Oui, oui, oui, oui / Ciao, ciao, bambina (Piove) - Frédérica

Not much is known about Frédérica Pietra, except the release of her singles between 1956 and 1960. She even released one album (on a 10" disc) in 1953.

This EP from 1959 features four tracks by the singer, including two from the Eurovision Song Contest of that year. They are 'Oui, oui, oui, oui', originally performed by Jean Philippe for France, and 'Ciao, ciao, bambina (Piove)', originally performed by Domenico Modugno for Italy. Both songs were incredibly successful that year, and so it's no surprise that Frédérica also tried her luck with these tracks.

My collection: 7" single no. 7031
Found: Discogs.com, received 16 September 2023
Tracks: 'Rendez-vous à cinq heures, chéri', 'Oui, oui, oui, oui' / 'Les innocents', 'Ciao, ciao, bambina (Piove)'

Liebe - Laurent Voulzy

Slowly but steadily I am getting more and more singles by Laurent Voulzy; tracks that apppear on his compilation album 'Carib islander' which started my love affair with the man's music. One of the tracks on that compilation is 'Liebe', which turns out to be a single from 1983. 

The B-side of this single consists of two very short songs (90 and 110 seconds respectively) that Laurent  wrote with Elain Rowen and D. McNeil respectively. Usually he collaborates with Alain Souchon (as with the A-side), so this is a bit of a surprise.

My collection: 7" single no. 7029
Found: Discogs.com, received 16 September 2023
Tracks: 'Liebe' / 'Cadillac cruise', 'Meu samba pra voce'

Albatross - Fleetwood Mac

'Albatross' was released on a red vinyl 12" single for Record Store Day earlier this year. Obviously this was on the occasion of the fact that the single was originally released 55 years ago. It's a curious choice because both tracks aren't especially long, so why press a 12" single? It must have been inspired by the higher price you could give the item. Record companies simply think that way. 

To be honest, I am more content with this original single of 'Albatross', which features the same two tracks. I already own this single, with two of the band's early hits, but nothing beats the original release, of course. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7026
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 10 September 2023
Tracks: 'Albatross' / 'Jigsaw puzzle blues'

Erotica - Man

Man is a rock band from Wales. Formed in November 1968 as a reincarnation of the Welsh vocal group the Bystanders, Man is renowned for the extended jams during their live performances. Man was initially signed to Pye Records, for which it recorded its first two albums with John Schroeder. Their debut album 'Revelation' (January 1969) was noted for the simulated orgasm on the track 'Erotica'. 'Erotica' was released as a single, amazingly, and caused a stir in the UK, where it was banned.

I heard this track some 30 years ago for the first time, and searched for the single for some time. I wasn't successful and forgot all about it... until last week when I suddenly saw a copy during an outdoors record fair! Sometimes life throws you some unexpected surprises.

My collection: 7" single no. 7025
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 10 September 2023
Tracks: 'Erotica' / 'Don't just stand there'

Light my fire - Jose Feliciano

Nothing beats the original by the Doors, of course, but Jose Feliciano still made some waves when he recorded his version of 'Light my fire' in 1968. The Puerto Rican vocalist and guitarist got to number 3 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts for three consecutive weeks, and also peaked at number 6 in the UK singles chart and number 24 in the Dutch Top 40.

In a 1969 interview, Feliciano said that he liked the song when he first heard it, but felt that he should wait a year before releasing the song. Songwriter Robby Krieger said in an interview about the cover: "It's really a great feeling to have written a classic. I think I owe a big debt to Jose Feliciano because he is actually the one, when he did it, everybody started doing it. He did a whole different arrangement on it." 

My collection: 7" single no. 7024
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 10 September 2023
Tracks: 'Light my fire' / 'California dreamin''

I ain't gonna stand for it - Stevie Wonder

Through the years I've bought some Stevie Wonder singles, sometimes even without knowing the song. You can't really go wrong with acts like Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross and the Bee Gees; they always deliver.

This single was completely unknown to me, Still, 'I ain't gonna stand for it' reached number 31 in the Dutch Top 40 in early 1981. It was even more successful in the UK, where it reached number 10 in the singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 7023
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 10 September 2023
Tracks: 'I ain't gonna stand for it' / 'Knocks me off my feet'

International - Lys Assia

When Lys Assia won the very first Eurovision Song Contest in 1956 it wasn't immediately clear that she'd performed a classic song, but 'Refrain' has definitely acquired the title 'legendary'. I was happy to buy the German version 'Refrain, du goldner Traum aus meiner Jugendzeit' two years ago, but I was still searching for this EP. Mainly because it's the only version I know that actually has a picture sleeve. 

This EP features 'Refrain, du gold'ner Traum', as well as three other songs also performed in German. I think my collection of 'Refrain' singles is complete now - although you never know!

My collection: 7" single no. 7020
Found: Discogs.com, received 31 August 2023
Tracks: 'Jolie Jacqueline', 'Blaue Veilchen, weisser Flieder' / 'Refrain, du gold'ner Traum', 'Nachts in Paris'

A song goes out around the world - Egon Egemann

I bought a copy of 'A song goes out around the world' in 2009, on a cold winter's day in Amsterdam - a visit I remember all too well because the shop offered a whole box of Eurovision singles I didn't have yet. 

When I ordered a few singles from a Swedish seller recently, this one appeared on offer and the B-side caught my eye. Where the other single offered the original version of the song in German, this single features an instrumental version. Now, if this single would have been very expensive I wouldn't have bought it of course, but it was interesting enough to pick up for a few euros. As kitchy as the song is, the melody is just irresistible.

My collection: 7" single no. 7021
Found: Discogs.com, received 31 August 2023
Tracks: 'A song goes out around the world' / 'A song goes out around the world (instrumental)'

I want 2 B U - The The

Occasionally The The releases a new single, and then it takes a while for me to buy it due to the insane prices commanded by new singles these days. You could easily spend at least 20 euros if you consider postage and import charges from the UK. 

This time I lucked out because a Dutch seller had a copy, combined with another item I was interested in. And so I've finally got this single, which was released in 2020 - three years after 'We can't stop what's coming'. It's a great little song, borrowing some inspiration from The The's early single 'This is the day'. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7019
Found: Discogs.com, received 31 August 2023
Tracks: 'I want 2 B U' / 'Velvet muscle scream'

Theme from 'The Deer Hunter' - The Shadows

If for some reason (probably lack of space) I'll ever need to let go of this double groove 12" single of the Shadows' 'Theme from 'The Deer Hunter'', I can now fall back on the 7" version, which includes two of the three tracks.

The sleeve of this single, released in 1979, actually features a still from the movie on the cover. The other side of the sleeve is an advert for an album by Cliff and the Shadows, a recording of their reunion concerts at the London Palladium. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7017
Found: 33|45 Records, Den Haag, 26 August 2023
Tracks: 'Theme from 'The Deer Hunter'' /  'Bermuda triangle'

In neon - Elton John

Continuing on the theme of 'unknown singles by Elton John', here's an American promotional 7" of 'In neon'. The song was taken from his album 'Breaking hearts', which also featured the considerably more successful 'Sad songs (say so much)' and one of my personal favourites, 'Too low for zero'. 

By contrast, 'In neon' only reached number 12 in New Zealand, number 38 in the US Billboard Hot 100 and an underwhelming number 92 in Canada. This promotional single features the track on both sides.

My collection: 7" single no. 7016
Found: 33|45 Records, Den Haag, 26 August 2023
Tracks: 'In neon' / 'In neon'

Part time love - Elton John

Some artists have become so legendary that you would almost forget that not all of their singles have been huge hits. At least, some singles are certainly not what they are remembered for.

Take 'Part time love' by Elton John for example. I never saw a copy of this single before - I think - and I was quite surprised to find out it actually reached number 15 in the UK singles chart in October 1978. By comparison, the single did not chart in the Netherlands at all. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7015
Found: 33|45 Records, Den Haag, 26 August 2023
Tracks: 'Part time love' / 'I cry at night'

Taschenrechner - Kraftwerk

The fascinating story of Kraftwerk is something that entertained me during my holiday in Germany last month, thanks to a magazine published by the makers of Uncut. As a result I became interested in buying some of those missing Kraftwerk singles. Which isn't easy, because usually they command rather high prices.

Anyway, I found this copy of 'Taschenrechner' for a reasonable price, and it made me happy because it is one of my favourite Kraftwerk tracks. The English version is pretty great too - but this single only features the German and Japanese versions. Still, a great catch!

My collection: 7" single no. 7013
Found: Bennies Fifties, received 18 August 2023
Tracks: 'Taschenrechner' / 'Dentaku'

Al di la - Umberto Marcato

I actually found two versions of 'Al di la' on one day, both in the original record company sleeves, which I guess is a plus. Umberto Marcato appeared on this blog once before, with his version of 'Volare', so it's no surprise that he would cover 'Al di la' a few years later. 

In contrast to the Peter Kreuder version this is not an instrumental version, but actually sung - and sung very well too. For me it's one of the better versions of this particular song.

My collection: 7" single no. 7012
Found: Bennies Fifties, received 18 August 2023
Tracks: 'Al di la' / 'Il nostro concerto'

Al-di-la - Peter Kreuder

Some of the standard phrases I use when I buy records online are 'Volare', 'Piove' and 'Al di la', because you never know if a seller has some extra singles that might be of interest. And these three songs have been covered many times.

One of those covers is this instrumental version by Peter Kreuder. He was an German-Austrian pianist, composer and conductor. Born on 18 August 1905, he started his career as a very young man, playing his first compositions as a teenager. He passed away on 28 June 1981.

My collection: 7" single no. 7011
Found: Bennies Fifties, received 18 August 2023
Tracks: 'Al-di-la' / 'Einmal sehen wir uns wieder'

Again - Janet Jackson

A lot of years have passed by since I originally bought the single 'Again' by Janet Jackson. Back in 1994 I thought it was a brilliant heartfelt ballad, and I loved the fact that it was released as a single. (I already owned the album at that point.) 

Flash forward almost three decades and things have changed a bit. I don't listen to Janet as much as I did, the sexually-charged albums that followed after 1993 were a bit weird (although some tracks on there were still very catchy) and listening to this song again it sounds a bit, I don't know, too polished, too calculated. But I can only say this having listened to this single which I recently bought online.

Why did I buy it in the first place? Well, I am a sucker for coloured vinyl, of course!

My collection: 7" single no. 7010
Found: Bennie's Fifties, received 18 August 2023
Tracks: 'Again' / 'Again (piano, vocal)

Be kind to my mistakes - Kate Bush

I am very thankful that I am not a bona fide Kate Bush collector. I mean, I do have all her albums and singles, but I don't need all the various pressings from countries all over the world. There are many variations, especially of those early albums, that would easily cost many thousands of euros to get them all these days. 

That said, there are a few items that are on my wish list. A perfect copy of the UK single of 'Wuthering Heights' is one, and this German promotional single is another. Fortunately, I finally got hold of a copy recently. It features two tracks from the soundtrack of the movie 'Castaway'. Kate Bush's song, 'Be kind to my mistakes', also appears on the B-side of her 1989 single 'This woman's work', but in a different version. This is the original - and longer! - version.

One down, one to go.

My collection: 7" single no. 7009
Found: Discogs.com, received 15 August 2023
Tracks: 'Be kind to my mistakes' (Kate Bush) / 'Chemistry' (Brian Eno)

Il est là - Paule Desjardins

The very first Eurovision Song Contest took place in 1956 and every participating country (seven in total) performed two songs each. Some countries chose to send two different performing artists as well. In the case of France, they were Mathé Altéry with 'Le temps perdu' and Dany Dauberson with 'Il est là'. For some inexplicable reason, both songs were not released on disc at the time.

A version of 'Il est là' appeared on an EP, however, and it was performed by Paule Desjardins (who would go on to represent France the next year). This EP is quite rare, and I was lucky enough to find a copy from a Portuguese seller online. Sometimes you never know where those rare records come from!

My collection: 7" single no. 7008
Found: Discogs.com, received 5 August 2023
Tracks: 'Il est là', 'Mango-rumbo' / 'Casino blues', 'Viens plus près'

Tour de France - Kraftwerk

I went on a holiday in Germany and bought a single about France. That, in a few words, sums up my most recent acquisition. But obviously there's a little bit more to the story: this single came free with the magazine Musikexpress, which contains a cover story about Kraftwerk and their 2003 album 'Tour de France'. In it, there's an interview with Ralf Hütter and a description of every track on that album.

The single contains a new edit of 'Tour de France', which does not appear on the single 'Tour de France' which I bought 14 years ago and which was released 40 years ago. The B-side is, unfortunately, empty.

My collection: 7" single no. 7007
Found: Eckert, Hbf Landau (Germany)
Tracks: 'Tour de France'

Silencio e tanta gente - Maria Guinot

Since their first participation, Portugal has entered many songs into the Eurovision Song Contest without ever winning until just a few years ago. In the mean time they managed to send in some boring, but mostly interesting and beautiful songs. Unfortunately they are forgotten by most, because they were rarely rewarded with high scores.

One example is 'Silencio e tanta gente' by Maria Guinot, Portugal's entry in 1984. You know, the year Sweden won yet again with one of their most inane songs, 'Diggi-loo diggi-ley'. Guinot's song is almost the complete opposite to that poppy, singalong track with golden shoes: it's dramatic, melodic and beautifully orchestrated. But it ended up in 11th place in a field of 19 competitors. I ordered my copy of this single from a Portuguese seller. Because it's actually quite hard to find a copy of this one!

My collection: 7" single no. 7004
Found: Discogs.com, received 14 July 2023
Tracks: 'Silencio e tanta gente' / 'Estimo que esta carta te encontre de saude'