Dalida (French Singer) & Costandinos??????

**Jimmy-Michaels** · April 24th, 2004, 05:17 AM

I just recently made new discoverys of a French singer called Dalida who by the little research I could find comitted suicide in 1987. She seems to be some huge French pop star from the 50s and 60s. Anyhow, I found a whole string of pretty good eurodisco tracks from her..one of which is a remake of Costandinos' "Americana" in French which hers was recorded the same year..'81. Also, with the French sites about her I came across, I see Costandinos' name mentioned many many times and the infamous Barclay label. The other disco tracks I discovered from her have a Costandinos/Don Ray type feel to them. One is a side long track (some French title) that even breaks into a section very electronic simmaler to Alec's "Sumeria" LP. Does anyone know if I just stumbled across some more forgoton Costandinos work?? Let me know!

**Jimmy-Michaels** · April 24th, 2004, 05:38 AM

Follow up....listening to the side long suite again right now, seems to be a disco medley of oldies songs..and twards the end, sounds like its gonna break into "Winds Of Change"..if this aint Costandinos' work im gonna be hella shocked!

**K-Bee** · April 24th, 2004, 11:01 AM

:lol: With our luck Jimmy, I wouldn't be surprised if it could be the disco-Iglesias producer guy who's behind this too! :lol:

Marcio** · April 24th, 2004, 02:39 PM

Alec R. Costandinos wrote some songs to pop singer Demis Roussos in 1973. Alec R. Costandinos always loved the poetic expression 'rainbow's end' :

Demis Roussos' "Foverer and Ever" (S.Vlavianos & A. R. Costandinos)
ever and ever forever and ever you'll be my spring, my rainbow's end the song I sing

Love & Kisses' "I've Found Love (Now That I Have Found You)"
you're my secret wish that I always look for, you're my rainbow's end everytime I see you

Love & Kisses' "You Must Be Love"
you're the warm summer breeze of my life, you're my rainbow's end, I can touch the unreachable star when I hold your hand

:D

**Jimmy-Michaels** · April 24th, 2004, 04:45 PM

Yes I have noticed that about Alec's lyrics :D I knew of his work with Demis Roussas and according to further research, he also did early pop hits for Dalida. Which makes it even more easy to think that what im talking about here could be forgot Costandinos disco work. Espessaly her cover of "Americana" in which twards the end it has the screaming Alec voice in the background like on the Ariol And Jaquette LP and Tony Rallo LP and even the Tina Turner LP he did. The main question on hand here..can someone confirm or deny this????

**JussiK** · April 25th, 2004, 04:45 AM

Tony Rallo can be seen having been involved with many of Dalida's titles but apart from the Americana track there does not seem to be an actual Costandinos connection in the Diva's disco output. Costandinos or not, do seek out the 13 min version of Gigi in Paradisco for the full drama of the tune, and don't forget the Dalida Eternelle dvd. AND talking of things French, great to see the film "Podium", all about the career and life of Claude Francois, topping the box office charts there.

**Jimmy-Michaels** · April 25th, 2004, 09:58 AM

I have got the "Gigi In Paradisco" 13 min track, its great! Well, the Tony Rallo thing explains it all :D Tony Rallo is Costandinos! I read this quite sometime ago while researching Alec. It seems Tony Rallo was a good friend of Alec but actualy only did some minimal producing on the infamous "Burning Alive" LP when in actuality, it's all Alec and Alec has used his friend's name (with permision of corse) as an alias in the later Costandinos years. So confirmed! Thanks a billion :D Also, I read somewhere about Costandinos being involved with some non disco Claude Francois stuff. I love Claude's disco stuff which did include alot of Alec's backing singers on em. The story of him is very sad how he died quite before his time in a basic accident that coulda happened to anyone :(

**SandraDee** · April 26th, 2004, 03:33 PM

Didn't he die changing a light bulb? What an unglamourous end to a fabulous life. :(

**Jimmy-Michaels** · April 26th, 2004, 07:16 PM

Yes, he was changing a lightbulb while getting out of the shower and he did something wrong which made him get electricuted :cry:

**darrens** · April 30th, 2004, 10:00 AM

Jimmy: Great to hear that you've got the 13 minute of "Gigi in Paradisco" :D My Italian friends have been after that one for some time!

Tony Rallo definitely has done some stuff without Alec - for example, he co-wrote France's 1976 Eurovision Entry by Catherine Ferry "Un-deux-trois" (which is disco-pop).

**Jimmy-Michaels** · May 1st, 2004, 02:29 AM

..and the gang shall have it and the entire compilation

**Com King** · May 4th, 2004, 02:14 PM

Dalida was in a huge huge star here in France. It's been now almost 20 years she committed suicide and I think every single french under this age knows her and at least one of her song.

My two favourites are "Gigi in Paradisco" and "Laissez moi chanter".

Her two biggest hits in France are "Parole, Parole" and "Gigi l'Amoroso".

A connection with Alec Costandinos wouldn't surprise me at all.

**tdaram** · May 5th, 2004, 02:34 AM

I can see the "habitué" of "Les Planches de Paris".
8) "Laissez moi DANSER"

**Chap2Power** · May 6th, 2004, 09:48 PM

Alec is also a notable music publisher who had copyrights recorded by Dalida.

One of his pseudonyms is R. Rupen

In conversation with him, we discussed the irony of Sumeria's story with a television show: a man who falls from the sky and lands on the earth to marry. His version has a sad ending. The happy ending version: Mork and Mindy.

Vincent

**JussiK** · May 8th, 2004, 09:46 AM

What do you mean.."...in conversation with him..." - you mean you actually have had a real life conversation with the one and only Alec R. Costandinos whose vinyls have graced the turntables of Kings Of Clubs since 1977 and whose sounds continue to mesmerize us all? Vincent what's going on?!

**Chap2Power** · May 8th, 2004, 11:16 AM

hi Jussi and all, and yes, I've known Alec for over 20 years and the man is a real musical giant and great person. He's been a musical influence for me for a long time and I have almost every record he's done.

He also released a few non disco tracks on Carrere in French after the disco boom for those collectors out there.

I know Bernie is going to eventually get an interview with him on the site, so I won't say everything except that his work: from Anikana-O to Love In C Minor (check the credits) to Americana will always be a major influence for me and the latter if it isn't on CD--should be !

Vincent

**JussiK** · May 10th, 2004, 01:09 AM

Impressive! I wonder if Alec has checked this site out...

**JoeyCuz** · May 10th, 2004, 08:45 PM

Alec R. Constandinos is dead!

**Voyage** · May 10th, 2004, 10:21 PM

What :o Alec dead?!!?!??!?!?! :o :o

Voyage :P

**JoeyCuz** · May 10th, 2004, 10:34 PM

Alec is not dead! My mistake. :(

**MixMasterMax** · May 11th, 2004, 07:18 AM

Cuz, that was the best :lol:

**Bernie** · May 11th, 2004, 08:06 AM

Originally Written by JussiK

Impressive! I wonder if Alec has checked this site out...

Yes, he has.

**Voyage** · March 7th, 2005, 08:32 PM

I was just reading again this "old" topic and I would like to ask Bernie if we'll ever have a chance to read an interview with Alec on the site?

Voyage :P