Romantica - Gunnar Wiklund

Renato Rascel represented Italy with 'Romantica' at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1960. The song was covered by many artists across Europe; attentive readers will have seen my entries on versions by Willy Alberti, Achille Togliani and Robertino. 

Up north, you had Gunnar Wiklund, who would record more Eurovision covers during the 1960's. This EP featured his first flirt with Eurovision repertoire, after having released more than a dozen singles with original material in Swedish. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7061
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 11 November 2023
Tracks: 'Romantica', 'Partners' / 'Han måste gå', 'Midnatt'

Angelique - Gunnar Wiklund

Dario Compeotto represented Denmark at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1961 with the song 'Angelique'. The Swedish singer Gunnar Wiklund saw an opportunity and recorded his own version of the song - and filled an EP with two other Eurovision songs from the same year: 'Are you sure?' and 'April, April'. The fourth track, 'Spela på regnbågen' was the song that finished in second place at the Swedish national final for Eurovision in 1961, behind 'April, April'. 

Gunnar would record more Eurovision covers in 1966 on this EP.

My collection: 7" single no. 6794
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 12 November 2022
Tracks: 'Angelique', 'Du kan vara säker på' / 'April, April', 'Spela på regnbågen'

Sjunger Eurovisionsschlager - Gunnar Wiklund

In 1966, Gunnar Wiklund took part in the Swedish national final for the Eurovision Song Contest with two songs: 'Vinterrosor' and 'Vad har jag kvar?'. The songs ended up in fifth and tenth place respectively. 

Undeterred, he released this EP, featuring the two songs plus two cover versions of songs that did end up in the international competition: 'Nygammal vals', the Swedish entry originally performed by Lill Lindfors and Svante Thuresson, and 'Merci Cherie', the winning song by Udo Jürgens from Austria. Gunnar recorded 'Nygammal vals' together with Marianne Kock.

My collection: 7" single no. 6665
Found: Discogs.com, received 24 March 2022
Cost: €4
Tracks: 'Vinterrosor', 'Vad har jag kvar?' / 'Merci Chérie', 'Nygammal vals'