Fredrik Gustafsson – Sida 10

Congrats Måns Zelmerlöw, But Italy Actually Won

Don’t get me wrong, I’m the first to congratulate Måns Zelmerlöw to last night’s victory! ‘Heroes’ managed to beat Russia and no worries – Sweden will host the Eurovision Song Contest 2016. Yet, had it been [solely] up to the 200 million viewers across, Il Volo would’ve crushed all competition.

According to statistics from EBU and Eurovision Times, Italy secured most televotes for both semifinals and the final. Beaten by Russia, Måns Zelmerlöw would’ve placed third.

“Either way, I’m more than happy. We have won,” says Måns Zelmerlöw to the Swedish news daily Aftonbladet. He should, we’re thrilled to be hosting yet another finale but no arena has been chosen yet.

READ: THE DARK SIDE BEHIND MÅNS ZELMERLÖW’S HEROES

So, how come Sweden managed to win. Well, not only did the jurys favor ‘Heroes.’ Russia only managed bronze medal, while Italy came sixth.

So, how come Il Volo gain so much traction across Europe? The group claims that they combine a classical Italian recipe with a modern touch. “What we’d like to do is to reach out with this kind of music, it’s unusal, only Andrea Bocelli and Pavarotti sung this kind of music. The Italian song has travelled across the world, we want to do it as well. Sure, we’re young and we might sound more modern attracting a younger audience with their iPods,” says singer Gianluca Ginoble.

“We’re lucky as we cater to a younger and older audience. We’re lucky that the younger generation ask their parents for money so that they can buy our records, while their parents also prefer this kind of music,” says his band mate Ignacio Bochetto to Aftonbladet.

READ: DID MÅNS ZELMERLÖW BORROW FROM DAVID GUETTA?

Five Things You’d Forgotten About Dirty Dancing

I find it hard to believe that you’d forgotten about Dirty Dancing. The 1987 blockbuster movie not only spawned giant hits from Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes, Eric Carmen and even Patrick Swayze.

‘(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life’ Won an Oscar

Selling well over 36,000,000 copies – the former Righteous Brother singer Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes’ Hot 100 No.1 hit racked up several awards. The song won a Grammy for Best pop performance by a duo or group with vocal as well as the Academy Award for Best Song. The track charted twice in the UK. It reached No.6 in 1987 and returned to No.6 in January 1991 following a national TV screening.

Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes – (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life

Songwriter Franke Previte Had Just Been Ditched by His Record Label

The movie’s producer Jimmy Lenner Franke Previte approached songwriter Franke Previte just after he had been dropped by his label MCA. He was asked to submit a song for the movie, not knowing that he was one of more than 100 artists to have been asked. Previte was the lead singer of the band Franke and the Knockouts. Previte not only wrote ‘The Time of My Life’ but also ‘Hungry Eyes.’ Both songs were also recorded by the group, and were included on the re-issue of The Sweetheart Collection (1999) after the band had folded.

Franke and the Knockouts – (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life

More Dirty Dancing Was Released a Year Later

The original motion picture soundtrack Dirty Dancing was initially released in 1987. A year later, More Dirty Dancing hit the shelves. It wasn’t faved by the critics as Rolling Stone called it “instrumental idiocies.” The set included tracks from The Four Seasons and The Drifters, however lacked of any new material. The John Morris Orchestra performed two short instrumental version of ‘The Time of My Life,’ and no singles were lifted off the album.

ALSO READ: 30 YEARS SINCE ALPHAVILLE TOPPED SINGLES CHART WITH FOREVER YOUNG THIS WEEK

The 20^th Anniversary Edition Included a DVD

In October 2007, a 20^th anniversary set was released featuring a promotional DVD with videos and photos. The tracklisting differed from the original and there were additional tracks included. A few of them were taken from aforementioned More Dirty Dancing set.

‘Hungry Eyes’ Was Never Released Commercially in the UK

Despite becoming such a huge success across the world, ‘Hungry Eyes’ with Eric Carmen was denied an official release in the UK. It, however, charted based on import sales and peaked at a disappointing No.82 position. It was a top ten hit in Sweden, Canada, the US and Belgium.

ALSO READ: BANGLES’ ETERNAL FLAME TURNS 25 THIS WEEK

Eric Carmen – Hungry Eyes

5 Things You Didn’t Know About Roxette’s It Must Have Been Love

25 years have passed since the premiere of Pretty Woman, which took the then unknown Julia Roberts to level of an international super star. The soundtrack included Roxette’s ‘It Must Have Been Love,’ which rose to No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 back in June 1990.

While many people listened and have grown to love the track, these facts might be new.

1 Pretty Woman was named 3 000 Dollars

Roxette couldn’t have asked for a better timing. Per Gessle and Marie Fredriksson had suddenly reached international stardom when ‘The Look’ climed to the top of the US chart during the spring of 1989. Disney/Touchstone Pictures approached the duo and asked them to write a song for the movie 3 000 Dollars, a romantic comedy about a rich business man falling in love with a charming and carefree hooker.

2 ‘It Must Have Been Love’ Was an Old Christmas Hit

As ‘Listen to Your Heart’ rose to No.1 and the whole world was screaming for Roxette in the summer of 1989, there was simply no time for the duo to pen another song. Instead, they offered the studio the three year old yuletide song ‘It Must Have Been Love (Christmas for the Broken Hearted).’ The song was released in Sweden in December 1987, finally peaking at No.4 in January 1998. While ‘Listen to Your Heart’ was a hit during the fall of 1989, director Garry Marshall realized that Roexette had delivered the key theme to the movie – if only he could get rid of the Christmas references in the lyrics.

Roxette – It Must Have Been Love (Christmas for the Broken Hearted)

3 The Song and the Movie Changed

Roxette was tempted to be included in a big Hollywood production, re-writing the lyrics and recorded a new version of the track. An updated version was sent to L.A. as the movie changed its name to Pretty Woman. On the 13^th June, 1990, Roxette topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for a third time. That’s within a year! In addition, both ‘Dangerous’ and ‘Dressed for Success’ peaked at No.2.

Roxette – It Must Have Been Love (Theme from Pretty Woman)

4 ‘It Must Have Been Love’ Passed the 5m Mark in 2014

Last year, Per Gessle received the “Million Air Award,” since ‘It Must Have Been Love’ passed more than 5m radio airplays in the US. This had previously been performed by ‘Listen to Your Heart.’

5 Parlophone/Warner Re-issues a Digital Version of ‘It Must Have Been Love’ Today

A digital version of ‘It Must Have Been Love’ is re-iussed today (23^rd March) and a newly pressed 7 inch single (limited edition) will be released on 6^th May. During the US tour in 1992, Roxette re-recorded ‘It Must Have Been Love’ in Los Angeeles. It was then mixed with a live recording and included on the ‘Tourism’ album in 1992. This is the first time it will be available in an edited version as a bonus track on the album. And as Roxette continues touring across the world, we sure know that love – is by far not over.

The Dark Story Behind Eurovision’s Måns Zelmerlöw’s Song Heroes

Måns Zelmerlöw’s ‘Heroes’ won the Swedish leg of the Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday. 3.7 million Swedes watched the final, when Måns beat out all competition. He’s sure of one thing, “I will win Eurovision,” according to an interview with Swedish news daily Expressen.

In addition to a great song, the show was also really spectacular. As you can see in the clip, there’s a cartoon guy appearing on stage. According to arena rules, the light projection show might not be allowed at the Austrian arena.

Måns Zelmerlöw – Heroes

He might, however, have to leave [the cartoon guy] at home. “I believe and hope that we can bring it,” he says to the TV breakfast show Gomorron Sverige. Despite the voting chaos, Måns was the superior winner. And he is confident that ‘Heroes’ may go all the way in Vienna.

Bullied As a Child

The cartoon guy portrays the singer as a bullied child at home. It’s obvious that the show means a lot to Måns Zelmerlöw as he has been very opened about the meaning of ‘Heroes,’ and the rough child upbringing.

ALSO READ: DID MÅNS ZELMERLÖW BORROW FROM DAVID GUETTA?

The cartoon guy is called Måns Petter. “It was me, in school when I was bullied buy this guy in my group of friends. From being part of something, I was being left outside. I was ashamed of being alone. And that still lives within me. That’s why I have a need to be seen and scared of being alone. David (Nordström) and Benke (Fredrik Rydman), who are the creative duo behind the show, has done a fantastic job in producing the show and draw the story,” says Måns Zelmerlöw.

This is not the first challenge Måns has faced. He has been accused of borrowing a bit too much of David Guetta’s ‘Lovers on the Sun,’ and even the light show has been accused of plagiarisim.

It has obviously not stopped the song’s popularity. It’s among the favorites at the European betting odds. The songs is currently climbing the Swedish official singles chart.

Författare: Fredrik Gustafsson