Tourada - William Carlos

Although this EP is nameless and it contains four tracks, I mainly bought it for the cover version of 'Tourada', the song originally performed by Fernando Tordo at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1973. William Carlos included the track as the last of four.

Information about William Carlos is scarce. It seems this EP was all he ever released. According to the text on the back sleeve: "The Canberra newspapers say wonderful things about him. However, this EP shows us little of his true potential, especially since it responds to a "request" made by the Australian market, where his music is beginning to receive attention. Let us therefore welcome this young man with enthusiasm and demand from him everything he can give us."

My collection:  7" single no. 7256
Found: Discogs.com, received 2 July 2024
Tracks: 'You and me', 'Sun keep on shining' / 'Semente', 'Tourada'

Sobe, sobe, balão sobe - Alice Amaro

Between 1960 and 1980, Portuguese singer Alice Amaro released almost 20 singles and one album. The last single she seems to have released was a cover version of the song 'Sobe, sobe, balão sobe', originally performed by Manuela Bravo during the Eurovision Song Contest 1979.

Alice's version is a bit faster and more electronically-driven. Remarkably, the logo of RTP, the Portuguese broadcaster, appears on the sleeve of the single, although Alice was not even one of the performers during the Portuguese preselection for the Eurovision Song Contest. It was probably an attempt to make the version look like the official one. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7255
Found: Discogs.com, received 2 July 2024
Tracks: 'Sobe, sobe, balão sobe' / 'Zé Brasileiro Portuguese de Braga'

Hallelujah - Grupo Alpha

Although another group called Grupo Alpha was active in the Seventies, they recorded in Spanish and released most of their records in the USA. This Grupo Alpha only released one single and sang exclusively in Portuguese.

This single presents two songs from the Eurovision Song Contest 1979: the winning song 'Hallelujah', as well as the Danish entry, the pleasantly quirky 'Disco Tango'. Both versions are well done, but also very different from the originals - mainly because of the language.

My collection: 7" single no. 7254
Found: Discogs.com, received 2 July 2024
Tracks: 'Hallelujah' / 'Disco Tango'

Den är din, denna jord - Inger Öst

Katja Ebstein made an impression with her performance of 'Diese Welt', with which she represented Germany at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1971. The song was interesting enough for Inger Öst to want to record a cover version of the song. Her version was recorded in Swedish, and became 'Den är din, denna jord'.

Inger was no stranger to Eurovision songs: she would also record 'Rör vid mej', a cover version of 'Eres tu' two years later. In 1974 she teamed up with Torsten Wallin to record 'Du hör en sang', a cover version of 'I see a star'.

My collection: 7" single no. 7250
Found: Discogs.com, received 2 July 2024
Tracks: 'Den är din, denna jord' / 'Du gör att livet är skont'

Sku' du spørg' fra no'en - Kirsten & Søren

Although I own the single 'Catch me if you can' by Hot Eyes, I never actually bought the original Danish version. It wasn't high on my list of priorities, but it does feel a bit odd not to have the "original version" by Kirsten & Søren, performed on the Eurovision stage in 1985, while I do have the 'Hot Eyes' version with the English translation on the A-side. It feels good to finally have a copy of the single, and in mint condition too.

The song is actually more catchy than I remember it from almost 40 years ago, when I felt this duo was a bit stupid and the song was rather vacuous. Getting milder as we're getting older, I guess.

My collection: 7" single no. 7253
Found: Discogs.com, received 2 July 2024
Tracks: 'Sku' du spørg' fra no'en' / 'Du ka' tro nej'.

 

Vi gratulerar! - Östen Warnerbring

'Congratulations' was a big hit for Cliff Richard, despite the fact that he didn't win the Eurovision Song Contest with it, and many artists wanted a piece of the pie. Even abroad, because several European artists tried their hand at the song. 

In the case of Östen Warnerbring, he recorded a Swedish version of the song. 'Vi gratulerar!' with lyrics by Bo Göran Torulf Edling, a Swedish saxophone-player and composer. His version is almost as spirited as the original.

My collection: 7" single no. 7251
Found: Discogs.com, received 2 July 2024
Tracks: 'Vi gratulerar!' / 'Hej här har du mej!'

Rör vid mej - Inger Öst

Lilian Inger Elisabeth Öst was born on 1 February 1949 into a musical family and already at the age of ten she toured together with her mother on the weekends. She was exempted from ninth grade to tour with the singing group Family Four. In the late 1960s, she began her career as a solo artist. In 1969 participated for the first time in Melodifestivalen with the song 'Du ser mig inte'. Five years later, she participated again, this time with 'En grön dröm om mej'.

During the first half of the 1970s, she toured with, among others, Siw Malmkvist and Marie Bergman. She had several hits on the Svensktoppen, the biggest one was called 'Rör vid mej', the Swedish version of Spain's ESC entry 'Eres tu' which was on the list for 19 weeks in 1973, including seven weeks in first place. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7252
Found: Discogs.com, received 2 July 2024
Tracks: 'Rör vid mej' / 'Det kallar jag kärlek gosse'

Tom tom tom - Emigranterna

Marion Rung represented Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1973 with 'Tom tom tom', an upbeat song that certainly could have done better in the competition if it weren't for the complicated Finnish language. 

The Swedish band Emigranterna thought they could do something with the song, and so they recorded a version in Swedish. Not only that, they also added the popular song 'Eviva España' on the flipside. I don't know how well the song did in Sweden at the time - there were no official charts in Sweden at the time - but I bet it was at least more accessible for most Scandinavians.

My collection: 7" single no. 7249
Found: Discogs.com, received 2 July 2024
Tracks: 'Tom tom tom' / 'Eviva España'

Stand by me - Maurice White

Most people will be familiar with 'Stand by me' through the version by Ben E. King. But in 1985, Earth Wind & Fire member Maurice White started his solo career with a cover version of that song. It wasn't quite the success he might have hoped for: the single didn't chart in the UK and only nearly made it into the Dutch Top 40.

I heard the track on a compilation album some 30 years ago, but I never actually bought the single. When I bought some 12" singles online I spotted this one and decided I wanted to check out the 'extended dance remix' on this disc. It sounds more like an extended version, but it's an interesting addition to my collection nonetheless.

My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Discogs.com, received 28 June 2024
Tracks: 'Stand by me (extended dance remix)' / 'Stand by me (instrumental)'

West End girls - Pet Shop Boys

The Pet Shop Boys released 'West End girls' in 1984 and it wasn't very successful. After signing to a major label, 'West End girls' was quickly re-released, and that release came with a 12" single featuring a remix of the track. The remix was created by the Pet Shop Boys themselves, together with Frank Roszak. 

There are at least two slightly different versions of this mix. The original version appears on this 12" single and on the album Essential. A remastered version with a slightly longer fade (mostly silence) on the Further Listening bonus disc with the Please reissue.

My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Discogs.com, received 28 June 2024
Tracks: 'West End girls (dance mix)' / 'A man could get arrested', 'West End girls'

Am I losing you forever - Mai Tai

I have a few singles of Mai Tai's 'Am I losing you forever' (here, here and here), but I didn't know that there was an extended version of the track on a 12" single, until very recently, when I was going through the inventory of an online seller. And that extended version is really extended, i.e. over 9 minutes. 

Of course I had to check this out - not least because the item wasn't exactly expensive. This disc delivers: it's a great extended version of this ballad, and the B-side is extended as well. Fortunately this song is from the Eighties, so it doesn't replace the music with generic beats - it stays true to the original songs.

My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Discogs.com, received 28 June 2024
Tracks: 'Am I losing you forever [extended]' / 'The rhythm of the street [extended]'

Let it swing - Bobbysocks

Back in 1985, the Norwegian duo Bobbysocks won the Eurovision Song Contest with 'La det swinge'. The English version 'Let it swing' became a hit in several European countries, and was even released on a 12" single with an extended remix.

As it turns out, the 12" single is pretty rare. It's a shame, really, because the extended version really does improve on the original version. I was happy to find a copy online, along with a few other rare 12" singles.

My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Discogs.com, received 28 June 2024
Tracks: 'Let it swing (extended)' / 'La det swinge'

Meisje, één reisje - Annie

It took me a while to continue the Annie story after this entry, perhaps because it is slightly embarrassing to own up to the fact that I actually own all these singles. But it's Dutch heritage after all, and although some people think I know nothing about Dutch culture, this is one little bit of culture that I know a lot about.

'Meisje, één reisje' (Literally: 'Girl, one trip') is the story of a fisherman who pleads with his girlfriend to go fishing for herring one last time before their wedding. By now you should be familiar with the cloud of doom that is present in every song by Annie, and indeed: a month later the scene is painted of a village in mourning, after a hurricane has turned his ship into wreckage. On the day of their wedding, the priest sings the funeral song. It's the kind of cynical story we've come to expect from Annie.

My collection: 7" single no. 2872
Found: Disco Market, 1985
Tracks: 'Meisje, één reisje' / 'Tranen zul je mij niet zien huilen'

Caterina - Silvio Francesco

Silvio Francesco (Paris, July 13, 1927 – Lugano, August 20, 2000) was an Italian schlager singer, entertainer, clarinetist, guitarist, dancer and actor. He was born into a family of artists. His mother, Maria Valente, was an internationally renowned musical clown, and his father, Giuseppe, was a famous accordion virtuoso. He grew up in the world of circus and entertainment. In his early childhood, he learned to play several instruments. He became an excellent guitarist and clarinetist. With his youngest sister, Caterina Valente, he sang several duets under the pseudonyms Club Manhattan, Club Honolulu, Club Argentina, Club Indonesia or Club Italia. A super hit by the duo was the hit 'Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Honolulu-Strand-Bikini'.

This single, titled 'Caterina', features a cover version of 'Ring-a-ding girl' in German on the B-side: 'Das muss Amore sein'.

My collection:  7" single no. 7248
Found: Discogs.com, received 25 June 2024
Tracks: 'Caterina' / 'Das muss amore sein'

Das bist du - Mocedades

Although 'Eres tu' is considered a Eurovision classic by many, the fact that Mocedades recorded the song in many other languages is not as wellknown. Unfortunately those other versions are rather hard to find, because the market was flooded by the original version. 

'Das bist du' is the German version. The German lyrics were provided by Fred Jay, who is best known for adding the lyrics to the melody of the track 'Soleado', which then became track 'When A Child Is Born', performed by many artists over the years. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7247
Found: Discogs.com, received 25 June 2024
Tracks: 'Das bist du' / 'Si, si, señor'

Sag ihr, ich lass sie grüssen - Jimmy Fields

An EP like this is slightly frustrating, because I only bought it for one track, but I get four of them, which aren't necessarily attractive for me. Which is why this entry is named after that one track. Charlotte Marian, Jimmy Fields and Udo Spitz are engaged to sing four tracks on this EP with the orchestra Teddy Todd and the orchestra Rolf Andy. 

The real catch here is, of course, the cover version of 'Sag ihr, ich lass sie grüssen', the Austrian entry for the Eurovision Song Contest in 1965. Jimmy Fields delivers a solid version of the Udo Jürgens classic.

My collection: 7" single no. 7245
Found: Discogs.com, received 25 June 2024
Tracks: 'Küsse unterm Regenbogen' (Charlotte Marian), 'Schenk mir doch ein Bild von dir' (Jimmy Fields) / 'Sag ihr, ich lass sie grüssen' (Jimmy Fields), 'Tanz die ganze Nacht mit mir' (Udo Spitz)

Weak in the presence of beauty - Alison Moyet

Quite why Alison Moyet decided to record a cover version of 'Weak in the presence of beauty' is not something I know. The original was not a hit, but Alison's version actually reached number 6 in the UK singles chart. It just proves that sometimes a good song just needs a wellknown singer. 

Floy Joy's lead singer Desy Campbell was asked if he felt cheated that the song was a hit for Moyet, but not for Floy Joy. He said, "On the contrary, my association with that song has and continues to open many doors for me and I'm very proud to have been part of a little piece of pop history."

Moyet, on the other hand, later confessed that she didn't actually like the song. In an interview she said: "'Love Letters' and 'Weak in the Presence of Beauty' – neither song I enjoy now – they're both my fault. I found them. That was when I was feeling smart, thinking that I knew what a hit was - I don't know what's a fucking hit! But they were hits, and now I'm forever to fucking sing them years later!"

My collection: 7" single no. 7243
Found: Discogs.com, received 25 June 2024
Tracks: 'Weak in the presence of beauty' / 'To work on you'

Teddybeer / De tijd staat niet stil - Reggy van der Burgt

Dutch singer Reggy van der Burgt was born on 14 September 1944 in Uden. She started singing early on, but things really took off when she is offered a permanent engagement with dance orchestra The Continentals from Den Bosch. In between performances with The Continentals, she works freelance with various other dance orchestras and combos. She became the winner of the singing competition 'Miss Talent' in 1965. Soon after that she lands a recording contract. 

In 1966, her second single 'Teddybeer' becomes a hit. Some 40.000 copies were sold. The B-side of the single is 'De tijd staat niet stil', a Dutch version of 'Die Zeiger der Uhr', the German entry of the Eurovision Song Contest that year.Reggy's career was pretty successful for a couple of years, but by 1968 it ended when she met her husband and started raising their daughter. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7241
Found: Discogs.com, 25 June 2024
Tracks: 'Teddybeer' / 'De tijd staat niet stil'

Gwendolyne - Lola Flores

Flamenco is the national pride of Spain, a music style with a lot of pathos and drama. Lola Flores could be seen as one of the biggest cultural phenomena of the country, having acted in several films and recorded many studio albums. She is considered an icon of the Gypsy and Roma community in Spain, particularly since she married into a gypsy family.

In 1970 she recorded a version of 'Gwendolyne', the song originally written and performed by Julio Iglesias at the Eurovision Song Contest that year.  Lola's version is very different, being influenced by her flamenco style, but it's equally compelling.

My collection: 7" single no. 7240
Found: Discogs.com, received 26 June 2024
Tracks: 'El Lerele', 'Gwendolyne' / 'Mojamachis', 'Somos'

Paradise - Sade

In Spain, promotional singles were often made in a special edition of only one side. The B-side remained blank, and for some people, including me, that means they are desirable collector's items. I try to not go overboard with this, because there are limits to my budget, but every now and then I like to order some of these beauties. 

Sade released 'Paradise' in 1988, a track from her third album Stronger than pride. It was remixed for the single release, because the album version was a bit too long. This single has - you guessed it - one side, but the sleeve remains the same as the commercial one, announcing an instrumental version of 'Paradise' on the B-side. I guess DJ's could do without it.

My collection: 7" single no. 7238
Found: Discogs.com, received 26 June 2024
Tracks: 'Paradise (remix)'

Bonjour, bonjour (en Español) - Paola

Paola represented Switzerland at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1969 with the song 'Bonjour, bonjour'. The song was sung in German, even if the title was in French. The same goes for this version, which is performed in Spanish. 

Attentive readers will notice that the sleeve of this single is made in the style of other Eurovision entries from 1969, like 'Primaballerina', 'Un dia, un niño' and 'Saludos al mundo'. This single represents a rarity in Paola's repertoire, because she mostly recorded songs in German and French. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7237
Found: Discogs.com, received 26 June 2024
Tracks: 'Bonjour, bonjour' / 'Vals de amor'

Eurovision '69 - Various artists

The Spanish record company Belter released this promotional EP featuring three Eurovision songs in 1969 and called it Eurovision '69. Fair enough - but why did they also include three other tracks on the B-side? Probably to promote their other repertoire as well, but it is a kind of baffling combination.

 The nice thing about this EP is the fact that they included Spanish versions of Eurovision classics, and so  'Un jour, un enfant' becomes 'Un dia, un niño', 'Jedan dan' becomes 'Saludos al mundo' and 'Primaballerina' becomes, er, 'Primaballerina'. I'm not  so sure about the other three tracks, but I guess recipients of this promotional disc had no right to complain. It was probably a freebie anyway.

My collection: 7" single no. 7236
Found: Discogs.com, received 26 June 2024
Tracks: 'Un dia, un niño' (Frida Boccara), 'Primaballerina' (Siw Malmkvist), 'Saludos al mundo' (Ivan &M's) / 'Lala' (Michel), 'Mil veces volverias' (Madalena Iglesias), 'Bajo el cielo de Moscu' (Michel)

Guardando il sole - Gianni Mascolo

Gianni Mascolo (3 November 1940 – 21 December 2016) was an Italian singer, best known for his participation on behalf of Switzerland in the 1968 Eurovision Song Contest with 'Guardando il sole'. The single of that song is pretty hard to find; it usually commands high prices on the web. I was lucky enough to find a copy that looks a bit worse for wear, but fortunately the disc itself plays rather well.

What's interesting about this release, besides the Eurovision entry, is the B-side, which is a cover version of the Bee Gees' 'Words' in Italian. Rather than simply naming it 'Parole', or something like that, it's given the lengthy title 'Fai un po'quello che vuoi'. Of course.

My collection: 7" single no. 7234
Found: Discogs.com, received 22 June 2024
Tracks: 'Guardando il sole' / 'Fai un po'quello che vuoi'

I see a star - Mouth & MacNeal

I've had a certain soft spot for Mouth & MacNeal, mostly because they were my very first single. But also because they delivered a very good Eurovision entry with 'I see a star' in 1974, which might actually have won the Contest if it weren't for a certain Swedish quartet. (Of course, the jury's were not wrong - we all love Abba now.)

I already own a few copies of 'I see a star', but this French pressing is an interesting one because it features a different B-side. 'Ah! L'amore' was apparently performed at the San Remo festival in 1974, and it's a nice little song. The fact that this single has another different sleeve also counts, of course. My Eurovision collection is increasingly focused on different pressings with attractive sleeves.

My collection: 7" single 7233
Found: Discogs.com, received 22 June 2024
Tracks: 'I see a star' / 'Ah! L'amore'

Oh, ich will betteln, ich will stehlen - Ellen Caron

In 1972 the New Seekers represented the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest with 'Beg, Steal or Borrow'. It wasn't unusual for artists at the time to record their Eurovision songs in different languages, and in the case of the New Seekers, they went for German and recorded 'Oh, ich will betteln, ich will stehlen'. 

German schlager singer thought this was an opportunity, so she decided to record a cover version of that song. And so here's another version of 'Oh, ich will betteln, ich will stehlen'. I actually think it sounds better than the New Seekers version!

My collection: 7" single no. 7232
Found: Discogs.com, received 22 June 2024
Tracks: 'Oh, ich will betteln, ich will stehlen' / 'Mehr und mehr'

Waarom? - Jan Schoepen

Such was the popularity of the Eurovision Song Contest in those early years that pretty much every song was covered by a handful of artists. Even a song like 'Waarom?' by Jacques Raymond, which finished in 10th place, got worked on by a colleague. 

In this case, it's a version by Jan Schoepen, a Belgian singer about whom not much is known. He released four singles in the early Sixties, including one in German ('Für Immer'). His version of 'Waarom?' is quite charming.

My collection: 7" single no. 7228
Found: Discogs.com, received 19 June 2024
Tracks: 'Waarom?' / 'Zilvere maan'

Dumb as a death's head - The The

Although I was quite a fan of The The ever since their single 'Uncertain smile', I never knew that they released an exclusive track on a flexidisc, free with the 21 May 1983 issue of Melody Maker magazine. I only found out about that recently while I was looking through an online seller's inventory. It doesn't really happen that you find something unexpected online, but there you go.

This flexi disc was the only official release of this particular The The track, although it does appear on an unofficial 7" single and an unofficial compilation called Early rarities. It's a rather primitive-sounding track but it fits with other early The The repertoire. Quite a find!

My collection: 7" single no. 7230
Found: Discogs.com, received 21 June 2023
Tracks: 'Dumb as a death's head' (The The) / 'Johnathon' (The Sines)

Brothers in arms - Dire Straits

Although I already own 'Brothers in arms' on a 7" single (and on CD), the 10" single format has a bit of an attraction for me. I have recently been on a bit of a hunt for 10" singles and sometimes that pays off. In this case, it's a 10" single of 'Brothers in arms' which in effect contains exactly the same as the 7" single. You wouldn't expect the Dire Straits to do a remix or anything anyway.

The song was written during the Falklands War and is described by some as an anti-war song. Knopfler disbanded the group temporarily in 1987, following an exhausting tour in support of the album Brothers In Arms. He reunited them for 1991’s On Every Street, then disbanding them permanently a year later.

My collection: 10" single [unnumbered]
Found: Discogs.com, received 16 June 2024
Tracks: 'Brothers in arms' / 'Going home (live)'

Angelique - Dario Campeotto

In December 2021 I bought a blue vinyl EP of 'Angelique' by Dario Campeotto, the Danish entry for the Eurovision Song Contest in 1961. It was a nice addition to the 'regular' 7" single of 'Angelique' which I'd bought back in 2014. 

However, recently I found this red vinyl single of 'Angelique', which features one of the tracks of the EP on the B-side. It seems that the track was quite popular back in 1961, with all these different editions being released.

My collection: 7" single no. 7225
Found: Discogs.com, received 19 June 2024
Tracks: 'Angelique' / 'Nella bella cita'

T.L.C. - Gemini

I already own a few singles by Gemini, the duo formed by Karin and Anders Glenmark. What's interesting about this duo is that they worked intensively with Björn and Benny from Abba. Even more interesting is the fact that this didn't lead to commercial success. And to top it off, the songs aren't actually very catchy. 

I wanted to try out this single when I saw it online, but I have to say that I do understand that this single didn't become an international hit. I'm not sure about those vocals, they sound a bit weird. Sometimes a record buyer experiments a bit, but not always with positive results. I guess that sums up my opinion about this single. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7226
Found: Discogs.com, received 19 June 2024
Tracks: 'T.L.C.' / 'Nearly there'

Voi Voi - Nora Brockstedt

In 1960, Norway debuted at the Eurovision Song Contest with a song called 'Voi Voi', performed by Nora Brockstedt (born 20 January 1923). The song was written by Georg Elgaaen. The lyrics set the scene of a little valley lit by the midnight sun in the distant north of Norway and tell of a song that the performer hears. Brockstedt then takes on the persona of a young Sámi woman who awaits her lover to come down from the tundra. The title ‘Voi Voi’ is a well-known sign of exclamation in Sámi. 

I was very lucky to finally find a copy of this legendary single online. It's pretty rare and usually commands very high prices. This time around, not so much. 

Nora’s career spanned more than 60 years. She passed away on 5 November 2015, aged 92. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7223
Found: Discogs.com, received 19 June 2024
Tracks: 'Voi Voi', 'Lilla Lilli-Ann fran Lillesand' / 'Ett Sommaräventyr', 'En dröm är allt'

Les aveux - Elton John & France Gall

While Elton John was recording what would become his 1980 album 21 at 33, he recorded about a dozen extra songs. Five of them would appear on his next album, The Fox. Two other songs were French-language songs as duets with the French singer France Gall. 'Les aveux' and 'Donner pour donner' appear on this single, released in France

I'd never heard of this release, but when I saw this single it intrigued me enough to want to buy it. It turns out that 'Les aveux' actually made the Dutch Tipparade, peaking at number 4, just missing out on the Dutch Top 40. Personally I think the B-side is better...

My collection: 7" single no. 7222
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 1 June 2024
Tracks: 'Les aveux' / 'Donner pour donner'

House of fun - Madness

The European sleeve of Madness's 'House of fun' looks suspiciously like a picture disc... and it's probably because it is based on one. This picture disc should be seen as proof.

'House of fun' was released as a one-off single on 14 May 1982 and reached number one in the UK singles chart, spending nine weeks in the charts. The song was re-released in 1992, reaching number 40. It is the band's only number one single in the UK and in 2015 the British public voted it as the nation's 8th favourite 1980s number one in a poll for ITV.

The song is about coming of age. The lyrics tell the story of a boy on his 16th birthday attempting to buy condoms at a chemist. The UK age of consent is 16, and he makes a point of stating that he is "16 today and up for fun". However, the boy is misunderstood by the chemist, as he asks for the condoms using slang euphemisms, such as "box of balloons with a featherlight touch" and "party hats with the coloured tips". The confused chemist behind the counter eventually informs the boy that the establishment is not a joke shop, and directs him towards the "House of Fun". 

My collection: 7" single no. 7221
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 1 June 2024
Tracks: 'House of fun' / 'Don't look back'