Kids in America - Kim Wilde

Since I am catching up on older acquisitions, I think it's time I highlight my Japanese pressings of Kim Wilde singles. I started last week with the exclusive release 'Take me tonight', and today I went for her debut single, the immortal 'Kids in America'. 

On the internet there's the recurring debate about the line 'New York to East California' in the song, with people wondering why exactly Kim chose to sing about East California while there's really nothing there to sing about. The simple explanation given by dad Wilde, who wrote the song, was that it sounded better than 'West California'. In pop, things usually are that simple.

In Japan, 'Kids in America' was released twice, and with different sleeves. In the absence of any chart data I have to assume that the first release wasn't successful enough, and so the record company went for a re-release after worldwide success became evident. 

My collection: 7" single no. 1838 / no. 3340
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, 23 January 1993 / Ebay, 2001
Tracks: 'Kids in America' / 'Tuning in tuning on'  

L'amour est bleu - Vicky

Almost ten years ago I bought my first copy of Vicky Leandros's 'L'amour est bleu'. Why it didn't end up on this blog back then, I don't really know. It is an interesting enough EP, because it announces all the tracks in Spanish, but they are actually sung in French.

Two of these tracks are familiar, because they are also on other releases of the song, but the B-side is populated by two more songs. Vicky didn't win the contest on this occasion, but she would do so half a decade later, when she performed 'Après toi'. 

My collection: 7" single no. 5704
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, 21 November 2015
Tracks: 'L'amour est bleu', 'Le soleil a quitté ma maison' / 'Le tour du monde', 'Les amoureux' 

Voy a volverme loco - Chris Rea

Chris Rea's single 'Fool (if you think it's over)' was released in 1978 and became quite successful. Although it only reached number 30 in the UK singles chart and number 25 in the Dutch Top 40, it also reached number 12 in the US Billboard Hot 100, which gave the singer the status of a 'one hit wonder' over there.

In 1980 he recorded a Spanish version of the song. 'Voy a volverme loco' was released in Spanish-speaking countries. This promotional single is a welcome addition to my collection, even if I already owned this version on CD.

My collection: 7" single no. 7728
Found: Discogs.com, received 15 July 2025
Tracks: 'Voy a volverme loco' / 'Three angels' 

Tu eres mi mejor amante - Luv'

After Luv' acquired great success in the Netherlands and surrounding countries, they tried to capitalize on that success by recording an alternative version of their number one hit, 'You're the greatest lover' in Spanish. 'Tu eres mi mejor amante' was the result of this, but the single was packaged in this rather dull black and white sleeve. I am pretty sure that it would have made more impact if the sleeve had been as colourful as the original version.

I don't know, to be honest, whether this was a hit in Spanish-speaking countries, but I saw this single while buying some records from a Spanish dealer and I just couldn't resist.

My collection: 7" single no. 7727
Found: Discogs.com, received 15 July 2025
Tracks: 'Tu eres mi mejor amante' / 'Everybody's shakin' hands on Broadway'

Dan ljubavi - Nada, Bisera, Beti & Boba

Back in 1975, Yugoslavia participated in the Eurovision Song Contest with the song 'Dan Ljubezni', performed in Slovenian by Pepel in kri. Although this was a fine version, it wasn't exactly what those in the Serbian-speaking regions of the country wanted. And so they recorded their own version: 'Dan ljubavi'. 

The song was recorded by Nada, Bisera, Beti and Boba, although the sleeve of this single suggests that many more people were involved in the recording of this single. The sleeve proudly exclaims 'Pesma je kandidat za gran pri evrovizije '75' ('The song is a candidate for the Eurovision Song Contest '75'). It was, but not in this version.

My collection: 7" single no. 7725
Found: Discogs.com, received 15 July 2025
Tracks: 'Dan ljubavi' / 'Ostavi sve'

Mix - Cock Robin

I thought I had every Cock Robin single known to man, but then I spotted this Spanish release some time ago. Getting hold of a copy wasn't simple, because I tend to wait until the price goes down and/or the seller has more interesting releases to buy (in order to slash the relative shipping costs). 

I got lucky earlier this month, so now I can finally say that I own 'Mix', the most peculiar Cock Robin single out there. It is a medley of their three hit singles, and honestly I think it was mixed together in a slightly amateurish way. I wonder if the band approved the release back in 1986.  

My collection: 7" single no. 7726
Found: Discogs.com, received 15 July 2025
Tracks: 'Mix'

Fernando - Abba

Since I was ordering a few singles from Serbia, I thought it was nice to check out if the seller had any nice sleeve variations of Abba singles. And indeed, he did: this Yugoslavian pressing of Fernando comes with the same photograph that was used on most 'Fernando' singles, but with a different layout and a different 'Abba' logo!

The single was released on the Radio-Televizija Beograd' label, although the original Swedish Polar company gets a mention on the sleeve as well. Collecting Abba singles is best left to the most avid fans, but it is nice to catch a few in my collection as well.

My collection: 7" single no. 7724
Found: Discogs.com, received 15 July 2025
Tracks: 'Fernando' / 'Tropical loveland'

Poslije tebe - Zdenka Vučković

Zdenka Vučković was born in Zagreb on 20 June 1942. She was a Croatian popular music singer with a career spanning 60 years. Her popularity peaked during the Sixties, when she was a teen pop star. In 1972 she recorded a Croatian version of the song 'Après toi', which won the Eurovision Song Contest in the original version by Vicky Leandros.

She announced the end of her career with the song 'Odrasla je djevojčica mala' ['The Little Girl has Grown Up'], performed at the 1989 Zagreb Festival. However, in 1991, she performed the song 'To Love Somebody' (a cover version of the Bee Gees song in Croatian) as a duet with Severina. She passed away in Zagreb on 7 March 2020.

My collection: 7" single no. 7723
Found: Discogs.com, received 15 July 2025
Tracks: 'Poslije tebe' / 'Doći Će ljepši dan' 

Malo mira - Ana Štefok

Yugoslavia competed in the Eurovision Song Contest during the Seventies and Eighties, and like in other participating countries it was pretty popular. Although Yugoslavia didn't manage to win until 1989, the Contest inspired many local artists to record their own versions of winning songs - and in their own language too.

Ana Štefok recorded a version of 'Ein Bisschen Frieden', the winning song of 1982, in Croatian. She even recorded the Belgian entry 'Si tu aimes ma musique' for the B-side. It's interesting how exotic these songs sound just by changing the language.

My collection: 7" single no.  7722
Found: Discogs.com, received 15 July 2025
Tracks: 'Malo mira' / 'Ako voliš tu pjesmu'

I do, I do, I do, I do, I do - Abba

One of the earlier singles of Abba is 'I do, I do, I do, I do, I do', released the year after they won the Eurovision Song Contest with 'Waterloo' and - perhaps unsurprisingly - not as successful. The song was recorded on 21 February 1975 at Glen Studio, and was inspired by the European schlager music of the 1950s, as well as the saxophone sound of the 1950s American orchestra leader Billy Vaughn.

The single did reach number 1 in Australia, Belgium, New Zealand,  South Africa and Switzerland, but in the UK it only got to number 38. The singles shown here are the French and German pressings, featuring different sleeves when compared to the Dutch version which I posted a long time ago.  

My collection: 7" single no. 6598
Found: Discogs.com, received 15 January 2022
Tracks: 'I do, I do, I do, I do, I do' /  'Rock me'

What have you done for me lately - Janet Jackson

Janet Jackson shot to instant worldwide fame when she released 'What have you done for me lately' in 1986. It was the lead single for her third album Control, but the previous two albums didn't score as high as that one would. Of course she profited a little from the stellar popularity of her brother Michael, but engaging Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis for the album was also a smart move. They gave her the right sound for the mid-Eighties.

Back in 1993 I bought the UK pressing of this single, featuring a different sleeve and a different B-side. This European edition has another track from the album on the B-side and the sleeve that most people will recognize.

My collection: 7" single no. 7721
Found: Kay's Outlet, Wagenberg (Netherlands), 12 July 2025
Tracks: 'What have you done for me lately' / 'He doesn't know I'm alive' 

I'm not perfect (but I'm perfect for you) - Grace Jones

There's no-one quite like Grace Jones. She's got a few classic songs to her name, and the album Inside story (1986) was an attempt to add a few more. That album didn't really get that legendary status, despite the involvement of Nile Rodgers.

However, the album did contain a few nice pop songs, and this was one of them. The song came from an idea that Jones and Mick Jagger had "when you are famous, and having to be as perfect for your partner as you are as a performer"; one of the pair did one line and the other followed. Although they only got as far as the title, Jones told Jagger that she would go away and develop it into a song imagining what her and Jagger would have said. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7720
Found: Kay's Outlet, Wagenberg (Netherlands), 12 July 2025
Tracks: 'I'm not perfect (but I'm perfect for you)' / 'Scary but fun'

April love - Pat Boone

'April Love' was composed by Sammy Fain and written by Paul Francis Webster. It was written as the theme song for a 1957 film of the same name, starring Pat Boone and Shirley Jones and directed by Henry Levin. Pat Boone recorded the song, and helped by the release of the film, it became a number one hit for him. In 1958, it was nominated for an Oscar for Best Music, Original Song but lost out to Frank Sinatra's 'All the Way'.

In 1973 the song was recorded by Ricky Wilde, and this is how I got to know this song. Obviously I was interested to hear the original as well, and I was lucky enough to find a copy last weekend!

My collection: 7" single no. 7719
Found: Kay's Outlet, Wagenberg (Netherlands), 12 July 2025
Tracks: 'April love' / 'When the swallows come back to Capistrand' 

Electric circus - Spectral Display

I wasn't actively searching for this single, but when I saw it I immediately realized I had something pretty rare. And indeed it is: it's the final Spectral Display single to complete the series - I now have all of them (although I am still after a few different formats). Of the five, this is probably the most unexpected one, because 'Electric circus' is a fully instrumental track!

Spectral Display came to prominence in 1982 with 'It takes a muscle to fall in love', a single I bought soon after it came out. I only heard 'There's a virus going round' over a decade after it came out, but that made me curious about this band and I started collecting their singles after that. If you like electronic music, this should pique your interest.

My collection: 7" single no. 7718
Found: Kay's Outlet, 12 July 2025
Tracks: 'Electric circus' / 'Sailor' 

Suddenly - Olivia Newton-John & Cliff Richard

The duet 'Suddenly' was a love theme for the movie Xanadu, which premiered in 1980. The song was performed by two big stars: Olivia Newton-John and Cliff Richard. The single reached number 15 in the UK singles chart and number 20 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. Surprisingly, it didn't chart at all in the Netherlands.

The B-side, 'You made me love you', performed by Olivia, didn't appear on the soundtrack album for Xanadu, although it did appear in the movie. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7717
Found: Kay's Outlet, Wagenberg (Netherlands), 12 July 2025
Tracks: 'Suddenly' / 'You made me love you' 

Piove (Ciao, ciao, bambina) - Peter Schilperoort

Domenico Modugno's 'Piove' has been covered so many times that it's hard to keep up. It always pays off to type in 'Piove' (or 'Volare'!) when doing online purchases, but in this instance I found a single in a real life record shop. 

This instrumental version was played by Peter Schilperoort on the clarinet, along with his quintet (whose members remain uncredited). Schilperoort was a founding member of the Dutch Swing College, a band that started on 5 May 1945, when the Netherlands were liberated from the German nazis. He passed away on 17 November 1990.

My collection: 7" single no. 7715
Found: Kay's Outlet, Wagenberg (Netherlands), 12 July 2025
Tracks: 'Piove (Ciao, ciao, bambina)' / 'When the saints go marching in'

Take me tonight - Kim Wilde

Although I own a lot of Kim Wilde records (and I do mean a lot) most of them have never featured on this blog. Which kind of distorts the image of my collection, so I plan to rectify that in the weeks to come. Although I won't bore you with the many different pressings of certain singles, I should really point out the weird variations and, of course, 12" singles that I own.

This single is a great one to start off with. 'Take me tonight' was released in Europe and the UK as the B-side of 'View from a bridge', but in Japan it was promoted to the A-side, because the song was used at the end of the movie Shadow (or Tenebrae as it was called elsewhere) - although that happened without director Dario Argento's consent. His dismay was loud and clear on a commentary track when the movie was released on DVD decades later. 

My collection: 7" single no. 1611
Found:  Record fair, Amsterdam, 28 March 1992
Tracks: 'Take me tonight' / 'View from a bridge'

The best of 1987 - Europe, Spagna, Cock Robin, Johnny Logan

I've never seen this EP before, and that may be because it was a special product for Johnson & Co. I don't know the company, but they had CBS make them this compilation with four tracks they present als 'the best of 1987'. Well, not necessarily, but there are a few nice tracks on there.

Most importantly for a Eurovision collector is Johnny Logan's 'Hold me now', the song that caused him to win the Contest for the second time. Cock Robin's 'Just around the corner' is a nice piece of mellow pop, and 'Call me' was a bit of a hype back in 1987 with its Euro Dance vibe. Europe's 'Rock the night' is probably the most dodgy track on here, with its lazy lyrics: 'Rock now, rock the night / 'Til early in the morning light / Rock now, rock the night / Whoa-oh, whoa-oh'. It's a far cry from the era-defining 'The final countdown'. But that was 1986. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7714
Found: Kay's Outlet, Wagenberg (Netherlands), 12 July 2025
Tracks: 'Rock the night' (Europe), 'Call me' (Spagna) / 'Just around the corner' (Cock Robin), 'Hold me now' (Johnny Logan) 

Lucifer (and Mammagamma) - Andrew Powell and the Philharmonia Orchestra

So this is an interesting find. 'Lucifer' is of course the fascinating instrumental track by the Alan Parsons Project, which has been featured on this blog quite recently. In 1983 Andrew Powell and the Philharmonia Orchestra released an album of versions of Alan Parsons Project tracks. Hearing those tracks in an orchestral setting is quite exciting. 

This single presents two of the tracks: 'Lucifer' (mixed with 'Mammagamma') and 'Time'. The latter was originally a vocal track, but this version is entirely instrumental. I'm not necessarily a fan of the Alan Prasons Project, but 'Lucifer' is an outstanding piece of music and it sounds pretty impressive here.

My collection: 7" single no. 7713
Found: Kay's Experience, Wagenberg (Netherlands), 12 July 2025
Tracks: 'Lucifer (and Mammagamma) (edited version)' / 'Time' 

So long - Abba

Although I have a beautiful version of Abba's 1975 single 'So long' with a picture sleeve, I came across the original Swedish release some time ago and decided I wanted to have this too. When I was a young boy this was my absolute favourite Abba track, I must have played it on some Greatest Hits album dozens of times. It was the 'heavier' sound of the track that spoke to me at the time, I guess.

Obviously Abba singles without a picture sleeve aren't as beautiful as the ones with, but an original release like this has its own appeal and worth. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7104
Found: Discogs, 2023
Tracks: 'So long' / 'I've been waiting for you'

Every little thing she does is magic - The Police

Although I bought a lot of singles by the Police through the years, amazingly this Dutch number one hit was still missing. Although the song was recorded in 1981, Sting wrote it in early 1977 around the time of the Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II, prior to the formation of the Police. His split from his wife, Frances Tomelty, was controversial; as The Independent reported in 2006, Tomelty "just happened to be Trudie [Styler]'s best friend (Sting and Frances lived next door to Trudie in Bayswater, West London, for several years before the two of them became lovers)". 

In a 2025 interview, Sting revealed that Trudie Styler, whom he later married and is still married to, was his inspiration for the song.

My collection: 7" single no. 7712
Found: Kay's Experience, Wagenberg (Netherlands), 12 July 2025
Tracks: 'Every little thing she does is magic' / 'Shambelle' 

Controversy - Prince

Prince released 'Controversy' in September 1981 as the lead single and title track to his fourth album (1981). The song was written and produced by him, and addresses speculation about Prince at the time such as his sexuality, gender, religion, and racial background, and how he could not understand the curiosity surrounding him. Prince played almost all the instruments on the track, except perhaps some drums by Morris Day and backing vocals by Lisa Coleman.

The single reached number 70 in the US Billboard Hot 100, but only reached the chart in the UK when it was re-released in 1993. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7711
Found: Kay's Experience, Wagenberg (Netherlands), 12 July 2025
Tracks: 'Controversy' / 'When you were mine' 

Geef mij maar drank - Rubberen Robbie

The group members of Rubberen Robbie lived in a commune in an apartment building on the Arendshorst in Leiden's Merenwijk district. In the car on the way to the studio to record a punk record, they jokingly wrote the song 'Zuipen' ('Drinking') as a B-side for their debut single, 'Geef mij maar drank' ('Give me some booze'). 

'Geef mij maar drank' was set to the melody of 'Ça plane pour moi' by Plastic Bertrand. The name of that artist also inspired the group name: 'Rubberen Robbie' means 'Rubber Robbie'. The single didn't become a hit, but when DJ Hugo van Gelderen started playing the B-side, that one did reach the Dutch Tipparade. A copy of 'Zuipen' is already in my collection; this one was much harder to find.

My collection: 7" single no. 7710
Found: Kay's Experience, Wagenberg (Netherlands), 12 July 2025
Tracks: 'Geef mij maar drank' / 'Zuipen'

Rette mich - Nena

When I received this Amiga EP featuring four Nena tracks, I realized that the only single that I didn't have was 'Rette mich'. I was planning the trip I made to Wagenberg last Saturday and I figured that 'the biggest record store of the Netherlands' might actually have a copy. And so they did! It made me smile, because it actually completes my subcollection of Nena singles as far as I know.

'Rette mich' was released as the second single from the band's album ? (Fragezeichen) and became a big hit in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In the Netherlands it was the band's first single not to reach the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 7709
Found: Kay's Experience, Wagenberg (Netherlands), 12 July 2025
Tracks: 'Rette mich' / 'Susi K.'

Adolescent sex - Japan

The stuff David Sylvian releases these days is world away from this Japan single from 1978. 'Adolescent sex' was the title track of Japan's debut album and released as a single after the band re-recorded the track to make it sound punchier. It became the band's only single to chart outside of the UK, reaching number 27 in the Dutch Top 40.

David Sylvian has since spoken out against the debut album, saying: 'I regret the first album, Adolescent Sex, in the sense that we were too young, too naive to make it. The people around us should have realised that and not had it released. The second album is okay as a first album.'

My collection: 7" single no. 7708
Found: Kay's Experience, Wagenberg (Netherlands), 12 July 2025
Tracks: 'Adolescent sex' / 'Sometimes I feel so low' 

Knowing me, knowing you - Abba

The sleeve of this single may announce 'Conociendome, conociendote', but the single still features the 'ordinary' English language version: 'Knowing me, knowing you'. The Spanish record companies had a rather annoying habit of translating song titles, while most artists never recorded their songs in Spanish. 
Abba did, of course: there are a few singles performed in Spanish, but not this one.

When I bought this single some time ago I was aware of this, but the sleeve still seduced me. It's one of the more beautiful photographs of the Swedish quartet, and the song is one of the best in their repertoire. I just never featured it on this blog. I discovered quite a few singles that were never on here, so expect some more Abba in the weeks to come.

My collection: 7" single no. 5985
Found: Discogs.com, received 17 January 2019
Tracks: 'Knowing me, knowing you' / 'Money, money, money'

Touch the wind - Mocedades

Mocedades recorded their Eurovision entry 'Eres tu' in many other languages besides Spanish. One of the other versions was recorded in English. 'Touch the wind' was released on many different labels internationally, but never with a picture sleeve. And so I didn't feel too bad when I ordered this copy. 

This copy was made in the USA, but pressings from Angola, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Greece, Ireland, New Zealand and South Africa also exist. The English version was also recorded by many other artists; I own a version by Eydie Gorme.

My collection: 7" single no. 7707
Found: Discogs.com, received 11 July 2025
Tracks: 'Touch the wind (Eres tu)' / 'Eres tu (Touch the wind)' 

I'm the one who really loves you - Mel & KIm

Although this single was never relased with a picture sleeve, it is still a pretty essential addition to any Mel & Kim collection. It features two edits of remixes of 'I'm the one who really loves you', a track from the duo's only album F.L.M. The single was released in the USA only, which is logical when you listen to these remixes - unfortunately they get rid of most of the charm of the original version. 

The remixes were included in the Singles box set that was released in 2019. But obviously it is always good to have the original vinyl single. It's an item I've wanted to have for quite some time - and here it is!

My collection: 7" single no. 7706
Found: Discogs.com, received 11 July 2025
Tracks: 'I'm the one who really loves you (Vocal/Pop radio mix)' / 'I'm the one who really loves you (Vocal/Hip hop radio mix)'

Do it again a little bit slower - Jon & Robin and the In Crowd

Just four weeks ago I posted a version of 'Do it again, a little bit slower' by Herman & Dorothy, and here I am with the original version! Let's just say that an online search always pays off. 

Jon & Robin and the In Crowd recorded the song in 1967. Jon Abdnor Junior and Javonne "Robin" Braga teamed up with the In Crowd, which consisted of Bobby Rambo (guitar, percussion), Jim Glaves (keyboards), Pete Molino (guitar), James Anderson (bass) and Rex Ludwick. The single reached number 18 in the USA and number 9 in Canada. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7705
Found: Discogs.com, received 11 July 2025
Tracks: 'Do it again, a little bit slower' / 'If I need someone - it's you'

Blasphemous rumours / Somebody - Depeche Mode

Back in 1984, Depeche Mode released two great songs as a double A-side. 'Blasphemous rumours' explored the industrial sound the band had pioneered to great effect on their album Some great reward, whereas 'Somebody' was a fragile ballad, which according to rumours was sung by Martin Gore in the studio after having shed all his clothes. Make of that what you will.

 German buyers were lucky: the first edition of the single was released on red vinyl. These red vinyl editions of Depeche Mode's earlier singles are now highly sought after collectibles, to the point where I think the price has gone up too high. This copy with its tattered sleeve and scratchy vinyl was more affordable, so I went with this one.

My collection: 7" single no. 7704
Found: Discogs.com, received 5 July 2025
Tracks: 'Blasphemous rumours' / 'Somebody (remix)' 

Knowing me, knowing you - Abba

One of Abba's most touching songs (in my opinion) is 'Knowing me, knowing you', with its feeling of impending heartbreak and loss. I bought the single 41 year ago, on the original Dutch pressing. With a renewed interest in Abba in recent years I have started collecting sleeve variants like this one here: the French record company used the same photograph but did a different layout.

So where does this end? There are obviously many sleeve variants around the world, but for me the investment needs to be limited. However even with that, it looks like I will be posting my 100th Abba single on this blog pretty soon.

My collection: 7" single no. 7686
Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, 15 June 2025
Tracks: 'Knowing me, knowing you' / 'Happy Hawaii' 

Closer RSD mixes - Kim Wilde

Although I have a lot of Kim Wilde records, I haven't put them all up on this blog - something that I will have to rectify one day. Meanhwile I might as well post her most recent offering. It's a unique item, because it's the only 10" single she ever released.

'Closer RSD mixes' was released earlier this year on the occasion of - you would never guess it - Record Store Day (hence the title). The sleeve isn't the most imaginative, but the disc certainly is: it's clear vinyl with red splatters. And then there's the tracks: two remixes each of the two singles that were released off Kim's album Closer. It looks like there won't be a third single, so this disc kindof wraps up the whole Closer campaign. Fortunately Kim is still touring: she will be all over Europe this year.

My collection: 10" single [unnumbered]
Found: Cherry Red website, April 2025
Tracks: 'Trail of destruction (Project K remix)', 'Trail of destruction (Pensacola Mist remix)' / 'Midnight train (Chrisarama remix)', 'Midnight train (Rayne Reznor remix)' 

Amiga Quartett - Münchener Freiheit

The German band Münchener Freiheit actually achieved some success internationally as Freiheit, with hits like 'Keeping the dream alive', 'Baby it's you' and 'Play it cool'. All three are represented here, but in their original German versions ('So lang' man Träume noch leben kann', 'Tausendmal du' and 'Herz aus Glas' respectively). The only song that didn't get an English translation as far as I know was 'Ohne Dich', but that one became a hit for Dutch singer Erik Mesie, who translated the song into Dutch as 'Zonder jou'. 

This is another attractive Amiga Quartett EP featuring four hit songs. I can only assume that the songs were received favourably in the Eastern part of Germany at the time as well.

My collection: 7" single no. 7703
Found: Discogs.com, received 5 July 2025
Tracks: 'So lang' man Träume noch leben kann', 'Herz aus Glas' /  'Ohne dich (schlaf' ich heut' nacht nich ein)', 'Tausendmal du'

Hooray! Hooray! It's a holi-holiday - Boney M

When I bought a bunch of Amiga Quartett EP's online recently, I also spotted this single by Boney M and because of its low price I decided to buy this one from that seller as well. It's, after all, another GDR release of the band, with a different sleeve. No photograph, unfortunately, just some titles. Which makes it unique, I guess.

'Hooray! Hooray! It's a holi-holiday' was your typical summery anthem for the year 1978, created by Frank Farian and Fred Jay. It was an adaptation of the song 'Polly Wolly Doodle', an American minstrel song that became a popular children's song. The single was a top 5 hit all over Europe and topped the chart in the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 7702
Found: Discogs.com, received 5 July 2025
Tracks:  'Hooray! Hooray! It's a holi-holiday' / 'Ribbons of blue'

People need love - Björn & Benny with Frieda & Anna

Although I bought the recent picture disc edition of 'People need love', I didn't own an original pressing of that single yet, and that, of course, needed some correction. I was lucky to find this French pressing with an original sleeve for a reasonable price, because lest we forget, this single is already 53 years old! 

Björn & Benny with Frieda & Anna, as they were called then, were at the start of their career which would turn out to be stellar, but at this point they were still recording slightly folky tunes. At the time of the single's release, the Ring Ring album had not been planned, since there was no intention to form a permanent group. However, the song was included on the album the following year. The single became a hit in Sweden (although there wasn't yet any official national chart to prove this) and even made an appearance in the American Cashbox chart (peaking at number 114) and the American Record World chart (peaking at number 117). According to ABBA's manager Stig Anderson, could have been a much bigger American hit, if not for the limited distribution resources of the label that was unable to meet the demand from retailers and radio programmers.

My collection: 7" single no. 7687
Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, 15 June 2025
Tracks: 'People need love' / 'Merry-go-round' 

Amiga Quartett - Fine Young Cannibals

Another Amiga Quartett EP and this time it's the Fine Young Cannibals with a selection of their biggest hits. It's a nice quartet this time, consisting of four singles that were taken from the album The Raw & the Cooked from 1989. 

In 1990 the last Quartetts were released, since West and East Germany ended the 'iron curtain' era and the state-run record company from the Eastern part, Amiga, ceased to exist. The last interesting EP - for me at least - was the next one, by the Bangles. But I bought that one last year. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7700
Found: Discogs.com, received 5 July 2025
Tracks: 'She drives me crazy', 'I'm not satisfied' / 'Ever fallen in love', 'Good thing' 

Arrival - Solar Explosion

It's quite amazing that even an instrumental track by Abba inspired other acts to record their own versions of it. Before Mike Oldfield had a go at it, the German outfit Solar Explosion recorded a version. The track was arranged by Peter Wagner and produced by Kurt Vethake and Rainer Etzrodt. Wagner and Vethake were also responsible for composing the B-side, 'Silver clouds'. 

It's a cute little single and I would never have known about it if I didn't routinely go through my Discogs purchases searching for 'Ulvaeus' every once in a while. It's great that Discogs makes composers and producers searchable throughout their marketplace.

My collection: 7" single no. 7698
Found: Discogs.com, received 5 July 2025
Tracks: 'Arrival' / 'Silver clouds' 

Amiga Quartett - Boney M

Is Boney M still Boney M without Bobby Farrell? I've always had my doubts. He was sacked from the group by the end of 1981, and the band soldiered on with Reggie Tsiboe, a Ghanaian-British singer who previously was a member of the group Sugarcane, who had a hit in 1978 with 'Montego Bay'. 

'Kalimba de luna', released in 1984 is a decent track and pretty well performed too. Still, with this single and the tracks that appear on this Amiga Quartett EP the group failed to attract as many record buyers as before. By 1986, the band fell apart. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7701
Found: Discogs.com, received 5 July 2025
Tracks: 'Kalimba de luna', 'Felicidad' / 'My Chérie Amour', 'Consuela Biaz' 

Irgendwie, irgendwo, irgendwann - Nena

My little subcollection of Amiga Quartett EP's continues with this release of Nena's hit singles from 1984. The title track, 'Irgendwie, irgendwo, irgendwann' may sound more familiar than most tracks on this one, becuase it also became a hit in English as 'Anyplace, anywhere, anytime' as a duet with Kim Wilde in 2003. 

The four other tracks were all released separately as singles in the West, but in the German Democratic Republic this EP would have to do. It's a great selection, actually, because these Quartett's often also included B-sides or album tracks. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7699
Found: Discogs.com, received 5 July 2025
Tracks:  'Irgendwie, irgendwo, irgendwann', '? (Fragezeichen)' / 'Rette mich', 'Lass mich dein Pirat sein'

Love is blue - Vicky Leandros

I have my share of copies of Vicky Leandros's 1967 Eurovision entry for Luxembourg: in French (two, no, three different copies), German, and English. But there are actually two different versions of the song in English, and this is the other one. 

'Love is blue' has the same lyrics as 'Colours of love', but the musical accompaniment is quite different. You can hear it during the first verse already: 'Colours of love' features a piano accompaniment which is absent on 'Love is blue'. 

Initially I bought this single because I didn't have this sleeve - which is quite pretty - but in doing so I actually found a different version of this Eurovision classic. And that's always a treat. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7690
Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, 15 June 2025 
Tracks: 'Love is blue' / 'Dance with me until tomorrow'

Mamma Mia - Abba

The fourth and final picture disc to be released recently off the album Abba from 1975 is 'Mamma Mia'. Coincidence: my mum was also called Mia, and so this song became a bit of an injoke when I was young. ('Here she goed again'). 

This is actually my fourth copy of the song, having bought the Dutch single, the German single (not on this blog!) and the GDR single over the past few decades. I doubt this will end here, because I'm still after a few variants!

My collection: 7" single no. 7683
Found: Platenzaak.nl, received 14 June 2025
Tracks: 'Mamma Mia' / 'Intermezzo no. 1'

Cliff (No. 2) - Cliff Richard

I actually bought this single a few months ago but it needed a bit of cleaning in order to make it playable. And then I forgot to put it on this blog! Fortunately it is still in my collection, so it randomly pops up now. 

It's 'Cliff (No. 2)', an EP that was released back in 1959. It features five tracks with his backing band The Drifters, plus one track by the Drifters on their own. The most interesting ones for me were the Richie Valens track 'Donna', which is a track that was also recorded by Marty Wilde, and 'Move it', a song Cliff performed on the UK radio a few years ago together with Kim Wilde. It's a piece of music history!

My collection: 7" single no. 7568
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, 19 January 2025
Tracks: 'Donna', 'Move it', 'Ready Teddy' / 'Too much', 'Don't bug me baby', 'Driftin''

S.O.S. - Abba

Of the four picture discs that were released recently to celebrate the 50th birthday of Abba's self-titled album from 1975, only 'S.O.S.' features a photograph in black and white. It's a shame really because picture discs should really be in colour, always. On top of that, 'S.O.S.' is actually the best song of the four, so it's a bit weird to make it seem like it wasn't important. Because it was. 

The song started a run of 18 consecutive top 10 hits for Abba in the UK, peaking at number 6. It was also a number 2 hit in the Netherlands. Both John Lennon and Pete Townshend stated that it was one of their favourite pop records. In my opinion, 'S.O.S.' is the absolute highlight of Abba's current 'Voyage' shows in London. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7682
Found: Platenzaak.nl, received 14 June 2025
Tracks: 'S.O.S.' / 'Man in the middle'