Delirious - Prince

'Delirious' was taken from Prince's third album '1999' and released as its third single. I missed out on it, because it was never released in Europe. Hence this simple single with a record company sleeve, I guess.

'Delirious' is a standard 8-bar blues number that tells how Prince is being driven crazy by a beautiful woman. The song teases the listener with sexual metaphors for cars and racing, hidden enough to avoid being censored. The track begins with a trademark Linn drum machine loop and a bit of synth bass before the synthesizer hook introduces the song. A rubbery bass guitar gives the track a rockabilly feel. The B-side to the track is "Horny Toad", which is very similar in rockabilly style and instrumentation. Some of the sexually charged lyrics were interpreted as sadistic at the time and were the source of some controversy. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7655
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 12 April 2025
Tracks: 'Delirious' / 'Horny toad'

Sag ihr, ich lass' sie grüssen - Richard Adam

Udo Jürgens represented Austria in 1965 with the song 'Sag ihr, ich lass' sie grüssen'. It reached fourth place in the competition, which inspired some artists to record their own versions of the song.

One of them was Richard Adam, a Czech singer who was born in Prague on 14 November 1930. He started his music career during World War II as a drummer in his brother's band, who was two years older. He achieved his greatest fame and popularity at the turn of the 1950s and 1960s. He also established himself abroad, and was very popular in the GDR and the Soviet Union. With the onset of normalization after 1968, he also faced a wave of bans, ostracisms, and political persecution. He has recorded approximately 330 songs, of which 250 were for the Czechoslovak Radio and 80 for the Supraphon publishing group. His most successful song was the song Tina Marie, which sold over one million records in the USSR alone. He sang on tour until he was eighty. He passed away on 14 October 2017.

My collection: 7" single no. 7654
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 12 April 2025
Tracks: 'Sag ihr, ich lass' sie grüssen' / 'Herr Schmidt, Herr Schmidt'

Bonne nuit, ma chérie - Fred Frohberg

'Bonne nuit, ma chérie' by Wyn Hoop was the German entry for the Eurovision Song Contest in 1960. It is a relatively unknown German Eurovision song, although it finished in fourth place. Very few cover versions of the song exist.

Perhaps the most interesting one was recorded by Fred Frohberg for the East German label Amiga. The label ceased to exist when Germany reunited after the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989, but it released a lot of singles during its existence. I'd never seen this old label layout before, and so I was quite glad to buy this single - it's a precious piece of history in many ways!

My collection: 7" single no. 7653
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 12 April 2025
Tracks: 'Bonne nuit, ma chérie' / 'Einer wird bei dir bleiben'

Enjoy yourself - The Jacksons

'Enjoy yourself' was released by the Jacksons in 1976. Featuring Michael and Jackie Jackson on lead vocals, it was the first single for the group since they departed from Motown earlier that year. The song peaked at number 6 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

It was the group's first song to officially feature new member Randy Jackson, who replaced Jermaine Jackson when he decided to stay at Motown after his brothers left. A music video, the Jacksons' first, was released in early 1977 to promote the single; it features the five Jackson brothers wearing white suits and dancing on a stage. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7651
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 12 April 2025
Tracks: 'Enjoy yourself' / 'Style of life'

Romantica - Aurelio Fierro

Whenever a single sleeve promises 'San Remo' in big letters it's time to be on my guard, because this could be one of the many cover versions of early Italian Eurovision entries. And indeed, in this case, Aurelio Fierro performs a version of Renato Rascel's 'Romantica'.

Aurelio Fierro (13 September 1923 – 11 March 2005) was an Italian actor and singer, specialising in songs in the Neapolitan dialect. His first big hit was with 'Scapricciatiello' in 1954. His best-known songs are probably 'Guaglione', recorded in 1956, and 'A pizza', from the Naples song festival of 1966.

My collection: 7" single no. 7650
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 12 April 2025
Tracks: 'Libero', 'Vento, pioggia e scarpe rotte' / 'Romantica', 'Il mare'

Take a chance on me - Abba

Collecting Abba singles has gone out of hand a bit. I used to want to have all the tracks, but now I am also drawn to strange versions from different countries. This one, for instance, was just too hard to resist. 

It's a Yugoslavian pressing of 'Take a chance on me', with, bizarrely, 'Thank you for the music' on the B-side. Official releases would never contain these two songs on one 7" single. As a bonus, this single has a beautiful sleeve too. You can see how I gladly shelled out a few euros for this one.

My collection: 7" single no. 7649
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 12 April 2025
Tracks: 'Take a chance on me' / 'Thank you for the music'

Wishing (If I had a photograph of you) - A Flock of seagulls

One of my favourite songs from the early Eighties is A flock of seagulls' 'Wishing'. You would know that if you saw my previous entries on this song. Two singles would be enough for most people, but when I spotted this picture disc, I simply couldn't resist.

A flock of seagulls have enjoyed a bit of a comeback recently, and their new album Some dreams was released in December 2024. Without the strange haircuts, because even Eighties artists get older.

My collection: 7" single no. 7648
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 12 April 2025
Tracks: 'Wishing (If I had a photograph of you)' / 'Committed'

Gerdundula - Status Quo

Those who know Status Quo from their late Seventies/early Eighties material will associate the band with long hair and just the slightest bit of headbanging. But their beginnings were quite different, as songs like 'Pictures of matchstick men' and 'Ice in the sun' have already proven on this blog.

My latest acquisition is 'Gerdundula', a 1970 single from the band. Confusingly, the song was written by Manston & James, which would lead someone to think that Marty Wilde was somehow involved, as he used the pseudonym Frere Manston at the time. However, in this instance it's the pseudonym for band mates Francis Rossi and Bob Young.

My collection: 7" single no. 7647
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 12 April 2025
Tracks: 'Gerdundula' / 'Lakky Lady'

Miazoume - Takis Biniaris

Some Eurovision singles tend to be overly expensive when you go look for them online. This particular single demands 300 euros on Discogs - at least, if you want it with the picture sleeve. Fortunately, I found my copy for a lot less, otherwise I wouldn't have bothered.

'Miazoume' was the Greek Eurovision entry from 1985, performed by the singer Takis Biniaris with his dramatic timbre. The song is a ballad with Binaris declaring that despite his and his lover's differences they are alike. The song finished in 16th place in a field of 19 competitors.

My collection: 7" single no. 7646
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 12 April 2025
Tracks: 'Miazoume' / 'Matia mou'

Playboy - Ann Christine

'Playboy' was Finland's song in the Eurovision Song Contest 1966. The candidates for the Finnish qualifier were selected from an open competition, to which about 200 compositions were received. Playboy's composer Ossi Runne had just been chosen to succeed George De Godzinsky as the conductor of Yleisradio, but in the Finnish qualifier on 22 January 1966, Godzinsky was still conducting the orchestra. The qualifying vote was in two stages and the top three from the first round advanced to the second round. The 12-member jury scored Playboy by far the best and 21-year-old Ann-Christine Nyström was able to go to the international competition. 

Shortly before going on stage, Ann-Christine became worried and asked Ossi: "What if I forget the lyrics?", to which Ossi replied comfortingly: "Don't worry, no one understands them". Finland's seven points were enough for tenth place.

I was actually holding out for a copy with a picture sleeve, until the friendly seller told me that the Finnish version of the song was never released in a picture sleeve at all! This copy remains the only Finnish recording of the single and even though the center has been dinked, I am very happy to have this one.

My collection: 7" single no. 7645
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 12 April 2025
Tracks: 'Playboy' (Ann Christine) / 'Peini sana' (Danny)

Auf Wiederseh'n in Monaco - Caline & Olivier Toussaint

'Les jardins de Monaco' was the Eurovision entry for Monaco in 1978. The song was performed by Caline and Olivier Toussaint, and their song was quite successful: it finished in fourth place.

There was enough reason to think that other countries would be interested in the song, and so the duo also recorded it in German. The lyrics were translated by Wolfgang Mürmann, a successful German composer, writer and producer who worked with many German and foreign artists during his lifetime.

My collection: 7" single no. 7644
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 12 April 2025
Tracks: 'Auf Wiederseh'n in Monaco' / 'Alle die verliebt sind'

Hallo - Hallo - Lonnie Devantier

Lonnie Devantier was born on 28 November 1972. When she was just 17 years old, she represented Denmark at the Eurovision Song Contest with 'Hallo - Hallo'. The imaginative title was written by John Hatting, Torben Lendager and Keld Heick. Fortunately the music was catchy and uplifting, almost making up for that inane simplicity. The song finished in eighth place in a field of 22 competitors.

The single is a rare one: it wasn't released commercially and it didn't even come with a picture sleeve. Online you can find a copy of the single for almost 200 euro - fortunately I found my copy for a lot less.
Lonnie continued her music career with one album (Nu' det min tur) in 1991, and then turned her attention to other things. She came back in 2008 as Lonnie Kjer.

My collection: 7" single no. 7643
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 12 April 2025
Tracks: 'Hallo - Hallo' / 'Hallo - Hallo'

Şarkım Sevgi Üstüne - Seyyal Taner & Grup Lokomotif

In 1987 Turkey participated in the Eurovision Song Contest with the song 'Şarkım Sevgi Üstüne', written by Olcayto Ahmet Tuğsuz. The song was performed by Seyyal Taner & Grup Lokomotif. During their performance the conductor seemed to be in a hurry, because the orchestra played the song a lot quicker than it had to be. As a result, the performers had to jump around and try to keep up.

At the close of voting Turkey had received no points (or, as Eurovision fans refer to the phenomenon, nul points) placing Turkey last out of 22 entries. At the time this was the worst last placing for a country as it was the largest contest. This was also the third time Turkey came last in the contest and the second time they had received zero points. This is the final contest to date in which Turkey finished last. 

The single is a rare item and very hard to get these days. The disc is housed in a sort of envelope, because the back folds out in three ways.

My collection: 7" single no. 7642
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 12 April 2025
Tracks: 'Şarkım Sevgi Üstüne' / 'Une mélodie'

Nous aurons demain - Franca di Rienzo

Franca di Rienzo got the honour to represent Switzerland at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1961. Her song was 'Nous aurons demain', written by Géo Voumard and Émile Gardaz, the same team that created 'Refrain', the winning song of the first edition of the Contest.

This EP presents first and foremost Franca's version of the year's winning song 'Nous les amoureux'. Not that Franca did so bad: her own song finished in third place. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7641
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 12 April 2025
Tracks: 'Nous les amoureux', 'Depuis qu'tu m'aimes' / 'Nous aurons demain', 'Lettre a Pinocchio'

Greif' nicht nach den Sternen - Family Four

With 'Vita vidder' Family Four represented Sweden at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1971. They were reasonably successful, reaching sixth place on the scoreboard.

And so, they decided to record a German version of their song as well. 'Greif' nicht nach den Sternen' was written by Catrin Toisy. The song was released with a colourful sleeve and another German song on the B-side. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7639
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 12 April 2025
Tracks: 'Greif' nicht nach den Sternen' / 'Liebeslied'

Kun kello käy - Kristina Hautala

'Kun kello käy' was the Finnish entry for the 1968 Eurovision Song Contest in London, performed by Kristina Hautala. It was composed by Esko Linnavalli and written by Juha Vainio. The song finished in joint last place with one point.

The 1968 Eurovision Song Contest was the first to be recorded in colour and was broadcast in colour in those countries where colour television had already been introduced. A completely new kind of attention was now paid to the performance outfits of each contestant, and Kristina Hautala's lime green mini dress already received a lot of attention in the Finnish press in advance. Unfortunately the bad placing for the song meant that the typical Finns' "from great hopes to great disappointment" attitude towards Eurovision began that year.

In 1970 Hautala left her longtime label Scandia and debuted on EMI-Columbia with 'Kop kop, ken lie?', a Finnish cover of 'Knock, Knock Who's There?', which proved to be her last evident release as a career recording artist. In 1972 she returned to her native Stockholm to attend university, subsequently working as a psychologist and art therapist. She making a one-off return to singing in 2003 with the album Hetki tää, a collaboration with the Matti Viita-aho Group. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7638
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 12 April 2025
Tracks: 'Kun kello käy' / 'Kielletyt käskyt'

Intet er nytt under solen - Åse Kleveland

Åse Kleveland was born on 18 March 1949 in Stockholm (Sweden). She began playing classical guitar at eight; at 10 she debuted in a radio show. In 1965 she released her debut album. With her second album in 1966 she was one of the pioneers ushering in the new vispop genre, a blend of traditional folk song and pop.

That same year she represented Norway at the Eurovision Song Contest with 'Intet er nytt under solen', a short, jazzy folksong that finished in third place. She broke a tradition expected of female performers at the time in that she was the first woman to not wear a dress, choosing a pantsuit instead. Twenty years later she hosted the event, when it was held in Bergen (Norway). 

My collection: 7" single no. 7637
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 12 April 2025
Tracks: 'Intet er nytt under solen' / 'Gi meg fri'

Im Wartesaal zum grossen Glück - Walter Andreas Schwarz

Back in 1956, the first ever Eurovision Song Contest was organized. The Germans had two singers representing the country, the first of them was Walter Andreas Schwarz, who performed the fourth song of the evening: 'Im Wartesaal zum grossen Glück'. 

Something I never knew what that Schwarz, who wrote the song himself, survived a concentration camp during World War II during his twenties. Both of his parents perished, but he managed to stay alive. The lyrics of his song contain autobiographical allusions, for example the reference to the enforced suppression of the Nazi era in Germany: 'Und man baute am Kai der Vergangenheit / Einen Saal mit Blick auf das Meer / Und mit Wänden aus Träumen gegen die Wirklichkeit / Denn die liebte man nicht sehr' ('And they built on the quay of the past / A room with a view of the sea / And with walls made of dreams to combat reality / Because they didn't like it much.'). The key message of his song was the advice not to cling to the past or hope for a better future, but to live better in the here and now and accept things as they are. And they say that Eurovision songs are always superficial!

This single is a re-release from 1979. Quite why this song was re-released 23 years after its original release is a mystery to me. But this is a lovely copy.

My collection: 7" single no. 7636
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 12 April 2025
Tracks: 'Im Wartesaal zum grossen Glück' / 'Für 300 Francs'

Sol och vår - Inger Berggren

Another EP I bought this weekend was Inger Berggren's 'Sol och vår'. I bought 'Sol och vår' just over three years ago, but that was the regular single with a black and white sleeve. 

This EP features two extra tracks and a colourful picture sleeve. The song was Sweden's 1962 entry for the Eurovision Song Contest, which means that this EP was released 63 years ago. Hard to believe when you see the state of this item. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7633
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 12 April 2025
Tracks: 'Sol och vår', 'Mamma, vad det är kul med twist' / 'Och flickan spann...', 'Du svek mej!'

Oui oui oui oui - Jean Philippe

Back in 2017 I bought this unsightly 7" single without a picture sleeve of Jean Philippe's 'Oui oui oui oui', assuming that it wouldn't be easy to get a better copy. But patience pays off, as this blog has proven so many times: this weekend I found a better copy, and not only that: it features four tracks instead of two. 

'Oui oui oui oui' was, of course, France's 1959 Eurovision entry. The song was covered many times by other artists, including a very successful version by Sacha Distel.

My collection: 7" single no. 7631
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 12 April 2025
Tracks: 'Oui oui oui oui', 'Dis-lui que je l'aime' / 'Ce serait dommage', 'J'ai mis notre amour au monde'

C'est la vie - Claude

Although the Eurovision Song Contest gives me a right amount of pleasure, that pleasure doesn't often come from the Netherlands. Fortunately we've had the absolute worst last year, so things could only get better. I'm talking about the quality of the songs, of course, not even about all the madness that a certain Dutch artist caused during the event.

This year the Netherlands come up with a song that is normal again. It's not outstanding or especially moving, but at least it is a song. The single was released well in advance, and it is pressed on yellow vinyl too. Let's see what Claude can do next month!

My collection: 7" single no. 7030
Found: Official website, received 11 April 2025
Tracks: 'C'est la vie' / 'C'est la vie (instrumental)'

Strobe lights - Red Sebastian

The Eurovision Song Contest is still almost a month away, but the first vinyl single is already here. It's Belgium's Red Sebastian with the song 'Strobe lights'. And I'm using the term 'song' lightly, because it's mostly beats and a high-pitched voice. The comparison to last century's Eurovision songs isn't always very favourable, but I do think that people who are into dance music will like this one. 

As for me, I'll continue to collect Eurovision singles, especially when they are, like this one, pressed on red vinyl. It is a beauty. I'm not sure whether Red Sebastian will make the final. But we'll have to wait and see.

My collection: 7" single no. 7629
Found: Official website, 9 April 2025
Tracks: 'Strobe lights' / 'Strobe lights (extended mix)'

Annorstädes vals - Ingvar Wixell

Some would argue that the Eurovision Song Contest was "much better in the early days", and their eyes would fill with a nostalgic look. Indeed it's hard to imagine that a country like Sweden would send in a celebrated tenor to sing a classically oriented jazz song like 'Annorstädes vals' these days. But times have changed, and so has the music that people want to see on the TV screen.

Sweden didn't actually send in 'Annorstädes vals' back in 1965 either: they opted for the English translation called 'Absent friend'. This was a kind of protest against the fact that Carmela Corren had sung 'Vielleicht geschieht ein Wunder' partly in English in 1963, because Austria should have stuck to their country's own language (as was the unwritten rule back then). The protest worked; the unwritten rule became a written rule and countries had to stick to their official languages from 1966 onwards. 

There is, of course, a single of 'Absent friend' as well, but so far I've only seen that one for thrice the price I paid for this one. And this one was already a bit on the expensive side.

My collection: 7" single no. 7628
Found: Discogs.com, received 8 April 2025
Tracks: 'Annorstädes vals', 'Förtrollad stad' / 'Stilla och tyst', 'Kommer var'

Don't you want me / Love action - Human League

Although my collection of Human League singles is complete, there are sometimes such curiosities as this one. It's a combination of two big hits by the band, brought together on a single, released in the A&M Memories series in the USA some years after their original release. How many years? There is no way of knowing, because there is no year of manufacture anywhere on the label of this single.

A little bit of research reveals that AM-8643 was released in 1982, so it looks likely that this single was released in 1982 or 1983. Some memories aren't really that old.

My collection: 7" single no. 7627
Found: Record fair, Rijswijk, 30 March 2025
Tracks: 'Don't you want me' / 'Love action (I believe in love)'

Lucifer - Alan Parsons Project

'Lucifer' appeared on the B-side of 'You don't believe', a single by the Alan Parsons Project which I bought in January. The funny, thing is, 'You don't believe' in turn was a B-side of 'Don't answer me'. And now 'Lucifer' appears on an A-side as well; it was released in 1979, so actually five years before 'You don't believe'. I guess the record company wanted a good single to promote the greatest hits album in 1984. 

The album Eve, from which 'Lucifer' was taken, was the Alan Parsons Project's fourth album. The single scored particularly well in Germany and Austria, peaking at number 8 and 4 respectively.

My collection: 7" single no. 7626
Found: Record fair, Rijswijk, 30 March 2025
Tracks: 'Lucifer' / 'I'd rather be a man'

Puls(t)ar - Ben Liebrand

'Puls(t)ar' is the curious title of a Ben Liebrand production from 1990, and a cover version of the wellknown track by Vangelis. 

Although a commercial release with a picture sleeve certainly exists (it was 1990 after all, and vinyl singles were still commonly produced, although that would change within a few years) I was struck by this Spanish one-sided promo, which gives the listener exactly what he wants: just the one track, and no B-side. Were Spanish DJ's still using these singles at the time? I don't know.

My collection: 7" single no. 7625
Found: Record fair, Rijswijk, 30 March 2025
Tracks: 'Puls(t)ar'

Wood beez (Pray like Aretha Franklin) - Scritti Politti

This is one of those singles I thought I already had, but I didn't. I found this UK pressing and I thought I'd buy it because if I had it it would probably be the European version, but when I checked my collection, this title wasn't there at all. So that was a nice surprise. 

'Wood beez' reached number 10 in the UK chart, but didn't chart in Europe. The song's subtitle is a reference to 'I say a little prayer', Aretha Franklin's biggest UK hit. Arif Mardin, who produced this song for Scritti Politti had also produced Franklin.

My collection: 7" single no. 7624
Found: Record fair, Rijswijk, 30 March 2025
Tracks: 'Wood beez (Pray like Aretha Franklin)' / 'Wood beez (Pray like Aretha Franklin) (version)'

I can't dance - Genesis

When you look at the music video for 'I can't dance', you can see Genesis at their most humorous. It's hard to believe that they were such a 'serious' prog rock band back in the seventies, but things evolved over time. 

Originally, the band did not think of the song as anything more than a joke recording that would be discarded quickly, because the song was too simple, too bluesy, and unlike Genesis' style. Tony Banks said in an interview: "It was one of those bits you thought was going to go nowhere. It sounded fun but wasn't really special". 

The single ended up peaking at number 7 in the US Billboard Hot 100 and the UK singles chart, but it topped the Dutch Top 40!

My collection: 7" single no. 7623
Found: Record fair, Rijswijk, 30 March 2025
Tracks: 'I can't dance' / 'On the shoreline'

 

Would you dance with a stranger? - Mari Wilson

I do have a few Mari Wilson singles, but I wasn't familiar with this one. The sleeve leapt out at me, because her name was on it but the woman on the sleeve didn't look anything like her! Turns out this is a track from a movie, and the woman on the sleeve apparently plays in it. (Fortunately a small picture of Mari Wilson herself appears on the back of the sleeve.)

Dance with a stranger is a British film from 1985, and the title track is a cover version of Peggy Lee's 1951 track. The film made a comfortable profit. Goldcrest Films invested £253,000 in the film and received £361,000, making them a profit of £108,000. Mari Wilson's single, however, didn't chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 7622
Found: Record fair, Rijswijk, 30 March 2025
Tracks: 'Would you dance with a stranger?' / 'Ruth's bedroom (dialogue)', 'Jazz break'

Oh what a night (1988 remix by Ben Liebrand) - The Four Seasons featuring Frankie Valli

In the second half of the Eighties many classic songs fell victim to the remix fad of the day. Many songs were remixed by DJ's with or without talent. Some results were quite terrible, others made the song slightly more appealing to the audience at the time.

Dutch DJ and producer Ben Liebrand remixed 'Oh what a night' by the Four Seasons featuring Frankie Valli and re-released it as a single. The single didn't chart in 1988, but it was an interesting remix nonetheless.

My collection: 7" single no. 7621
Found: Record fair, Rijswijk, 30 March 2025
Tracks: 'Oh what a night (1988 remix by Ben Liebrand)' / 'Oh what a night (original version)'

Winter melody - Donna Summer

Although Donna Summer was wellknown for her sighing and groaning on 'Love to love you', she appears on the sleeve of this single in winter clothes. 'Winter melody' is a soul ballad. The song speaks of a woman struggling to come to terms with the fact that her relationship has ended. As with much of Summer's material at that time (particularly with songs found on her concept albums), the song played for a considerable amount of time (over six minutes), however, the song was edited for its release as a single. 

The single was taken from the album Four Seasons of Love, and the song represented the "winter" phase of this concept album. It reached number 43 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 27 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 7620
Found: Record fair, Rijswijk, 30 March 2025
Tracks: 'Winter melody' / 'Full of emptiness'

Lay all your love on me / On and on and on - Abba

Although I bought a picture disc of the tracks on this single just last year, this American version from 1980 was just too interesting to resist. (And to be honest, I'd forgotten that I already had 'Lay your love on me' on any single.)

While these tracks were only released on a 12" single in Europe, America had the chance to buy them on a normal 7" single. Unfortunately the Americans didn't get a picture sleeve, and so this is a relatively anonymous release from the Swedish hitmakers.

My collection: 7" single no. 7619
Found: Record fair, Rijswijk, 30 March 2025
Tracks: 'Lay all your love on me' / 'On and on and on'

Twee hartjes en twee namen - Yvette Ravell & Ronny Temmer

In 1972 Serge & Christine Ghisoland represented Belgium at the Eurovision Song Contest with 'A la folie ou pas du tout'. They represented mainly the French speaking part of the country, as they were chosen by the Walloon broadcaster. In the Flemish part of the country, Yvette Ravell and Ronny Temmer stepped in and took it upon themselves to provide a translation with this single, 'Twee hartjes en twee namen' ('Two hearts and two names').

The B-side of this single is a cover version of 'Als her om de liefde gaat', the Dutch entry from that year. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7617
Found: Discogs.com, received 18 March 2025
Tracks: 'Twee hartjes en twee namen' / 'Als het om de liefde gaat'

Everything I own - Bread

David Gates wrote 'Everything I own', which was recorded by his band Bread in 1971. Although initial listeners may have interpreted it as a song about a broken relationship, David Gates revealed that it was written in memory of his father who died in 1963 before he achieved his success with Bread. David said: "My success would have been so special to him as he was my greatest influence. So I decided to write and record 'Everything I Own' about him. If you listen to the words, 'You sheltered me from harm, kept me warm, you gave my life to me, set me free', it says it all."

The single reached number 5 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 32 in the UK singles chart. Surprisingly, the single didn't chart in the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 7607
Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, 1 March 2025
Tracks: 'Everything I own' / 'I don't love you'

Horis skopo - Christos Callow

A rare gem, this Eurovision single from 1990. Christos Callow represented Greece with his song 'Horis skopo' and only managed 19th place in a field of 22 competitors. Not that the song was so bad, the juries just went for other songs and they continued to show their bad taste like they'd done through most of the Eighties.

Christos was born in Athens in 1955. He starred as the Archbishop in Jesus Christ Superstar in Greece in 1979. After his Eurovision performance, he was also a candidate in the greek Eurovision finals in 1987 (3rd) and in 1988 (unknown result). 

My collection: 7" single no. 7618
Found: Discogs.com, received 18 March 2025
Tracks: 'Horis skopo' / 'Without a purpose (Take my way)'

Syng lille laerke / En smule - Raquel Rastenni

The Danish singer Raquel Rastenni was born in Copenhagen on 21 August 1915. She started her career as a dancer in the Helsingør Revue in 1936. She debuted as a singer in 1938 by being broadcast on radio. As a Jew, she fled Denmark in October 1943 along with her family, as the country had come under Nazi occupation. She spent the rest of the war years in Sweden where she continued having great success with her career, performing with orchestras and in cabarets and varieties.

In 1958 she represented her country at the Eurovision Song Contest with 'Jeg rev et blad ud af min dagbog' (a single I am still searching for, actually). She kept in touch with the Contest after that, because a lot of her singles are actually cover versions of Eurovision songs. This single, for instance, presents her Danish versions of the number 1 and 2 of the 1959 edition. 'Syng lille laerke' is a version of 'Sing little birdie', and 'En smule' is Raquel's take on ''n Beetje'. It sounds rather good actually!

My collection: 7" single no. 7616
Found: Discogs.com, received 18 March 2025
Tracks: 'Syng lille laerke' / 'En smule'

Aprite le finestre - Nilla Pizzi

'Aprite le finestre' was Italy's first ever Eurovision song, performed by Franca Raimondi in 1956. Although the single still eludes me, there were plenty other artists recording that song and it is a lot easier to get hold of those versions. 

This EP features four songs by Nilla Pizzi, and 'Aprite le finestre' is one of them. Nilla Pizzi was born in Sant'Agata Bolognese on 16 April 1919. She won the first ever San Remo festival in 1951 and performed a total of 31 songs at that festival throughout her career. With her charismatic, warm voice, she is considered the most successful San Remo singer of all time. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7615
Found: Discogs.com, received 18 March 2025
Tracks: 'Arrivederci Roma', 'Aprite le finestre' / 'Due teste sul cuscino', 'Musetto'

So long - Paunita Ionescu

When I order records online, sometimes there are such items that I just buy because they're cheap and interesting. And a disc like this is certainly that. For just 1 euro extra I got this rare gem. 

The Romanian singer Păunița Ionescu recorded a cover version of Abba's 'So long', and it appears on this EP with three tracks. Ionescu apparently had a musical background, as both her parents were opera singers. She started singing in the 70s with the band Catena (Latin for “chain”), a girl band. Finally, Păunița Ionescu opted for a solo career in 1974. She left Romania in 1990 but occasionally returns to her homeground.

My collection: 7" single no. 7614
Found: Discogs.com, received 17 March 2025.
Tracks: 'Don't tell me', 'Is everybody happy?' / 'So long'

Golden years - David Bowie

'Golden years' was the lead single from David Bowie's tenth studio album Station to Station (1976). Harry Maslin, who co-produced the track, recalled that the song was "cut and finished very fast. We knew it was absolutely right within ten days. But the rest of the album took forever." Like the majority of Station to Station, the song's elements were primarily built in the studio rather than written before.

The single was very successful, reaching number 10 in the US BIllboard Hot 100 chart, number 8 in the UK singles chart and number 6 in the Dutch Top 40. I thought I'd bought this single a long time ago, but apparently not. So I did.

My collection: 7" single no. 7610
Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, 1 March 2025
Tracks: 'Golden years' / 'Can you hear me'

Mother Freedom - Bread

The magazine Record World called Bread's 'Mother Freedom' a "stylistic shift of gears" for Bread in which they "prove they can rock with the best of them." Much like 'Let your love go', the record buying public wasn't too convinced, because the single only reached number 37 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, just after 'If' had reached number 4. 

I bought three singles by Bread in one go, which was quite astonishing for me, since they seem to be pretty rare nowadays. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7605
Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, 1 March 2025
Tracks: 'Mother Freedom' / 'Live in your love'

I wanna go to a disco - Ricky Wilde

The humble beginnings of young Ricky Wilde have been well documented on this blog, but there are still some singles that I am after. More specifically: promotional singles like this one.

This US promo of 'I wanna go to a disco' features the track on both sides; once in mono and once in stereo. Although stereo had already become the norm in the real world, radio stations often still broadcast in mono and so it was useful to have a mix of a song in a mono version. The fact that this copy comes in an original UK records sleeve from the USA is a great bonus.

My collection: 7" single no. 7579
Found: Discogs.com, received 22 February 2025
Tracks: 'I wanna go to a disco (stereo)' / 'I wanna go to a disco (mono)'

Reeling in the years - Steely Dan

It was a surprise for me that, after decades of not buying anything by Steely Dan, I found two singles I fancied. 'Rikki don't lose that number' was the attractive one of the two, with its picture sleeve and yellow vinyl, so this ordinary one with a record company sleeve could easily have been discarded, but it's the better track of the two. So, after a slight doubt, I just bought them both.

'Reeling in the years' was written by Donald Fagen and Walter Becker and features Fagen on vocals.  The guitar solo was recorded in one take. The single peaked at number 11 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, but didn't chart in Europe. Still, it was regularly on the radio when I was young.

My collection: 7" single no. 7599
Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, 1 March 2025
Tracks: 'Reeling in the years' / 'Only a fool would say that'

I'm gonna love you just a little more baby - Barry White

Barry White never disappoints. He may be best known for his biggest hits 'Can't get enough of your love babe' and 'You're the first, the last, my everything', but this little gem is possibly the most sensual track the man has written and produced.

'I'm gonna love you just a little more baby' was released in the spring of 1973 and reached number 3 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 23 in the UK singles chart. The B-side of this single extends the sensual track just a little more.

My collection: 7" single no. 7613
Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, 1 March 2025
Tracks: 'I'm gonna love you just a little more baby' / 'Just a little more baby'

Puppet on a string - Al Hirt

Back in the Sixties and Seventies, trumpet players had a good time. They had an instrument that was very popular with casual record buyers and instrumental versions of big hits were all the rage. Bert Kaempfert made a nice living releasing album upon album with such tracks. Lesser gods like Piet Knarren and Eddie Calvert didn't have any money problems either.

I must confess I'd never heard of Al Hirt before, but it turns out he did very well for himself too. He received 21 Grammy nominations during his lifetime, including winning the Grammy award in 1964 for his version of 'Java'. This single features his version of the Eurovision classic 'Puppet on a string', and of course I bought it. It was only 1 euro after all.

My collection: 7" single no. 7611
Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, 1 March 2025
Tracks: 'Puppet on a string' / 'Big honey'

 

Honey, Honey - Abba

Although I own quite a lot of Abba singles now, this one represents the first time that the song 'Hasta mañana' appears on a single. It was released as the B-side of the Dutch version of 'Honey, Honey', back in 1974. 

It's an interesting song, 'Hasta mañana', especially considering its history. Initially fearing that 'Waterloo' might be too risky to enter for the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest, the group considered performing the ballad 'Hasta mañana' instead, as they thought that it was more in style with previous Eurovision winners. Eventually, they decided on 'Waterloo', primarily because it featured Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad sharing lead vocals, whereas 'Hasta mañana' had Fältskog as the sole lead vocalist. What happened next... well, you know.

My collection: 7" single no. 7608
Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, 1 March 2025
Tracks: 'Honey, Honey' / 'Hasta mañana'

It don't matter to me - Bread

'It don't matter to me' is a song written by David Gates and originally recorded by the pop-rock group the Cryan Shames in 1965. It was later recorded by Bread, of which Gates was a member. The single reached number 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 6 in Canada. The single didn't chart in Europe.

I discovered Bread in the late Eighties and started buying their singles. Over time, I have managed to amass quite a lot of them, and my recent haul in Rotterdam was an impressive one. Expect to see a few more Bread singles on here soon.

My collection: 7" single no. 7606
Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, 1 March 2025
Tracks: 'It don't matter to me' / 'Call on me'

Love shines - Fleetwood Mac

The line-up of Fleetwood Mac is an intricate puzzle, because members come and go. By 1992, when 'Love shines' was released, the band consisted of Mick Fleetwood (of course!), John McVie (of course!), Christine McVie, Stevie Nicks, Billy Burnette and Rick Vito. 

'Love shines' was taken from the 'greatest hits' compilation 25 Years - The Chain, which came just four years after the successful Greatest Hits album. Since then, only the album Behind the mask had been released, so one might say this compilation was a bit of a moneygrab. The single only charted in the Netherlands (no. 51) and Germany (no. 82).

My collection: 7" single no. 7594
Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, 1 March 2025
Tracks: 'Love shines' / 'The chain (previously unreleased alternate mix)'

Trans Europa Express - Kraftwerk

Buying Kraftwerk singles here and there through the years, I have managed to amass quite a collection. It's not an easy band to collect singles from: they're pretty scarce and many times they're pretty expensive. But I regularly find a good deal, and that makes it fun.

I already had 'Trans Europe Express' of course, having bought it back during a record fair in Utrecht in 2019. And now the German version of that same song was on offer during a record fair in Rotterdam. Another nice addition to my Kraftwerk collection.

My collection: 7" single no. 7600
Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, 1 March 2025
Tracks: 'Trans Europa Express' / 'Franz Schubert'

Rikki don't lose that number - Steely Dan

With 'Rikki don't lose that number', the band Steely Dan had the biggest hit of their career. But what was the song about? Walter Becker stated in a 1985 interview in the magazine Musician that the "number" in question was not slang for a marijuana cigarette, and an uncharacteristically forthcoming Donald Fagen revealed that the "Rikki" in question was simply a woman he'd had a crush on in college [writer Rikki Ducornet].

This copy was pressed on yellow vinyl and comes in a slightly suggestive sleeve. The single reached number 4 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, but failed to chart in Europe.

My collection: 7" single no. 7598
Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, 1 March 2025
Tracks: 'Rikki don't lose that number' / 'Any major dude will tell you'

Strawberry fields forever - The King's Singers

With a suggestive sleeve like this (there's even [gasp!] a nipple on the back cover!) and a disc pressed on red vinyl, it's no wonder that my interest was piqued. Especially when it contains a version of one of my favourite Beatles songs, 'Strawberry fields forever'. I would think this is quite a rare record, but to my surprise there's a lot of copies available online.  

The King's Singers is a British vocal ensemble founded in May 1968 in Cambridge, England.  Countertenor singers Alastair Hume & Nigel Perrin, Tenor singer Alastair Thompson, Baritone singer Simon Carrington & Anthony Holt, Bass singer Brian Kay were the former members of the ensemble.  The King's Singers are now Patrick Dunachie (countertenor), Timothy Wayne-Wright (countertenor), Julian Gregory (tenor), Christopher Bruerton (baritone), Christopher Gabbitas (baritone) and Jonathan Howard (bass).

My collection: 7" single no. 7597
Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, 1 March 2025
Tracks: 'Strawberry fields forever' / 'Disney girls (1957)'