Sold gold easy action - T Rex

'Solid Gold Easy Action' was released as a single in 1972 and reached No. 2 in the UK Singles Chart. While the song's musical style lies rooted in the Rock and roll of the 1950s, its lyrics are surrealistic and a typical example of Bolan's nonsense poetry. This song, like many of Bolan's hit singles, uses words such as "satisfaction" and "action". Combined with the rhythm and fast guitar strumming pattern on the song, Bolan creates an image of teenage sexual frustration.

Kerrang! magazine founder Geoff Barton, wrote in an article for Classic Rock magazine that the first two lines of the song, "Life is the same and it always will be / Easy as picking foxes from a tree", appeared to predict Marc Bolan's own death in 1977. The license plate of the car Bolan was in during the fatal collision with a tree was FOX 661L. This is one of many supposed 'prophesies' surrounding Marc Bolan's death.

My collection: 7" single no. 5863
Found: Teuchtler, Vienna, 25 September 2017
Cost: 4 euro
Tracks: 'Solid gold easy action' / 'Born to boogie'

Turks Fruit - Rogier van Otterloo

It is kindof strange that as a Dutchman you need to go to Austria to find a single that was made by Dutch people and released mainly (but I guess not exclusively) for the Dutch version of Record Store Day. But here we are.

'Turks Fruit' is still the most popular movie ever made in the Netherlands, and not only for its scenes of gratuitous sex (although that helped, obviously). The music was also integral to the success of the movie. This single, pressed on clear red vinyl, features the two main themes of the movie. Central to the theme on the B-side is the harmonica played by Toots Thielemans, who passed away earlier this year. The music was originally released in 1973, whereas this single was released in 2016.

My collection: 7" single no. 5860
Found: Record Bag, Vienna
Cost: 12,90 euro
Tracks: 'Turks Fruit' / 'Dat Mistige Rooie Beest'

Bad Boy - Freddie Starr

Marty Wilde's 'Bad Boy' has been covered a good many times, and some versions are more rare than others. I couldn't find Freddie Starr's version online, so there was nothing I could do except buy the single. These days you can buy singles online so easily, it only depends what you're prepared to pay for them. I try to be as selective as I can.

Freddie Starr, born 9 January 1943, was an English comedian who was previously the lead singer of the Merseybeat pop group the Midnighters. He released several solo albums during the 1970's and 1980's. 'Bad boy' was released in 1975, but it wasn't a hit. After the death of sex offender Jimmy Saville, Starr became one of the suspects but the Crown Prosecution Office decided not to bring charges on the grounds of 'insufficient evidence'. He lost a subsequent court case against his accuser, causing him to flee to an apartment in Spain.

My collection: 7" single no. 5857
Found: Discogs.com, received 21 September 2017.
Cost: 3 pounds
Tracks: 'Bad boy' / 'Only sixteen'

Listen to the song

That's the way (I like it) - KC & the Sunshine Band

Those hit songs of the Seventies, they end up in your collection no matter how long you resist them. 'That's the way (I like it)' was one of the biggest anthems of the Seventies. The KC & the Sunshine Band classic was a number 1 hit in the USA, Canada and the Netherlands. In the UK it only reached number 4. Still, the song remains imprinted in the memories of millions of people because of its repeated airplay during the past four decades.

So how did this single finally get into my collection, 42 years after its release? In January, my wife visited a shop and, knowing that I still collect 7" singles, she came home with this single. I could never resist a freebie...

My collection: 7" single no. 5787
Found: Kringloop, Den Haag, January 6, 2017
Cost: free
Tracks: 'That's the way (I like it)' / 'Ain't nothin' wrong'

Love will keep us together - Captain & Tennille

Two years ago, Kim Wilde released a cover version of Captain & Tennille's 'Love will keep us together' on a compilation album of Eighties artists covering Seventies tracks. Out of all the tracks on that compilation, this was the only song I didn't know - which surprised me because I always think I have a rather complete knowledge of pop music from the mid-Seventies onwards. Released in 1975, 'Love will keep us together' didn't become a hit in the Netherlands, which could explain this gap in my memory.

I figured I would buy this single when I came across it cheaply, and last Friday, I did. Just to add to my collection of 'songs covered by Kim Wilde' - one of my many subcollections.

My collection: 7" single no. 5852
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, July 14, 2017
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Love will keep us together' / 'Gentle stranger'

Hey, hey - Gershon Kingsley and the Moog

Gershon Kingsley of course gave the world Popcorn, he did release some more music. This single is an example. Also made on the famous Moog synthesizer, 'Hey, hey' is a nice but forgettable piece of instrumental music.

The B-side is a poppy Moog version of Beethoven's 'Fur Elise', although for some reason Beethoven does not get composer credits (Kingsley does) and the track is called 'For Alisse Beethoven'. Interestingly, a different single with a different sleeve also exists: with the A-side on the B-side and vice versa. It wasn't always easy to decide which track would do best. (In this case, neither did chart.)

My collection: 7" single no. 5849
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, July 14, 2017
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Hey, hey' / 'For Alisse Beethoven'

Ragtime piano Joe - Peter Straker

One of the many tracks on the The best of the Top 40 of the year double album, which basically started my obsession with collecting music, was Peter Straker's 'Ragtime piano Joe'. Through the years I have bought almost all the tracks on single, but for some reason I never did buy this one. Even now I thought I already had it, strangely enough.

Peter Straker was born on November 7, 1943. The Jamaican singer and actor became best known for his appearances in the London production of the musical 'Hair', and in the 1979 series of Doctor Who. 'Ragtime piano Joe' was produced by Roy Thomas Baker and Peter's close friend Freddie Mercury. The single reached number 11 in the Dutch Top 40 but, weirdly enough, did not chart in the UK. The B-side of this single is also worth listening to, for its moving sentimentality.

My collection: 7" single no. 5951
Found: Velvet Vinyl outlet, Leiden, July 14, 2017
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Ragtime piano Joe' / 'The saddest clown'

Liverpool hello - Capricorn

The band Capricorn consisted of Sue Avory (lead vocals), Unwin Brown (drums), Colin Travers (guitar) and Steve Pryor (bass). They were much more popular in Japan than they were in the UK. Their first single was 'Hello Liverpool', a song written by Marty Wilde and Ronnie Scott. It features the song 'How did you find me', written by the same duo, on the B-side. In the UK, the single appeared in a record company sleeve, but the Japanese version was much prettier, featuring a picture sleeve. I was lucky enough to find a copy for a reasonable price some time ago.

The single was released in 1970 and reached number 1 in the Japanese singles chart. Two years later the band won the World Popular Song Festival in Japan, representing the UK with the song 'Feeling'. A couple of years later the band split up.

My collection: 7" single no. 5688
Found: Discogs.com, received August 2015
Cost: $4
Tracks: 'Liverpool hello' / 'How did you find me'

20 fantastic bands - Dazzling All Night Rock Show

Try as you might, you can't find any information anywhere about a band called 'Dazzling All Night Rock Show'. There is every likelihood that it was simply used as a nom de plume by Marty Wilde and Peter Shelley who released '20 fantastic bands' as a single on November 23, 1973.

Glamrock was the name of the game, you can easily hear the influences on this song. It isn't that hard to imagine that bands like The Sweet would record a similar kind of song. But they didn't, and this version didn't become a hit.

My collection: 7" single no. 5798
Found: Discogs.com, received March 2017
Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: '20 fantastic bands' / '20 fantastic bands (continued)'

Raindrops - Joey Dell

In 1975, Joey Dell appeared on the pop scene with a single that was produced by Frere Manston - a pseudonym of Marty Wilde. Dell had previously smelled at the music scene in 1962 with a single called 'Let's find out tonight'. This single was a comeback of sorts, although it didn't become a hit.

'Raindrops', the A-side, was written by Manston and Simmons, and takes cues from Buddy Holly in the vocals department. It's a charming little song of a lover who despairs at the disappearance of his partner. The B-side, 'A boy that's growing up' is written by Joey Dell himself, but also produced by Marty Wilde.

My collection: 7" single no. 5788
Found: Discogs.com, received January 24, 2017
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: 'Raindrops' / 'A boy that's growing up'

I love you - Marty Wilde

Marty Wilde released quite a few singles during the Seventies, but unfortunately none of them were hits. My quest for all of these singles continues, and it's remarkable how some of them are really expensive whereas others are relatively cheap.

'I love you' was released on September 20, 1974. Written by Marty himself, it's a country-influenced track that seems very subdued compared to the man's earlier work. There's also a stark contrast with the B-side, 'She's a mover', written by Peter Shelley and Marty Wilde, which is more of a glam-rock type of song.

My collection: 7" single no. 5843
Found: Discogs.com, received July 1, 2017
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: 'I love you' / 'She's a mover'

Listen to the track

Teen wave - Ricky Wilde

Through the years I've managed to acquire all the songs released by Ricky Wilde during the Seventies. All the songs, but not all the various pressings from around the world. And, so it appears now, not all versions.

Thanks to the indispensable Discogs-website I managed to find an American promotional copy of Ricky Wilde's 1974 release 'Teen wave'. It features two versions of the song: in mono and in stereo. A lot of people are almost hysterical about the differences between mono and stereo versions, especially for acts like The Beatles, so for a Wilde afficionado, this can be considered a sort of holy grail. And yes, there are some differences between the two versions, as you can hear below.

My collection: 7" single no. 5844
Found: Discogs.com, received July 12, 2017
Cost: $3
Tracks: 'Teen wave (mono)' / 'Teen wave (stereo)'

Listen to the mono version | Listen to the stereo version

Love me baby - Sheila B. Devotion

Sheila (born Annie Chancel in Créteil, France on August 16, 1945) scored numerous hits in her homeland during the 1960s and the 1970s. Among her chart toppers were 'L'École est finie' (1963), 'Vous les copains' (the French cover version of Manfred Mann's 'Do wah diddy diddy' in 1964), 'Petite fille de Français moyens' (1968) and 'Les rois mages' (a cover version of 'Tweedle dee tweedle dum', originally performed by Middle of the Road in 1971). Her success helped her producer Claude Carrere to launch his label Carrere Records.

In 1977, Sheila completely changed her public image when Sheila & B Devotion was formed. Because Carrere did not want to shock Sheila's public and the French media, the debut single of the group ('Love me baby') was released anonymously in May 1977 in France. The first pressings of the record mentioned the obscure name of S.B Devotion. The song was a radio and club hit. The identity of the group was rapidly revealed and the quartet was officially named Sheila B. Devotion. The single became a mainstream top 10 hit all over Europe.

My collection: 7" single no. 5787
Found: Kringloop, Den Haag, January 6, 2017
Cost: 0
Tracks: 'Love me baby' / 'Love me baby (instrumental)'

Listen to the song

We'll live it all again - Al Bano & Romina Power

Those Spanish singles can be treacherous sometimes. When you buy a single like this, with the title 'Viviremos todo de nuevo' prominently on the front sleeve and on the label, you'd think there was a Spanish version of this 1976 Eurovision song. Even Wikipedia fell for it. But nothing could be further from the truth: this single simply features the English/Italian version as sung during the festival, as you can hear below.

Al Bano and Romina Power reached 7th place in a field of 18 competitors in 1976, making it a quite successful entry for Italy. They would actually return in 1985 with Magic oh Magic.

My collection: 7" single no. 5817
Found: Discogs.com, received April 25, 2017
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'We'll live it all again' / 'Na na na'

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Gwendolyne - Rosy Armen

One of the most beautiful Spanish entries for the Eurovision Song Contest was Julio Iglesias' 1970 song 'Gwendolyne'. I didn't know that the song was actually covered, but stumbled upon this single during a bit of online shopping, much to my delight.

Rosy Armen was born on May 1, 1939 in Paris (France) to an Armenian couple. She became popular as a singer of French, Spanish, German and Armenian songs at the end of the Sixties. She released her version of 'Gwendolyne' within months of Julio Iglesias's original.

My collection: 7" single no. 5816
Found: Discogs.com, received April 25, 2017
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Gwendolyne' / 'Pasternak'

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Tu volveras - Sergio & Estibaliz

'Tú volverás' ('You'll return') was the Spanish entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1975, performed in Spanish by the duo Sergio y Estíbaliz. Sergio Blanco Rivas and Estíbaliz Uranga Améraza were both former members of Mocedades, the group which represented Spain at the 1973 Contest with Eres tú. Estíbaliz is in fact the sister of lead singer Amaya Uranga, and both 'Eres tú' and 'Tu volverás' were written by Juan Carlos Calderón. I guess the Spanish thought they had a winner on their hands at the time...

The song was performed seventeenth on the night. At the close of voting, it had received 53 points, placing 10th in a field of 19 competitors.

My collection: 7" single no. 5803
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 8, 2017
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Tú volverás' / 'Cuando habla la noche'

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Volare - Larry Page Orchestra

Domenico Modugno's Nel blu dipinto di blu became better known simply as 'Volare', a track that was covered by many other artists including Al Martino and John Raver. When I bought a few singles from a Spanish record dealer, I decided to order this single as well: an instrumental cover version by the Larry Page Orchestra.

Larry Page started his recording career in the mid-Sixties, continuing until the end of the Seventies. His albums contained instrumental versions of contemporary hits. This particular cover version, released years after the original, was an attempt at discofying this classic song. I'll let you decide whether that was a fortunate choice.

My collection: 7" single no. 5804
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 8, 2017
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Volare' / 'I'm hooked on you'

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Raggio di luna - Matia Bazar

When you say 'Matia Bazar', most people immediately scream 'Ti sento', but it is less well known that the band actually participated in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1979. Formed in 1975 by Piero Cassano, Aldo Stellita, Carlo Marrale, Giancarlo Golzi and Antonella Ruggiero, they have released over 20 albums between then and now.

'Raggio di luna', the song they performed in 1979 at the Contest, representing Italy, was the very first Eurovision entry that didn't have an orchestral accompaniment, two decades before the orchestra was disposed of altogether. The song received 27 points and became 15th in a field of 19 competitors.

My collection: 7" single no. 5893
Found: Discogs.com, received March 8, 2017
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: 'Raggio di luna' / 'Pero che bello'

Listen to the song

I'm Mandy fly me - 10CC

10CC band member Eric Stewart recalled about this song, 'National Airlines used to have this beautiful poster that they displayed of this gorgeous stewardess inviting you onto the plane. Now her name wasn't Mandy actually, it was something like, er, oh gosh knows, "I'm Cindy", a very American name. "I'm Cindy, fly me" which was a quite sexual connotation as well, but I remember seeing in Manchester this beautiful poster and just below it was this tramp, I mean a serious tramp, quite a raggedy guy, looking up at this girl, and I thought God, do you know, there's a song there. I know he's never gonna get on an aeroplane, I don't think, except in his dreams. So I brought it back, the idea back to the studio, where we were writing for the How Dare You! album, and put it to the guys: "Anybody interested in this 'I'm Mandy Fly Me'". I'd switched it to Mandy. And Graham said "yeah, that sounds like a good idea. I've got some ideas, I've got some chords. Let's slot those things in, try it, mess it around". We wrote it, and we didn't like it. But, enter from stage left, ha ha, the "wicked villain" Kevin Godley, twiddling his moustache, says "I know what's wrong with it. Let's sit down again." He said "I think it just gets too bland, it just goes on, on one plane, your verses and your middles and your der-der-der, they're all going on the one plane. What it needs is someone to go 'Bash' on the side of your head". So we changed the rhythm completely, and we put two whacking great guitar solos in there, in the middle of this quiet, soft, floaty song. Once we'd got that idea in, it, it just gelled into something else. Again, impossible to dance to, as a lot of 10cc tracks were.'

I found this single in between a heap of old, uninteresting vinyl, but this one stood out because both the sleeve and record were in great condition. I couldn't let go of a classic track like this.

My collection: 7" single no. 5877
Found: Kringloop Den Haag, November 12, 2016
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'I'm Mandy fly me' / 'How dare you'

Listen to the song

Jezamine - Misty

If you hear the name Misty, you might think of a middle-aged sultry female singer, but in fact it was a duo consisting of Mark Eden and Mickey Fudge. They recorded a couple of singles which were released in 1977. Their first release was 'Jezamine', a cover of the track originally recorded by the Casuals, and written by Marty Wilde. They followed it up with 'Magic spell', which was an original track written by Fudge.

Their version of 'Jezamine' was typical Seventies disco fodder, although you could also recognize it as a proto-Level 42 track.

My collection: 7" single no. 5867
Found: Discogs.com, received September 7, 2016
Cost: 3 pounds
Tracks: 'Jezamine' / 'That's no way'

Listen to the song