Ein Bisschen Frieden - Nicole

I dare say that no Eurovision Song Contest collection is complete without this maxi single. Although Nicole's 'Ein Bisschen Frieden' certainly isn't the best song ever to come from the Contest, it has become rather immortal, for instance because of the fact that the young girl spontaneously sang her winning song in several languages after securing the top spot in the Contest in 1982.

I already had Ein Bisschen Frieden, A little peace, La paix sur terre, Een beetje vrede, En smule fred and Un poco de paz on single, but this 12" single features a medley that strings all of them together - well, except the Danish version. But for all its polyglottal glory, the sleeve of this 12" single still spells the word 'Merci' wrong.

My collection: 12" single [unnamed]
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, May 24, 2019
Cost: 2,5 euro
Tracks: 'Ein Bisschen Frieden/A Little Peace/La paix sur terre/Een beetje vrede/Un poco de paz' / 'Thank you, merci, danke (German/English/French/Dutch version)'

When I think of you (The David Morales '95 remixes) - Janet Jackson

When A&M Records released 'Design of a decade', a compilation album featuring all the hits Janet Jackson recorded on the label, they didn't just release that album and two singles, but also did an intensive series of remixes for the club market.

This promotional 2 disc set of 12" singles features new remixes of the hit 'When I think of you', all of them created by David Morales. It is great to hear these remixes, although after a while you do get the feeling that mister Morales could have been more imaginative than just create six pretty similar remixes.


My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Discogs.com, received March 27, 2019
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'When I think of you (Morales House Mix '95)', 'When I think of you (Drum mix)' / 'When I think of you (Jazzy Mix)' // 'When I think of you (Crazy Love mix)' / 'When I think of you (Classic club mix)', 'When I think of you (Incredible Boss dub)'

Still dream - Beyond

Also known as 'Kate Bush Goes Trance', this track by Beyond was released on a promotional single-sided 12" single in 1999. It features samples of the track 'Cloudbusting'. Kate didn't give the makers permission to use the sample, and so the track remained unreleased commercially.

I bought this 12" a few months ago and didn't yet include it into this blog. It's high time that I do, because it is an interesting take on a classic song. The vinyl could have been cleaner, but I never know what life these discs have had before they enter into my collection...

My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Discogs.com, received March 27, 2019
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Still dream'

When you wish upon a star - Scrumpy 'n Dumpy

Leigh Harline and Ned Washington wrote 'When you wish upon a star' for Walt Disney's 1940 adaptation of Pinocchio. The original version was sung by Cliff Edwards in the character of Jiminy Cricket, and is heard over the opening credits and in the final scene of the film. The song has since become the representative song of The Walt Disney Company. It won the 1940 Academy Award for Best Original Song. It was also the first Disney song to win an Oscar.

This single, released in 1972, contains a cover version of the song by Scrumpy 'n Dumpy. It is probably one of the most bizarre cover versions of the song. The minds behind this duo were Peter Shelley and Marty Wilde. They were probably just having a laugh when they released it, as you can hardly take this single seriously. It may surprise you, however, that despite this lack of seriousness and its obvious 'novelty record' status, this single has become very difficult to find - and pretty expensive when you have to buy it. As a collector, I had to get my hands on it, of course - even if this copy came without the original picture sleeve. Who can resist a Marty Wilde record in whatever shape or form?

My collection: 7" single no. 6133
Found: Discogs.com, received June 28, 2019
Cost: 4 pounds
Tracks: 'When you wish upon a star' / 'The Scrumpy 'n Dumpy boogaloo'

Will you still be there? - Howard Jones

Howard Jones' record company Elektra made the right call in the USA when they released this song as a single. 'Will you still be there?' is one of the best tracks on his 1987 album 'One to one', and the acoustic version of the song (included on the B-side here) adds some intimacy that some may find lacking in the electronically-driven original version.

Over here in Europe, three singles were taken from the album, with the record company favouring the intimate - and also intensely beautiful - 'Little bit of snow' being favoured over this track. I didn't know about the existence of this single, but I added it to my 'wantlist' on Discogs a few months ago. I'm glad I got to buy it finally from an American dealer who obviously took great care of his items - this single looks and sounds as if it was released last week instead of in 1987!

My collection: 7" single no. 6131
Found: Discogs.com, received June 26, 2019
Cost: $2
Tracks: 'Will you still be there?' / 'Will you still be there? (acoustic)'

Caribbean rock - Malcolm's Locks

Another single that I bought mainly for the B-side here. Malcolm's Locks was a group consisting of Antonio Augusto, Curvin Merchant, Lee Gates, Livingstone Wright, Liz Mitchell, Malcolm Magaron, Micho Plaza and Stuart S. Fahey. They released one album and two singles in the mid-Seventies. Magaron was a singer of the Les Humphries Singers who left the group before it's official end due to financial differences with Les Humphries. He was the boyfriend of Liz Mitchell, who went on to become a member of Boney M.

The B-side of this single features a version of 'Brown girl', which was released as 'Brown girl in the ring' by Boney M a few years later. Arranger Peter Herbolzheimer accused Frank Farian of stealing his arrangement for the song, for which Farian claimed credit on that single. The court case ran for more than 20 years in Germany.

My collection: 7" single no. 6130
Found: Discogs.com, received June 24, 2019
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Caribbean rock' / 'Brown girl'

Fremder - Didi Zill

Eight years ago I bought a cover version of 'Video killed the radio star' by Didi Zill. I'm not sure if I already knew back then that Didi also covered a Marty Wilde composition. 'Hoch lebe Rock 'n' Roll' is a German version of his composition 'Bring hack Rock 'n' Roll'.

But, even though that title features prominently on the cover of this single, it is not the A-side, but the B-side. The honour of being an A-side goes to the German schlager-type song 'Fremder'. And that song is based on the song 'Stranger' by Kris Kristofferson.

My collection: 7" single no. 6129
Found: Discogs.com, received June 24, 2019
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Fremder' / 'Hoch lebe Rock 'n' Roll'

I want to be a tree - Tim Pope

In the golden age of music television (circa 1983-1985), Sky Channel and Music Box reigned supreme and they had a way of showing great music videos from famous and less famous stars. The holy trinity of 'funny' music videos was Alexei Sayle's ''Ullo John, gotta new motor?', King Kurt's 'Mack the Knife' and Tim Pope's 'I want to be a tree'.

It took me some time to find the former two, but Tim Pope's single always remained elusive. And even when the internet made the acquisition of singles easier, this one remained very expensive and thus out of my reach. Prices have now come down a little, so finally after 35 years I can own this single. It was never a hit, but the famous music video director - who worked with The Cure amongst others - still has his own fan club, apparently. The demand for this single still outperforms the supply. And perhaps you have to see the video of this song to fully appreciate its weirdness.

My collection: 7" single no. 6128
Found: Discogs.com, received June 24, 2019
Cost: 8 euro
Tracks: 'I want to be a tree' / 'The double-crossing of two-faced Fred'

Thunder & lightning - Risqué

Although the single 'Thunder & lightning' contains a 'special dance mix' on the B-side, it can not compare to the extended-version-fiesta that is contained on this 12" single. Both versions clock in on six minutes, adding two minutes to each side when compared to the 7" single.

There is something odd with the track listing: the A-side contains an extended version (or a special dance mix, if you will), whereas the B-side, which is advertised as a 'version spéciale danse', is an instrumental/dub mix. It doesn't really matter: this disc is a feast for the eighties-oriented senses.

My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Ebay, received June 22, 2019
Cost: 5 euro
Tracks: 'Thunder & lightning' / 'Thunder & lightning (Version spéciale danse)'

Jennifer Jennings - Louis Neefs

Two years after Louis Neefs represented Belgium at the Eurovision Song Contest with 'Ik heb zorgen', he returned with the song 'Jennifer Jennings' in 1969. Although the song was dedicated to a fictional girl, it turned out that there was an actual real-life Jennifer Jennings living in England. She contacted Louis Neefs and he invited her over to a concert, after which they kept in touch.

At the close of voting, 'Jennifer Jennings' received 10 points, and ended up in seventh place in a field of 16 competitors. This single was made in Italy, and considering its age it is in fine condition!

My collection: 7" single no. 6127
Found: Discogs.com, received June 21, 2019
Cost: 6 euro
Tracks: 'Jennifer Jennings' / 'Vanessa (I love you)'

Mon coeur qui craque - Nathalie

The single 'My love won't let you down' was a translation of this original French version. Having had the English version for 25 years already, it was a pleasure to finally acquire this one. Like the other version, this single was produced by Peter Godwin. And, unusually for French songs, it does already contain a few lines in English.

My collection: 7" single no. 6126
Found: Discogs.com, received June 21, 2019
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Mon coeur qui craque' / 'Mon coeur qui craque (instrumental)'

Popcorn - Revolution System

One of my first ever singles was Revolution System's 'Brand new Popcorn' called 'Carmen Brasilia'. This is where my collection of 'Popcorn' versions started, although this version was, of course, not the original Kingsley-composed 'Popcorn'.

Through the years I have wondered whether Revolution System actually recorded a cover version of the original 'Popcorn', but I hadn't located a copy... until recently! This single is apparently the only disc where you can find Revolution System's version of 'Popcorn'. It is a reissue single by Dureco in their 'Golden Hit-Parade' serie, released around 1980. After all these years, it is a pleasure to finally own this track.

My collection: 7" single no. 6125
Found: Discogs.com, received June 21, 2019
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: 'Popcorn' / 'Carmen Brasilia'

Sing die Melodie - Johannes & Christin

Together with 'Nur noch Gefühl' I ordered another single from the Austrian seller I found online. It is this cover version of the Dutch entry for the 1978 Eurovision Song Contest: Harmony's ''t Is O.K.'. 

Johannes & Christin only released this one single together. Not much is known about Christin, but Johannes Prömmer had already released two singles in Austria in 1972. After this duet, he disappeared again, resurfacing in 1988 with one more single, 'Zigeuner'. And that's basically it. The Austrian music scene is not renowned for its big worldwide stars, but it is interesting that in this day and age some singers can remain so anonymous.

My collection: 7" single no. 6124
Found: Willhaben.at, received June 20, 2019
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Sing die Melodie' / 'Komm mit mir'

Nur noch Gefühl - Gary Lux

Collecting Eurovision Song Contest singles has become a little easier since buying online and worldwide has become more popular. Sites like Ebay and Discogs provide easy access to many singles that one would deem lost forever. But at the same time, some of those singles can become exceedingly expensive. Gary Lux's 'Nur noch Gefühl', for instance, commands a price of at least 20 euros.Which is why I was glad to find the Austrian version of Ebay in the shape of Willhaben. This is where I found this copy of the single for a fraction of the price.

'Nur noch Gefühl' was Austria's entry for the Contest in 1987. It wasn't a very successful entry: at the close of voting, it had received 8 points, placing twentieth in a field of 22 competitors. It must have been a disappointment: two years earlier, Gary's song 'Kinder dieser Welt' reached a respectable eighth place.

My collection: 7" single no. 6123
Found: Willhaben.at, received June 20, 2019
Cost: 4 euro
Tracks: 'Nur noch Gefühl' / 'Don't turn around'

Heimweh auf grosser Fahrt - Freddy Quinn

Freddy Quinn was born as Franz Eugen Helmut Manfred Nidl on September 27, 1931 in Niederfladnitz, Austria. His popularity as a singer soared within the German-speaking world in the late 1950s and 1960s. Quinn's Irish family name comes from his Irish born salesman father, Johann Quinn. His mother, Edith Henriette Nidl, was an Austrian journalist.

He was "discovered" in St. Pauli, Hamburg, and was offered his first recording contract in 1954. Two years later he represented Germany at the first Eurovision Song Contest in Lugano, Switzerland with the atypical song, 'So geht das jede Nacht', about an unfaithful girlfriend who dates many men. He did not win, and the full results of the contest were never released so his placement is not known. This EP features four tracks by Freddy, and 'So geht das jede Nacht' is one of them.

My collection: 7" single no. 6122
Found: Ebay, received June 12, 2019
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Heimweh (Memories are made of this)', 'Sie hiess Mary-Ann (Sixteen Tons)' / 'Rosalie', 'So geht das jede Nacht'

Marcel - Heidi Brühl

And then, finally, I have found the Eurovision single I have been waiting for all my life. Who wouldn't love to have a Eurovision song dedicated to him- or herself? Well, back in 1963 - years before I was born - German singer Heidi Brühl performed the song 'Marcel', and it's a great one too: the song is sung from the perspective of a young woman telling her lover (the titular Marcel) that he is moving too quickly for her. She tells him that 'only a gentleman has a chance with me' and that he needs to respect that. The song ended up in ninth place out of 16 competitors.

Heidi didn't stop her involvement with Eurovision after this: in 1968 she recorded a cover version of that year's Spanish winning song, 'La la la'.

My collection: 7" single no. 6121
Found: Ebay, received June 11, 2019
Cost: 5 euro
Tracks: 'Marcel' / 'Das grosse Spiel'

Gleðibankinn - Icy

In 1986, Iceland made its debut in the Eurovision Song Contest. The song 'Gleðibankinn' was performed by the band Icy, consisting of Eiríkur Hauksson, Helga Möller and Pálmi Gunnarsson. During the national final, Gunnarsson performed the song alone, but Hauksson and Möller joined him before the official submission of the song.

The song, which is about the 'bank of fun' - happiness is stored in a bank, it can be withdrawn anytime one is feeling depressed - ended up in 16th place in a field of 20 competitors. For Hauksson this was not the end: in 1994 he joined Just 4 Fun, representing Norway with 'Mrs. Thompson'.

My collection: 7" single no. 6120
Found: Discogs.com, received June 11, 2019
Cost: 10 euro
Tracks: 'Gleðibankinn' / 'Bank of fun'

Tubular bells - Mike Oldfield

It is whispered that Mike Oldfield is working on a fourth version of 'Tubular bells'. Let's hope so, because with each version the tune is becoming more awesome. However, nothing comes close to those first few minutes of the original 'Tubular bells'.

Oldfield and his record company probably realise this, because they released this beautiful picture disc 7" in 2013. There's also a history-rewriting B-side: 'In dulci jubilo', originally released as a single in 1975 - two years after 'Tubular bells'. By the way, the A-side of this single is not the original single version. Instead it contains a new edit of the opening minutes of the album version of 'Tubular Bells (Part One)'.

My collection: 7" single no. 6119
Found: Discogs.com, received June 11, 2019
Cost: 5 euro
Tracks: 'Tubular bells' / 'In dulci jubilo'

Cry - Godley & Creme

Picture discs can be very attractive when they are done well, and they are even more attractive when the sleeve is done even better. Such is the case with this picture disc of 'Cry' by Godley & Creme. You can not see it so well on this scan, but the transparent sleeve has five black squares and the disc contains the eight images that fit inbetween.

Of course I already had a copy of 'Cry', but I can never resist a good thing when I see it. And so, here's another copy of the single - but you'll have to agree that this one is a big improvement on the other one.

My collection: 7" single no. 4637 (2)
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, May 24, 2019
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Cry' / 'Love bombs'

Rivers of Babylon - Boney M

Back in 1980, I already bought a copy of Boney M's biggest hit - and one of the biggest hits of all time - 'Rivers of Babylon'. That sleeve and record were made in the Netherlands. This one, bought more recently, was made in Germany. And as you can see, the sleeve is far prettier.

Apparently, there are different versions of this song on different pressings. The original pressings featured an early version that was soon replaced by a more widely available mix. The initial single mix of 'Rivers of Babylon' is most notable for lead singer Liz Mitchell's ad-libs ('Dark tears of Babylon, you got to sing a song, sing a song of love, yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah') between the two verses. On subsequent single pressings, only the 'yeah's were retained. Well, both singles I have are apparently 'original pressings', because there is no difference.

My collection: 7" single no. 71 (2)
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, May 24, 2019
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Rivers of Babylon' / 'Brown girl in the ring'

Love of the common people - Paul Young & The Family

Many people know Paul Young's 'Love of the common people' - just not in this particular version. It was the original single by Paul Young & The Family, released as his second solo single after 'Iron out the rough spots'. Just like that single, this one did not chart. It almost seemed like his solo career ended as soon as it had begun.

It was his cover version of 'Wherever I lay my hat' that subsequently saved his behind. But that is a story for another future entry in this blog...

My collection: 7" single no. 6116
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, June 1, 2019
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Love of the common people' / 'Tender trap'

Method of modern love - Daryl Hall & John Oates

Back in 1985, Daryl Hall and John Oates were regulars on pre-MTV music channels Sky Channel and Music Box. Their colourful music video for 'Method of modern love' appeared regularly - so much so that I got to hate the video and the track in time. Too much of a good thing and all that.

And so here we are in 2019 - and I am buying that single. What helps is that I haven't heard the song in three decades and that the pop music of today has become so much worse in the mean time. And then there's the added bonus of a second single in this package, presenting live versions of earlier hits 'I can't go for that' and 'Maneater'. Not bad at all!

My collection: 7" single no. 6115
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, June 1, 2019
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Method of modern love' / 'Bank on your love' // 'I can't go for that (No can do) (live version)' / 'Maneater (live version)'

Stuck on you - Lionel Richie

Lionel Richie is one of those artists that are loved by many and scorned by the rest. Especially his ballads are divisive: considered too mushy by some, and adored by many. 'Stuck on you' is one of those ballads. Taken from his multiplatinum album 'Can't slow down', this was the fourth single from that album. It reached number 3 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 12 in the UK singles chart and number 18 in the Dutch Top 40.


In 2003, 'Stuck on you' was covered by American band 3T. It was the first single from the band's second studio album 'Identity'. Released in summer 2003, it achieved success in the Netherlands, Belgium and France, where it was a top ten hit.

My collection: 7" single no. 6114
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, June 1, 2019
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Stuck on you' / 'Round and round'

Walk right now - The Jacksons

Record dealers are often likely to charge an arm and a leg for records of famous bands and the Jacksons can count as one of the most famous bands of all time. So it was a source of much pleasure to find a very good copy of this single by the Jacksons for just one euro during an open air record fair last week.

'Walk right now' was taken from the album 'Triumph', the album that gave us the hits 'Can you feel it' and 'Lovely one'. The single performed well in the UK, peaking at number 7, but only got to number 73 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 6113
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, June 1, 2019
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Walk right now' / 'Your ways'

Almost over you - Sheena Easton

'Almost over you' sees Sheena Easton at her most melodramatic. The single was taken from her 1983 album 'Best kept secret', the first one in her career to be entirely recorded in the USA.Not surprisingly, the material went down better in the USA than it did in the UK. The album reached number 33 in the US album chart, but only got to number 99 in the UK.

The single followed the same pattern: while it peaked at number 25 in the US Billboard Hot 100, it only got to number 89 in the UK singles chart. Sheena's UK career would never recover: only 'The arms of Orion', her 1989 duet with Prince would do marginally better in the UK than it did in the USA.

My collection: 7" single no. 6111
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, June 1, 2019
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Almost over you' / 'I don't need your word'

Deeper than the night - Olivia Newton-John

Olivia Newton-John's career is long and impressive. In 1978 she didn't just appear in (and sing on the soundtrack to) the movie 'Grease', but she also released the excellent album 'Totally hot'. Excellent, because some great singles were taken from that disc: 'A little more love', the title track 'Totally hot' and this one, 'Deeper than the night'.

After having scored four singles that were awarded silver, gold and/or platinum, the chart performance of this single was a relative disappointment, as it only reached number 64 in the UK singles chart and number 18 in Canada. However, it did reach number 11 in the US Billboard Hot 100 and that's still quite impressive.

My collection: 7" single no. 6110
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, June 1, 2019
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Deeper than the night' / 'Please don't keep me waiting'

Primaballerina - Siw Malmkvist

Germany was one of a few countries that didn't win that year's Eurovision Song Contest - 1969 is the year that came up with four winners after all. 'Primaballerina' was performed by Siw Malmkvist, a Swedish singer who was popular in Sweden and Germany during the Sixties. 'Primaballerina' ended up in ninth place in a field of 16 competitors.

Malmkvist went on to have some 40 hits on Swedish radio chart Svensktoppen and 20 on the German singles chart, she has altogether recorded about 600 songs (and has made recordings in ten different languages: Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, Dutch, German, English, French, Italian and Spanish) throughout the past five decades, which makes her one of the most productive and successful Swedish female singers.

My collection: 7" single no. 6104
Found: eBay, received May 24, 2019
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Primaballerina' / 'Mir fehlt der Knopf am Pyjama'

Für immer (Rock bottom) - Lynsey de Paul & Mike Moran

Lynsey de Paul and Mike Moran represented the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1977 with 'Rock bottom'. Such was the popularity of the song that they decided to also record the song in German. 'Für immer' was only released in German-speaking territories.

As brave as their attempt was, the single did not chart. Which makes this single all the more interesting, because it wasn't pressed in huge quantities. It is therefore a great pleasure to have found a copy for a reasonable price.

My collection: 7" single no. 6105
Found: eBay, received March 24, 2019
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Für immer' / 'You shouldn't say that'

Einfach weg - Anita

Austria was represented at the 1984 Eurovision Song Contest by Anita Spanner, born on December 22, 1960 in the Fürstenfeld District, Styria in Austria. As a virtual unknown she managed to win the national preselection with 'Einfach weg' as a clear winner. She was less successful in the Eurovision competition, as she ended up in the last of 19 places with only 5 points - 4 from Denmark and 1 from Ireland. Nonetheless the song topped the Austrian singles chart for two weeks that year.

Between 1987 and 1991 she released three more singles before fading away from the music business. She withdrew from the public eye to raise a family. She has recently returned to performing as a member of a seven-piece live band called Hit4You.

My collection: 7" single no. 6103
Found: eBay, received May 24, 2019
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Einfach weg' / 'Einfach weg (instrumental)'

Boom boom boomerang - Schmetterlinge

Eurovision Song Contest fans always have to deal with criticism from other people. There are always comments about the music, the nonsensical lyrics, the show itself, the dreadful presenters, the boring intermezzo acts, sometimes even the organising country. But to Eurovision fans, all these elements are just part of the deal: in order to discover beautiful songs you'll have to deal with the odd nonsensical ones, just like when you listen to the radio.

The Austrian band Schmetterlinge have took the 'nonsensical lyrics' aspect to uncharted terrritories in 1977. What to make of a chorus that goes: 'Boom Boom Boomerang, Snadderydang / Kangaroo, Boogaloo, Didgeridoo / Ding dong, sing the song, hear the guitar twang / Kojak, hijack, me and you'? The performance is also memorable, as the band featured four male singers wearing cream suits and red shirts. During the performance, the men would turn their backs to the audience at various points, revealing a costume which looked like the front of a tuxedo, complete with a fake face. The song ended up in seventeenth place out of 18 competitors.

My collection: 7" single no. 6106
Found: eBay, received May 24, 2019
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Boom boom boomerang' / 'Mr. Moneymaker's Musicshow'

Songfestival-successen - Various artists

I don't often post LP's on this blog, simply because I don't often buy them. And even the ones I did buy were not always that interesting for this blog. But here's an exception to that rule. 'Songfestival-successen' is a compilation album of Eurovision Song Contest songs, performed by various Dutch artists. The album presents twelve tracks in glorious mono sound.

Most of these tracks are familiar Dutch entries to the Contest, but there are a few interesting exceptions. 'Fernando en Filippo' is not performed by Milly Scott, who represented the Netherlands in 1966, but Conny van Bergen. There's also a cover version of 'Nous les amoureux', partly in Dutch, by Jan van der Most and a cover version of 'Non ho l'eta' by Sandra Reemer, also in Dutch ('Als jij maar wacht'). And finally, the songs 'Middellandse zee', 'Geweldig' and 'Niet voor mij 'were never performed on the Eurovision stage. 'Middellandse zee' was a hit for Anita Berry in 1962. Ronnie Tober reached second place in the Dutch national final for Eurovision with 'Geweldig' in 1965 and 'Niet voor mij' was performed at the Dutch national final for Eurovision in 1960. (Remarkably, Kauffeld ended up representing the Netherlands with the song 'Wat een dag' in 1961, but that song was never released on any record!)

My collection: LP [unnumbered]
Found: Marktplaats, received May 11, 2019
Cost: 6 euro
Tracks: 'Net als toen' (Corry Brokken), 'Katinka' (De Spelbrekers), 'Middellandse Zee' (Anita Berry), 'Geweldig' (Ronnie Tober), 'Niet voor mij' (Greetje Kauffeld), ''t Is genoeg' (Conny van den Bos) / 'Fernando en Filippo' (Conny van Bergen), 'Als jij maar wacht' (Sandra), 'Jij bent mijn leven' (Anneke Grönloh), 'Nous les amoureux' (Jan van der Most), 'Speeldoos' (Annie Palmen), ''n Beetje' (Teddy Scholten)

Eitt lag enn / One more song - Stjórnin

I only had one Icelandic entry to the Eurovision Song Contest on 7" vinyl so far - Stefan & Eyfi's 'Nina' - and, it must be said, it isn't easy to get hold of Icelandic singles for a reasonable price. But somehow I managed this time, when I won an auction on eBay recently.

Stjórnin represented Iceland in the 1990 edition of Eurovision with 'Eitt lag enn'. At the close of voting it was fourth in a field of 22 competitors, which made it Iceland's best placement in the contest so far at the time.

My collection: 7" single no. 6102
Found: eBay, received May 24, 2019
Cost: $10
Tracks: 'One more song' / 'Eitt lag enn'

Boys keep swinging - David Bowie

Parlophone continues with their series of '40th anniversary picture discs' of David Bowie singles. It is a lucrative series because the singles keep selling despite their decidedly inflative prices. It's hard to realise that you'd only pay a couple of pounds for a single like this 40 years ago, a price that has doubled a few days now in 2019. Shame on Parlophone.

This picture discs presents the 2017 mix by Tony Visconti of 'Boys keep swinging', along with a rare unreleased track 'I pray, Olé' - at least, it was unreleased in 1991 when it appeared as a bonus track on the Rykodisc reissue of the album 'Lodger'. Although the takes of the instruments and vocals were recorded during the sessions of the 'Lodger' album, the mix of the song was performed in 1990. It is unclear whether overdubs were recorded later.

My collection: 7" single no. 6101
Found: Fnac, Antwerpen, May 24, 2019
Cost: 14 euro (!)
Tracks: 'Boys keep swinging (2017 Tony Visconti mix)' / 'I pray, olé'

Occhi di ragazza - Gianni Morandi

Italy was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1970 by Gianni Morandi, singing 'Occhi di ragazza' ('Eyes of a girl'). The breezy song is a ballad, with Morandi musing on the power of his lover's eyes. Initially, he describes them as windows into her soul and places where he can see their future. The song ends, however, on something of a pessimistic note, as he explains that these same eyes will one day fill with tears as their relationship ends. The song received 5 points, placing it eighth in a field of 12 competitors.

Gian Luigi Morandi was born in a little village called Monghidoro on the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines. His father Renato was active within the Italian Communist Party and Gianni used to help him sell the party newspapers. At an early age Morandi worked as a shoe-shiner, cobbler and as a candy vendor in the village's only cinema. His vocal abilities led him to a number of small gigs, some of which were during the Communist Party’s activities. His career took flight during the Sixties. He achieved national stardom with the song 'Fatti mandare dalla mamma', and remained Italy’s darling throughout that decade. He remains active in the Italian music scene until the present day. One of his most recent hits is a duet with Fabio Rovazzi, called 'Volare' - not the Domenico Modugno song!

My collection: 7" single no. 6100
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, May 24, 2019
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Occhi di ragazza' / 'T'amo con tutto il cuore'

Li´ per li´ / Piove...! - Teddy Reno

Released in 1959, this single features cover versions of two wellknown songs of that time: Li' per li' (also covered by Teddy Scholten and Willy Alberti that year) and 'Piove', the song made famous by Domenico Modugno when he represented Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest.

Teddy Reno was born as Ferruccio Merk Ricordi in Trieste on July 11, 1926. The Italian singer and actor started his career in the Fifties and took part in several San Remo Music Festivals in Italy. In 1948 he founded one of Italy's first record companies, CGD (i.e. Compagnia Generale del Disco), which he later sold to Ladislao Sugar. In the 1960s he focused his career on discovering and producing new talents, mainly through the Festival degli sconosciuti (Festival of the Unknowns) which he created in 1961. Some or Reno's discoveries at the Festival include The Rokes, Dino and Rita Pavone, whom he married in 1968.

My collection: 7" single no. 6098
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, May 24, 2019
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Li' per li'' / 'Piove...!'

King of fools - Perfect day

Having bought 'Jane' and 'Liberty town' in April, I followed up last month with the acquisition of 'King of fools', another single by Perfect Day. As with the previous two, the involvement of Ricky Wilde made me want to check this one out: the B-side 'Step out' is produced by him and contains some of the hallmarks that makes Kim Wilde's music so glorious.

This single was released in a special gatefold sleeve, probably in an attempt by the record company to make this a more attractive package. Unfortunately this didn't help: this was to be the band's final release.

My collection: 7" single no. 6066
Found: Discogs.com, received May 10, 2019
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'King of fools' / 'Step out'

I love Paris / Volare (Nel blu dipinto di blu) - The 'Go' Sound of the Kirby Stone Four

Domenico Modugno's 'Nel blu dipinto di blue' - better known as 'Volare' is one of the Eurovision Song Contest's best known songs ever, and it has been covered by many different artists including David Bowie and the Gypsy Kings. Collecting all those cover versions is not something I will attempt, but whenever I see a cheap one, I won't leave it behind.

And so I picked up this single by the Kirby Stone Four, apparently made in the Netherlands or Belgium. It wasn't even listed on Discogs.com yet, so that makes it rarer than most singles. As for this version, you will probably enjoy it. It's quite amazing to hear this kind of music sixty years after its original release.

My collection: 7" single no. 6097
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, May 24, 2019
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'I love Paris' / 'Volare (Nel blu dipinto di blu)'

Se piangi, se ridi - Bobby Solo

Collecting Eurovision singles is a confusing business, especially when there are so many different releases of the same song in different territories. I didn't realise that I already had this song on an EP I bought two years ago when I found this one.

So this is the Dutch release of 'Se piangi, se ridi', the song that represented Italy during the 1965 Eurovision Song Contest, performed by Bobby Solo. This single presents two songs, as opposed to the Festival San Remo 65 EP that I bought in 2017.

My collection: 7" single no. 6095
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, March 24, 2019
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Se piangi, se ridi' / 'Saro' un illuso'

Call of the wild - Midge Ure

I didn't just find Midge Ure's 'Dear God' on clear vinyl recently, but also his lesser known single 'Call of the wild'. For the longest time I believed I already had this one, but that was a mistake.

'Call of the wild' was released in 1986, after three singles taken from his debut solo album 'The gift'. Despite the fact that it was a new song, it didn't quite deliver in terms of chart success: it only reached number 27 in the UK singles chart. As a result, the song did not appear on Ure's next album, 'Answers to nothing'.

My collection: 7" single no. 6092
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, May 24, 2019
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Call of the wild' / 'When the winds blow (live at Wembley Arena, 23 December 1985)'

Chiquitita - Nana Mouskouri

Having bought my first ever Nana Mouskouri single in February ('The one that got away') it looks like 2019 might be her year - at least in my record collection. 'A force de prier' - the original version of 'The one that got away' - is one that I will probably get before the end of this year, and here is her cover version of that immortal Abba song, 'Chiquitita'.

Nana Mouskouri recorded this song in 1984, with French lyrics by French musical theatre lyricist  Alain Boublil. The single was taken from the album 'La Dame De Coeur', also released in 1984.

My collection: 7" single no. 6094
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, May 24, 2019
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Chiquitita (Dis-moi pourquoi)' / 'La fin du voyage'

Erasure-ish - Björn Again

When Erasure released their Abba-esque EP, it was almost a given that Björn Again, one of several Abba cover bands, would come up with the idea of covering Erasure songs. And sure they did. 'Erasure-ish' was released in 1992 and reached number 25 in the UK singles chart.

Björn Again was created in 1988 in Melbourne, Australia by Rod Stephen and John Tyrrell. After the first Björn Again show at a pub in the inner Melbourne suburb of Collingwood called The Tote Hotel on May 6, 1989 the show's popularity increased quickly, which first took the group Australia-wide and then overseas to international acclaim. Original members for the first six years of the band included Gavin Charles (Bjorn), Janette Stuart (Agnetha), Dorina Morelli (Frida) and Peter Ryan (Benny). Both Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson have lauded Björn Again a number of times over the years, and after Abba's former members made their intentions known that they were not going to perform together any longer, Andersson was quoted as saying in 1999, 'Björn Again are the closest you can get to seeing Abba. Abba will never reform!'

My collection: 7" single no. 6093
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, May 24, 2019
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'A little respect' / 'Stop!'

Hit me with your rhythm stick (Paul Hardcastle remix) - Ian Dury

During the Seventies I was already watching Toppop, thanks to my older brother and sister. They had their own interpretations on what the 'rhythm stick' that was mentioned in this song was, and as an impressionable youngster I immediately got the joke myself. The song has remained a fun 'double entendre' ever since.

Paul Hardcastle remixed the track in 1984, giving the song a well-deserved second outing. The remixed version peaked at number 55 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 6088
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, May 24, 2019
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Hit me with your rhythm stick (Paul Hardcastle remix)' / 'Sex & drugs & Rock & Roll (Paul Hardcastle remix)'

Dear God - Midge Ure

I always held off on buying this single because I knew that there was a clear vinyl edition of it, just like all those Ultravox singles during the Eighties. 'Dear God' was taken from Midge Ure's second solo album 'Answers to nothing' (1988) - and I already own the clear vinyl edition of the single of that title track.

'Dear God' was a minor hit for Midge, peaking at number 55 in the UK singles chart and number 95 in the US Billboard Hot 100. The lyrics of the song are less cynical than the song by XTC with the same title - perhaps Midge has a little more faith in that invisible non-existant force in the sky.

My collection: 7" single no. 6091
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, May 24, 2019
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Dear God' / 'Music #1'

Romantica - Renato Rascel

While at Chelsea Records last week, I naturally checked out the Eurovision boxes, but there wasn't that much in there that I didn't already have. But to my surprise and amusement, there were a handful of old Eurovision singles in the 'Italian' section. One of the first I found was the 1960 entry 'Romantica', performed by Renato Rascel.

The song was first performed at the 1960 San Remo Festival, by Rascel and Italian singer Tony Dallara. Dallara's version was more powerful, but the slow, romantic version by Rascel made it to the Eurovision stage. The song ended up in eighth place in a field of 13 competitors.

My collection: 7" single no. 6099
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, May 24, 2019
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Romantica' / 'Dimmelo con un fiore'

Non ho l'eta' per amarti - Patricia Carli

The song 'Non ho l'eta' is best known in the version by Gigliola Cinquetti, who won the 1964 Eurovision Song Contest, representing Italy. During the San Remo festival, which was organised in Italy almost two months before Eurovision, she sang the song together with Patricia Carli as per the rules of San Remo. Both Cinquetti and Carli released the song as a single, although only Cinquetti's version became an international hit.

Patricia Carli was born on March 12, 1938 in Taranto, a coastal city in southern Italy. She grew up in Belgium, where her parents had emigrated for work. After studying music and singing, she began performing in public and in a few years she became well known in Belgium and in France, where she performed at the prestigious Olympia music hall in Paris. She released dozens of singles during the Sixties, but only one album.

My collection: 7" single no. 6096
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, May 24, 2019
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Non ho l'eta' per amarti' / 'Cosi' felice'

On the beach (Summer '88) - Chris Rea

I scored a hattrick last week when I bought three singles by Chris Rea. The last of the three, after Giverny and You can go your own way, was the 'Summer '88' version of 'On the beach'. It is one of my favourite songs by Chris Rea - although there are more - and this version is a bit more up-tempo than the original. It was taken from the album 'New light through old windows', a collection of re-recordings of his older songs.

The original version of 'On the beach' only reached number 57, so it must have been a surprise to find that this new version peaked at number 12 in the UK. In other territories, the single did not chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 6083
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, May 24, 2019
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'On the beach (Summer '88)' / 'I'm taking the day out'

And then there were none - The Enid

The British rock band The Enid was formed in 1973 by former Barclay James Harvest member Robert John Godfrey. Despite several album and single releases, commercial success always eluded the band. In 1981, they played most of the music for Kim Wilde's debut album, which probably is their biggest claim to fame.

After this, they released the single 'And then there were none' in early 1982. It was interesting enough for me to check this out. At the time of release, the band consisted of Godfrey with Steve Stewart and Chris North - the latter would also drum with Kim Wilde on subsequent tours. 'And then there were none' is a great single, but wasn't exactly chart material at the time.

My collection: 7" single no. 6087
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, May 24, 2019
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'And then there were none' / 'Letter from America'

Brown girl in the ring (remix '93) - Boney M

Having grown up with Boney M it's hard to withstand the German lipsynch band produced by the infamous Frank Farian. After Bobby Farrell left the band they never recovered, and even without personnel Farian tried to earn more money from the Boney M reputation. In short: there is a bit of controversy surrounding those later releases.

'Brown girl in the ring' was originally released in 1978. It was based on a traditional Jamaican children's song and ring game. The 1993 remix is uncredited but is thought to have been created by Frank Farian. It featured new lead vocals by Liz Mitchell and reached number 6 in Denmark and 38 in the UK, while failing to chart in Germany.

My collection: 7" single no. 6086
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, May 24, 2019
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Brown girl in the ring (radio version)' / 'Brown girl in the ring (radio rap version)'

Lost without your love - Bread

To be honest, I had forgotten that I already owned a copy of Bread's 'Lost without your love', so you might argue that I wasted some money on this one. On the other hand, the sleeve of this French edition is a lot more beautiful than the other one.

'Lost without your love' was the product of a reunion. Bread had broken up in 1974 but reconvened in 1976 to record one more album. It was to be the band's last hit. Through the years it has become a real classic and a surefire tearjerker. Perhaps that's what I like about this song. It's worth owning it twice at least.

My collection: 7" single no. 6085
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, May 24, 2019
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Lost without your love' / 'Change of heart'

I need a man - Eurythmics

A long time ago, when I was working at the public library, I had the opportunity to borrow cd's for free. During that time I listened to a lot of music I didn't (yet) own - and I do mean A LOT. One of the bands that I listened to was Eurythmics. In the end I wasn't that impressed with their albums, which is why I never bought them. But there were a lot of good singles, and I did buy those.

'I need a man' somehow escaped my attention and that must be because of the frankly horrible sleeve of that single in Europe. The American sleeve looks a lot nicer, as you can see here. The best track on this single actually isn't the A-side: I prefer the album track that is included on the flipside. 'Heaven' is a weird, but great track.

My collection: 7" single no. 6084
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, May 24, 2019
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'I need a man' / 'Heaven'