Non ho l'eta - Gigliola Cinquetti

Although I already own several copies of 'Non ho l'eta', I never saw this one. It's an EP, released soon after her impressive win at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1964, featuring four tracks. 'Non ho l'eta' and 'Sei un bravo ragazzo' appear on the original 7" single, and 'Penso alle cose perdute' was the B-side of the Japanese version of 'Non ho l'eta'. 

This EP seems to have been made in Belgium, and the label states that it was distributed across the Benelux. There must have been many copies of this EP, but I have never seen it before.

My collection: 7" single no. 7841
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, 30 October 2025
Tracks: 'Non ho l'eta per amarti', 'Quando vedo che tutti si amano' / 'Sei un bravo ragazzo', 'Penso alle cose perdute'

Jedan dan - Dubrovački Trubaduri

I bought a copy of 'Jedan dan' in 2009, the song by Dubrovački Trubaduri from the Eurovision Song Contest 1968. Like I wrote back then, various countries released the single, and they appeared in various different sleeves. 

This Belgian version is a good example. Despite its basic sleeve, the song made it to number 15 in the Flemish Ultratop chart. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7840
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, 30 October 2025
Tracks: 'Jedan dan' / 'Trubadurska serenade' 

Romantica - Marino Marini ed il suo quartetto

Marino Marini was quite invested in the Eurovision Song Contest; in the Fifties and Sixties he recorded several cover versions of the songs Italy sent in to the annual music fest. I already had a copy of his version of 'Uno per tutte', but three years before that he released this EP, featuring a version of 'Romantica', which was a big favourite in 1960 - numerous cover versions exist.

The EP also contains a version of 'Libero', which was the winning song of the San Remo festival in 1960. The original version was performed by Domenico Modugno, who co-wrote the song himself.

My collection: 7" single no. 7839
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, 30 October 2025
Tracks: 'Romantica', 'Notte mia' / 'Libero', 'E' vero' 

Volare / Ciao ciao bambina - Domenico Modugno

It's no wonder that Domenico Modugno's song 'Nel blu dipinto di blu', better known as 'Volare', became such an immortal song: it was re-released numerous times after its original release in 1958. In this case, we're looking at a Belgian single in the 'Golden Original Oldies' series from the early Eighties. 

'Volare' was coupled with that other Eurovision oldie, 'Ciao ciao bambina' a.k.a. Piove, which was Modugno's other big Eurovision hit from 1959. The single presents both songs in their original incarnations in a simple black and white sleeve. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7838
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, 30 October 2025
Tracks: 'Volare (Nel blu, dipinto di blu)' / 'Ciao ciao bambina (Piove)' 

Take a chance on me - Abba

Finding different versions of Abba singles has become a minor obsession, but that's because it's so interesting to see the various versions that were made during the Seventies. Sleeves seemed to vary a lot, depending on the country where the single was made. In France Abba was signed to Melba Disques at one point, and they were very creative with their sleeves. For 'Take a chance on me' they used the same photograph that was used elsewhere in Europe, but the layout of the sleeve was remarkably different. I think it was smart to put the title of the single on the top, but I wonder why the B-side was announced so prominently beneath the 'Abba' logo.

When you compare the design with the one on the German sleeve (which I bought some time ago) you can see what I mean. In this design the A-side title appears within the rectangle. It's just awkward that most of the photograph is covered in this design.

My collection: 7" single no. 7835 / no. 7103
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, 30 October 2025 / Record fair, Utrecht, 2023
Tracks: 'Take a chance on me' / 'I'm a marionette' 

Denis - Blondie

There were a lot of different incarnations of the single 'Denis' by Blondie. I own the Dutch version, of course, but the German pressing came in a different sleeve and with a different B-side. It was interesting enough for me to want to have it. 

If you're not familiar with Chelsea Records in Antwerpen; it's a relatively small-sized record shop, stacked to the ceiling with boxes of singles. In order to get to the first letters of the alphabet you need to climb a tall ladder, get one of the boxes out, step down and go through its contents. There were a few moments where I thought I was going to fall, with about 200 singles scattered on the floor as a result. Fortunately, I managed to get through the process without too many problems. Finding a few new discs for my collection was the reward for all my troubles.

My collection: 7" single no. 7832
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, 30 October 2025
Tracks: 'Denis' / 'Bermuda Triangle Blues (Flight 45)'

Hero takes a fall - The Bangles

'Hero takes a fall' is an early single by the Bangles, taken from their debut album All over the place. I remember seeing the music video on television. I always thought it was a big hit, but it didn't even chart in the UK and Europe.

The B-side is a cover version of 'Where were you when I needed you' by The Grass Roots. The label of this single states that the song was taken from the album also, but that's incorrect; the track is recorded for this B-side. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7831
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, 30 October 2025
Tracks: 'Hero takes a fall' / 'Where were you when I needed you'

Michael Jackson medley - Ashaye

When Michael Jackson was at the peak of his career, several other artists tried to profit from his success as well. There was the Club House version of 'Billie Jean', of course, but also a lesser known Michael Jackson medley performed by Ashaye.

I never actually heard of this single, but apparently it was a minor success. In October 1983 it spent three weeks in the UK singles chart, peaking at number 45. Ashaye later teamed up with musicians/songwriters Robert Chandler, Nick Austin and Alex Palmer and under the new label V4 Visions more hits followed: 'What's This World Coming To' and the garage track 'Fantasy'. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7829
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, 30 October 2025
Tracks: 'Michael Jackson medley' / 'Electricity' 

Fantasy - Earth Wind & Fire

Maurice White saw the movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind and became so inspired, that he wrote 'Fantasy', together with Eddie Del Barrio and Verdine White. The song was included on the album All 'n All and released as a single in January 1978. It reached number 32 in the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 14 in the UK singles chart. In the Dutch Top 40 it peaked at number 6. 

I found this single among a few dozen Earth Wind & Fire singles in the shop, but this was the only copy of 'Fantasy'. I wondered for a while whether I already had this single - EWF singles of that period have very similar sleeves - but thanks to this blog I found out I didn't. It was a good find.

My collection: 7" single no. 7828
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, 29 October 2025
Tracks: 'Fantasy' / 'Be ever wonderful' 

 

We belong - Pat Benatar

Picture discs are, of course, always interesting. So whenever there's a little box of picture discs, I go through it to see if I can grab anything. In this case, I managed to find a beautiful little picture disc of Pat Benatar's 'We belong'. I never saw this one before. I bought the original single in 1994. 

The song earned Benatar a Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance alongside Linda Ronstadt, Tina Turner, Madonna, and Whitney Houston. It was awarded a gold certification in Canada for sales in excess of 50,000 units.

My collection: 7" single no. 7827
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, 29 October 2025
Tracks: 'We belong' / 'Suburban king' 

Comment te dire adieu - Jimmy Somerville featuring June Miles-Kingston

Back in 1990, I bought 'Comment te dire adieu' cheaply, without a picture sleeve. I wouldn't be at all surprised if that copy had originally been inside a limited edition gatefold sleeve, because the exact same sort of black sleeve appears within this rather more attractive packaging. The inside of the gatefold sleeve shows the full lyrics of the song alongside another picture of the duo singing it.

June Miles-Kingston was a founding member of the Mo-dettes, which lasted from 1979 to 1982. She later became a session drummer and backing vocalist for a variety of British post-punk, new wave, and pop artists. In the Nineties she studied fine art at St. Martin's and filmmaking at the University of Sussex. Her film Dear Miss Bassey was awarded a prize at the London 'Shorts' Film Festival.

My collection: 7" single no. 7826
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, 29 October 2025
Tracks: 'Comment te dire adieu' / 'Tell the world' 

Waterfront - Simple Minds

The last record shop I visited during my stay in Vienna was actually the first one I visited when I was in Vienna back in September 2017. In the meantime, the shop had moved to a different address, although their stock was still the same: clothing and records. Unfortunately I didn't find a lot of interesting singles this time, and I was actually afraid that I would have to leave the shop after searching for 20 minutes and finding nothing. That's always a bit embarrassing.

But fortunately there was some 'Record Store Day' stock in a corner, and that's where I found this picture disc single. I knew it existed, but I hadn't been able to find it yet. It was released back in 2015, and features one of the Simple Mind's better singles. It was a nice item to finish the week with.

My collection: 7" single no. 7825
Found: Record Bag, Vienna, 18 October 2025
Tracks: 'Waterfront' / 'Hunter and the hunted' 

Gentlemen callers not allowed - Gilla

Although 'Gentlemen callers not allowed' was presented as a single by Gilla & Bobby at some point, but originally it was simply a single by Gilla on her own, as this sleeve demonstrates. So it isn't strange that I thought I didn't already have the track. Unfortunately the content of the single is identical, including the vocals of Bobby Farrell (or should I say, Frank Farian?). 

After the birth of her daughter, Gilla ended her career. Her husband, Helmut Rulofs, released several songs under the pseudonym Chris Denning and worked for Frank Farian. Under the pseudonym G. Winger she wrote the song 'I see a boat on the river' for Boney M. Later, she founded the group Vanilla.

My collection: 7" single no. 7824
Found: Wienyl, Vienna, 17 October 2025
Tracks: 'Gentlemen callers not allowed' / 'Say yes' 

Komm komm zu mir - Edina Pop

Edina Pop was born in Budapest as Marika Késmárki on 4 February 1941. She came to Germany in 1969 and forged a singing career in German. Some of her singles were actually cover versions of Eurovision singles, and this is one of them: 'Komm komm zu mir' is actually a version of Mary Hopkin's 'Knock, knock who's there' - and this is proudly proclaimed on the sleeve of this single.

'Komm komm zu mir' was the first of two of her singles that made the charts in Germany. It reached number 35 in June 1970. The other one, 'Tomatenrote Lippen', followed in January 1971 and only got to number 39. In 1979 she was recruited by Ralph Siegel for his group Dschinghis Khan.

My collection: 7" single no. 7823
Found: Wienyl, Vienna, 17 October 2025
Tracks: 'Komm, komm zu mir' / 'Alle Tränen die ich weine' 

Sunset people - Donna Summer

Here's another Donna Summer single that I already have, but in an Austrian pressing with a different sleeve. I think this sleeve is better, actually, but also the fact that this one only cost me 50 eurocents was a factor.

'Sunset people' was written by Harold Faltermeyer, together with Pete Belotte and Keith Forsey. The song was produced by Giorgio Moroder and Belotte.

My collection: 7" single no. 7818
Found: Wienyl, Vienna, 17 October 2025
Tracks: 'Sunset people' / 'Our love' 

Carrie - Cliff Richard

Some singles by Cliff Richard have appeared on this blog recently, but there was always one single that I couldn't find anywhere. It's a track I remember from my childhood, and I guess I would have bought it back then if pocket money had been enough to finance it. 

I am talking about 'Carrie', a track from Cliff's album Rock 'n' Roll Juvenile. Playing this single 45 years later I can still remember the chorus and the last few seconds of the track. It's funny how brains seem to absorb music and can still replicate it after not having heard it for so long.

My collection: 7" single no. 7822
Found: Wienyl, Vienna, 17 October 2025
Tracks: 'Carrie' / 'Moving in' 

Everybody dance - Chic

After 'Dance, dance, dance (Yowsah, yowsah, yowsah)', Chic released 'Everybody dance', a song yet again squarely aimed at the visitors of discotheques around the world. The song is notable for its excellent bass line and the bass solo near the end of the track. It became a hit in the UK, peaking at number 9 in the singles chart, and in the USA, where it reached number 38 in the Billboard Hot 100.

According to Nile Rodgers, speaking for the BBC Four documentary How to Make It in the Music Business, the session during with the song was recorded cost the band $10, which went to bribing the elevator engineer not to tell the manager they were recording in there.

My collection: 7" single no. 7821
Found: Wienyl, Vienna, 17 October 2025
Tracks: 'Everybody dance' / 'You can get by' 

You make me feel (Mighty real) - Sylvester

'You make me feel (Mighty real)' was written by James Wirrick and Sylvester and released by Fantasy Records as the second single from the singer's fourth album, Step II (1978). The song was already a largely popular dance club hit in 1978, as the B-side of his previous single 'Dance (Disco Heat)', before it was officially being released in December. It rose to the number one position on the US Billboard Dance Club Songs chart. 

The song was originally recorded as a mid-tempo piano-driven gospel song; however, after producer Patrick Cowley saw a rehearsal of the song at San Francisco's City Club, he offered to remix the song. The result was one of the pioneering disco records using some electronic instrumentation and effects, following closely on 'I Feel Love' by Donna Summer which heavily used electronic instrumentation ahead of its time. These Seventies songs using electronic instrumentation would have an influence on dance music in the Eighties and Nineties. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7820
Found: Wienyl, Vienna, 17 October 2025
Tracks: 'You make me feel (Mighty real)' / 'Dance (Disco heat)'

Trödler & Co - Peter, Sue & Marc, Pfuri Gorps & Kniri

Fifteen years ago I bought 'Trödler & Co' by Peter, Sue & Marc, Pfuri Gorps & Kniri. It was the original Swiss pressing with a bright sleeve. The German version, shown here, comes in a considerably darker sleeve, but it is actually more stylish. 

'Stylish' isn't exactly a description of this song, because it was made with gardening tools and weird sounds. Pfuri, Gorps & Kniri were actually held up at the airport when they arrived in Israel on their way to the Eurovision Song Contest, because of the strange stuff they brought with them. Still, they made it to the stage and represented Switzerland in their own unique way.

My collection: 7" single no. 7819
Found: Wienyl, Vienna, 17 October 2025
Tracks: 'Trödler & Co' / 'Groovy Musik' 

 

See that glow (NYC edit) - This Island Earth

After the 7" single and 12" single of 'See that glow', I thought I had all versions of the song by This Island Earth, so I was pretty surprised to find this single. I never knew it existed, and the last thing you would expect to find in an Austrian record store in a UK pressing of a single. It was actually the last thing I found there, coincidentally.

'See that glow' was originally released in 1984, but this remixed version was released three years later. It brings back great memories of what was essentially a one hit wonder.

My collection: 7" single no. 7817
Found: Lenny's Music Store, Vienna, 17 October 2025
Tracks: 'See that glow (NYC edit)' / 'Euroglow (edit)'