3 minutes after the plane with the Nordic delegation. Charlotte Nillson spoke to me while we were waiting to go through customs and asked me what I thought of her song. At that stage there was a big debate about whether to sing in Swedish or English since the change of the language rule. I told Charlotte her song, “Take me to your heaven” would be a winner. More countries did televoting and I just knew for those viewers hearing/seeing the song the first time, this will do well. Patricia Lewis from South Africa covered the song and it sold 100 000 copies for her. She impressed the composers so much that they invited her to Stockholm where they produced a full CD for her.
Ralph Siegel was of course also in Jerusalem with Surpriz and their song Reise nach Jerusalem – kudus’e seyahat – it was exactly 20 years since he had been there with Dschinghis khan.
There were a change in rehearsals – Lithuania was suppose to be last on the first day but due to flying in only the next day (to save money), they swapped with another country which I cannot remember now but think it was Estonia.
Austria had a great promotion – their entry was “Reflection” by Bobby Singer and press people were given a disposable camera to take photo’s of Bobby and the person taking the best photo would win a holiday in some Austrian ski resort.
The biggest shock to me was the Friday before the final when the Jewish SUNDAY started and I was stuck 5 kilometers away from my guest house and no public transport and had to walk the distance home. Luckily it was mainly downhill.
Obviously with no transport to go to the venue from the guest house on the Saturday to watch the final from the press center, I stayed in my bed and watched the final on TV.
The entries I like best are
Sweden – Take me to your heaven – Charlotte
Iceland – All out of luck – Selma
Malta – Believe ‘n peace – Times three
Portugal – Conc tudo comecou – Rui Bandeira
And some horrors as well
Lithuania – Strazdas – Aisle
United Kingdom – Say it again – Precious
Spain – Lydia – No quiero escuchar
This song is one of those that will make many fans top 100
85 – Dschinghis khan – Dschinghis khan (Germany 1979)
It is interesting to compare the original versions of songs from DSCHINGHIS KHAN with the new covers by ROCKING SON OF DSCHINGHIS KHAN
