You only live twice - Nancy Sinatra

'You Only Live Twice' is the theme song to the 1967 James Bond film of the same name. The music was by veteran Bond film composer John Barry, with lyrics by Leslie Bricusse. It was performed by Nancy Sinatra, daughter of Frank and Nancy Sinatra. The song is widely recognized for its striking opening bars, featuring a simple 2-bar theme in the high octaves of the violins and lush harmonies from French horns. It is considered by some to be among the best James Bond theme songs, and has become one of Nancy Sinatra's best known hits. 

The song has been covered by many artists including Coldplay, Soft Cell and Shirley Bassey. In 1998, Robbie Williams re-recorded portions of the song (including the opening strings) for use in his UK number one single 'Millennium'. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6651
Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, 5 March 2022
Cost: €2
Tracks: 'You only live twice' / 'Jackson' (with Lee Hazlewood)

Twist in the dark - Frida

Although Agnetha Fältskog is often named as the most beautiful and talented of the two Abba women, I usually prefer Frida. She has recorded some very interesting albums, especially her early solo work and the Nineties Swedish album 'Djupa Andetag'. This single comes from a largely ignored album, 'Shine'. 

'Twist in the dark' was released in France only, and features 'Come to me (I am woman)' on the B-side - a track that was released as an A-side in other territories. I haven't bought a Frida single in over ten years, so it is fun to add something to the collection after all that time.

My collection: 7" single no. 6647
Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, 5 March 2022
Cost: €2
Tracks: 'Twist in the dark' / 'Come to me (I am woman)'

Bingo (Bem Bom) - Doce

The Portuguese girl group Doce represented their country at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1982 with the song 'Bem Bom'. I wasn't aware until very recently that they also recorded their song in Spanish. The single was titled 'Bingo (Bem Bom)', which doesn't tell you much about the actual language of the song - it could have been English, Dutch or anywhere else where the word 'Bingo' is part of the national vocabulary. 

But it is a Spanish version, translated by J.R. Flores. The musketeer outfits which they wore on the Eurovision stage and on the sleeve of the Portuguese single 'Bem Bom' had to go in favour of sexier clothes and big motorbikes. I'm not sure why. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6646
Found: Discogs.com, received 1 March 2022
Cost: €3
Tracks: 'Bingo (Bem Bom)' / 'OK KO'

Come summer - Fra Lippo Lippi

Some would say that this blog focuses too much on Eurovision lately, and they would be right of course. So it is nice to venture out in pop land - even if the pop music in this case comes from Norway. I have a fairly complete Fra Lippo Lippi collection, I think, but whereas I have the 12" single of 'Come summer', I never quite managed to find the 7" single of that title. Fortunately I finally caught one recently. The artwork on the single sleeve is equally beautiful but it's funny that it contains a lot less of the lyrics of the song. 

'Come summer' is actually one of the strongest tracks on their album 'Songs', from which the hit 'Shouldn't have to be like that' was taken. That song caused me to find out more about the band, and made me buy more of their singles and albums. It still amazes me that they never managed to get more hits over here in Europe, whereas they became very famous in Asia. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6645
Found: Discogs.com, received 1 March 2022
Cost: €3
Tracks: 'Come summer' / 'Even tall trees bend (original version)'

The eve of the war - Jeff Wayne

You wouldn't expect it when you see the sleeve (pictured here), but this is actually the Ben Liebrand remix version of 'The eve of the war' by Jeff Wayne. It certainly wasn't what I expected when I ordered this single: I simply got it for the fact that this is a Spanish promo 7" single, with just one track. That is, the B-side is empty. 

Of course, the Ben Liebrand remix is wellknown - it was released commercially in 1989 around the time when Jeff Wayne's album 'War of the Worlds' was re-released for the first time. It certainly wasn't the last time: over the past four decades Jeff Wayne has released multiple remix albums, new recordings and toured the album several times, both in the UK and in Europe. The artwork of the album remains the most beautiful reimagination of H.G. Wells' story of invading Martians.

My collection: 7" single no. 6644
Found: Discogs.com, received 1 March 2022
Cost: €3
Tracks: 'The eve of the war (Ben Liebrand radio edit)'

Mil etter mil - Jahn Teigen

Jahn Teigen became a celebrity in Norway because of 'Mil etter mil'. Not because he won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1978 with 'Mil etter mil', but rather because he lost... He ended up in last place with zero points. Normally you would expect everyone to turn against him, but Jahn turned his misfortune into a triumph: later that same year he released an album called 'This year's loser', which sold like hot cakes.

Meanwhile, the single dominated the Norwegian singles chart for more than four months, being among the 10 most-bought singles for no less than 19 consecutive weeks, for five of those also topping the chart for the nation's most popular international hit. After 30 years in the nation's spotlight, this remains his most successful hit. Perhaps that's why he had a few more attempts at Eurovision fame... for instance with the songs Adieu and Do re mi.

My collection: 7" single no. 6642
Found: Discogs.com, received 1 March 2022
Cost: €4
Tracks: 'Mil etter mil', 'Claudius' / 'I natt er jeg din'

Lykken er - Hanne Krogh

In 1971, Norway sent Hanne Krogh to the Eurovision Song Contest with the song 'Lykken er'. It was her first of three appearances at the contest over the years. 

The 15-year-old Krogh came on stage under an umbrella that she swung around during her performance. At the close of voting, it finished in 17th place with 65 points.  

My collection: 7" single no. 6641
Found: Discogs.com, received 1 March 2022
Cost: €4
Tracks: 'Lykken er' / 'Peter Pan'

Oliver - Anita Skorgan

I bought Anita Skorgan's 'Oliver' not so long ago, her second attempt at Eurovision success. That single featured the English version - this single features a Swedish version of the song. As far as I know, Anita didn't record a Norwegian version of the song, which is weird, because this was 1979's Norwegian entry. 

The song 'Oliver' would end up in 11th place in a field of 19 competitors, which is quite surprising given the fact that some really bizarre songs ended up above it. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6639
Found: Discogs.com, received 24 February 2022
Cost: €4
Tracks: 'Oliver (Swedish version)' / 'Oliver (English version)'

Romantica - Willy Alberti

I've posted a lot of singles by Willy Alberti recently, and that's mainly because I discovered these Eurovision covers by him for reasonable prices. There is still a little bit of Dutch pride within me, that I really wanted to have them all, because unlike his daughter Willeke, he really could sing. At least, that's what these singles seem to prove.

'Romantica' was Italy's 1960 entry to the Eurovision Song Contest - performed by Renato Rascel - and Willy does a very decent version of this song. He manages to sound Italian, as the back cover of this EP attests: "When he visited New York and Philadelphia in December 1959, and performed in theatres and night-clubs there, he astonished even the Italian members of his audiences, who could not believe that he was a Netherlander". 

My collection: 7" single no. 6638
Found: Discogs.com, received 22 February 2022
Cost: €3
Tracks: 'Romantica', 'Libero' / 'Quando vien la sera', 'E' mezzanotte'

Pour être vraiment sincère - Ben Cramer

When Ben Cramer represented the Netherlands in 1973 with 'De oude muzikant', he must have believed that he was on to an international hit. He recorded several other versions: in English as 'The old street musician' and in German as 'Der alte Musikant'. Both these versions were relatively faithful translations of the Dutch original - which is why it's a bit puzzling that the French version is called 'Pour être vraiment sincère', a title that doesn't resemble these other versions in any way.

The French version is very rare, and as a result singles are hard to find these days. The only copy I could get my hands on for a reasonable price was this one - but unfortunately it doesn't come with the original sleeve. But pour être vraiment sincère, it is the music that I was after most of all in this case.

My collection: 7" single no. 6637
Found: Discogs.com, received 22 February 2022
Cost: €5
Tracks: 'Pour être vraiment sincère' / 'Je t'emmene a la fête'

One day love - Angela Farrell

Angela Farrell was born in 1952 in Donegal, Ireland. She represented her country in 1971 with the song 'One day love', written by Donald Martin and Ita Flynn.

The lyrics of the song are addressed to a former lover, who apparently enjoys duping women and breaking their hearts. The singer hopes he will get a taste of his own medicine one day. Angela earned her wages by working at a chemist’s shop in Portadown, County Arnagh during the day and singing in cabarets in various Northern Irish clubs at night. She intended to stop her day job if she would win the Eurovision Song Contest – but that didn’t happen. She finished in 11th place in a field of 18 competitors.

My collection: 7" single no. 6636
Found: Ebay, received 16 February 2022
Cost: €5
Tracks: 'One day love' / 'How near is love'

Penso em ti, eu sei - Adelaide

Even the biggest Eurovision fans may not remember Adelaide, who represented Portugal in 1985 with the song 'Penso em ti, eu sei'. At least, that's what I think, because I have no recollection of this song at all - and by 1985 I was already watching the Contest for six or seven years.

Maria Adelaide Mengas Matafome Ferreira was born on 23 September 1959 in Minde, Alcanena (Portugal) and started as a rock singer with the hit 'Baby Suicida' in 1981. When she competed in Eurovision, she ended up in 18th place in a field of 19 competitors. Since then, she became an actress on television having roles in many Portuguese soaps. In 2015, she competed in the Portuguese national final for Eurovision for the second time, with the song 'Paz'. On this occasion she did not win.

My collection: 7" single no. 6634
Found: Discogs.com, received 14 February 2022
Cost: €4
Tracks: 'Penso em ti, eu sei' / 'Vem no meu sonho'

E depois do adeus - Paulo

Sometimes I get my hands on a Eurovision song in a different version some time before I get my hands on the original version. It happened back in 2014 with Paulo, who recorded 'E depois do adeus' in English as '(And then) After love'. 

I recently found the original Portuguese version of this song - and the bonus on this single is a beautiful instrumental version of that song on the B-side. 'E depois do adeus' ended up in 14th place in a field of 17 competitors in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974, but it hit the history books when the song became one of the two signals to launch the Carnation Revolution in Portugal just weeks later. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6635
Found: Discogs.com, received 14 February 2022
Cost: €4
Tracks: 'E depois do adeus' / 'E depois do adeus (versão por orquestra e coros)'

Neste barco a vela - Nevada

Portugal was never very successful in the Eurovision Song Contest, even if they managed to send in some beautiful songs through the years. Undoubtedly part of their problem was the language: Portuguese isn't exactly a language that is understood all over Europe, and then the inclination to employ their national fado and saudade as their strategy hasn't worked to their advantage either.

The song 'Neste barco a vela', performed by Nevada in the 1987 edition, is a praise of Portugal itself. The two singers describe their "overfull boat" which apparently has a "childish look" as travelling on a "path of hope". It sounded slightly modern at least, but it didn't help: they finished in 18th place in a field of 22 competitors.

My collection: 7" single no. 6633
Found: Discogs.com, received 14 February 2022
Cost: €€
Tracks: 'Neste barco a vela' / 'Neste barco a vela (instrumental)'

Love is blue - Al Martino

I remembered (correctly) that I already owned a single by Al Martino; it was his version of Volare, which I bought over 12 years ago. While that was a hit for him in 1970, his version of 'Love is blue', which he released in 1968, was less successful. At least: it didn't chart in the Netherlands, but he still managed to reach number 57 in the US Billboard Hot 100 with it. 

The back of this sleeve is a real gallery of stars: it features an advert for singles by the Dave Clark 5, Ray Charles, the Beach Boys and the Beatles. Back in those days, big stars were all over the place, and they would endure for decades. Compare that to nowadays, and you'll be blue in an instant.

My collection: 7" single no. 6632
Found: Discogs.com, received 9 February 2022
Cost: €3
Tracks: 'Love is blue' / 'I'm carrying the world on my shoulder'

Aprite le finestre - Willy Alberti

I have yet to find a copy of 'Aprite le finestre' by Franca Raimondi. She performed the song during the first ever edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, after having won the Italian national final. The single is, of course, extremely rare, being over 65 years old.

In the meantime, I found this EP by Willy Alberti, featuring his version of the song. The EP, simply titled 'Willy Alberti', features four different Italian songs, and it marks the first time Willy recorded a Eurovision song. This EP is as old as the Italian single, but apparently it's much less sought after. I was quite pleased with the state it's in, it's a beautiful copy.

My collection: 7" single no. 6630
Found: Discogs.com, received 9 February 2022
Cost: €3
Tracks: 'Aprite le finestre', 'La vita e' un paradiso di bugie' / 'Mia cara Carolina', 'Ricordate Marcellino?'