The song “The White Rose of Athens” was based on a traditional Greek song which translated as “When you whistle three times”. The song was originally adapted into German as “Weiße Rosen aus Athen” for Nana Mouskouri to sing for a soundtrack on a German documentary called “Greece, land of dreams”. For most people that …
Category Archives: Europe
It’s a trip around the Sun in Gran Canaria
If there is one song, that will entice you to get on a plane to Gran Canaria, it has to be this one by Edward Fox and the Animal Kingdom. Information on the band is a bit sketchy but they are based in Gran Canaria with links to Poland, Italy and Denmark. They say the …
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It was in Prague not so long ago
So goes the opening line of 1965 released song Prague by Rika Zaraï, an Israeli singer who not only sang in French, but English, Hebrew, Spanish, Italian and German. Rika lived most of her life in Paris where she made a career as a singer, songwriter, musician and author. Prague is a great place to …
Songo ‘e nato
This song by Mario Abbate was realeased in 1969. Mario Abbate is one of a long line of singers who follow in the tradition of a long line of artists who perform “Canzone Napoletana”, songs sung in the Neopolitan language typically by a male singer. In 1830 at the Festival of Piedigrotta an annual song …
Vanlose Stairway
Van Morrison wrote this song* about his Danish girlfriend Ulla Munch. She lived on the fourth floor of an apartment in the Vanlose district of Copenhagen. They lived together here from 1980 to 1983. The song itself was released in January 1982. Vanlose is on of the 10 districts of Copenhagen and also was home …
Then it’s the feeling like you’re also glad you came
We have a really tenuous link between our video and today’s destination. First enjoy the video and then we’ll explain the link. The title of today’s post is taken from the second line of the song. Many of you will be aware that Canadian born Nelly Furtado is of Portuguese ancestry and has from time …
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Last Train to London
Last Train to London was released by ELO in 1979. One of the lines in the lyrics goes “The sun is going down”. When discussing London as a travel destintion its so difficult to know where to start. However going back to 1979 I remember going on a walk round the centre of London in …
There is no other place like Split
Nima Splita do Splita (There is no other place like Split) is the title of a song by the Croatian singer Tereza Kesovija. The lyrics talk about the beauty of the town and how it’s the most beautiful place in the world, if fact the lyrics specifically mention that Split is more beautiful than Athens! …
Autumn In Rome
“Autumn in Rome. My heart remembers fountains where children played” so sang Patti Page in the film with the same title. The film is generally forgotten by the song itself became famous over the years, being sung by stars such as Peggy Lee and Tony Bennett. The Autumn is a good time to visit many …
Te Dejo Madrid
“I am leaving Madrid” sings the Columbian Singer Shakira. The video below has a bullfighting theme to it. The Spanish “El Juli” sued Shakira for $5 million for using scenes of one of his performances without his permission. As a visitor to Spain, it is sometimes difficult to understand how even in modern times, that …