Filipinki were the first Polish all-girl vocal group and also Poland's leading female band of the 1960s.
Career Filipinki were founded in October 1959 at an economic college in Szczecin and became popular in Poland through exposure at music festivals and other events during the years that followed. They named themselves after popular teen girl magazine Filipinka.
By 1963, they were well-established but the big breakthrough came with their Wala Twist, a playful song celebrating female cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova, who became the first woman into space aboard Vostok 6 in June 1963. Wala Twist quickly became a hit in Poland and the Soviet Union. In the same year Filipinki released their first EP vinyl record in the Soviet Union and two more EPs in Poland. Just in 1964 their Polish EPs sold over 704,740 copies (N-0298: 353,240 copies and N-0299: 351,500 copies). The group became extremely popular both domestically and in all countries of the Eastern Bloc, becoming one of the first teen musicians acts to appear regularly on Polish, Soviet Union and GDR television programs. In the mid-1960s they were called The Beatles Girls by Polish media.
In 1965, Filipinki became first Eastern Bloc young musicians to tour overseas, in Canada and the United States. They performed concerts, among others, in the cities: Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, New York City, Minneapolis, Chicago, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Baltimore. They returned to America in 1966 for the next three-month tour. Filipinki also released three vinyl records in Canada and the US; two LPs and one EP.
In 1968, Filipinki reduced the group from seven to five vocalists, changed their image and revamped as a rock band.
The group disbanded in November 1974 after a 15-year run. Their success made it possible for future Polish teenage musicians and girl bands to find mainstream success.
Discography FormatYearCountryTitleRecord LabelLP1965PolandRozśpiewani rówieśnicy (Teenagers Songs)Polskie Nagrania Muza L0454USAPiosenka nie zna granic (Music Has No Bounds)Melodia Record Co. LPM10251966PolandFilipinki - to my (We Are Filipinki Girls)Polskie Nagrania Muza XL0323USAFilipinki with orchestra under J. Janikowski in their Top 16 Hits. A Polish A GO-GOBruno Records BR10214LEP1963USSRFilipinkiMelodiya PD 33GD 008811964PolandWala TwistPolskie Nagrania Muza N0298Filipinki to my (We Are Filipinki Girls)Polskie Nagrania Muza N02991965PolandTarap tarapPronit N0361USAFilipinkiRadio Request Records M-401968PolandNie ma go (He Isn't Here)Polskie Nagrania Muza N0529Kolędy śpiewają Filipinki (Christmas Carol by Filipinki)Veriton V3501969PolandWiosna majem wróci (Spring Will Return in May)Pronit N05721971PolandJa się w tobie nie zakocham (I Will Not Fall in Love With You)Polskie Nagrania Muza N0653SP1966PolandSerwus, panie chief (Hello Mr. Chief)Polskie Nagrania Muza SP2511965USSRБатуми (Batumi) Мы Филипинки (orig. Filipinki - to my = We Are Filipinki Girls)Melodiya 0044573/0044574Валентина (orig. Wala Twist = Valentina Twist) Пити-пити (Pity, pity)Melodiya 0044575/00445761967USSRTylko raz (Just Once)Melodiya 00454191971PolandKrólewski Zamek (King's Castle)Polskie Nagrania Muza SP357Cardboardrecord(official)1966PolandFilipinki i Chochoły: Znajdź sobie dziewczynę (Find Yourself a Girlfriend)Ruch R0030Serwus, panie Chief (Hello Mr. Chief)Ruch R00361969PolandWiosna majem wróci (Spring Will Return in May)Polskie Nagrania Muza KP1371971PolandKrólewski zamek (King's Castle)Ruch R0315Greatest Hits1993PolandFilipinki - największe przebojePolskie Nagrania Edition Ltd. ECD 0182003PolandFilipinki - to myPolskie Nagrania Muza PNCD 5402004PolandPlatynowa kolekcja. Filipinki. Złote przebojeGM Records 222 005-22005PolandPlatynowa kolekcja. Filipinki - nasze złote przebojeMedia Way Sp. z o.o. 2-00202008PolandZ archiwum Polskiego Radia vol. 4. Filipinki. Nagrania radiowe z lat 1963-1972Polskie Radio SA PRCD 1078-792010PolandFilipinkiPolskie Nagrania Muza PNCD 13392012PolandZłote lata polskiej piosenki. FilipinkiGazeta Wyborcza, Agora SA2013PolandFilipinki - to my! niepublikowane nagrania z lat 1962-1971Latarnik/AS AS012014PolandZłota kolekcja. Filipinki. Batumi. Własny światWarner Music Poland 08256 4 61914 8 2
Bibliography
In November 2013, a biography of the band by Marcin Szczygielski entitled We are Filipinki! Illustrated History of First Polish Girlsband () was released in Poland.
Notes
External links
Filipinki in Library of Polish Songs