Shadow Dancing - Anna aikaa

The fourth Disco Week song is "Anna aikaa" (Give me time) released by Markku Aro in 1978 on an eponymous album.  The Finnish lyrics were again written by Chrisse Johansson.  The song was released as a single but the more popular side was "Rakkautta vain" (cover of "Love Is In The Air") on the flip.  The original song was called "Shadow Dancing" and it was smash hit for Andy Gibb in 1978. The song was written by Andy himself, together with his famous brothers Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb. You can see Andy perform the song live in an interesting clip (in TV Show together with Abba and Olivia Newton-John), here.

96 Finnpicks to go.

Here's the pair:

Caterina Ballerina - Heinäkuussa vuosi sitten

This is one of the lesser known songs from Markku Aro. He recorded "Heinäkuussa vuosi sitten" (In July last year) in 1977. It was an album track and unfortunately did not draw any attention. The Finnish lyrics were done by Juha Vainio and the arrangement by Veikko Samuli - so, quality stuff ...   The original song "Caterina Ballerina" was on the B-side of Joe Dolan's minor 1977 hit (number 43 in UK charts) "I Need You". It was written by Roberto Danova - well, who else.

Here's the pair:

Take My Heart - En kadu mitään

It's quite rare for an artist to cover both sides of a certain single on his own single. Well, Markku Aro did it in 1970. This song "En kadu mitään" (I regret nothing) was on the B-side of another Engelbert Humperdinck cover ("Winter World of Love"). The Engelbert's original - and the B-side to "Winter World" was called "Take My Heart". It was written by his manager, Gordon Mills.

Here's the pair:

Don't Go Down To Reno - Älä lähde rakkain

Now we go west ... Markku Aro recorded "Älä lähde rakkain" (Don't go darling) in 1972. It was released on the "Oo mikä nainen" -album and on the flipside of "Täyttä totta" (cover of Slade's "Look wot you dun") single. The Finnish lyrics this time were made by Vexi Salmi. The original song "Don't Go Down To Reno" was written by famous songwriting duo Mitch Murray and Peter Callander and performed by Tony Christie ((b. Anthony Fitzgerald). Christie is best remembered by his rendition of "Amarillo" (see earlier entry). Reno, Nevada is known as "The Biggest Little City in the World", ant it's famous for its casinos and liberal divorce laws. Like the lyrics say: "In Reno town for a few dollars down, you can buy yourself a separation". You can see Tony perform a live version in 1979, here.

Here's the pair:

I'll Meet You At Midnight - Keskiyön aikaan

Now begins the 3rd and final Finnpicks Chinnichap Week. We present Finnish covers of the songs written by British songwriting duo Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman. Markku Aro got a big hit with Chinnichap's "Crazy" (see it finnpicked, here) and he scored another one with "Keskiyön aikaan" (Around midnight) in 1977. In addition to catchy melody, the lyrics by Juha Vainio and the arrangement by Veikko Samuli were first class. The original song "I'll Meet You At Midnight" was one of the biggest hits for Smokie. The group started it's recording career in 1970 as Kindness (you can hear their first single here) After joining the Chinnichap stable their name was changed to Smokey. And after couple of succesful singles they changed it to Smokie as the American soul legend Smokey Robinson threatened to file a law suit, alleging that the band's name would confuse the audience.

Here's the pair:

Mr. Monday - Huomispäivään - Maanantai

This is a song for today. Markku Aro recorded "Maanantai" (Monday) in 1974. It was never released as a single, and it was not on any of Markku's own albums. It was released only on the compilation album "Soitellaan 4". The original Finnish version was, however, done by a singer named Simon Scott (b. Veikko Salonen) (see earlier entry) in 1971, released on his sole album "Simon Scott". It was titled "Huomispäivään" (Till tomorrow) and the lyrics were provided by Chrisse Johansson. The original song "Mr. Monday" was witten by songwriter duo Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter. Their works have been finnpicked before, here and here . The song was a big hit in 1969 in Japan and Canada for the Canadian folk-pop group The Original Caste. The groups style was characterized by rich tight vocals and a clean sound not unlike The Carpenters and the Mamas & The Papas.

Here's the triplet:

Crazy - Jestas sentään

Usually the Finnish Chinnichap covers have not been as successful as their original counterparts. Well, this one is a notable exception. Markku Aro recorded "Jestas sentään" (Goodness gracious) in 1973. The lyrics by Vexi Salmi were a bit naughty, and contributed to record's success. The song became a classic and Markku has to perform it in his every gig even today. The original song "Crazy" eventually launched big chain of UK chart hits for group Mud in 1973. Lead singer of the Mud, Les Gray was also known for his distinctive vocal impersonation of Elvis Presley. You can see the group performing "Crazy", here.

Here's the pair:

Tralala - Tra la laa

Markku Aro and Nisa Soraya recorded "Tra la la" in 1984. This 'kind-of-sexy' song provided a small summer hit for them at the time. Nisa was born in Birmingham England, but moved in Singapore at early age and eventually ended up in Finland in 1980. She started her recording career in 1981 by duetting just with Markku Aro. The original "Tralala" was written by Dutch songwriter and producer Eddy Ouwens and it was the only international hit for Dutch male & female duo Phil & Company (the female singer was called "Phil"). You can see the couple perform the song, here. In 2004 a Swedish pop singer Günther made a re-vamped disco version of this song called "Ding Dong Song".

Here's the pair:

Summerlove Sensation - Taivaallinen nainen

Markku Aro recorded "Taivaallinen nainen" (Heavenly woman) in 1974 for his album "Oma kultasein". The lyrics for this track were provided by Jussi Tuominen, who is famous for scripting and producing several popular Finnish TV sitcoms, for example "Tankki täyteen" and "Reinikainen" (both in collaboration with Neil Hardwick). The original song was called "Summerlove Sensation" and it was one of the many hits for 'teen sensation' Bay City Rollers. You can see them perform this UK Top 3 hit, here.


Here's the pair:

Lady Lady Lady - Lady Lady Lady

Markku Aro recorded "Lady Lady Lady" in 1984. It was released only as a single and inexplicably the song has not appeared on any of Markku's collection albums. The single didn't receive much attention chartwise. But the song is good. The original eponymous song became famous in connection with the movie "Flashdance". It was written by our old friend Giorgio Moroder who wrote the score for the movie. It was performed by Joe Esposito, aka "Bean". Esposito is a Grammy winning American singer/songwriter, who was a member of the band Brooklyn Dreams, best known for their collaboration with Donna Summer. You can see the scene from Flashdance with the "Lady" -song playing, here.

Here's the pair:

Judy et Cie - Judy, Judy

The Eurovision Song Contest 1976, the 21st in the series, was held in The Hague, Netherlands. The Belgian entry was a song called "Judy et Cie" (Judy and company)and it was written and performed by Pierre Rapsat. Pierre was Belgian singer-songwriter who began his solo career in 1973. His powerful style, oscillating between rock and chanson, was quite original at the time. The song got 68 points and placed 8th. Finland's Fredi & Friends placed 13th with "Pump-Pump". Markku Aro (see previous entry), he himself a Eurovision participant (in 1971) recorded the Finnish version of the Belgian entry with the title "Judy, Judy". Four(!) other Finnish versions of the song were made in 1976, but Markku's was the most popular.

When The Rain Begins To Fall - Nousen kanssas aurinkoon

We end our Finnpicks Disco Week series with the artist that we started with. Eini joined forces with another popular singer Markku Aro (see previous entry) and recoded "Nousen kanssas aurinkoon" (I'll raise into the sun with you) in 1985. It was on her album "Eini" and was not released as a single. The original song "When The Rain Begins To Fall" was recorded by the singers Jermaine Jackson and Pia Zadora, and released as a single at the end of 1984. Jermaine was of course once in Jackson 5 and he had numerous solo hits throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Pia Zadora (b. Pia Alfreda Schipani) is an American actress and singer. After work as a child actress on Broadway, Zadora starred with Stacy Keach and Orson Welles in the 1982 film Butterfly, with a plot around father-daughter incest. She won that year's Golden Globe Award as "Best New Star of the Year". She gained success in Europe as a singer, and had several hit singles. This song was one of those and was included in the sci-fi comedy movie Voyage Of the Rock Aliens in which Zadora played a lead role.

Here's the pair:

Sugar Candy Kisses - Hunajaisin huulin

Markku Aro (real name Markku Puputti) was among the most popular pop singers in Finland in 70's. He represented Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1971. Markku is still recording and performing actively today. In 1975 he recorded "Hunajaisin huulin" (With lips of honey) that was a minor hit as a single. The original - called "Sugar Candy Kisses" - was performed in 1974 by Mac and Katie Kissoon, a male/female vocal duo consisting of brother and sister. They were born in Trinidad and raised in England. The song was written by producers and songwrights Wayne Bickerton and Tony Waddington, whose biggest claim to fame was writing several worldwide hits for The Rubettes.

Updated on 03.02.2010: added a good version by Pauliina (real name Paula Erko) also from the year 1975.

Here's the pair: