You'll always be a friend - Hot Chocolate

Hot Chocolate's career really took off with the song 'Emma' in 1974 - their first international hit. But before that, the band already had a string of hits in the UK. However, they were all non-album singles and nowadays pretty hard to find.

'You'll always be a friend' was released in 1972 and reached number 23 in the UK singles chart. The single was released in a RAK Records company sleeve, like all those early singles. Although it has to be noted that in some other territories - Italy and Germany - the record company gave the single an illustrated sleeve.

My collection: 7" single no. 6524
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, 25 November 2021
Cost: €1
Tracks: 'You'll always be a friend' / 'Go go girl'

Kick it out - Heart

The American band Heart has released some classic tracks like 'Magic Man', 'Alone' and, oddly, the one I always hear in the supermarket 'All I wanna do is make love to you', but some of their singles remain lesser known. Like this one.

'Kick it out' was taken from their 1977 album 'Little queen' and only charted in the USA (peaking at number 79) and Canada (peaking at number 67). This pressing comes from Germany, which is proof enough that it was released in Europe as well, but to no avail. In fact, their first hit in the UK was 'These dreams', whereas there is a gaping hole in the Netherlands between 1977's 'Barracuda' and 'These dreams' in 1986. I am quite pleased that I have a lot of singles by this band, although some are still missing. More to hunt for, I guess.

My collection: 7" single no. 6523
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, 25 November 2021
Cost: €5
Tracks: 'Kick it out' / 'Dream of the archer'

Den dopper - De Strangers

Although the A-side of this single is De Strangers' take on 'Rivers of Babylon', a big hit for Boney M at the time, this single attracted me for its B-side: a version of 'A-ba-ni-bi', the song with which Izhar Cohen won the 1978 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest.

As always, the Belgian group made the song totally their own with a lyric in Antwerp dialect. What exactly 'Nie doeke-mieke doen, nee nee' means... I can't tell you.

My collection: 7" single no. 6518
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, 25 November 2021
Cost: €1
Tracks: 'Den dopper' / 'Nie doeke-mieke doen, nee nee'

Wa d'hee die nen dikke nek - De Strangers

My collection of singles by the Belgian band De Strangers is still expanding, and it's all because they have recorded so many covers of Eurovision Song Contest songs. This single presents not one, but two songs from the annual songfest: versions of 'Lass die Sonne in dein Herz', the German entry, and the Belgian entry 'Soldiers of love'.

As always, they wrote new lyrics for these songs in Antwerp's dialect, full of Flemish expressions.

My collection: 7" single no. 6517
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, 25 November 2021
Cost: €1
Tracks: 'Wa d'hee die nen dikke nek' / 'Eieren of joeng'

Non ho l'eta / Si - Gigliola Cinquetti

Released in 1977, this single combines the two Eurovision entries of Gigliola Cinquetti on one disc, with an attractive new sleeve. 'Non ho l'eta' was the 1964 entry with which she won the Eurovision Song Contest, whereas 'Si' was her attempt to win again in 1974, but she finished in second place... behind Abba's 'Waterloo'. 

In 1990, Gigliola released a new version of 'Non ho l'eta', which was equally unsuccessful in reaching the charts as this combined re-release single.

My collection: 7" single no. 6516
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, 25 November 2021
Cost: €1
Tracks: 'Non ho l'eta' / 'Si'

One more song - Halla Margret

Buying singles online can be a good way out for rare items, but one has to be careful not to be cheated out of huge amounts of money. This particular single, for instance, is currently for sale on Discogs for anything upwards of €15. However, during my visit to Chelsea Records I found a copy for one fifth of that amount. It is a matter of luck, of course, because this single is quite rare.

Halla Margrét Árnadóttir was born on 23 April 1964 in Reykjavík. She represented Iceland during the Eurovision Song Contest 1987, in Brussels. The song ended in 16th place in a field of 22 competitors.

My collection: 7" single no. 6514
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, 25 November 2021
Cost: €3
Tracks: 'One more song' / 'Haegt og hljótt'

Diamonds are forever - Shirley Bassey

The James Bond movies used to be accompanied by classic tunes, songs that would stand the test of time. Before the producers fell for the limited talents of Sam Smith and, god help us, Jack White and Alicia Keys, they employed real singers. Like for instance, Shirley Bassey.

'Diamonds are forever' was the theme tune for the movie of the same name in 1971. It was not Shirley's first James Bond song: in 1964 she recorded 'Goldfinger' and she would also record the song for 'Moonraker' in 1979. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6513
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, 25 November 2021
Cost: €1
Tracks: 'Diamonds are forever' / 'Pieces of dreams'

Viens l'oublier - Jean Vallée

In 1978, Jean Vallee represented Belgium with 'L'amour ça fait chanter la vie'. I found that single 12 years ago in Chelsea Records. But it wasn't Jean's first attempt: in 1970 he had his first Eurovision experience with 'Viens l'oublier'. And lo and behold: it was again Chelsea Records where I found this particular single.

Jean Vallée was born as Paul Goeders in Verviers on 2 October 1941. He passed away on 12 March 2014 in Clermont-sur-Berwinne. He was appointed Knight of the Order of the Crown by HM Albert II in 1999. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6512
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, 25 November 2021
Cost: 5 euro
Tracks: 'Viens l'oublier' / 'Il y ferait bon dedans'

Le soleil donne - Laurent Voulzy

The majority of my Laurent Voulzy discs come from Antwerp, and this one is no exception. I bought the 7" single of 'Le soleil donne' at Chelsea Records 12 years ago, and now I found the 12" single in that same shop. 

I have a soft spot for Voulzy, not only because of his song 'Les nuits sans Kim Wilde', but also because of the brilliant songs I discovered on the compilation album 'Carib Islander'. Every single track on that one is great - and so obviously I was curious to hear the extended version of 'Le soleil donne' which features on this 12" single. In fact the extended version also appears on the compilation album (I didn't realise that) but the dub version is very interesting too.

My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, 25 November 2021
Cost: €1
Tracks: 'Le soleil donne' / 'Le soleil donne (dub)', 'Le soleil donne [edit]'

Era troppo carina - Alain Barriere

It's always nice to find a Eurovision song in a different language than the original version, but performed by the original singer. And so, here is 'Era troppo carina', the Italian version of 'Elle était si jolie', by Alain Barriere. The single was released commercially with a picture sleeve, featuring a goodlooking woman walking over the Champs Elysées in Paris, but this here is a promotional jukebox version of that same single.

The tracks remain the same. The B-side is the Italian version of 'Plus je t'entends', which appears on the French EP of the song. The original RCA Italiana company sleeve is a nice surprise. You never know what you get when you order online...

My collection: 7" single no. 6509
Found: Discogs, received 17 November 2021
Cost: $4
Tracks: 'Era troppo carina' / 'E piu' ti amo'

Julie - Daniel

21 years after buying 'Julie' by Daniel, I bought it again... but this time it's the original Yugoslavian single, which features the original version 'Džuli' that went missing on the international release for some reason. This single came to me directly from Croatia, since I bought a couple of singles from a Croatian dealer on Discogs.

Even after almost three decades, this song is still as infectious as ever, although it may sound dated to some.

My collection: 7" single no. 6510
Found: Discogs.com, received 17 November 2021
Cost: $3
Tracks: 'Julie' / 'Džuli'

Der alte Musikant - Ben Cramer

Ben Cramer's Eurovision song 'De oude muzikant' featured on this blog before, not only in the original version but also in the English version. And it gives me great pleasure to present, not a month later, the German version of that song. 

Just like the English version, this single presents the A- and B-side in translated form. 'Der alte Musikant' is of course, 'De oude muzikant', and 'Komm Sylvia tanz mit mir' is a literal translation of the song 'Kom Sylvia dans met mij'. The pressing, of course, comes from Germany.

My collection: 7" single no. 6511
Found: Discogs.com, received 18 November 2021
Cost: €5
Tracks: 'Der alte Musikant' / 'Komm Sylvia tanz mit mir'

Moja generacija - Korni Grupa

Korni Grupa was a Yugoslav rock band from Belgrade. Formed in 1968, Korni Grupa was one of the first Yugoslav rock bands to achieve major mainstream popularity, and the first Yugoslav supergroup. Since the beginning of their career, the band had developed a two-way musical development, one of commercial pop rock music aimed for mainstream popularity, and the other, an artistically influenced progressive rock sound crossed with influences of psychedelic, folk, jazz and symphonic rock music.

The band also performed at the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest with 'Moja generacija'. The song reached 12th place, owing to which, along with the little success of their second album, the band had decided to split. They held two farewell concerts at the Novi Sad Studio M and disbanded on December 1, 1974. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6508
Found: Discogs.com, received 17 November 2021
Cost: $6
Tracks: 'Moja generacija' / 'Zbogom ostaj o,detinjstvo'

Thank you for the music - Abba

The current resurgence of Abba would have you think that I have suddenly started buying Abba singles. This could be true, of course, but this particular single has been on my wantlist for about two years. It just took me very long to find a decent copy for a decent price. 

This is, of course, a re-release of Abba's immortal 'Thank you for the music'. It was released in the UK in 1983 in a poster sleeve. It coincided with the release of a compilation album, also titled 'Thank you for the music', that same year. It was only a year after the release of 'The Singles: The first ten years' in 1982, the one that featured the group's last two singles. But between 1982 and this year, Abba has released dozens of compilation albums and also re-releases (and re-re-releases) of all their albums. And box sets, of course. I wonder how many re-releases 'Voyage' will get in decades to come...

My collection: 7" single no. 6506
Found: Ebay, received 17 November 2021
Cost: £5
Tracks: 'Thank you for the music' / 'Our last summer'

Flying up with my balloon, my balloon, my balloon - Manuela Bravo

In 1979 Manuela Bravo represented Portugal at the Eurovision Song Contest with Sobe, sobe, balao sobe. Besides the original version in Portuguese, she also recorded the song in French as 'Tu t'envoles mon ballon, mon ballon, mon ballon' and in English as 'Flying up with my balloon, my balloon, my balloon'. The English version appears on this single, with the Portuguese version on the B-side.

My collection: 7" single no. 6505
Found: Discogs.com, received 12 November 2021
Cost: €5
Tracks: 'Flying up with my balloon, my balloon, my balloon' / 'Sobe, sobe, balao sobe'

Claudia (Uno per tutte) - Louis Neefs

Belgian singer Louis Neefs is no stranger to the Eurovision Song Contest: he represented Belgium in 1967 with 'Ik heb zorgen' and in 1969 with 'Jennifer Jennings'. But there's more... In 1963 he recorded a cover version of the Italian Eurovision entry 'Uno per tutte'. Retitled 'Claudia', the song was rewritten in the Dutch language by Belgian songwriter, producer, publisher and label owner Louis Van Rymenant. 

Louis Neefs died on 25 December 1980 after a car accident. It was a tragic ending to a very successful career.

My collection: 7" single no. 6504
Found: Marktplaats.nl, received 12 November 2021
Cost: €1,5
Tracks: 'Claudia (Uno per tutte)' / 'Wat zou de wereld zonder liefde zijn'

Auf der grossen Himmelsstrasse - Margot Eskens

Here's another single I didn't buy for the A-side, but for the B-side! 'Damals war alles so schön' is a great German version of Corry Brokken's winning Eurovision song 'Net als toen', and unsurprisingly this single was released in 1957, the year of this song's success.

Margot Eskens (born on 12 August 1939 in Düren) was most popular in the 1950's and 1960's. She continued to be a frequent guest on television programs into the 2000s. In 1966, she represented Germany in the Eurovision Song Contest with 'Die Zeiger der Uhr'.

My collection: 7" single no. 6503
Found: Marktplaats.nl, received 12 November 2021
Cost: €1,5
Tracks: 'Auf der grossen Himmelsstrasse' / 'Damals war alles so schön'

Als je maar nooit bekent - Corry Brokken

'Als je maar nooit bekent' is a Dutch-language cover of 'N'avoue jamais', the song that was made famous by Guy Mardel, who represented France at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1965. It is perhaps no wonder that this single by Corry Brokken - herself a Eurovision winner in 1957 - was also released in 1965. 

The other side of this single, 'Tommy-Tom' is also a cover version: 'Laura Lee' was written by Forrest Wood and Liam Sullivan and recorded by Eddy Arnold in February 1965. Corry's version, recorded with Bert Paige's orchestra, was released in June of that same year.

My collection: 7" single no. 6502
Found: Marktplaats.nl, received 12 November 2021
Cost: €1,5
Tracks: 'Als je maar nooit bekent' / 'Tommy Tom'

 

Johnny Blue - Katri Helena

'Johnny Blue' was originally recorded by Lena Valaitis, and it was her entry for the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest, representing Germany. The song was written by the infamous duo Ralph Siegel and Bernd Meinunger, who together wrote many songs for the Contest. 

Katri Helena's version was translated into Finnish by Kaisu Liuhala, who was a rather prolific song translator. Katri Helena, of course, represented Finland at Eurovision twice, in 1979 with 'Katson sineen taivan' and in 1993 with 'Tule luo'.

My collection: 7" single no. 6501
Found: Marktplaats.nl, received 12 November 2021
Cost: €1,5
Tracks: 'Johnny blue' / 'Olet ystäväin'

Een sprookje - De Spelbrekers

De Spelbrekers represented the Netherlands at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1962 with 'Katinka'. However, this wasn't the first brush with Eurovision repertoire. In 1959, they released the single 'Een sprookje' ('A fairytale') with on the B-side a cover version of 'Oui, oui, oui, oui', Jean Philippe's entry for France at Eurovision. Obviously, this is what drew me towards this single, which I could buy for almost nothing from a Dutch seller. 

Between 1950 and 1968, the duo released many singles, but it didn't give them any chart placings. However, their song 'Katinka' remains a classic in the Netherlands. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6500
Found: Marktplaats.nl, received 12 November 2021
Cost: €1,5
Tracks: 'Een sprookje' / 'Oui, oui, oui'

Lied für einen Freund - Maxi & Chris Garden

I already own a copy of 'Lied für einen Freund', but the opportunity came up to buy a stack of singles (and cd-singles) from a Eurovision collector and this single was among them. It features a French version of the same song on the double A-side, instead of a different track (which appears on that other single).

Maxi and Chris Garden recorded their Eurovision song in a few different languages apparently and normally these singles command high prices. So I guess I was lucky to get this one. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6499
Found: Marktplaats.nl, received 12 November 2021
Cost: €1,5
Tracks: 'Lied für einen Freund' / 'Chant pour un ami'

Voulez-vous - Abba

With sales of over 5 million copies, 'Abba Gold' is the second highest selling album of all time in the UK, after Queen's 'Greatest Hits'. As of July 2021, "Gold" became the first album to reach 1000 weeks on the Official Charts in United Kingdom with pure sales of 5.61 million copies sold in United Kingdom.

When the album was first released, back in 1992, it was supported by a series of single releases. 'Dancing queen' was the first single, and this one was the second: 'Voulez-vous' backed with another single which didn't appear on Abba Gold: 'Summer night city'. This single didn't chart, but it still attracted some attention. These days it's very hard to get hold of a copy, and the third single is even more difficult. But it will appear here someday, I'm sure. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6486
Found: Discogs.com, received 19 October 2021
Cost: 5 euro
Tracks: 'Voulez-vous' / 'Summer night city'

Humanaho (Alle Menschen sind Brüder) - Roberto Blanco

Roberto Zerquera Blanco was born on 7 June 1937 in Tunis (Tunisia). He grew up in Beirut and Madrid, before coming to Germany in 1956. He forged a career for himself singing schlagers in German at the end of the 1960's. 

This single, 'Humanaho' is a cover version of Jean Gabilou's French Eurovision entry from 1981, 'Humanahum'. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6497
Found: Discogs.com, received 10 November 2021
Cost: €2
Tracks: 'Humanaho (Alle Menschen sind Brüder)' / 'Sing ein Lied'

Tausend Fenster - Karel Gott

This single has been on my wantlist for a long time and I just couldn't find a decent copy for a reasonable price. But I never give up, and so I have finally got a good copy now. 'Tausend Fenster' was produced by Udo Jürgens - who also recorded the song himself around the same time - and performed by Karel Gott. 

Karel Gott (14 July 1939 – 1 October 2019) was a Czech singer and amateur painter, considered the most successful male singer in Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic. He was voted the country's best male singer in the annual Český slavík (Czech Nightingale) national music award 42 times, most recently in 2017. After appearing at the Midem music fair in Cannes in 1967 he was offered a recording contract with Polydor, and he stayed with the company until 2000. In 1968, he represented Austria with 'Tausend Fenster', which earned him just 2 points. He finished in 13th place in a field of 17 competitors.

My collection: 7" single no. 6496
Found: Discogs.com, received 10 November 2021
Cost: €5
Tracks: 'Tausend Fenster' / 'Aber du glaubst an mich'

Bye bye I love you (English version) - Ireen Sheer

Ireen Sheer's 1974 Eurovision entry 'Bye bye I love you' was originally performed in French (even if the title of the song would have you believe otherwise). However, she also recorded the song in German and English, and it is the English version that I can present here.

Ireen would not be a stranger to Eurovision: she would return in 1978 with the song 'Feuer' and in 1985 as part of a bigger group of artists with the song 'Children, Kinder, enfants'.

My collection: 7" single no. 6495
Found: Discogs.com, received 10 November 2021
Cost: €5
Tracks: 'Bye bye I love you (Englische originalversion)' / 'Rosebery Avenue'

She's my kind of girl - Bjorn & Benny

Before Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson became famous with Abba, they had careers themselves. They had success with the Hootenanny Singers and the Hep Stars respectively. 'She's my kind of girl' represents their first single together. It was recorded for the Swedish movie 'Inga II: The seduction of Inga'. Originally released in 1970, the single became a huge hit in Japan two years later, selling half a million copies.

The song was subsequently put on the B-side of the Swedish issue of ABBA's 'Ring Ring' (English Version) single, and on the album of the same name in some other countries (in spite of it having been recorded before ABBA was formed and featuring no contribution from ABBA's other members, Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad). The song is also unusual in that it is the only track in the entire catalogue that appears in fake stereo. To date, there is no known mono-only version. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6482
Found: Discogs.com, received 6 October 2021
Cost: $3
Tracks: 'She's my kind of girl' / 'Inga's theme'

Shine On - Kim Wilde & Boy George

As a lifelong collector of Kim Wilde records, a limited edition 7" single of her latest single 'Shine On' was a musthave of course. The single was released back in August, and right now the item has sold out, although you can still find some copies on Discogs.com and Ebay. And it's worth owning, not only for the two excellent tracks on this disc, but also for the fact that it is pressed on blue vinyl. Oddly, to my knowledge this is the first coloured vinyl 7" single ever by Kim Wilde.

'Shine On' is performed as a duet with Boy George. The two have crossed paths several times during the last four decades, but never collaborated on a song. The other side featured 'You're My Karma', another duet but this time with up and coming British talent Tom Aspaul. Everything is produced, as usual, by brother Ricky Wilde, who turns 60 today. Gosh, how time flies! 

My collection: 7" single no. 6424
Found: Cherry Red records, received 5 August 2021
Cost: £7.99
Tracks: 'Shine On' (with Boy George) / 'You're my karma' (with Tom Aspaul)

Il Padrino - Orchestra Mario Battaini

Mario Battaini (Milan, 6 October 1931 - 26 April 2000) was a multi-instrumentalist, arranger and italian conductor. He was very concerned with his privacy. For this reason he used various stage names during his career. One of them was Duke of Burlington. The hit 'Flash' was one of his biggest successes.

The A-side features an instrumental version of the theme from the movie 'The Godfather', entitled 'Il Padrino' in Italian. However, it is of course the B-side that interested me more: a version of Gershon Kingsley's immortal 'Popcorn'.

My collection: 7" single no. 6494
Found: Discogs.com, received 4 November 2021
Cost: €4
Tracks: 'Il Padrino' / 'Popcorn'

Das Schiff geht in See heute Nacht - Gunnar Winckler & Bibi Johns

This is an extremely old single, but it's also in an unusually fine state. You won't find that many 64 year old singles sounding this good. It's also in its original record company sleeve. Online purchases can be disappointing sometimes, but this certainly exceeded my expectations.

What this single is, is a German version of a Danish entry to the 1957 Eurovision Song Contest. On stage, Gunnar (a.k.a. Gustav) Winckler and Birthe Wilke performed 'Skibet skal selje i nat', but for this German version Birthe made way for Bibi Johns, a Swedish singer and film actress. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6493
Found: Discogs.com, received 4 November 2021
Cost: €4
Tracks: 'Das Schiff geht in See heute Nacht' / 'Gin und Rum'

Mein Ruf nach dir - Piera Martell

Piera Martell was born on 2 July 1943 in Jona, St. Gallen (Switzerland). She is best known for her participation in the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest. It's hard to believe that 'Mein Ruf nach dir' is from the same year as Abba's 'Waterloo', because it sounds so old-fashioned. The juries seemed to think so too, because it finished in joint last place (together with the German, Norwegian and Portuguese entries) of the 17 entries. 

Martell went on to make three further attempts to perform at Eurovision, without success. In 1976, she entered the German selection ('Ein neuer Tag' – 11th place), followed by two more participations in the Swiss selection in 1977 ('Aldo Rinaldo' – 4th place) and 1978 ('Hier, Pierre' – 6th place). She continued performing and releasing singles periodically until her retirement from the music industry in 1981. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6492
Found: Discogs.com, received 4 November 2021
Cost: €5
Tracks: 'Mein Ruf nach dir' / 'Du hast mir die Liebe gegeben'

Bonjour, bonjour - Paola

With a title like 'Bonjour, bonjour' you might suspect that this is a song in French, but the Swiss entry for the Eurovision Song Contest in 1969 was sung almost entirely in German - except for the title. Perhaps this was inspired by the fact that French was the most popular language at the time, both in the world and in the Contest. 

The song was performed by Paola del Medico, who was born on 5 October 1950 and was just 18 years old at the time of the Contest. Her song finished in fifth place in a field of 16 competitors. Considering the first four places were all winners in the old system, she did pretty well. She would return to the Contest in 1980 with the song 'Cinema'. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6491
Found: Discogs.com, received 4 November 2021
Cost: €8
Tracks: 'Bonjour, bonjour' / 'Valse d'amour'

That's me - Abba

Today is release day for Abba - their first album in 40 years is called 'Voyage' and serves to remind people that music can be timeless if you ignore "current trends". Fortunately they didn't employ rappers or other "famous people" to create their new work.

On this special occasion I thought I'd get out one of the special items I have in my collection: I got a nice handful of Japanese Abba singles last month and this one is extra special, because it flipped the A- and B-sides, relegating 'Money, Money, Money' to the B-side whereas 'That's Me' was promoted to the A-side. Why the Japanese felt this necessary I don't know - perhaps they thought the message of 'Money, Money, Money' was unsuitable for the Japanese public? 

My collection: 7" single no. 6479
Found: Discogs.com, received 6 October 2021
Cost: $7
Tracks: 'That's me' / 'Money, Money, Money'

This is your life (Barcelona mix) - Banderas

I find it quite sad that Banderas only ever released one album. I have it in my collection and it's one of those albums I keep returning to, quite regularly at least. The only big hit they scored was their debut single 'This is your life', and much to my surprise I found this promotional single recently online, featuring the so-called 'Barcelona mix' of the track. It is actually a shorter version of the 'Easy Life mix', found on the song's 12" single. 

Both women are still active in music, it seems. Sally Herbert made a name for herself as violinist, orchestral arranger, composer and producer.and released a track called 'Everything must change' together with Jimmy Somerville in February this year, whereas Caroline Buckley appeared on an EP called 'Lovers Unlimited', on which that same Jimmy Somerville was the main man. Funny enough, Jimmy also appeared on the Banderas'  sole album, thirty years ago. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6490
Found: Discogs.com, received 28 October 2021
Cost: €2
Tracks: 'This is your life (Barcelona mix)' / 'This is your life (Barcelona mix)'

Todo esto es la música - Serafin Zubiri

This single has been on my want list for a few years. It's the first of two Eurovision appearances by Serafin Zubiri. In 2000 he participated with 'Colgado de un sueño' - which, unfortunately, was never released on a 7" single, and in 1992 with this song, 'Todo esto es la música'. Curiously, this song was only ever released as a promotional item on both 7" single and CD-single. And it is a no frills affair: the CD only has one track, and this single features the same track on both sides.

The album 'Te veo con el corazon' followed later in 1992, after Serafin reached 14th place in the Eurovision Song Contest, in a field of 23 competitors.

My collection: 7" single no. 6489
Found: Discogs.com, received 28 October 2021
Cost: €6
Tracks: 'Todo esto es la música' / 'Todo esto es la música'

The old street musician - Ben Cramer

Even this week Ben Cramer was still on Dutch TV. The enduring career of this singer proves that he certainly wasn't a one hit wonder - even if his success didn't necessarily translate to other countries. His 1973 Eurovision entry 'De oude muzikant' was recorded in several other languages, but that didn't give him any hits. 

This single, a Portuguese pressing, features the English version of the song, correctly translated into 'The old street musician'. And even the B-side, 'Kom Sylvia dans met mij' was translated into 'Sylvia, come dance with me', which is also a literal translation. The A-side was written, and both sides produced, by Pierre Kartner a.k.a. Father Abraham, who made himself internationally known as the Smurfs man later on in that decade.

My collection: 7" single no. 6488
Found: Discogs.com, received 28 October 2021
Tracks: 'The old street musician' / 'Sylvia, come dance with me'

Tie uuteen päivään - Markku Aro

Markku Aro was born as Markku Tuomas Puputti on 3 February 1950 in Mouhijärvi, Finland. Together with the pop duo Koivistolaiset he represented his country at the 1971 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest with the song 'Tie uuteen päivään' ('Road to a new day'). The song deals with the progress of humanity towards "a new day", contending that this is not something to be afraid of. The song finished in eighth place, in a field of 18 competitors.

This single may not look much - and the center has been pushed out unfortunately - but it is a true collector's item: for a couple of years no other copy has been offered for sale online, and so I am still happy to have this one. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6485
Found:  Discogs.com, received 12 October 2021
Cost: 5 euro
Tracks: 'Tie uuteen päivään' / 'Silmät ja suu'

I still have faith in you - Abba

One of the most anticipated comebacks of all time: it's easy to see that when Abba announced not only a few new tracks (which were already announced a couple of years ago), but a full album, the music world shook on its foundations. During a live streamed press moment the music video for 'I still have faith in you' was shown - undoubtedly an emotional moment for Abba fans worldwide.

While it is easy to get caught up in this hype, the question remains: is the new song any good? Without reservation I would say, yes of course. Thankfully they remained true to their own sound and didn't employ rappers, modern producers or "big names". They just made their own music, and released it, thankfully, on 7" vinyl as well. The only disappointing thing is that they didn't include a B-side: that side is etched with the lyrics of the song. That's beautiful, of course, but another song would have been nicer.

My collection: 7" single no. 6444
Found: Platenzaak.nl, received 4 September 2021
Cost: € 9,99
Tracks: 'I still have faith in you'

You don't have to say you love me - Dusty Springfield

I do have versions of this song by Michael Ball and Guys and Dolls, but the version by Dusty Springfield remains the best of all times. The original version of the song comes from Italy and was introduced at the Sanremo Festival by Pino Donaggio as 'Io che non vivo (senza te)'. The song reached the final at Sanremo and, as recorded by Donaggio, reached No. 1 in Italy in March 1965.

Dusty Springfield, who participated at the 1965 Sanremo Festival, was in the audience when Donaggio performed the song and, although she did not know the meaning of the lyrics, the song moved Springfield to tears. She obtained an acetate recording of Donaggio's song, but allowed a year to go by before actively pursuing the idea of recording an English version. English lyrics were provided by her friend Vicki Wickham together with her own friend Simon Napier-Bell. Dusty's recording became a number 1 hit in the UK and went top 10 in most of the other countries around the world.

My collection: 7" single no. 6471
Found: Discogs.com, received 6 October 2021
Cost: $2
Tracks: 'You don't have to say you love me' / 'Little by little'

Having it all - Eighth Wonder feat. Patsy Kensit

Most people know the movie 'Absolute beginners' from the single 'Absolute beginners' by David Bowie, but this movie had so much more to offer. Who could forget Sade's beautiful song 'Killer blow'? It's a shame that was never released as a single.

I thought the same about 'Having it all', performed in the movie by Patsy Kensit from Eighth Wonder. I was surprised, and pleased, to find that this song was released as a single, albeit in Japan only. The jazzy track is a departure from their other material, which is much more synth-driven, but I guess that's what makes this track extra special.

My collection: 7" single no. 6467
Found: Discogs.com, received 6 October 2021
Cost: $5
Tracks: 'Having it all' / 'Stay with me (instrumental)'

Forever autumn - Vigrass & Osborne

'Forever autumn' is a rather familiar title on this blog: I own a UK single, a Dutch single and a re-released single from 1989. One thing was still missing, though: the original version by Paul Vigrass and Gary Osborne.

They wrote the song together with Jeff Wayne. It was Wayne who wrote the original melody as a jingle for a Lego commercial. Vigrass and Osborne, the performers of the original jingle, added lyrics to the song and recorded it for inclusion on their 1972 album 'Queues'. Their interpretation was also released as a single and gained moderate commercial success in Japan, selling more than 100,000 copies and becoming a top-20 hit on the country's record chart. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6466
Found: Discogs.com, received 6 October 2021
Cost: $3
Tracks: 'Forever autumn' / 'Men of learning'

En un mundo nuevo - Waldo de los Rios

In 1971, Karina represented Spain at the Eurovision Song Contest with 'En un mundo nuevo'. It was a successful entry for the country, because it finished in second place. The song was arranged and conducted by Waldo de los Rios, who was smart enough to also record a version of the song himself - albeit instrumental. This single presents that version.

Waldo de los Ríos (real name: Osvaldo Nicolás Ferraro Gutiérrez) was a native of Buenos Aires who relocated to the USA in 1958 and then Spain in 1962. He is best-remembered for his ability to transform European classical music into pop music. De los Ríos committed suicide in 1977. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6464
Found: Discogs.com, received 5 October 2021
Cost: €1
Tracks: 'En un mundo nuevo' / 'Pamperito'

Este mundo - Katja Ebstein

Katja Ebstein represented Germany in 1971 with the song 'Diese Welt'. And just like the song 'Wunder gibt es immer wider' (which she recorded in Spanish as 'Siempre hay algun milagro'), she recorded this song in Spanish. 'Este mundo' was released in Spain just after her Eurovision appearance. Strange thing is, the B-side was still in German, unlike that other Spanish single.

'Diese Welt' reached third place in the 1971 edition of Eurovision. In her autobiography, Ebstein wrote: "For me, this placement was the international breakthrough... I took bronze, with the eco-song 'Diese Welt' by Dieter Zimmermann and Fred Jay."

My collection: 7" single no. 6463
Found: Discogs.com, received 5 October 2021
Cost: €5
Tracks: 'Este mundo' / 'Wind in der Nacht'

Popcorn - Popcorn Orchestra

This cheap looking sleeve hides the fact that the Popcorn Orchestra is actually French synth god Jean Michel Jarre. At least, that is what more knowledgeable people have told me. No wonder, then, that this single fetches some stunning prices online, especially when it is in pristine condition.

My copy is reasonably good, but the seller already warned that the B-side sounded a bit off. That was no problem: it was, after all, the A-side that I was after. You can tell from this blog that I am a bit of a Popcorn collector, and so the version by Jarre was one I just had to have.

My collection: 7" single no. 6462
Found: Discogs.com, received 5 October 2021
Cost: €2
Tracks: 'Popcorn' / 'Blackbird'

Ich hab' auf Liebe gesetzt - Marianne Rosenberg

German singer Marianne Rosenberg released this single in 1980, featuring not just one, but two cover versions in German of contemporary hits. The A-side featured a version of Barbra Streisand's evergreen 'Woman in love', and the B-side a version of the immortal 'The winner takes it all' by Abba. Quite why she thought this would improve those two songs is unknown.

Still, this single became a hit in Germany, reaching number 31 at the turn of the year. And she wasn't the only one to cover 'Woman in love' either: Gitte Haenning released 'Die Frau, die dich liebt' and Mireille Mathieu released 'Une femme amoureuse'. And that was just in 1980. There have also been lots of cover versions of 'The winner takes it all', although most of those were released after 1980.

My collection: 7" single no. 6460
Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, 2 October 2021
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Ich hab' auf Liebe gesetzt' / 'Nur Sieger stehn im Licht'

Walk away - Matt Monro

When Matt Monro participated in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1964 with 'I love the little things', he was quite impressed with the Austrian entry by Udo Jürgens, 'Warum nur warum?'. He decided to record a cover version, with English lyrics by Don Black. This became 'Walk away', released before the end of the year. It became a hit for him, peaking at number 4 in the UK singles chart and even number 6 in Australia. Monro would go on to record a cover version of Udo Jürgens' Eurovision winner, 'Merci Chérie', in 1966.

This EP features four tracks by Monro. The two tracks on side one are quite enjoyable, the two on the other side... not so much.

My collection: 7" single no. 6461
Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, 2 October 2021
Cost: 5 euro
Tracks: 'Walk away', 'Around the world' / 'Fools rush in', 'Walk into the dawn'

Dancing queen / Fernando - Abba

This single was released in the GDR, or 'East Germany' as we called it until 1990, when that part of Germany was under communist rule. The state-run label Amiga released singles for the wealthier part of the public - although there were, apparently, also lots of illegal tapes doing the rounds.

I bought this single because it feels a bit like a rarity. It's not really that rare - it is available regularly online - but it's always nice to own a piece of history, and this is it. Amiga released a couple of Abba singles, and this one features two of their biggest hits: 'Dancing queen' and 'Fernando'. Who knows I may find those other Amiga singles someday too.

My collection: 7" single no. 6459
Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, 2 October 2021
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Dancing queen' / 'Fernando'

Hotel California - Eagles

Although I do own 'Hotel California' on one of those re-release singles from the 'Old Gold' series, it always feels a bit like cheating to just have that. I wasn't exactly inclined to buy the original single, until I saw this Japanese beauty at the record fair. This is the original Japanese single from 1976, and it features a slightly edited version of that classic track: it's 20 seconds shorter than the orginal album version.

It's no wonder that the guitar solo at the end of this track is often quoted as one of the best guitar solos of all time. It takes up the last two minutes of the track (which originally runs at 6½ minutes) and includes some impressive twists and turns. Would such a track still become a hit these days? When hell freezes over, perhaps.

My collection: 7" single no. 6458
Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, 2 October 2021
Cost: €6
Tracks: 'Hotel California' / 'Pretty maids all in a row'

Here in my heart / Aldri i livet - Finn Kalvik

For the first time in two years, I went to a real record fair this weekend. It was quite great to see a bunch of dealers at the Ahoy in Rotterdam, not in open air (like the minor record fairs in Den Haag of recent months) but in a real hall. There was still a relatively limited amount of international sellers, but the atmosphere was great and it almost felt like old times. I actually scored a few rare items, too.

The first rare item I saw was this single by Norwegian singer Finn Kalvik, who represented his country at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1981 with 'Aldri i livet'. The single was produced by Benny Andersson from Abba, which makes it a collectors item for certain fans I guess. I was quite shocked by the price on this one - until I saw that the dealer was selling everything at half price! Considering I have been looking for this one for years, it was a great find.

My collection: 7" single no. 6457
Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, 2 October 2021
Cost: €7,50
Tracks: 'Here in my heart' / 'Aldi i livet'

Oxygene 2 - Jean Michel Jarre

It's time for a much needed break from the Eurovision repertoire on this blog, and it comes in the shape of French synthesizer god Jean Michel Jarre. His single 'Oxygene IV' is probably his best known track. I was quite surprised to find out there was also a single of 'Oxygene 2', another track from his album 'Oxygene'. The tune is very different, but just as arresting. 

The record-buying public seemed less interested at the time: whereas 'Oxygene IV' was a major hit worldwide, this second single only managed to reach number 61 in Australia (and didn't even chart in his native France!). His career was far from over: Jarre continues to release music to this day.

My collection: 7" single no. 6456
Found: Discogs.com, received 29 September 2021
Cost: €3
Tracks: 'Oxygene 2' / 'Oxygene 6'

A force de prier - Nana Mouskouri

For the longest time I have been searching for a good and cheap copy of 'A force de prier'. I bought the English version, 'The one that got away' for almost nothing 2½ years ago, but finding the original version has been much more difficult. I am glad to say that I finally succeeded, for only slightly more than I wanted to pay for this.

'A force de prier' was Nana Mouskouri's Eurovision entry for Luxembourg back in 1963. According to her: "It was a beautiful song, but when I listened to the other participants, I understood that I would not win". It must have been a disappointment to land on 8th place. It has to be said that the winning song, 'Dansevise' was a true classic, but this song should at least have been in the top 5.

My collection: 7" single no. 6455
Found: Discogs.com, received 29 September 2021
Cost: €6
Tracks: 'A force de prier', 'Ensemble' / 'Laissez-moi pleurer', 'Les yeux pour pleurer'