Welcome to Iceland's National Final for WV 69
The motto of Söngvakeppnin 69 is "Retro hits". What does it mean?
All the 7 songs of this selection were recorded between 1960 and 1979... In one case I chose a newer interpretation of an old song, though.
While contemporary Iceland music is notorious and appreciated by some people, Icelandic music of the 1960s and 1970s is a total untrod territory (out of Iceland) and I am probably the first creature in the big world of internet who deals with this part of music history and who gives it a platform in a big music forum like this one.
1. Vilhjálmur Vilhjálmsson - Söknuður (1977)
Vilhjálmur Vilhjálmsson is considered one the most gifted Icelandic singer of history. He was known for having a soft voice, perfectly suitable for the popular music at that time in Iceland. Sadly, he died with only 35 years in a car crash in Luxemburg in 1979. He is still beloved nowadays, people can sing his famous songs by heart. In 2008 there was a memorial concert held in his honor where many of Iceland’s most respected musicians performed.
"Söknuður" (Sorrow) is one of his later songs but probably his most famous one. Vilhjálmur wrote this song after the death of a friend and the song is a tribute to him, full of bright memories of their friendship but also with the message that everybody will die sooner or later and we have to accept it. The song often used in funerals.
People in Iceland are sure that this song was the inspiration for the famous "You Raise me up" by Secret Garden, especially since the melody sound similar and due to the fact that writer Rolf Løvland in his young years spent some time in Iceland
2. Trúbrot - Án Þín (1969)
Trúbrot were an Icelandic psychedelic/progressive rock band active in the late 1960s and early 1970s and they were formed in 1969 as an supergroup composed of members of the bands Hljómar (more about them in song 6) and Flowers. They broke up in 1973.
While the first album is entirely in Icelandic, later albums featured more English singing, which was at the time controversial in Iceland. However, Án Þín is from the debut album in 1969. The song has no special message, it's a typical "I miss you, life without you life is so horrible" song.. but hey, the instrumentals here are very interesing. Scandalously the last 13 seconds of this song are missing in this youtube video.
3. Ég er kominn heim (originally 1960, this version from 2011)
Now this is a true classic. "Ég er kominn heim" was recorded 1960 and sung by the pop singer Óðinn Valdimarsson. It's a song about homesickness and the beauty of "home" and the positive sides of living at a place where you feel home and where you belong. The song was covered many many times by other Icelandic pop singers. Meanwhile it's a like an Icelandic "You'll never walk alone" cause it is played and sung by people in pubs and for example in football stadiums. The Icelandic football fans who were in France this summer spread it there as much as they could do.
I prefered the Helgi Björnsson version of 2011 over the original cause I love the men choir.
4. Trúbrot - Ég veit að þú kemur (1969)
Another Trúbrot song from the same album as the first song, maybe a bit more messy and trippy. The message of a song in a nutshell: "Come to me, let's ignite a fire together." Or so.
5. Brunaliðið - Ástarsorg (1979)
Not many informations about the band. I just know they had a lot of commercial success in Iceland and that most of their songs were much happier than this one.
I love this cause it's so nostalgic. By the way, "Ástarsorg" means "lovesickness" Moreover,
John Grant performed it once.
6. Hljómar – Þú og ég (1967)
Hljómar, also known as "Thor's Hammer" was an Icelandic rock band primarily active in the 1960s. Their style can be described as garage rock, fuzz rock, and freakbeat, with noticeable influences from both The Who and The Beatles. They are basically unknown out of Iceland, but at least they once recorded some EPs in London. In 1969 a number of Hljómar members went on to form the prog-flavored band Trúbrot.
I remember that I discovered "Þú og ég" thanks to a an Icelandic film about drug dealing. There was featured a remix version of that song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3I5g3khRFZ4 (which would probably do much better in WV than the original xD). There was a time when I was really addicted to that song.
7. Vilhjálmur Vilhjálmsson - Vor í Vaglaskógi (1966)
We started with a Vilhjálmur song so let's also finish with one. And here we've even got a super-alliteration
When I sent a cover of this song to WV one and a half year ago it turned out to be a good idea so I take this as a positive omen. According to my information, one is allowed to send the original song when the cover was already sent provided that 20 editions were in between. So this song should be eligible. This is less dramatic and melancholic as the Kaleo version but a bit more distinctive and energetic.
-----------------------------------------------------
How to vote?
It's pretty simple:
Y no Recap?
Because I better waste my time with creating pointless intro videos like the one up there. However, I can offer a
LIVE LISTENING if people want it.
This is a very ... polarizing National Final so I mention only a small group of people who might enjoy this selection. For the most users here I have no hope (in terms of liking this selection, not in general!).
[MENTION=9441]RainyWoods[/MENTION] [MENTION=14007]lavieenrose[/MENTION] [MENTION=14505]Lupus[/MENTION] [MENTION=9441]RainyWoods[/MENTION] [MENTION=12033]Nicholas123[/MENTION] [MENTION=9441]RainyWoods[/MENTION] [MENTION=12837]JamieBrown[/MENTION] [MENTION=10639]as78[/MENTION] [MENTION=9441]RainyWoods[/MENTION] [MENTION=7797]AdelAdel[/MENTION] [MENTION=4724]EurovisionSmile[/MENTION] [MENTION=9441]RainyWoods[/MENTION] [MENTION=4597]Stargazer[/MENTION] [MENTION=10742]daniels1000[/MENTION] (I know you cant stand this old stuff but your opinion is always important for me. Even if the songs were just me farting in a microphone) [MENTION=13948]fer20[/MENTION] (don't feel forced to vote here, I just think you might appreciate 1 or 2 songs
) [MENTION=9441]RainyWoods[/MENTION] [MENTION=12553]Krishoes[/MENTION] (I think you appreciate some kind of old songs. Not sure if you like this selection but I would be grateful if you give it a chance [MENTION=11243]ZoboCamel[/MENTION] (No idea if you like 1960s/1970s rock/pop ... if not, you can ignore this xD )
Sorry, if I mentioned some of your more than once. I'm writing this post for hours and I'm a little tired so mistakes can happen I guess.