Was soll ich tun? - Edina Pop

I'm not really an expert on Eurovision cover versions - there are other people who know much more about that particular field of expertise - but I do know that I like a cover version now and then. Especially when they are slightly odd. This particular oddity comes from Germany, and is a German language version of the 1972 Dutch entry of the Eurovision Song Contest.

Edina Pop is the stage name of Marika Késmárky, who was born in Budapest on February 4, 1941. She came to Germany in 1969 and started her singing career in German shortly afterwards. She appeared in the German national final for Eurovision in 1972 with the song 'Meine Liebe will ich dir geben', but she didn't win. She recorded this single. Whether this was a chart success in Germany remains unknown.

My collection: 7" single no. 5747
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 11, 2015
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Was soll ich tun?' / 'Schreib es in den Wind'

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Say hello - Chocolate Menta Mastik

To find the German version of Chocolate Menta Mastik's 1976 Eurovision entry, Komm' heut zu mir, was a bit of good luck, but obviously the original Hebrew version was still missing. It appears on this single as the B-side, while the English version, 'Say hello' (which was included on the B-side of that German version), appears on the A-side.

Listening to the various versions, it has to be said that the Hebrew version sounds less polished somehow. Perhaps the girls were more familiar with the song when they recorded the international versions? Who knows....

My collection: 7" single no. 5746
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 11, 2015
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Say hello' / 'Emir shalom'

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Dann kamst du (Apres toi) - Vicky Leandros

Vicky Leandros won the 1972 Eurovision Song Contest with Après toi. Just four months ago I found the English version, Come what may, and I mentioned in passing that I still had to find the Italian, German, Spanish, Greek and Japanese versions.

Well, obviously, from the five, the German version is the easiest one to track down, since German singles are regularly offered on the internet and record fairs. 'Dann kamst du' turned up on the recent record fair in Utrecht, and in a mint picture cover too.

My collection: 7" single no. 5745
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 11, 2015
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Dann kamst du (Après toi)' / 'Alles, was ich hab'

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Storm and thunder - Earth and Fire

When the Dutch band Earth and Fire first started out, there was a definite symphonic rock vibe to their work. It is perhaps most obvious on this early single, 'Storm and thunder', which sounds nothing like the pop hits they would have from 1976 onwards.

'Storm and thunder' was released in 1971 as the second single from their second album 'Song of the marching children'. It was a hit in the Netherlands, peaking at number 6 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 5737
Found: Flea market, Rijswijk, April 6, 2015
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Storm and thunder' / 'Lost forever'

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Someone else's home - Johnny Curious

This single is an interesting one, as it was never a hit but it is still a bit of a collector's item. It's very hard to get this for any price below 15 euros, although I am proud to say that I did manage that. I was almost ready to have this flown in from Scandinavia or America, when suddenly a Dutch seller had this one. And I had to have it, although I can't exactly say why. But at least one of my Twitter followers knows....

Johnny Curious formed in Welwyn Garden City in 1976. As far as I know, the band only released two singles: 'In tune' (1978) and this one, 'Someone else's home' (1979). Band members Alan Cowley and Ian Cowley are credited on the sleeve of this single. Original band members John Philips and Bob Green had already left.

My collection: 7" single no. 5734
Found: Discogs.com, received March 12, 2015
Cost: a little too much
Tracks: 'Someone else's home' / 'Backwards in the night'

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Nova - You're summer

Keywords on blogs can be misleading. Nova, for instance, exists as a Dutch duo of synthesizer wizards, but also as a Swedish duo consisting of Claes af Geijerstam and Göran Fristorp, who made a name for themselves representing their country at the 1973 Eurovision Song Contest. They were originally called Malta, but were forced to change their band name because of the possible confusion with one of the participating countries in that year's contest.

Their song was called 'You're summer', which contains the rather intriguing line 'Your breasts are like swallows in nesting', written by the well-known poet Lars Forssell. At the close of voting, it had received 94 points, placing 5th in a field of 17 competitors.

My collection: 7" single no. 5732
Found: Discogs.com, received February 25, 2015
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'You're summer' / 'You never tell me no'

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Sans toi - Martine Clemenceau

Martine Clemenceau was born in 1949. In 1973 she represented France with the song 'Sans toi'. The song is a dramatic ballad, with Clémenceau expressing her feelings about a lover who has left her. Clémenceau also recorded the song in German, under the title 'Immer'. At the close of voting, it had received 65 points, placing 15th in a field of 17 competitors.

Her song Solitaire, written in 1981 is her most important hit in France. Laura Branigan 1983 recorded a cover of that song in 1983, which peaked at number 7 in the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 5729
Found: Discogs.com, received February 25, 2015
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Sans toi' / 'L'arlequin'

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Nocas mi se pjesma pise - Ambasadori

Ambasadori formed in 1968 when guitarist Slobodan Vujović recruited other band members. They came and went throughout the 1970s and include various musicians active on the Sarajevo music scene at the time and after, such as trumpet player Krešimir "Keco" Vlašić, singer Ismeta Dervoz, drummer Perica Stojanović, organist Vlado Pravdić bassist Ivica Vinković and saxophonist Andrej "Lale" Stefanović.

In 1976 Ambasadori represented Yugoslavia at the Eurovision Song Contest with 'Ne mogu skriti svoju bol', which appears on this single as the B-side, remarkably. The song is about a woman who is suffering because her lover had gone and she wants him to remember her. At the close of voting, it had received 10 points, placing 17th in a field of 18 competitors.

My collection: 7" single no. 5728
Found: Discogs.com, received February 25, 2015
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Nocas mi se pjesma pise' / 'Ne mogu skriti svoj bol'

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Sonntag - Mess

The Austrian band Mess consisted of Michael Scheikl and Elisabeth 'Lizzy' Engstler. They represented their country on the Eurovision Song Contest in 1982. Their song 'Sonntag' was composed by Michael Mell and written by Rudolf Leve. The song is in praise of lying around on a Sunday, which is described as being one of the best things to do.

At the close of voting, it had received 57 points, placing 9th in a field of 18 competitors.

My collection: 7" single no. 5726
Found: Discogs.com, received February 25, 2015
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Sonntag' / 'Honey Bee'

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Wunder gibt es immer wieder - Katja Ebstein

Katja Ebstein was just 25 years old when she represented Germany at the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time. She was born in Girlachsdorf (now Gniewków, Poland) and would go on to represent her country two more times: in 1971 and in 1980.

Her first attempt took place in 1970, with 'Wunder gibt es immer wieder'. Written by Christian Bruhn and Günter Loose, the song has a positive message: there is no point in complaining because miracles happen all the time, so one will inevitably happen for you too. At the close of voting, it had received 12 points, placing 3rd in a field of 12 competitors.

My collection: 7" single no. 5725
Found: Discogs.com, received February 25, 2015
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Wunder gibt es immer wieder' / 'Ich will ihn'

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Un jardin sur la terre - Serge Lama

Serge Lama was born on February 11, 1943 in Bordeaux, France. His career as a songwriter took off with the song 'Je suis malade', made famous by Dalida and Lara Fabian.

In 1971 he represented his country in the Eurovision Song Contest with 'Un jardin sur la terre'. The song deals with the chaos of daily life, with Lama expressing his desire for a place where he can find solitude amid everything else. At the close of voting, it had received 82 points, placing 10th in a field of 18 competitors.

My collection: 7" single no. 5724
Found: Discogs.com, received February 25, 2015
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Un jardin sur la terre' / 'Bungalow 73'

Fleur de liberté - Jacques Hustin

Jacques Hustin (15 March 1940 – 6 April 2009) was a Belgian singer-songwriter and artist who was successful in his homeland in both fields, and is best known internationally for his participation in the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest.

He participated with his self-penned song 'Fleur de liberté' in Brighton. In a very competitive contest (featuring Abba, Olivia Newton-John and Gigliola Cinquetti among others) he ended up in ninth place out of 17 competitors.

My collection: 7" single no. 5723
Found: Discogs.com, received February 25, 2015
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Fleur de liberté' / 'On dit de toi, on dit de moi'

Please note: Divshare has been defunct for over a month now, and it looks like it won't be resolved any time soon. I haven't found a good alternative for streaming music in a player, so I guess I won't be able to let you hear these singles. If you have any suggestions, please let me know in the comments and I'll do my best to oblige.

Frère Jacques - Anne Marie B.

'Frère Jacques' was the Luxembourgish entry in the 1977 Eurovision Song Contest, performed by French singer Anne-Marie Besse. As the title suggests, the disco-influenced song contains several references to the nursery rhyme of the same name; 'Frère Jacques, dormez-vous?' ('Brother John, are you sleeping?') 'J'entends les cloches qui sonnent' ('I can hear the bells ringing') and 'Tu aurais bien mieux à faire que de jouer au grand frère...' ('There are so much better things for you to do than pretending to be my big brother....'). The singer compares the childish rhyme to her current adulthood, singing about how she longs to have a relationship with some of Jacques/John's friends; 'I'm not a child anymore, you know'. The song ends with the line 'Frère Jacques, réveille-toi et viens dormir avec moi...' ('Brother John, wake up and come sleep with me...'). At the close of voting, the song had received 17 points, placing 16th in a field of 18 competitors.

My collection: 7" single no. 5616
Found: eBay.com, received February 12, 2015
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Frère Jacques' / 'Bébé chat'

Lapponia - Monica Aspelund

Finnish singer Monica Aspelund was born in Vaasa on July 16, 1946. She debuted at the age of fourteen and since released many singles, including Finnish covers of international hits. In 1977 she participated in the Eurovision Song Contest with 'Lapponia', which received 50 points and finished 10th in a field of 18 competitors.

Despite its moderate placing at the Eurovision final, 'Lapponia' was given release in twenty European countries and also in Australia, Brazil, Israel and Turkey. Aspelund recorded "Lapponia" in six languages; Finnish, her mother tongue Swedish, English, German, French and Dutch. "Lapponia" afforded Aspelund a number 5 hit in Finland and also reached number 5 in Sweden.

My collection: 7" single no. 5614
Found: eBay.com, received February 12, 2015
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: 'Lapponia' / 'La-la laula laulu'

Je vais me marier Marie - Patrick Juvet

Patrick Juvet was born on August 21, 1950 in Montreux, Switzerland. While his early career was focused on making pop records, in the second half of the Seventies he found international success as a disco performer.

Before that, however, he represented his country in the 1973 Eurovision Song Contest with 'Je vais me marier Marie' ('I'm getting married, Mary'). At the close of voting, it had received 79 points, placing 12th in a field of 17 competitors.

My collection: 7" single no. 5607
Found: Discogs.com, received January 20, 2015
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Je vais me marier Marie' / 'Moi j'ai le coeur sauvage'

't Spinnewiel - Saskia en Serge

Saskia & Serge competed in the Eurovision Song Contest once, with the forgettable song Tijd in 1971. However, the year before, they participated in the Dutch national final with this song, ''t Spinnewiel'. They were almost selected, but in the end the Hearts of Soul were chosen with their song 'Waterman'.

While I still have to find a copy of that song, I did manage to get hold of Saskia & Serge's song on this single. Listening to it now, it's hard to imagine that they would stand a chance against 1970's winner, Dana with All kinds of everything.

My collection: 7" single no. 5606
Found: Discogs.com, received January 20, 2015
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: ''t Spinnewiel' / 'Dans met me mee'

Vas vas vas - Ofra Haza

Back in 1983, the late Ofra Haza participated in the Eurovision Song Contest with Hi. Readers of this blog will know that I managed to buy the original version and the German version Frei in 2000 and 2011 respectively. I recently managed to add one more version to the collection: 'Vas vas vas', which is the French version.

I have to be honest: I almost didn't buy this single. Through the years I've seen this sleeve so often, that I almost believed I'd already bought it. But usually the price was too high, causing me to leave the single with the various suppliers. This time around, though, I got lucky. And it's a pristine copy too!

My collection: 7" single no. 5605
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, January 16, 2015
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Vas vas vas' / 'Hi'

Je t'aime moi non plus - Jane Birkin avec Serge Gainsbourg

It's getting late in the evening, so it's time for the ultimate moan and groan track of all times. 'Je t'aime... moi non plus' is one of those songs almost everyone with a minor interest in pop music knows. It achieved some notoriety because of its extensive inclusion of heavy breathing.

The lyrics are written as a dialogue between two lovers during sex. Phrases include: 'I go and I come between your loins', 'You are the wave, I the naked/deserted island', 'Physical love is a dead end'. Gainsbourg claimed the song was actually an "anti-fuck" song about the desperation and impossibility of physical love. That message somehow got lost a bit, as the single reached number 1 in many countries mostly on the strength of its face value: it sounded very sexual. Well, I hope you will have a good night after listening to this single.

My collection: 7" single no. 5601
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, January 16, 2015
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Je t'aime moi non plus' / 'Jane B.'

L'amour est bleu - Paul Mauriat and his Orchestra

'L'amour est bleu' was the 1967 Eurovision entry by Vicky Leandros, representing Luxembourg that year. She actually won the contest with the song, prompting chart success all over Europe - and a flurry of cover versions.

The most famous cover version is the one by Paul Mauriat and his Orchestra, although his version was entirely instrumental. It didn't bother the audiences in Europe, where it became a hit in 1968. Amazingly, his version became the best known version in the United States, where it ranked as the second best sold song of the year.

My collection: 7" single no. 5603
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'L'amour est bleu' / 'A banda'

Can we still be friends - Robert Palmer

'Can we still be friends' was written and originally recorded by Todd Rundgren. It appears on his 1978 album 'Hermit of Mink Hollow'. It was the only hit single from that album, reaching number 29 in the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

Robert Palmer was quick to cover the song, releasing it just a year later. He included it on his album 'Secrets'. Despite the fact that this is a very decent version, the single didn't chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 5601
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, January 16, 2015
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Can we still be friends' / 'Too good to be true'