Knock Knock Who's There - Kop kop ken lie

It seems that when an artist has been representing one's country in ESC she or he is destined later to be covering other ESC songs. As did Kristiina Hautala. She took part in the Eurovision Song Contest 1968 with the song "Kun kello käy". In 1970 she recorded "Kop,kop, ken lie" (Knock knock who's there) which was a cover of UK's entry in the ESC of that year. Mary Hopkin () performed "Knock Knock Who's There" in ESC Amsterdam and took the second-place slot with 26 points. The winner was Ireland's Dana with "All Kinds Of Everthing". Finland did not take part. After Eurovision, the "Knock Knock" -song placed at number 2 on the UK Singles Chart. You can see Mary performing the song, here.

Here's the pair:

I'll Never Fall In Love Again - En koskaan aio rakastaa

Kristiina Hautala (see earlier entry) and Lasse Mårtenson (see earlier entry) collaborated often in performing and recording. In 1970 they recorded "En koskaan aio rakastaa" (I will never love again) for Lasse's solo album. It was never released as a single although it surely had some hit potential. The original song was written by famous Amercan songwriter duo Burt Bacharach and Hal David. It was originally written for the 1968 musical "Promises, Promises", and it soon became one of Bacharach and David's most enduring songs. It was nominated for Song of the Year in the 1969 Grammy Awards. "Promises, Promises" was a musical based on the 1960 Billy Wilder film "The Apartment". In the first stage version of the musical the leading roles were played by Jerry Orbach and Jill O'Hara. We present here the original cast version of the song sung by them. The first hit single version was done by Bobbie Gentry in 1969 and it reached number one on the UK Singles Chart. In the following year Dionne Warwick's version rode the US charts. I'm not sure which one of the many versions was inspired by Lasse and Kristiina, but let's now hear Bobbie's 'almost original' version.

Here's the triplet:

Partie de dames - Entinen jää

Now we can listen how a Finnish ye-ye girl interprets the song of another ye-ye girl. Kristiina Hautala recorded "Entinen jää" (The past is left behind) in 1967 and it was released on the flip side of the single "Kenen syy, kenen syy" - Finnpicked earlier, here. The original, "Partie de dames", was performed by Liz Brady of France. Liz Brady’s image was a complete fabrication. To create a cool Carnaby Street edge image for her, her French record label gave her an English-sounding stage name and a false English heritage (six years were also trimmed from Liz’s age). In reality, she was born as Raymonde Fleurat in Heliopolis, in Egypt. Despite the effort Liz never reached the big stardom, but eventually make some good records, like this "Partie de dames".

Here's the pair:

So What's New - Kuinkas hurisee?

Pop singer and Finnish ye-ye girl Kristiina Hautala recorded "Kuinkas hurisee" (How's it going?) in 1967. It was on the A-side of earlier Finnpick "En katso naamion taa" (see it here) On this song she was backed by the Orchestra of Esko Linnavalli, who also was responsible for the arrangements. The lyrics were by Sauvo "Saukki" Puhtila. The original song "So What's New" was sung by Peggy Lee (b. Norma Deloris Egstrom) and written by herself in collaboration with jazz guitarist John Pisano (Finnpicked before, see here) Peggy Lee started her career already in the beginning of 40's, and she scored several hits in the end of 40's and throughout 50's, most notably with "Fever" in 1956. This "So What's New" was a minor hit for her in 1966.

Here's the pair:

Me, The Peaceful Heart - Kysyn vain

Kristiina Hautala (see previous entry) recorded only 22 songs during her short but successful pop singer career in the end of sixties. One of those was "Kysyn vain" (I just ask), a single released in 1968. The original song "Me, The Peaceful Heart" was a biggish hit in 1968 for Scottish songstress Lulu (real name Marie MacDonald McLaughlin Lawrie) and written by Tony Hazzard who has been finnpicked before, see here. Lulu's first hit was "Shout" in 1964, when she was only 15 and performing with his backing group The Luvvers. She later launched a solo career and was joint-winner of the 1969 Eurovision Song Contest with "Boom-Bang-a-Bang". Lulu also sang the title song for the James Bond film "The Man with the Golden Gun" in 1974. In recent years we have seen Lulu on television, e.g. in the 'Absolutely Fabulous' -series.

Here's the pair:

Love Is Me, Love Is You - Kenen syy, kenen syy

Kristiina Hautala (see previous entry) recorded "Kenen syy, kenen syy" (Who's to blame, who's to blame) on the last day of the year 1966. It was released as a single and was quite a big hit for her in 1967. As you can hear from this performance, Kristiina was the real Finnish "ye-ye girl". Although this moniker was of course not used those days. The original song was written by famous UK songsmith and orchestra leader Tony Hatch. There were two versions recorded in 1966 and I'm not sure which one is the original. Probably it is the one done by Tony's wife Jackie Trent, but my guess is that Finnish cover was based on the version by Connie Francis. Connie (real name Concetta Rosemarie Franconero) has been called "The most popular female entertainer of the rock and roll era". I don't know about that, but he was an exceptionally international star (she recorded and performed worldwide in 15 different languages) and some kind of role model for teenage girl in her music and movies.

Updated on 27.10.2009: Added Jackie Trent's version (or original?).

Here's the pair:

Second Hand Rose - Divarin helmi

Kristiina Hautala (see previous entry) recorded "Divarin helmi" (Pearl of the antiques shop) in the summer of 1966. It was on the B-side of her big hit "En koskaan". The song portrayed Kristiina as a budding cabaret singer. This subsequently lead her to doing successful tv- and night club shows. The original song was called "Second Hand Rose", which is an old vaudeville number that surfaced first time in the Broadway show "Ziegfried Follies" in 1921. In the show it was performed by Fanny Brice but - as solo singers were not hitmakers those days - it was recorded and made into hit by Ted Lewis Jazz Band. Ted Lewis was a clarinetist, singer and entertainer (He even was called 'Mr. Entertainer'). The song and the success was reborn in 1965, when Barbra Streisand performed it in a Broadway stage act "Funny Girl" telling the story of afore-mentioned Fanny Brice.

Here's the triple:

A banda - En katso naamion taa

Kristiina Hautala was for s short period of time in the end of 60's perhaps the most popular Finnish female pop singer. She represented Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1968 with "Kun kello käy" (it got 1 point and shared the last place). Kristiina released "En katso naamion taa" (I don't look behind the mask) as a single in 1967. The original song was called "A banda" (The band), telling a stroy of a marching band. It was composed by a famous Brazilian musician Francisco Buarque de Hollanda, popularly known as Chico Buarque. He is a singer, guitarist, composer, dramatist, and writer. The music he has written often comments on Brazil's social, economic and cultural reality. He first gained reputation when bossa nova rhythm came to light, and Nara Leão recorded his songs, one of which was "A banda" in 1966. Nara Leão was a Brazilian bossa nova and MPB (popular brazilian music) singer and occasional actress. She was known as the "the muse of bossa nova."

Here's the triplet: