Camillo Felgen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Camillo Felgen
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
Camillo Jean Nicolas Felgen
November 17, 1920 Tétange, Luxembourg
|
| Died | 16 July 2005 (aged 84) Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
|
| Occupation | Singer, songwriter |
| Years active | 1946-2005 |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Instruments | vocals |
| Labels |
|
Camillo Jean Nicolas Felgen (born November 17, 1920 – died July 16, 2005) was a famous singer, songwriter, and TV host from Luxembourg. He was also a disc jockey. Camillo Felgen represented his home country, Luxembourg, in the Eurovision Song Contest twice. He sang in the contest in 1960 and again in 1962.
Contents
Camillo Felgen's Early Life and Career
Camillo Felgen started his career as a teacher. He also worked as a translator for soldiers. Later, he became a reporter for a French newspaper. He studied theater and opera in Brussels and Liège.
In 1946, he joined Radio Luxembourg. He worked there as a chorus singer. He was also a reporter who spoke French. By 1949, he had finished his studies in theater and opera. He had also perfected his singing voice, which was a baritone.
His First Hit Songs
In 1951, Camillo Felgen had his first big international hit song. It was called "Bonjour les amies," which means "Hello Friends." This song later became the main theme song for his national radio station.
In 1953, he recorded his first song in German. This song was called "Onkel Toms altes Boot," meaning "Uncle Tom's Old Boat." He recorded it in Berlin, Germany.
Representing Luxembourg in Eurovision
Camillo Felgen was the first person from Luxembourg to sing in the Eurovision Song Contest. He was also the first male singer to represent Luxembourg. He sang in the contest in 1960. His song was called "So laang we's du do bast." It was also the first time a song was sung in the Luxembourgish language at Eurovision. He finished last that year with only one point.
Two years later, he entered the contest again. This time, he did much better. He finished in 3rd place with his song "Petit bonhomme." Sometimes, he also provided commentary for the contest in German.
Other Famous Songs
One of Camillo Felgen's most popular songs was "Ich hab Ehrfurcht vor schneeweißen Haaren." This means "I Respect Your Grey Hair." It was a cover of a song by another artist, Bobbejaan Schoepen. Another well-known song was "Sag warum" from 1959. This song was based on a melody by Phil Spector.
Writing Songs and Translating
Camillo Felgen also wrote German lyrics for many international songs. He used the pen name Jean Nicolas for this work. He wrote songs for famous singers like Connie Francis and Caterina Valente.
In 1964, using his pen name Jean Nicolas, Felgen translated two songs for The Beatles. These were the only two songs The Beatles ever recorded in German. The songs were "Komm, gib mir deine Hand" ("I Want to Hold Your Hand") and "Sie liebt dich" ("She Loves You").
At that time, Felgen was a program director at Radio Luxembourg. He was given only 24 hours to finish the translated lyrics. Then, he had to fly to Paris. His job was to help The Beatles learn how to sing the German words correctly.
Hosting TV Shows
From 1965 to 1973, Camillo Felgen was a popular TV host. He hosted and commented on the German broadcasts of Jeux sans frontières. This show was known in Germany as Spiel Ohne Grenzen. It was a fun competition show between different European towns.
His Later Years
Camillo Felgen passed away in Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg. He died on July 16, 2005, at the age of 84.
