Dario Campeotto was born on February 1, 1939 in Frederiksberg, Copenhagen to Italian parents, Emma and Ernesto Campeotto.
He started performing at the age of ten, but his breakthrough was a victory in the Dansk Melodi Grand Prix in 1961 with the song 'Angelique', which went on to finish fifth in the Eurovision Song Contest. The song is a love ballad directed towards one Angelique, with Campeotto singing about the various things he would do for her if he had the skill - such as writing poetry if he were William Shakespeare or playing the violin if he were Yehudi Menuhin.
Following Angelique, Dario Campeotto released a number of records,
starred in theatrical play, operettes, revues, and movies. He has been married twice and once lived in Italy with his
former wife, actress Ghita Nørby, but returned to Denmark where he is
currently continuing his career.
My collection: 7" single no. 5660 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 23, 2014 Cost: 2 euro Tracks: 'Angelique' / 'Du er min kaerlighed'
Bryan Johnson was born on July 18, 1926. He became a regular appearance on 'A Song For Europe', the UK national finals for the Eurovision Song Contest. He competed in 1957, 1960 and 1961, but only qualified for the 1960 edition with 'Looking high, high, high', a song written by John Watson. He ended up in second place on the Contest, behind 'Tom Pillibi' by Jacqueline Boyer. The single reached number 20 in the UK singles chart.
Johnson was also an actor who, in Donald Wolfit's company, played such roles as Feste in Twelfth Night and the Fool in King Lear. In Ronald Harwood's biography of Wolfit, the actor is quoted as saying that he was "the best Fool I ever had". Later he played roles in musicals such as 'Lock Up Your Daughters' and enjoyed a late success as Scrooge in a touring production of 'A Christmas Carol'. He died on October 18, 1995.
My collection: 7" single no. 5602 Found: Marktplaats.nl, received August 6, 2014 Cost: 2 euro Tracks: 'Looking high, high, high' / 'Each tomorrow'
'The Right Thing' was released by Simply Red in 1987. It was taken from their second album 'Men and Women'.
It displays more of a funk influence than the group's previous hits, but also retains the soul sound that became their trademark during the '80s. According to some sources, the racy sexually implicit nature of the song caused the album to be banned in Singapore.
The single reached number 11 in the UK singles chart in early 1987, but did not find significant success in the United States, only reaching number 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 at a time where the group were at their peak amount of success in the States.
My collection: 7" single no. 5446 Found: unknown Tracks: 'The right thing' / 'There's a light'
Exile had a big hit in 1978 with Kiss you all over, and for most people, that's where their story ended. That single came from the album 'Mixed emotions'. A year later, they released 'All there is', the album featuring How could this go wrong and this single, 'Too proud to cry'.
Listening to these two singles, it would seem that the band tried a rougher and tougher approach. The album did well in Europe but also signalled less popularity in the USA. Oddly, in 1983, the band re-established themselves as a country music group.
My collection: 7" single no. 5672 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 23, 2014 Cost: 0,5 euro Tracks: 'Too proud to cry' / 'Destiny'
In 1965, French singer France Gall represented Luxembourg with the song 'Poupée de cire poupée de son'. It was composed by Serge Gainsbourg, also from France, and inspired by the Piano Sonata No. 1 by Beethoven. As is common with Gainsbourg's lyrics, the words are filled with double
meanings, wordplay, and puns. The title can be translated as "wax doll,
rag doll" (a floppy doll stuffed with bran or chaff) or as "wax doll,
sound doll" (with implications that Gall is a "singing doll" controlled
by Gainsbourg).
At the time of her performance, France Gall was too young to understand all these double meanings. In later years, she disassociated herself with the Eurovision Song
Contest, and refuses to discuss it in public or perform her winning
song.
Finding this single was a feat in itself. This original French pressing has become very rare and it's hard to track down such a good copy. I'm happy that I finally managed to get this one, in what I would call mint condition.
My collection: 7" single no. 5614 Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, August 10, 2014 Cost: 5 euro Tracks: 'Poupée de cire, poupée de son', 'Un prince charmant' / 'Dis a ton capitaine', 'Le coeur qui jazze'
Five years ago, School already appeared on this blog, but this single predates that one, and it's now part of my collection as well. The song was never officially released as a single when it was released on the album 'Crime of the century' in 1974.
It turns out that it was released as a single almost a decade later: this single was made in 1983, after the success of their album 'Famous last words' and the single 'It's raining again'. This was while the band was - probably - still under contract with A&M Records, and as such, this was released on the A&M label.
My collection: 7" single no. 5411 Found: unknown Tracks: 'School' / 'Oh darling'
'Train of love in motion' was released as the second single off Heaven 17's 1988 album 'Teddy Bear, Duke & Psycho'. It wasn't the band's most successful album, causing them to fall silent for many years. This single fared even worse than its predecessor The Ballad of Go Go Brown, because it failed to chart at all.
When Heaven 17 returned, it was 1996. They released 'Bigger than America', another album that failed to chart. You'd think they'd gone for good, but fortunately Heaven 17 found a second lease of life in this century, releasing new albums (a new one is planned for 2015) and even performing live - something they never did in the Eighties.
My collection: 7" single no. 5406 Found: Record Exchange, London Cost: 10p Tracks: 'Train of love in motion' / 'Work'
After releasing a version of the 1985 Eurovision winner as Lot ons swingen, Belgian band De Strangers decided to make an annual event of it. Their 1986 cover version was derived from Sandra Kim's J'aime la vie. Sandra represeted Belgium, and it was the first time that Belgium won the Contest.
In their undecipherable Antwerp dialect, the Strangers sing that they would like to be a policeman. Not exactly sure, because I can't really understand what they are singing at all. Evidently, most Belgians could, as this single actually gave them a hit: ''k Zen zo gere Polies' peaked at number 23 in the Belgian chart.
My collection: 7" single no. 5618 Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, August 10, 2014 Cost: 2 euro Tracks: ''k Zen zo gere Polies' / 'Allee allee mokt da na mee'
One of the biggest news stories in the Netherlands today was the fact that 'Bohemian Rhapsody' by Queen didn't make number 1 in the annual Top 2000, the chart that is compiled by Radio 2 listeners who vote on a website during a couple of weeks near the end of the year. The chart is broadcast every year in the last week, the period between Christmas and New Year's Eve. This year, The Eagles' 'Hotel California' surpassed the classic Queen song for the first time in many years.Well, at least the Rhapsody is still number 2.
By contrast, many Queen singles have been long forgotten. Who remembers, for instance, 'Spread your wings'? This single was released in February 1978 and only managed to reach number 34 in the UK singles chart and number 20 in the Dutch Top 40. The previous single from the album 'News of the World', 'We are the champions' is remembered by many more people - despite the fact that this single is far more interesting.
My collection: 7" single no. 5441 Found: unknown Tracks: 'Spread your wings' / 'Sheer heart attack'
This limited edition 'special 2 record set' brings together two of Dollar's singles, the 1986 single 'Haven't we said goodbye before' and their debut single from 1978 'Shooting star'. It is an odd pairing, probably made because the record company thought there would be some interest in a re-release of the duo's debut, which peaked at number 14 when it was originally released.
The plan didn't work: 'Haven't we said goodbye' did not chart in any territory. It would take an Erasure cover to resurrent their career, albeit briefly.
My collection: 7" single no. 5385 Found: unknown Tracks: 'Haven't we said goodbye before' / 'Platinum rap' // 'Shooting star' / 'Tokyo'
Although I already had a copy of Sandie Shaw's Puppet on a string, I thought this German copy would be a worthwhile addition for its colourful sleeve. The different B-side is just a bonus, of course.
Sandie Shaw won the 1967 edition of the Contest with this song, despite the fact that she wasn't particularly fond of the song. In August 2014, Shaw was one of 200 public figures who were signatories to a letter to The Guardian opposing Scottish independence in the run-up to September's referendum on that issue. I guess she wanted Scotland to be the puppet on England's string, then...
My collection: 7" single no. 5628 Found: Fun Records, Berlin, received August 29, 2014 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Puppet on a string' / 'Had a dream last night'
Despite this song's irresistible hook, Level 42's 'Out of sight, out of mind' only managed to get to number 41 in the UK singles chart, just missing the top 40. The song was released as the first single from their 1983 album 'Standing in the light', the album that gave them their first top 10 hit in the shape of 'The Sun Goes Down (Living It Up)'.
It would take the band two more years to become world famous with the album 'Running in the family'. Compared to some of their later singles, this one sounds fresher and more innovative... but that's just my opinion.
My collection: 7" single no. 5436 Found: unknown Tracks: 'Out of sight, out of mind' / 'You can't blame Louis (remix)'
Atlantis 2000 competed in the 1991 Eurovision Song Contest with Dieser Traum darf niemals sterben. I bought the single of that song five years ago, as you can see here. I didn't know, however, that an English version was also released. That version appears here, on a single which contains both the English and German version. The lyric of the English version was written by Richard Palmer-James.
It was a nice try, but this single didn't chart in any territory. And so, the never-ending dream came to a premature end.
My collection: 7" single no. 5626 Found: Fun Records, Berlin, received August 29, 2014 Cost: 2 euro Tracks: 'Never-ending dream' / 'Dieser Traum darf niemals sterben'
King Kurt are best known for this single, 'Destination Zululand', which was their biggest hit in the UK, peaking at number 36 in October 1983. The rockabilly band played rowdy gigs where nobody left the room unscathed. A good example of their live presence can be seen in this YouTube video of 'Destination Zululand'.
Subtitled 'Humdiddledu mhoowahaya', this song was produced by Dave Edmunds.
My collection: 7" single no. 5431 Found: unknown Tracks: 'Destination Zululand' / 'She's as hairy'
The double LP and double CD collection 'The best of the Doors', originally released in 1985, can still be seen as the ultimate introduction to the American band's output. The album was re-released in 1991 and promoted by this single, featuring an edit of 'Light my fire' and the classic 'People are strange'.
At the time of release, there was also a 12" single featuring the full length version of 'Light my fire' and the additional track 'Soul kitchen'. And, to top it all off, a CD-single featured all four tracks. Although it isn't particularly inspiring to hear both the edit and full length version of 'Light my fire' side by side, I'd have to say.
My collection: 7" single no. 5386 Found: unknown Tracks: 'Light my fire (edit)' / 'People are strange'
Many Swedish Eurovision entries sound like old Abba tracks, and this entry from 1982 is no exception. The duo Chips, consisting of Kikki Danielsson and Elisabeth Andreasson (the latter would go on to be part of Bobbysocks and win the 1985 edition) performed the song 'Dag efter dag' (appearing here on the B-side), written by Lasse Holm and Monica Forsberg. They finished eighth in a field of 18 contestants.
This single was a chart success in Scandinavia: it peaked at number 4 in Sweden and at number 5 in Norway. Elsewhere, of course, the single did not chart.
My collection: 7" single no. 5658 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 23, 2014 Cost: 2 euro Tracks: 'Day after day' / 'Dag efter dag'
Easily one of the longest titles of a hit single ever, this song was written by David Bellamy and recorded by the Bellamy Brothers. It was released in March 1979 as the second single from their album 'The Two and Only'.
'If I said you had a beautiful body...' derived its double entendre title from a Groucho Marx line. Songwriter David Bellamy told country music journalist Tom Roland that he regularly watched Marx's program, You Bet Your Life, where Marx sometimes used the quote while interviewing an attractive female contestant, then shake his cigar and raise his eyebrows to elicit a reaction. The comment stuck in Bellamy's head as a possible hook line for a song.
My collection: 7" single no. 5654 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 23, 2014 Cost: 0,5 euro Tracks: 'If I said you had a beautiful body would you hold it against me' / 'Make me over'
'Spirit in the sky' was originally written and recorded by Norman Greenbaum. Released in 1969, the single sold over two million copies, reaching number 3 in the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, number 1 in the UK, Australia and Germany.
According to Greenbaum, he was inspired to write the song after watching Porter Wagoner
on TV singing a gospel song. Greenbaum later said: "I thought, 'Yeah, I
could do that,' knowing nothing about gospel music, so I sat down and
wrote my own gospel song. It came easy. I wrote the words in 15
minutes." The lyric makes several references to Jesus, despite the fact that Greenbaum is in fact Jewish.
Several artists have covered 'Spirit in the sky', including Kim Wilde, who released her version of the song on a single, released on February 24, 2012 as a double A-side with a cover of the Buzzcocks' 'Ever fallen in love'.
My collection: 7" single no. 5653 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 23, 2014 Cost: 0,5 euro Tracks: 'Spirit in the sky' / 'Tars of India'
I really didn't expect to find yet another different version of Jeff Wayne's 'Eve of the war', having written about one so recently, but I did. I was very surprised to find this one, as the sleeve is so different from others and the disc actually contains a rather rare version too: it's an edit of a 'disco mix' that was created by Steve Thompson and Geoff Young in 1979.
The disco versions appears on a 12" single from 1979, and was also released on a 3" CD-single some ten years later, but that one was over six minutes long. This version runs at 4'40 minutes and is an edit of that disco mix. As far as I know, this version was only released on this 7" single. But feel free to correct me in the comments if you know otherwise...
My collection: 7" single no. 5671 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 23, 2014 Cost: 0,5 euro Tracks: 'Eve of the war [disco mix edit]' / 'Horsell Common and the heat ray'
