Reason to love Sweden #83

During Melodifestivalen, at all Statoil petrol stations, drivers can fill their tank with soemthing called a schlager mix...

Each petrol pump will be equiped with a magic button called the schlagerbutton. Press the button, and the sounds of schlager can be enjoyed while refilling.

How amazing. Get me a car and a Sveriges road map, and I'm there. No pyrotechnics allowed, mind.

Deutsch schlager

Today, I made a gift CD of German pop and schlager. What a gift! Here's are two songs - from the very same year.

Joy Flemming gives it some welly at Eurovision 1975. I'm in awe of the dress, her punching the air, the soaring chorus, and the wonderfully rousing brassy sound. It's brilliant. Also loving the composer doing a leap between verses, and Joy's cheeky line of English at the end of the song.

And German favourite Marianne Rosenberg in another fabulous frock sings the gay disco classic Er gehört zu mir, trying out to represent Germany in Eurovision - but Frau Fleming beat her to it!