Zwei kleine Italiener - Tina ja Marina

The Eurovision Song Contest 2010 is just around the corner. As last year, we in Finnpicks count down to the event by presenting some Finnish covers of past Eurovision Song Contest entries. We start from the year 1962, when vocal duo Tuula & Paula (see also here) recorded "Tina ja Marina" (Tina and Marina). Tuula and Paula were sisters, with Karppanen as their last name. They had some pop hits in the beginning of the 60's. Paula re-surfaced later in the 70's as a member of vocal group Mirumaru (see earlier entry, here) The original song was called "Zwei kleine Italiener" (Two little Italians) and it was the German entry in 1962 ESC in Luxembourg. It was performed by schlager star Conny Froboess and placed 6th. The song describes the plight of two "gastarbeiters" from Italy, who wish to return to their homeland to be with their girlfriends, Tina and Marina.

Here's the pair:

Bella - Bella

When this guitar combo changed its name from "The Punks" (sic) to "The Roosters" in 1964, their career was airborne. They had their first gig in The Chistmas Party of The English Embassy in Helsinki! Roosters - like many of its contemporaries - lived through the 60's with ever-changing line-ups, and finally called it a day in 1969. The band resurrected in the 90's and keeps still rockin' - a couple of times per year ;-)."Bella" was their second single and was recorded in 1965. And I can honestly say it is better than the original. The original was written and performed by Jack Scott in 1959. Jack was a US singer of Italian origin (his real name was Giovanni Dominico Scafone Scott), but born in Canada (!). He is better knwown as rockabilly singer, but this "Bella" is definitely not rockabilly. And as I already said, the Finnish version beats Jack's anytime.

Updated on 16.04.2010: added the first Finnish version by Tuula ja Paula.

Here's the pair: