Olsen Brothers

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  • Genres: Rock

Biography

Winners of the 2000 Eurovision Song Contest, Danish pop/rockers the Olsen Brothers had been performing together since 1965, when brothers Jørgen Olsen (born March 15, 1950) and Niels Olsen (born April 13, 1954) fronted the beat band the Kids. Best remembered in Denmark for opening for the visiting Kinks in 1965, the Kids released a handful of 45s beginning in 1967, but had split by the end of the decade. Opting to remain together as a duo, the brothers appeared in the Danish production of the musical Hair in 1971 and released their debut album, Olsen, the following year. Further long-players included For What We Are (1973), For the Children of the World (1973), Back on the Tracks (1976), You're the One (1977), San Francisco (1978), and Dans -- Dans -- Dans (1979); their biggest hits include "Angelina" (1972) and "Julie" (1977). Falling comparatively silent throughout the 1980s, the brothers resurfaced in 1982 with the hit "Marie, Marie," and again in 1985 with "Neon Madonna." Their next album, however, did not appear until 1987 brought the release of Rockstalgi, and new releases continued sporadically throughout the remainder of the century -- Det Stille Ocean in 1990 and Angelina in 1999 were punctuated only by 1994's semi-compilation Greatest and Latest. The Olsen Brothers' comeback began in 2000, when they surprisingly won Denmark's Eurovision qualifying contest. Their song "Fly on the Wings of Love" then became one of the most emphatic winners in Eurovision history, and the biggest hit of the brothers' own long career -- at one point, the single (whose Danish title was "Smuk Som et Stjerneskud") was selling 100,000 copies a day in Denmark alone. The brothers returned to a more or less annual LP release schedule -- Fly on the Wings of Love was followed by Walk Right Back in 2001 (they performed the title track at the opening ceremony to that year's Eurovision Song Contest final), Songs in 2002, More Songs in 2003, and Our New Songs in 2005. They also made another try for Eurovision glory in 2005, entering the Danish qualifiers with the song "Little Yellow Radio." They finished second behind Jakob Sveistrup. ~ Dave Thompson, Rovi
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Olsen Brothers

"Noller" (left) and Jørgen Olsen (right)
Background information
Origin Denmark
Years active 1972 –
Website http://www.olsen-brothers.dk/
Members
Jørgen Olsen
Niels "Noller" Olsen

Olsen Brothers (Danish: Brødrene Olsen) are a Danish rock/pop music duo, and are brothers Jørgen (born 15 March 1950) and "Noller" (Niels, born 13 April 1954) Olsen. They formed their first band, The Kids, in 1965. The Kids warmed up for The Kinks in the K.B. Hallen in 1965 and released their first single in 1967.

Both Jørgen and Niels Olsen participated in the musical Hair in the Cirkusbygningen in Copenhagen March 1971, and went on tour afterwards through Denmark, Norway and Sweden.

The Olsen Brothers' first album came out in 1972. To date they have released 12 albums.

Their big hit singles include "Angelina" (1972), "Julie" (1977), "San Francisco" (1978), "Dans Dans Dans" (1979), "Marie, Marie" (1982) and "Neon Madonna" (1985).

Contents

Dansk Melodi Grand Prix / Eurovision

The Olsen Brothers and on occasions Jørgen Olsen on his own took part in a number of annual competitions known as Dansk Melodi Grand Prix the winner of which would represent Denmark in the Eurovision Song Contest.

Participations in Dansk Melodi Grand Prix
Year Song Position Points Notes
1978 "San Francisco"
2nd
37
As Olson Brothers
1979 "Dans dans dans"
8th
32
As Olsen Brothers
1980 "Laila"
5th
61
As Olsen Brothers
1986 "Fællessang i parken"
6-10th
-
As Olsen Brothers
1989 "Fugle"
3rd
28
Jørgen Olsen (solo)
1990 "Berlin"
3rd
25.676
Jørgen Olsen (solo)
2000 "Smuk som et stjerneskud"
"Fly on the Wings of Love" (in English)
1st
58
As Olsen Brothers
Represented Denmark
in Eurovision 2000
2005 "Little Yellow Radio"
2nd
52
As Olsen Brothers
2007 "Vi elsker bare danske piger"
7th
-
Jørgen Olden (solo)
Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 2000 / Eurovision Song Contest 2000

They won the annual Dansk Melodi Grand Prix song competition in 2000 in Copenhagen and went on to represent Denmark in the Eurovision Song Contest 2000 in Stockholm, where they stormed to a landslide victory with the song "Fly on the Wings of Love" (translated from the Danish "Smuk som et Stjerneskud" (literally translated, "Beautiful as a Shooting Star"). At one stage, they sold 100,000 copies in one day, in Denmark. They became only one of two Danish acts that won the competition, the other being Grethe and Jørgen Ingmann who had won in 1963 with "Dansevise".

They opened the Eurovision Song Contest 2001 in Copenhagen with a short reprise of their winning song from the previous year, followed by a full performance of their new release "Walk Right Back".

Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 2005

In 2005 for the first time since their victory, they re-entered the Danish Melodi Grand Prix, the national pre-selection for the Eurovision contest, with the song "Little Yellow Radio". It was widely reported that they hoped to repeat their triumph; however this time they had to settle for second place, finishing behind Jakob Sveistrup.

Congratulations - 50 Years of the Eurovision Song Contest

Their song Fly on the Wings of Love was nominated as one of the 14 finalists for the Congratulations: 50 Years of the Eurovision Song Contest held in Copenhagen, Denmark on 22 October 2005. They performed the song in the event finishing 6th overall in 14 songs. The winner was "Waterloo" from ABBA

Discography

Albums

  • Olsen (1972)
  • For What We Are (1973)
  • For the Children of the World (1973)
  • Back on the Tracks (1976)
  • You're the One (1977)
  • San Francisco (1978)
  • Dans - Dans - Dans (1979)
  • Rockstalgi (1987)
  • Det Stille Ocean (1990)
  • Greatest and Latest (1994)
  • Angelina (1999)
  • Fly on the Wings of Love (2000)
  • Neon Madonna (2001)
  • Walk Right Back (2001)
  • Songs (2002)
  • Weil Nur Die Liebe Zählt (2003)
  • More Songs (2003)
  • Our New Songs (2005)

Singles

(Selective)

  • "Angelina" (1972)
  • "Julie" (1977)
  • "San Francisco" (1978)
  • "Dans dans dans" (1979)
  • "Marie, Marie" (1982)
  • "Neon Madonna" (1985)
  • "Fly on the Wings of Love" (2000)
  • "Wings of Eurovision (2011)

See also


Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Sweden Charlotte Nilsson
with "Take Me to Your Heaven"
Winner of the Eurovision Song Contest
2000
Succeeded by
Estonia Tanel Padar, Dave Benton and 2XL
with "Everybody"
Preceded by
Michael Teschl and Trine Jepsen
with "This Time I Mean It"
Denmark in the Eurovision Song Contest
2000
Succeeded by
Rollo & King
with "Never Ever Let You Go"

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Mentioned in

Brødrene Olsen (Folk Band, '60s-2000s)
Olsen Brothers (Rock Band, '70s-2000s)
The Waiting (Gospel Band, '90s, 2000s)