Rocking Cosmonauts #3

Hello, everybody, hi all!

April 12 is coming, so I found the time to make another "Rocking Cosmonauts" show. Besides the birthday of "Rock Around the Clock" this year is a 50th Anniversary of Yuri Gagarin flight to space. And here you can find a song dedicated to him.

This space rocking compilation includes artists from UK, Finland, Russia, Belgium, Spain, Poland, Bulgaria, Denmark, Netherlands, Italy, France and Yugoslavia. Enjoy and don't hesisitate to write down your impressions. By the way, I just realized, that you have to be a member of blogspot to leave any comments here.

Winifred Atwell was born in Trinidad, had studied the piano since she had been a small child. By the late 1940s moved to London where she worked at clubs. By 1950 she began recording with Decca. Her music worked well on TV where she made regular appearances. She would normally start her act by playing a classical piece on a grand before transferring herself to what she called 'my other piano' which was an old 'honky tonk' upright. "Spaceship Boogie" was recorded together with trio: electric guitar, double bass and drums.

Harmony Sisters are three sisters: Vera, Maire and Raija. During their formative years the swing music loving girls performed only in English, until they met their new conductor and manager in 1937, George de Codzinsky, an emigrant musician, from St. Petersburg. Godzinsky was also a piano player, and had a chance to play for Fyodor Shaliapin. It’s Godzinsky and Saukki who’s credited for Finnish version of “Rock Around the Clock”.

The title “Baby Luna” is just another name given by journalists for Russian Sputnik-1. In the late 1950s there were even cafés named “Baby Luna” in Italy. I have no info about Carlo Genovesi who sings together with backing vocal group, so if you can put some light on this – let me know. I also have no info on 3 Kleine Kleuters & De Joffers en De Jonkers (“Grandpa’s Rock’n’Roll”), Maia Golovnja (“Silver Rocket”), vocal ensemble of Bulgarian radio (“Trip to Cosmos”) and vocal ensemble “Meteory” (“At the Cosmodrome”).

The Lollipops is a beat group of three young boys. The band won a children talent contest in Copenhagen in 1960 when they were 9, 10 and 12 yo. The band members were two brothers Torbenand and Joergen and older Poul. In 1961-62 they played in Sweden and got a recording contract with Karusell Records. Their first record was a cover version of Connie Francis’ “Lollipop Lips”. But quickly the boys showed that they had talent for writing own catchy songs. However, “I Got a Rocket In My Pocket” is also a cover version.

A few words about other performers. The Spoetniks were formed by singer and rhythm-guitarist Danny Fisher is 1958. The quartet had a big success on a Youth Festival in Bruxelles in 1961. This track has no space title, but the band has!

Vocal ensemble “Problem” sings Italian song called “Yuri Rock”. The songs was originally recorded by Johnny Mondo (Gianni Sismondio). N. Kalogjera made arrengements, M. Markuš wrote the lyrics. Backing by beat group Atomi.

Filippo Carletti has Italian origins. He moved to Spain and became popular there as a successful leader of quartet. The song in Spanish is about green Martian with one big eye who dances rock’n’roll.

In the early 1960s young French singer Jean Renard took the pseudonim Big Twist and recorded a few EPs. “Rocket-Bye-Bye” is from his first EP released in October 1961. Jean wrote music and lyrics by himself.

Winifred Atwell and Her Piano with Rhythm Spaceship Boogie (UK, 1957)
Harmony Sisters ja Triola-Yhtye Tunnista Toiseen (Rock Around the Clock) (Finland, 1955)
Carlo Genovesi Baby Luna (Italy, 1960)
3 Kleine Kleuters met De Joffers en De Jonkers Opa's Rock en Roll (Netherlands, 1957)
The Lollipops I Got a Rocket In My Pocket (Denmark, 1964)
The Spoetniks Brigitte (Belgium, 1962)
Grupa Wokalna “Meteory” Na Kosmodromie (Poland, 1965)
Maia Golovnja Serebristaia Strela (Russia, 1965)
Vokalni Kvartet “Problem” Jurij Gagarin (Yuri Rock) (Yugoslavia, 1963)
Vocal Ensemble of National Bulgarian Radio Puteshestvie v Kosmos (Bulgaria, 1965)
Filippo Carletti y Su Cuarteto Mr. Marciano (Purple People Eater)(Spain, 1961)
Big Twist Rocket-Bye-Bye (France, 1961)

Trip to Cosmos