Carrie - Cliff Richard

Some singles by Cliff Richard have appeared on this blog recently, but there was always one single that I couldn't find anywhere. It's a track I remember from my childhood, and I guess I would have bought it back then if pocket money had been enough to finance it. 

I am talking about 'Carrie', a track from Cliff's album Rock 'n' Roll Juvenile. Playing this single 45 years later I can still remember the chorus and the last few seconds of the track. It's funny how brains seem to absorb music and can still replicate it after not having heard it for so long.

My collection: 7" single no. 7822
Found: Wienyl, Vienna, 17 October 2025
Tracks: 'Carrie' / 'Moving in' 

Everybody dance - Chic

After 'Dance, dance, dance (Yowsah, yowsah, yowsah)', Chic released 'Everybody dance', a song yet again squarely aimed at the visitors of discotheques around the world. The song is notable for its excellent bass line and the bass solo near the end of the track. It became a hit in the UK, peaking at number 9 in the singles chart, and in the USA, where it reached number 38 in the Billboard Hot 100.

According to Nile Rodgers, speaking for the BBC Four documentary How to Make It in the Music Business, the session during with the song was recorded cost the band $10, which went to bribing the elevator engineer not to tell the manager they were recording in there.

My collection: 7" single no. 7821
Found: Wienyl, Vienna, 17 October 2025
Tracks: 'Everybody dance' / 'You can get by' 

You make me feel (Mighty real) - Sylvester

'You make me feel (Mighty real)' was written by James Wirrick and Sylvester and released by Fantasy Records as the second single from the singer's fourth album, Step II (1978). The song was already a largely popular dance club hit in 1978, as the B-side of his previous single 'Dance (Disco Heat)', before it was officially being released in December. It rose to the number one position on the US Billboard Dance Club Songs chart. 

The song was originally recorded as a mid-tempo piano-driven gospel song; however, after producer Patrick Cowley saw a rehearsal of the song at San Francisco's City Club, he offered to remix the song. The result was one of the pioneering disco records using some electronic instrumentation and effects, following closely on 'I Feel Love' by Donna Summer which heavily used electronic instrumentation ahead of its time. These Seventies songs using electronic instrumentation would have an influence on dance music in the Eighties and Nineties. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7820
Found: Wienyl, Vienna, 17 October 2025
Tracks: 'You make me feel (Mighty real)' / 'Dance (Disco heat)'

Trödler & Co - Peter, Sue & Marc, Pfuri Gorps & Kniri

Fifteen years ago I bought 'Trödler & Co' by Peter, Sue & Marc, Pfuri Gorps & Kniri. It was the original Swiss pressing with a bright sleeve. The German version, shown here, comes in a considerably darker sleeve, but it is actually more stylish. 

'Stylish' isn't exactly a description of this song, because it was made with gardening tools and weird sounds. Pfuri, Gorps & Kniri were actually held up at the airport when they arrived in Israel on their way to the Eurovision Song Contest, because of the strange stuff they brought with them. Still, they made it to the stage and represented Switzerland in their own unique way.

My collection: 7" single no. 7819
Found: Wienyl, Vienna, 17 October 2025
Tracks: 'Trödler & Co' / 'Groovy Musik' 

 

Boom boom - Mabel

While it is lovely to have a French copy of Mabel's 'Boom boom', after fifteen years I saw this German version and I was impressed by the design of this sleeve. Quite why the band wanted to be seen inside a heart was not immediately clear to me, but of course the lyrics speak of 'a feeling in my heart'.

The other side of this single contains 'I'm only here to rock 'n' roll', which was a hit for the band in 1977. 'Boom boom' was, of course, their Eurovision entry for Denmark in 1978, which made this release an attractive package for German record buyers.

My collection: 7" single no. 7812
Found: Lenny's Music Store, Vienna, 17 October 2025
Tracks: 'Boom boom' / 'I'm only here to rock 'n' roll' 

Dim all the lights - Donna Summer

'Dim all the lights' was written by Donna Summer herself, which means that this is the only hit single that she wrote on her own. The single reached number 2 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 29 in the UK singles chart, whereas it didn't chart in the Netherlands. 

This version is a German pressing, with a different sleeve compared to other territories. During my week in Vienna I saw various copies, and I finally bought one, impressed as I was with the design of this sleeve. Of course, I already owned another copy of 'Dim all the lights', but that shouldn't bother us too much, should it? 

My collection: 7" single no. 7811
Found: Lenny's Music Store, Vienna, 17 October 2025
Tracks: 'Dim all the lights' / 'There will always be a you' 

Band on the run - Paul McCartney & Wings

When I was in Vienna I was really there for a conference. But after hours I managed to visit a few record shops - mainly thanks to the generous opening hours. The first was Seven Star Records, situated near the shopping heart of the city, Mariahilferstrasse. It was a small, chaotic shop where singles, LP's and CD's were scattered around and where I spent a little time looking for goodies.

The first find was also the best: 'Band on the run', the title track of the Wings album from 1973. Originally, Paul McCartney planned not to release any singles from Band on the run, a strategy he compared to that used by the Beatles. However, he was convinced by Capitol Records vice president Al Coury to release singles from the album. The single ended up topping the US Billboard Hot 100, Canada and New Zealand. In the UK singles chart it reached number 3; in the Dutch Top 40 it reached number 7. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7796
Found: Seven Star Records, Vienna, 14 October 2025
Tracks: 'Band on the run' / 'Nineteen hundred and eighty five' 

A million in 1, 2, 3 - Dream Express

Dream Express was pretty successful when they participated in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1977. They ended up being 7th in a field of 18 participants and the single reached number 2 in the Belgian singles chart. This German edition of the single has a rather efficient sleeve.

Patricia Maessen left the group in 1979, and Luc Smets, Bianca Maessen and Stella Maessen continued as LBS until 1980. Stella represented Belgium at the Eurovision Song Contest again as a solo artist with 'Si tu aimes ma musique'.

My collection: 7" single no. 7795
Found: Moses Records, Vienna, 13 October 2025
Tracks: 'A million in 1, 2, 3' / 'Spinning top' 

Raggio di luna - Matia Bazar

Although 'Raggio di luna' already ended up in my collection back in 2017, I was quite surprised to find a German pressing of that same single with a slightly different sleeve. The funny thing is that on both sleeves the same photograph was used, but on this one it is shown entirely, whereas on the French edition it is cropped.

All this aside, 'Raggio di luna' was a daring Eurovision entry from Italy back in 1979, as the decision was made not to use the orchestra. As a result, the song ended up sounding a bit 'empty' and became 15th in a field of 19 competitors.

My collection: 7" single no. 7792
Found: Moses Records, Vienna, 13 October 2025
Tracks: 'Raggio di luna' / 'Pero che bello' 

Could it be magic - Donna Summer

The German sleeve of 'Could it be magic' is very different from the Dutch one, so I could be forgiven for thinking that I didn't already have this single. Fortunately this single comes with a different B-side as well. 'Come with me' is a track from the album A Love Trilogy, which was released in 1976, just like this single.

On the album 'Come with me' has a duration of 4 minutes and 20 seconds, and that is also the time listed on the label of this single. A full minute is left off this single version, as it fades out at 3 minutes and 20 seconds. The same happens on the A-side: 'Could it be magic' should be 5'20, but actually is two minutes shorter! German record buyers have been duped.

My collection: 7" single no. 7791
Found: Moses Records, Vienna, 13 October 2025
Tracks: 'Could it be magic' / 'Come with me' 

Mathema solfege - Pascalis, Marianna, Robert and Bessy

For a long time, 'Mathema solfege' was Greece's most successful Eurovision entry. Its chorus of 'do fa fa fa, sol fa sol fa mi do ti mi mi mi, do ti do ti sol ti do' was recognizable for people all over Europe, even if they didn't understand Greek. These tricks were often employed back when countries had to enter songs in their own national languages. A trick like that wouldn't work anymore these days, but it certainly did in 1977: the song ended up in fifth place in a field of 18 competitors.

The quartet performing the song consisted of Paschalis Arvanitidis (born on 24 August 1946), Marianna Tolli (3 October 1952), Robert Williams (4 December 1949) and Bessy Argyrake (4 April 1957). They recorded one album together and then followed their own solo careers, with Bessy being the most successful one of the four.

My collection: 7" single no. 7790
Found: Moses Records, Vienna, 13 October 2025
Tracks: 'Mathema solfege' / 'I love, I love, I love you' 

S.O.S. - Abba

I could continue my collection of Abba singles with this Austrian pressing of 'S.O.S.', an early single by Abba released in 1975. It's one of my favourite tracks from the band, and this sleeve was again notably different from the Dutch, French, German and Japanese versions.

I remember visiting Moses Records nine years ago, but I don't remember that there was this little corner with singles sorted by artists. The main singles department was in a separate room of the store, and that's where I bought the other singles during my visit this year. It was interesting that nothing seemed to have changed in all those years - although the owner said that he had thousands of singles stored somewhere else, so the amount of singles in store may have been the same, but there were definitely other titles on offer this time.

My collection: 7" single no. 7786
Found: Moses Records, Vienna, 13 October 2025
Tracks: 'S.O.S.' / 'Man in the middle' 

So long - Abba

Since I have been on the prowl for different versions of Abba singles recently, it was lovely to end up in Vienna and find a few Austrian pressings with different sleeves last week. It turns out that the record company in Austria had a knack for creating beautiful, colourful sleeves that were much more beautiful than the ones in Germany and the Netherlands.

Take for instance this version of 'So long'. The sleeve looks as new, which is a credit to the record store owner I guess, and the layout of this sleeve is simply stunning. I was very happy with this new addition.

My collection: 7" single no. 7785
Found: Moses Records, Vienna, 13 October 2025
Tracks: 'So long' / 'I've been waiting for you' 

Eeny meeny miny moe - Luv'

The Dutch girl trio Luv' had considerable success all over Europe near the end of the Seventies, so it may not be surprising that their singles were released in different countries - and sometimes with different sleeves. The Dutch version featured the girls on a bike, whereas the French one preferred an uncredited muscle man while also flipping the sides of the single.

In Austria, the record company was comparatively lazy, simply using the album sleeve with the song titles slapped over it. But it's a cute sleeve, and so I decided to buy it anyway. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7783
Found: Alt & Neu, Vienna, 13 October 2025
Track: 'Eeny meeny miny moe' / 'I.M.U.R.' 

Witch's promise - Jethro Tull

'The witch's promise' was recorded by All About Eve as a B-side for 'December', but it was originally recorded by Jethro Tull and written by their frontman Ian Anderson. When you've heard All About Eve's version, the original version pales in comparison, to be honest. But still, I wanted to have this single because I was curious about this track.

'Witch's promise' is one of the few recorded by Jethro Tull to feature the Mellotron, a tape replay keyboard that could emulate a string section, and the only single released by the band to feature the instrument. It was intended to be the last standalone single from the band that was not taken from an LP. Anderson said the band would issue singles from future albums in order to gain radio play, but he was not particularly interested in promoting them.

My collection: 7" single no. 7781
Found: Alt & Neu, Vienna, 13 October 2025
Tracks: 'Witch's promise' / 'The teacher'

Tightrope ride - The Doors

Buying singles can be confusing sometimes, when you have a big collection. Did I already buy this one? It does look familiar, but I am still not sure. Well anyway, it isn't that expensive so I guess I'll just take it. And then you get home and... 'd'oh!', it's already there. 

Fortunately this version of 'Tightrope ride' comes in a slightly different sleeve, and that's because this is the German pressing, whereas the other one was a Dutch one. Maybe I'll let go of one of them at some point, but meanwhile it is here for you to enjoy.

My collection: 7" single no. 7779
Found: Alt & Neu, Vienna, 13 October 2025
Tracks: 'Tightrope ride' / 'Variety is the spice of life' 

Voulez-vous - Abba

If you're confused about this sleeve, then I can help you. It is indeed the photograph that was used for the single 'Does your mother know', but it features 'Voulez-vous' on the A-side, and 'Kisses of fire' on the B-side - originally the B-side of 'Does your mother know' (and a track from the album Voulez-vous). 

Why did the Japanese choose to replace the track 'Does your mother know' on this single? I don't know. I do know that it's this kind of variation that I really like. And it's a nice addition to my subcollection of Japanese Abba singles of course.

My collection: 7" single no. 7774
Found: Discogs.com, received 6 October 2025
Tracks: 'Voulez-vous' / 'Kisses of fire' 

I don't believe in miracles - Colin Blunstone

'I don't believe in miracles' was recorded by Colin Blunstone for his 1972 album Ennismore. In October of that year the song was released as the album's lead single. The single reached number 31 in the UK singles chart, but failed to chart in other territories. Somehow it became a minor classic, because artists like Barbara Dickson and Judie Tzuke recorded their own versions of the song. Rumour has it that Kim Wilde also recorded the song, but her version is languishing in an archive somewhere.

When I saw this single I was curious enough to buy it, even though I'm not familiar with the song. I have to say it's nice.

My collection: 7" single no. 7770
Found: Record fair, Rijswijk, 5 October 2025
Tracks: 'I don't believe in miracles' / 'I've always had you'

Never can say goodbye - The Jackson 5

Most people will remember 'Never can say goodbye' in the version by Gloria Gaynor, or, more recently, the Communards. But originally it was recorded by the Jackson 5 in 1971. The song was originally written and intended for the Supremes; however, Motown decided it would be better for the Jackson 5. 

The song features a young Michael Jackson singing a serious song about love, with accompaniment from his brothers. The single reached number 2 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 33 in the UK singles chart. Oddly enough, it didn't chart in the Netherlands at all, although this is actually a Dutch pressing.

My collection: 7" single no. 7768
Found: Record fair, Rijswijk, 5 October 2025
Tracks: 'Never can say goodbye' / 'She's good' 

The name of the game - Abba

While I am still trying to catalogue several Abba singles that didn't yet make it to this blog while I've had them for years, I am also still buying different variations of Abba singles these days. And so, as luck would have it, I bought an Abba single yesterday which I can easily pair to one I've had much longer.

The single is 'The name of the game'. It's one of my favourite Abba songs (which, I will grant you, there are many of), but all too often the song has been butchered on CD releases. The vinyl singles presented here contain a version that almost reaches the five minute mark, but on various CD's the song skips an entire second verse. 

The German edition, pictured above, has a light blue stripe across the photograph. It is this version which is replicated in the CD singles box set, released in a tin box in 1999.  

When you compare it with the French edition, pictured here, it is easy to spot the difference. That edition was released on the Melba record label, as opposed to Polydor which was used in most of Western Europe.

You might find these differences trivial, but for me they are quite fascinating. I am a bit of a late adopter when it comes to collecting Abba singles, so I probably won't easily get the Australian, Hungarian and Yugoslavian editions, but once you dive in, it's hard to resist. 

My collection: 7" single no. 5891 / no. 7764
Found: Discogs.com, received 31 January 2018 / Rommelmarkt, Voorburg, 14 September 2025
Tracks: 'The name of the game' / 'I wonder (Departure)'