Today's playlist focuses on the dark corners shrouded behind the iron curtain. The following songs are from Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, East Germany, Latvia and Russia. The labels that issued these records, like all industry in the eastern bloc, was owned and operated by the government so there are no charts or sales figures available but we do know that the RIGA label in the Soviet Union was the biggest in the world pressing 135 Million records a year! Astounding! Here is a sampling of some pop gems from Eastern Europe in he 60's and 70's. Enjoy!
Torpedo - Novi (Poland)
Vrba - Marta Kubišová (Czechoslovakia)
Kinai Fal - Nemenyi Bela & Atlantis (Hungary)
Gral - East German Modern Jazz (East Germany)
Ein himmelblauer Trabant - Sonja Schmidt (East Germany)
Ven Tukor - Zalatnay Sarolta & Metro (Hungary)
Trzysta Tysiecy Gitar - Karin Stanek (Poland)
Kur Tu Esi - Raimond Pauls (Latvia)
Kdo Ti Radu Dá - Marta Kubišová (Czechoslovakia)
Tak Mi Zie - Nielbiesko Czarni (Poland)
Gostiny Dvor - Pavel Sysoyev (Russia)
If you missed the show and would like to check out some of these tunes and some additional ones, scope out this mix: